Are you interested in adding a slithery serpent to your home as a family pet?
Snakes have been popular pets for thousands of years, but according to Ann-Elizabeth Nash, Executive Director and Founder of the Colorado Reptile Humane Society, the 1970s was when the trend started in having snakes as household pets!
Since then popularity has grown and not only are people getting snakes as their pets, they are learning to breed them and create special, unique color and pattern variations.
Snake enthusiasts, whether for getting them as pets or for breeding purposes, are as educated and knowledgeable as any typical pet owner. They know what it takes to house them, raise them and properly care for them.
So if you’re looking into buying a snake in Pennsylvania, here are a few things you should know!
Do I Need A Permit To Own A Snake?
In Pennsylvania owning a snake does not require any permits.
You are free to have any amphibians or reptiles, just like you would any typical house pet.
Yes, in PA any dog over 3 months old needs a license, but it is mainly to control the stray dog population and help keep only their homeless or surrendered dogs in the shelters.
Can I Own A Venomous Snake In PA?
Surprisingly, yes! You are able to possess a venomous snake in PA. There are no regulations, however, the PFBC (Pennsylvania Fishing and Boat Commission) highly recommends NOT keeping venomous snakes as pets.
Even though there are no regulations for owning a venomous snake, if you plan on owning a venomous snake native to PA, for example, a Timber Rattlesnake, you will need to get a venomous snake permit through the PFBC. This is because venomous snakes native to PA are not permitted (is illegal) to be bred in captivity or imported from a different state.
You will need to catch a PA native venomous snake in the wild, during open season.
This not only keeps the population of venomous snakes in PA down but also keeps more from invading the area since no breeding or importing is allowed.
Check With Your Municipality
Finally, before you decide to buy a snake as a pet, you need to do your due diligence. There are ordinances within municipalities that regulate the possession of “dangerous or exotic” pets. Since there has been a boom in owning snakes and exotic amphibians and reptiles, certain municipalities have created ordinances due to cases of non-native snake bites and snakes getting loose in neighborhoods.
Municipalities can set ordinances for different types of pets including owning bees, and chickens, so just double-check before buying a snake in Pennsylvania that it’s OKAY with your town!
Interested In Buying A Snake In Pennsylvania? Visit The Gettysburg Reptile Expo!
If you’re interested in buying a snake in Pennsylvania, you don’t need to search “reptile expo near me,” the Gettysburg Reptile Expo is the perfect place to find your new slithery friend! As a locally owned and operated business for over 30 years we have been educating and helping people understand what it means to own and care for a snake or any reptile!
Check out our previous blog that provides further details about our Reptile Expo in Pennsylvania!
Have more questions? Contact us today to learn more!
