The Chula Vista, California City Council will discuss an overhaul of the city’s current animal laws tomorrow at its Tuesday, February 28th meeting. Among the amendments presented in this wide-ranging, proposed ordinance is a ban on certain “wild animals” and other provisions that impact reptile owners and businesses.

This proposal bans the sale, possession for sale, importation or breeding of a wild animal, and declares that “no person may possess or maintain the following:”

• venomous reptiles;
  
• birds attaining an adult weight of over 15 pounds;
  
• rodents attaining an adult weight of over 10 pounds;
  
• any crocodilian (Order Crocodilia);
  
• all boa and python species (Family Boidae) attaining an adult weight of over 15 pounds or an adult overall length of over 3 ½ feet;
  
• all monitor lizard species.

For a complete list of the animals impacted by the ordinance refer to the full text of the proposal located here. The proposal states that this ordinance will take effect, and be in full force, on the 13th day after its adoption. The proposal is set to be discussed at the February 28, 2012 City Council meeting (Council Chambers, City Hall – 276 Fourth Avenue, 4:00 p.m.). All pet owners, pet business operators and anyone else affected by this proposal should attend the meeting and contact the council.

Thanks again to PIJAC for bringing this to our attention.

Yet another state, Illinois, has proposed a law on "Dangerous Animals" that includes constrictor snakes. The Illinois Dangerous Animals Act of 2012, Senate Bill SB3264, introduced by Sen. Heather A. Steans on Wednesday identifies a class of animals that qualify as dangerous animals, requires that a person must hold a Dangerous Animal Permit or a Limited Entry Permit to possess a dangerous animal in the State and sets forth requirements that must be met before the Department of Natural Resources may issue a Dangerous Animal Permit or a Limited Entry Permit, among other things.

According to the bill as proposed reptiles and amphibians impacted by this legislation include:

(14) Venomous reptiles, regardless of whether they have been surgically altered, including, but not limited to, venomous species of the following families or genera of the order Squamata: Helodermatidae, such as gila monsters and beaded lizards; Elapidae, such as cobras and coral snakes; Hydrophiidae, such as sea snakes; Viperidae and Crotalinae, such as vipers and pit vipers; Atractaspididae, such as burrowing asps; as well as colubrids such as the: Alsophis, such as the West Indian racers; Boiga, such as boigas and mangrove snakes; Conophis such as road guarders; Dispholidus, such as Boomslang; Hydrodynastes, such as false water cobras; Hemirhagerrhis, such as bark snakes; Macropisthodon, such as varied or hooded keelbacks; Madagascarophis, such as Madagascar common snakes; Malpolon, such as Montpellier snakes; Mimophis, such as Mahafaly sand snakes; Phalotris, such as
collared snakes; Philodryas, such as palm snakes or green racers; Psammophis, such as sand snakes or racers; Psammophylax, such as skaapstekers; Rhabdophis, such as keelbacks; Rhamphiophis, such as beaked snakes; Tachymenis, such as slender snakes or false vipers; Thelotornis, such as Twig snakes; Thrasops, such as black tree snakes; Tomodon, such as Pampas snakes; Waglerophis, such as Wagler's snakes; Xenodon, such as false fer-de-lances; Boiga irregularis, including specimens or eggs of the brown tree snake; and any others that the Department designates, by administrative rule, as outlined or deemed medically significant.

(15) All members of the Boidae family, such as boas, pythons, and anacondas as provided by the Department by administrative rule.
(16) All members of the order Crocodilia, such as crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gavials; members of the Varanidae family, such as Nile, water, and crocodile monitors as well as Komodo dragons.
(17) Medically significant poisonous amphibians capable of causing bodily harm to humans or animals, including, but not limited to, Bufo marinus, such as cane or marine toads, and Bufo alvarius, such as Colorado River toads.

Just for good measure they have also included a variety of spiders and scorpions as well.

Thanks to Jeff West for bringing this to my attention.

To read the full text of the bill as introduced, please continue reading...

Over the weekend kingsnake.com launched the first of several planned "Breed Specific" breeder directories, with the initial directory for Ball Python breeders that are currently listed in kingsnake.com's master Reptile & Amphibian Business Directory. Current Reptile & Amphibian Business Directory account holders are listed at no extra charge as the system is based on that directory. The first of a number of planned directories based on the master directory, it is important that Business Directory account holders update their account settings to make sure that the proper search terms, in this case Ball Python, are included in their account listings "Description" or "Key Words" fields to make sure that their listing appears in this and the other directories yet to be launched.

Another important reason for Reptile & Amphibian Business Directory account holders to update their listings is the addition of Facebook, Twitter and Youtube links in your kingsnake.com listing. Make sure you have your social network links appear next to your business listing by updating your account today at http://www.pethobbyist.com/myaccount/bus_dir.php.

If you do not have a Storefront/Business directory account for your business and would like to be in our directories, the cost is for listing is $150.00 and it can be purchased online at http://www.kingsnake.com/breeder.html under the "list a business" tab.

You may have noticed some other new things in the ball python classifieds this weekend as well. Part of the Ball Python Breeder Directory and now part of the classifieds are two new features similar to our Featured Business Listing.

The Featured Ball Python Breeder listing is an extended and enhanced mixed media text/graphics listing that appears not only in the Ball Python Breeders Directory but listings also appear one at a time in the new tabbed Ball Python classified interface. This listing, appearing as part of the Ball Python classifieds, was displayed over 55,000 times just on Saturday and with the launch of the Breeder Directory will only get busier. Listings currently costing a flat rate of $50.00 for 6 months or $100 for 12 months. To purchase a Featured Ball Python Breeder listing please go to http://www.kingsnake.com/featuredbreeder.html We already have a few early adopters so check out their listings.

Similar to our Ball Python Breeder Listing, the Featured Ball Python Products listing is an extended and enhanced mixed media text/graphics listing that allows publishers, dry good and supply manufacturers that have breed specific products to reach our ball python classified audience. The listing appears in the Ball Python Breeders Directory as well as appearing
one at a time in the new tabbed Ball Python classified interface also. Listings currently costing a flat rate of $50.00 for 6 months or $100 for 12 months. To purchase a Featured Ball Python Products listing please go to http://www.kingsnake.com/featuredproduct.html

Both of these listings, appearing as part of the tabbed Ball Python classifieds, were displayed over 55,000 times each just on Saturday and with the launch of the Breeder Directory will only get busier.

So...

Which breeder directory to do next. Carpet Pythons? Hognose Snakes? Crested Geckos? You tell us!