Dilemma

[captive_fairy]

I have a dilemma...Someone in my family has just got a corn snake, it's still tiny.
They know its illegal and don't care so I want to report them, but 1. They would know it was me and 2. He is living with his parents (he lives in the garage), who only a few months ago, was raided and got in trouble with the police as he had a whole bunch of stolen stuff and marijuana, and I don't really want them to have to go through even more.
Part of the reason I'm so concerned though is because this snake is to replace one that escaped (don't know what sort escaped), and I don't know how much he has done to ensure this one won't escape (he might have gone all out and it would never escape, but I just don't know).
So does anyone know that if i report him, will his parents get in trouble too?
Any ideas as to the best way to go about it?
Who do I call?

 

[adfel]

You should be able to make an anonymous call and just 'make enquiries' about it

 

[euphorion]

ask him who he got it from (because tou really want one yourself...) and report the whole lot of them.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

With the information you have given in this post, the people involved can be traced.
If the authorities want them for something, now they have good cause to bust them for the little cornsnake.
Personally,being family, id just tell them to get rid of it or Id ignore it or if i was really worried id euthanise it when noone was looking.

 

[IgotFrogs]

You should be able to make an anonymous call and just 'make enquiries' about it

I think i'd do this .... one i knew he'd had a heap of mates around so he wouldnt know who reported him ....

 

[mouse_has_faith]

That is a bit of a pickle. I think ultimately the right thing to do is to report it- I like shooshoo's suggestion of finding out who sold it to him and reporting them, too. The last thing we need are more feral pests escaping into the wild.

 

[slim6y]

ask him who he got it from (because tou really want one yourself...) and report the whole lot of them.

Agree - stack the source not the user....

 

[captive_fairy]

ask him who he got it from (because tou really want one yourself...) and report the whole lot of them.

Thats not a bad idea...get the breeder too

With the information you have given in this post, the people involved can be traced.
If the authorities want them for something, now they have good cause to bust them for the little cornsnake.
Personally,being family, id just tell them to get rid of it or Id ignore it or if i was really worried id euthanise it when noone was looking.

I thought about getting rid of it when noone was around, but I dont have easy access without anyone noticing and he'd just get another one

I think i'd do this .... one i knew he'd had a heap of mates around so he wouldnt know who reported him ....

I thought about this too, but his mates care as much as he does

 

[mouse_has_faith]

Oh & as for who you call to report it, that'd be Parks & Wildlife. Their website will have the phone number, as should your licence.

 

[captive_fairy]

Yeah, I think I'll see if I can find out who the breeder is...Thanks for the suggestions...Anyone know who I should call if I do manage to find out the breeder?

 

[captive_fairy]

Oh & as for who you call to report it, that'd be Parks & Wildlife. Their website will have the phone number, as should your licence.

Thanks

 

[H.bitorquatus]

how come corn snakes are illegal anyway? domestic cats and european rabbits are far worse and you can buy them?

 

[euphorion]

perhaps you could get one of your friends to report him, as in, you told them he had the snake, and they reported him. so literally you werent the one to report him, and your name wont be involved at all. sneaky sneaky. oh if you're going to find out who the breeder is perhaps try to sweet talk them into getting more information out of them. maybe just report the breeder if you're that worried and hope that him getting done will lead to him giving names and your family member wont be your responsibility. i know i would be worried about reporting someone if they had access to my animals, you never know what they might do in anger...

 

[spanna_spamload]

i know someone who's not getting a christmas card

 

[angelrose]

Definately report them, we need to keep our natives safe, we don't need any exotic diseases making there way into our native animals!

 

[Vincey]

Explain to his parents the severe consequence of the animal in Australia, not to mention the even larger consequence if he's caught with it whilst having prior convictions. Tell your family member the snakes in prison aren't as nice

 

[captive_fairy]

I should clear it up, when I say family, his family married into the family that I married into, not really related, but I am close with his stepmum...
He is a 17ish ratbag...even after the previous convictions, he still thinks he can get away with anything and can walk all over anyone in the process (mainly his parents).
His stepmum actually walked out on his dad after the last convictions, because of him, and his dad doesn't have any control over him at all.
I think another big part of the reason I want to report it, is that his attitude seems to be all about image, "hey look at me I have a snake, Im tough", instead of actually caring about the animal

Definately report them, we need to keep our natives safe, we don't need any exotic diseases making there way into our native animals!

I was planning on reporting him, just trying to work out the best way to go about it.

 

[euphorion]

good luck, whatever you decide. i would like to know how things turn out

 

[Kurto]

I'm not advocating illegal activity but, it's a captive pet and nothing more... Why would 1 want to have a family member prosecuted anyway?

 

[dragon170]

because some family members can be feral and need to be locked up for their own good and the good of the public. Maybe one day these peoplemight wake up to the harm they do to people around them and actually care about another human being or animal but I doubt it. Hope all goes well if you report him