Regulations on garters?

[nekura]

I was wondering if anyone know regulations on garters per state. In LA I can't find nothing more than saying you need a fishing license to catch and own one? Even if you found it on your own property? And what about selling?

[guidofatherof5]

Iowa- Garter snakes are offered no protection.

[d_virginiana]

Are you sure it's just a fishing license and not a fishing-and-game license?
It's technically illegal to take one from the wild in lots of places, but if someone finds a garter wandering through their yard or rescues one from a cat no one really cares about it. Not advising you to break the law though, especially since you can get those licenses for cheap at a WalMart.

The main problem is when people illegally harvest wild garters and then try to sell them for profit. If that's illegal in your state then it could get you in a lot of trouble. Also, there are certain protected species that you can't catch/sell/anything. The selling law usually only applies to wild caught snakes though.. For example, it's illegal to sell wild animals in NC, but you can buy a garter from a breeder legally.

[ssssnakeluvr]

one of the reasons some states protect snakes is due to a limted range int he state... very small number of them. check with your local fish and game for regs regarding them, usually most can be found on the internet. here in Utah you can owne a small number of valley garters and western blacknecks (9), and 25 wandering garters. you have to have a Certificate of Registration approved by the state to captive breed the local species here. I am one of the few in Utah that has one.
since garters tend to be fairly common, they don't get a lot of protection or even interest by the wildlife officers....snake dens are protected here by law, but a garter snake den has been destroyed because wildlife officers could care less.... :(

[jitami]

I was wondering if anyone know regulations on garters per state. In LA I can't find nothing more than saying you need a fishing license to catch and own one? Even if you found it on your own property? And what about selling?

Would that be LA as in Los Angeles, California or LA as in Louisiana?

If California, you're correct in that you need a fishing license and are limited to the bag counts listed by fish and game. For most snakes in most areas there is a limit of two. No selling whatsoever of native garters. Here's a good informational link, with additional links to CA Dept of Fish & Game regs:

California Laws Regarding Reptiles and Amphibians (http://www.californiaherps.com/info/herpinglaws.html)

[nekura]

It's Louisiana. I searched for several hours and it just said I'd need a fishing license to collect garters BUT I caught these two on my own property (who would have been ate by my dog otherwise, he just killed another yesterday, he kills about 5 a week). Also I read that you can legally fish on your own property without needing a license. So you'd think you wouldn't need a fishing license to pick up a snake in your yard, but there's no further detail.

I have no intention of selling the ones I found. I'm just worried if they make babies. I have no idea what gender they are and no idea what to do with babies. They really like each other's company and I don't have room in my room or the $$ for another tank so I'd hate to separate them. So I figured if they did have babies I could just sell them for like $1 to make sure whoever got them would take them seriously (since we all know giving away free animals leads to seriously bad stuff) .

I have no vet here who could sex them for me. The closest is in the state capital which is no where near me. So yeah, that's why I asked. I'll automatically assume releasing baby garters back into my yard from captive snakes is illegal.

I really hope they are the same gender though. I don't want no baby drama.

[guidofatherof5]

Post some underside the tail photos and we'll give you our opinions.
Here's a link that will show you the kind of photos we need. This link will also show you what to look for if you want to do-it-yourself.;)
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/breeding/5069-sexing-pics.html

[d_virginiana]

If the ones you caught are both the same size as the one in your avatar, then it'll be awhile before you have to worry about them making babies. Also, selling them for $1 won't necessarily get them into good homes. Sadly I've seen people sell snakes as feeders for a higher price. :(

Releasing babies might be a possibility. I know there are people on here who have caught wild gravid females and released the babies to the spot where they found the mother, but I don't know what the general thoughts are on releasing the F1 babies of two wc garters are...

[guidofatherof5]

I'd hate to see the little ones get turned into feeders.
At $1.00 each that might just happen.

[ConcinusMan]

I find the best way to get the answers you need is to email them directly and be specific. Give them species latin names, don't just say "garter snake"

States that require a fishing license to take garter snakes,(there's a daily bag limit) usually do not allow you to buy, sell, trade, breed, or import (native species/subspecies) them but does allow you keep some as pets. There are exceptions of course, which may or may not require a separate license.

There's a "contact us" link at the bottom of this page:
Licenses and Permits | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/licenses)

[nekura]

Ok thanks guys. And yeah they're both really tiny and that size. I'll get some tail pictures once they've turned less squirmy and have gotten a little more used to handling.

Releasing any babies back into the yard would be ideal since the garters eat the food the poisonous snakes want and keep them out, but I know how fickle the regulations and all that are. And I'd sell babies for more than 1$ but then they'd accuse me of going for profit or some such. Blarg. But yeah I'll email them the questions. I know for sure I'm allowed to keep them as pets, there's just no info on the selling and such.

[ConcinusMan]

there's just no info on the selling and such.

There is, it's just buried and/or not posted on the website.

[drache]

we do btw have Reptile Regulations by State - Caresheets (http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Reptile_Regulations_by_State) in the articles section of this site
please help us by keeping the ones pertaining to your state updated if you can
looking at what departments they're under in other states can help you find them in your own
be aware that sometimes there are not only state laws, but also local restrictions

[nekura]

It appears that Louisiana isn't even on the Reptile Regulations by State - Caresheets (http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/caresheets/index.php?title=Reptile_Regulations_by_State). I sent an email to Licenses and Permits | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/licenses) and I'll let you know what they say on the issue.

I live in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere. I don't think we have local restrictions to worry about in our mud paddy.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

where I live here in Michigan we are only aloud to keep 6 garters at a time.

[nekura]

Okay, tail pictures. Feel free to move these to the sexing pics area after we've decided what they are.

Snake 1 was very squirmy and bad for pictures:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/nekura_Shimo/snake1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/nekura_Shimo/snake12.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/nekura_Shimo/snake13.jpg


Snake 2 was a lot better:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/nekura_Shimo/snake2.jpg

My Stepdad guessed that they were both female from the sexing page, but we have no idea.

[sirtalis01]

They do look like females...

[nekura]

Great. Now maybe I can actually name them besides Snakey 1 and Snakey 2. :D

[guidofatherof5]

I'd say female on both those beauties.

[RedSidedSPR]

Females I think.

[nekura]

Awesome for me. Alright this is the response from wildlife and fisheries of LA:

"Nearly all Louisiana amphibians and reptiles may be possessed in unlimited numbers as long as you have a Basic Fishing License. There is no presumption that they are propagated for sale simply because they reproduce. When they reach sexual maturity in a couple of years the sexes can be distinguished by a trained eye."


I sent back another question on whether or not you have to have a fishing license at all times during possession or if its just to catch them. Likewise, I asked if it mattered if they were caught on your own property or not.

[nekura]

Response was: The license is required to possess, so it's a lifetime (of the snakes) requirement.