HOTS Keepers In The Kelowna/Okanogan Area

[reptiguy]

Hi All,
I have never kept hots before but I have a passion for them and would love to at least have the experience of seeing someone else keep them. I currently live in Atlantic Canada but will be moving to Kelowna at the beginning of Sept. I have experience with both commonly kept nonvenemous snakes and lizards but hots have always been my passion although I have been unable to get any direct experience with them.
If anyone would be willing to "mentor" me I would be greatly appreciative. I am very responsible and careful around potentially dangerous reptiles (I have kept a few nasty common non-venomous specimins). I would love to meet with anyone in the area who keeps hots. I am very willing to follow any and all rules and precautions that may be outlined. If a potential mentor finds me to be a poor choice for a potential student then I would be content with just looking at their collection and admiring the beauty of these misunderstood reptiles from afar.

I really hope I can meet someone who can teach me or at least share their experiences with hots.

Thanks for your time,
-ReptiGuy-

[BWSmith]

You may want to join the SHHS as well. We have keepers from all over the world as members.

[Vanan]

I would go with what BW recommended. Alot of help and guidance offered through that society.

As for people in BC who keep hots, here are several, but let me warn you that they're probably all illegaly kept hots. Venomous reptiles are regulated throughout Canada, if not banned. Many city's in BC have then banned. There is only one person whom I know, has hots legally. Think abut it, dya wanna learn hot keeping from someone who's doing it illegally? My only suggestion is to join the SHHS and any other non-hot clubs in BC and start networking. Maybe this elusive legit guy might crawl out of the woodwork sooner or later. Good luck mate!

[Kyle Barker]

I thought it was only vipers that were illegal in BC. So are all venomous snakes Illegal here?

[red mamba]

Yes, that's the unfortunate thing about Canada, they have banend many animals. I would still recommend calling your local wildlife services just to check, you can only hope that they're better than the ones we have here in Edmonton. They're really dumb.