Seeking Rubber Boa

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PNWHerper
Posts: 667
Joined: July 8th, 2011, 2:04 pm
Location: King County, WA

Seeking Rubber Boa

Post by PNWHerper »

Hey all,

For those of you who don't know me...I am a wildlife biologist who teaches at an outdoor ed school in WA state, near Seattle. I am working on a book on Herps right now, and also am trying to bring more herp education to my students and to my local community.

Separate from the data gathering I am doing for the book (which does not require/have any need for collection of specimens) I am hoping I can start doing herp education as part of our program ( in WA) sometime soon. Does anyone have a good source to acquire a rubber boa? Does anyone breed them and has need to get rid of one or more? If not, does anyone have specific locales (in WA or OR) they recommend where one can legally collect a specimen?

Thanks for any advice!

Fil aka PNWHerper
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M Wolverton
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Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Seeking Rubber Boa

Post by M Wolverton »

Check your PMs
Richard F. Hoyer
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:14 pm

Re: Seeking Rubber Boa

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

PNWHerper:
Are you looking to maintain a specimen or have a specimen on loan for a period of time?

If you are willing to travel to Corvallis, I could help you out with a loaner ---or if you wish, I could take you out to collect one of your own with the provision that if the boa does not work out for you, it will be returned so it can be released where found.

The reason for the latter is that newly captured specimens often can be a pain trying to get the snake to take prey on a consistent basis. More often than not, newly captured Rubber Boas will refuse lab mice pups but on the other hand, will usually consume nestling native mice.

If you apply for a permit from your state's wildlife agency, you should be able to find and maintain a boa from Washington provided the wildlife agency will issues you a permit.

Richard F. Hoyer
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PNWHerper
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Location: King County, WA

Re: Seeking Rubber Boa

Post by PNWHerper »

Richard,
PNWHerper:
Are you looking to maintain a specimen or have a specimen on loan for a period of time?
At this time, the animal would likely be kept for a number of years to help educate the public about the local herps. I am certainly not against a loan animal, but at this time I can not say exactly when the period of time would be up.

Thank you for the offer.
If you are willing to travel to Corvallis, I could help you out with a loaner ---or if you wish, I could take you out to collect one of your own with the provision that if the boa does not work out for you, it will be returned so it can be released where found.
The welfare of the animal(s) would be first priority. I would ideally like to have a male/female pair. If the boas were showing signs of being unhappy or otherwise not working out, I would certainly return them to you so they could be released. I am actually glad to hear you express this level of care for the welfare of the boas and wouldn't not want to see it done any other way.
The reason for the latter is that newly captured specimens often can be a pain trying to get the snake to take prey on a consistent basis. More often than not, newly captured Rubber Boas will refuse lab mice pups but on the other hand, will usually consume nestling native mice.
I found your amazingly informative rubber boa page via google and read about that. Indeed, if the snakes refuse to feed I will certainly return them to you! And I would stay in touch about growth, good feeding rates/times, etc. I am new to rubber boas, so I would want to know as much as possible, and make sure they are as happy and healthy as possible!
If you apply for a permit from your state's wildlife agency, you should be able to find and maintain a boa from Washington provided the wildlife agency will issues you a permit.
I was thinking that my first step would be to apply for a state permit either way. Would I need a permit if the boas came from OR? What are the laws around transporting them? I was planning on giving WA Fish and Wildlife a ring and talking to them about it. What other considerations do you recommend I take into account.

Thank you! :thumb:

M. Wolverton,
Check your PMs
Will do, thanks!


Fil
Richard F. Hoyer
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:14 pm

Re: Seeking Rubber Boa

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

Fil:
I just viewed you private message. I am too tired this evening to respond. Contact me at [email protected] and we can hash over what might be the best approach. By the way, the rubberboa.com web site was created my son Ryan in Utah.

Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon
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TravisK
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Joined: July 8th, 2010, 11:14 am
Location: Eastern Washington

Re: Seeking Rubber Boa

Post by TravisK »

Richard F. Hoyer wrote:Fil:
I just viewed you private message. I am too tired this evening to respond. Contact me at [email protected] and we can hash over what might be the best approach. By the way, the rubberboa.com web site was created my son Ryan in Utah.

Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon
Tell your son I say, "Thank you" for putting that site together. Also thank YOU Richard as well. That site was a real treat and very helpful to me some years ago. Now I know why your name seemed so familiar to me. One day I will hopefully get to shake your hand and thank you in person for sharing your passion and knowledge.

Cheers.
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TravisK
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Location: Eastern Washington

Re: Seeking Rubber Boa

Post by TravisK »

PNWHerper wrote:I was thinking that my first step would be to apply for a state permit either way. Would I need a permit if the boas came from OR? What are the laws around transporting them? I was planning on giving WA Fish and Wildlife a ring and talking to them about it. What other considerations do you recommend I take into account.
This thread might help a little. It sounds like you will have an easier time than a simple lay person like myself.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1056
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PNWHerper
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Joined: July 8th, 2011, 2:04 pm
Location: King County, WA

Re: Seeking Rubber Boa

Post by PNWHerper »

I just viewed you private message. I am too tired this evening to respond. Contact me at [email protected] and we can hash over what might be the best approach. By the way, the rubberboa.com web site was created my son Ryan in Utah.

Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon
Thank you. Indeed, my mistake, I can see now that your son created the website.

I will email you so we can talk details. Thanks for the help.

Travis,
This thread might help a little. It sounds like you will have an easier time than a simple lay person like myself.
I checked it out. Did not realize the the laws were quite that ridiculous here in WA state!! :shock:

I do work for an educational institute and we do have collection permits for feathers and roadkill. Unfortunately, those permits only cover out staff. Which means our students could get into serious trouble if they collect stuff. That really sucks, as it is hard to learn naturalist skills without lots of access to such materials.

I understand the need to protect sensitive species, but such cover-all types of regs seem to only incite law-breaking from the general public. I have to agree that CA has better herp regs than WA state. I will post over on that thread when I have more time.
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