Rattle Snake

cegh2o · 11-04-04, 11:01 PM

Hi, I'm new to this site so please bear with me.
I am trying to find anyone in the Muskogee/ McAlester, OK area that buys rattle snakes. My son caught one today( yes, it is alive) and would like to sell it. It is about 41/2 ft. long and has 7 buttons on it. Don't know what kind of rattlesnake it is.
Can anyone help?

bistrobob85 · 11-04-04, 11:16 PM

I would actually release it... I dont think there will be much people interested for WC ( wild caught ) rattlers...

bistrobob85 · 11-04-04, 11:18 PM

Or people encouraging kids to go chasing rattlers either!!!

cegh2o · 11-04-04, 11:21 PM

My son is 30 yrs. old...not quite a child. He caught it at work.

Shad0w · 11-04-04, 11:36 PM

Id highly recommend letting the snake go..

I highly doubt anyone would pay much for a WC adult rattler that Im sure is infested with internal and external parasites.

JD@reptiles · 11-05-04, 12:08 AM

your snake is MAYBE worth 30 bucks, and thats a big maybe. serious injury or even death can be caused by the snake, and only trained people should handle it. if you get tagged by it and you dont know what species it is, you wont only have thousands of dollars in medical bills to pay but, possibly local venomous fines and maybe fines from fish and wildlife for "poaching" a native... your safest bet is to let it go, its not worth risking selling a somthing for 30 bucks if you can get fined 10,000 or more.

crimsonking · 11-05-04, 02:40 PM

Yep. Best to set it free. Too many troubles may come of selling a rattlesnake there.
"It is unlawful to engage in any commercial activities involving any indigenous species or subspecies collected from the wild in Oklahoma unless otherwise specified" (OAC 800:25-7-7.1)
"Rattlesnakes harvested from the wild may be sold during the open season to licensed commercial or non-commercial wildlife breeders only."
"A valid hunting license is required to harvest rattlesnakes.." (OAC 800:25-7-7.3)
To my knowlwge, open season was from March1 through June 30 as well.
Laws change, but as you can see, it is possible you may have violated one or two already so...
Just a heads up.
We'd still love to see a picture of it! Taken from a safe distance of course!
There's plenty of danger in releasing too, so be careful!
:Mark

mudflats · 11-05-04, 03:06 PM

I also have a problem with someone trying to make a quick buck of a potentially dangerous animal, as said. To many people around here go taking wild animals out of ther ehomes to sell them to a 3ft by 3ft glass enclosure. I think its awful, if you want to make what that rattler is worth, go mow a lawn. Other than that it belongs it the wild.

SCReptiles · 11-06-04, 01:31 AM

Sorry dude, reptile keepers tend to be huge whiners! No one has answered your question. If you have anything other then a western diamondback, then at 4 foot plus, you will be able to sell it. If it is a WDB, then there is no market. They are just too common. I know full well you are not going to release it back at his work, and releasing it anywhere else would probably mean its death. Try the Classified ads at www.venomousreptiles.org and at www.Faunaclassifieds.com to sell it. Get me a pic and I will tell you what it is worth. If all you have is a WDB, the only place you will probably be able to place it is a venom lab. The nearest to you will probably be Harrison over in KY. You and your son be careful with it!!!

cegh2o · 11-06-04, 02:01 AM

THANK-YOU! FINALLY A POLITE ANSWER. I CAME TO THIS SITE BECAUSE IT SAID ON THE SEARCH PAGE THAT BUYERS COULD BE FOUND ON THIS SITE. I APPRECIATE YOUR REPLY.

Tim and Julie B · 11-06-04, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cegh2o
My son is 30 yrs. old...not quite a child. He caught it at work.

LMAO ........... I am not sure if he was picturing a seven year old with a snake hook or what but that's funny. Good luck with the rattler. I would pick the safest place possible and release it, if possible. Chuck knows his stuff so I am sure you have your species answer by now. Good luck. TB

Vanan · 11-06-04, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Sorry dude, reptile keepers tend to be huge whiners!

Tis the sad truth. I guess that makes me a whiner for saying that too!

Glad you got the answers you needed. Good luck with it.

Matt · 11-07-04, 08:24 PM

anything for a quick dollar, right.

its true reptile people are whiners, unfortunately, it seems we lack alot of morals too, just my opinion though.

SCReptiles · 11-07-04, 11:52 PM

Come on Matt, you know that every reptile in captivity, including the ones you keep either came from the wild, or in the lineage of wild reptiles that were collected at some point for profit. This guy found the snake at his work site. No way the company is gona allow it to stay where it was. I would far father this guy collect the snake and make $20 then to cut its head off.

Matt · 11-08-04, 05:17 PM

Chuck, point taken, and I agree with you. Im not anti-wild caught by any means.

My only point is that it just seems like finding a snake (without even having any knowledge of herps) and wanting to turn it for profit quicky isnt something that I can agree with.

granted, if its not about the money and your just worried about the snake, then fine.....why not give it to someone who can take care of it (free of charge)?
I worked with Jim in KY at the zoo, i know he would take it!

my biggest concern is that you have to be careful selling hots (as we both are aware) and I dont agree with someone that cant even ID the snake selling it.

but like I said, its just my opinion!