SOS ! No paperwork... is DP stolen or wild?

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pythonpals

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Ok, yesterday I was approached at my home by a man with a DP, 4 foot, great health and quiet like all well handled pythons. Would I please care for her... family could not take her to QLD. Papers would be dropped back to me that afternoon, left number and address in case he forgot to come back. Seemed legit, very nice and seemed quite knowledgeable. No money changed hands, it was like a sad circumstance rescue, and I genuinely believed he would be back with paperwork. PROBLEM... number does not exist.... lady at house had never heard of him.... what is the likelihood that this creature is stolen or has been removed from the wild and cared for illegally ??? Has anyone else been confronted with a questionable Pyhton before, what are my responsibilities now that this gorgeous DP has found itself in my care??? Please help.
 
total stranger gave you a snake, quarantine it, and contact the licensing authority
 
Most diamonds around tea gardens and hawks nest are very placid as well as being very high yellow Check for ticks that's a give away except if it was kept in an out door enclosure Contact npws see what they suggest
 
I'm curious as to what you mean by approached at your home. So a stranger randomly knocked on your door with a diamond python for free? Did he happen to see your current collection? Alarms bells would be ringing in my head as to how he knew you keep reptiles and especially so if he saw or was told what you currently have inside.
 
I was apparently mentioned at a BBQ in Raymond Terrace.... I dont know many people and cannot for the life of me think who I would know that would be there socializing , let alone mention me.I have spoken to my closest friends, none can recall such an encounter. I don't have a collection either.I never post photos on social media... I do not broadcast my python fetish, as I am all too aware of break ins that result in missing reptiles :( Truth of the matter is, I now have DP here with me, safe and secure, my concerns are what my next course of action is. No ticks, beautiful condition. Has been very well cared for. I will email Licensing Authority, but has anyone dealt with phantom reptiles before (no MA, owner license details, etc).... I just want to do the right thing in regards to my own license. Cheers for all the input, very appreciated.

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yep... knocked on my door, asked if he had my name right and then started explaining the situation, very apologetic for the inconvenience... etc. Seemed legitimately looking for a genuine licensed carer... mine was presented, he looked relieved...
 
Hey, that seems a bit fishy to me. Make sure you keep your house secure and maybe ask your neighbours to keep an eye on your place while you are working or not at home.

I doubt its a wild animal as he would just release it back in to the wild if he wanted to get rid of it. I think its more likely that he is unlicenced and has no way of legally giving it to someone or selling it. He obviously cares for it and wants it looked after as he could of just released it in to the wild if he didn't care.

You should get in contact with the department that handles licencing in your state and see what they would like to do with it.

Best of luck to you and I hope you just scored a new pet :)
 
If there was a way to keep DP I would be thrilled, so easy to get attached to that gorgeous head. I should have answers by tomorrow afternoon. Thank you everyone :)
 
I would be seriously considering calling the police as before trying to get it onto your license. The fact this guy has given both a false number and address as well as not directly informing you who gave out your address in the first place straight away rings out as suspect to me. There is something not quite right with this whole scenario and I'd be extremely concerned about the safety of my property. Unless this is actually a cover up to figure out how to get an off license animal on licence in which case it would make a hell of a lot more sense to me.
 
this is actually a cover up to figure out how to get an off license animal on licence

Think I'm gonna move to Tea Gardens, I only get Jehovah's Witness's knocking on my door...
 
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did you give him your license details ?

that might be what he really wanted
 
Conspiracy theories aside.... I am almost always at home, I am alarmed and enclosures are key locked as I have children. I showed him my license but did not give him details, He did not enter my home or see my scalebabies. That was to be done in the afternoon. I am certainly not trying to put this snake on my license unless of course it is legal for me to do so, thats why I asked for help. I have never even heard of this happening to anyone before, a reptile with no past... a very curious thing... the circumstances of being approached from seemingly nowhere... obviously not the best situation to find myself in, but turn DP away I was not about to do... what happens to unwanted snakes with no prospect of re-homing????? Too heinous to ponder. So, yes I might be a trusting twit, but I will always do the right thing. If its discovered that she has been stolen or came from the wild, I will take the necessary steps to meet any requirements the NPWS set for me in DPs best interests.
I hope that clears up some fears?!? :)
 
Hey, if you feel comfortable with the situation then that's fine. I won't loose sleep over anything. Just doesn't make any sense to me. There are plenty of people who find snakes either not native to area or are given off license who have gotten the reptile on license. However the dodgy circumstances you have apparently come across the animal coupled with the fact your located near prime diamond python habitat may play against you and the animal may need to be surrendered to NPWS to be placed in a ballot to be given away to another licensed owner to avoid everyone with off license reptiles claiming they were handed to them by an unknown stranger and getting legitimate paperwork for them.
 
If its not some kind of scam then I think its just someone that got a python without a licence and now they are sick of it but they can't legally give it away or sell it. It would of been a pet that the person cared for otherwise he would of just released it in to the bush.

I would be more worried about how he found you, if only your friends know you keep snakes then he obviously knows one of your friends and I'd be asking around to find out who this guy is.

I don't know what NPWS will do in that situation but they might decide it has to be destroyed so I wouldn't get too attached if I was you. I hope they just let you keep it and that guy wasn't up to anything more sinister than keeping an unlicenced python.
 
What did this guy look like - is he skinny with lots of tatts? There's been a junkie in the Newcastle area doing weird stuff with reptiles in the recent past, all off-licence, but he's a good talker and gets people to feel sorry for the "situations" he gets himself into. If it's the same guy, he has a big history with Kempsey Police, then moved to Queensland, then surfaced again in Newcastle a while ago. There was a thread here actually, where he asked someone to look after "his" snakes and they fell for it too.

It will probably end up in a NPWS ballot sometime in the future if you hand it in.

Jamie
 
I am more than happy to pass this DP on to NPWS to be placed in a Ballot. Hopefully thats the information that I will receive tomorrow, and a hand over can take place.
He was not tattooed from what I could see, older man perhaps 40, well spoken, driving a white commodore.
Oh, and all of the scam comments are a little offensive, I came to a discussion for advice... for the Snake.
 
Pythonpal I don't mean to be rude but you have certainly presented an odd set of circumstances so it's not unusual for people to be sceptical. I hope everything works out for you and that you keep DP far away from your other pets.
 
I wasn't being rude I was saying it sounds fishy and you should make sure this guy isn't trying to rob you or something.

The other people have a point when they say it might go to a ballot because otherwise anyone could just catch a wild snake and say it was handed to them by a stranger and get to legally keep it. You asked what might happen to it and they told you what might happen to it and even explained why. I consider that helping you and considering you aren't up to anything like that you don't need to be offended.
 
I apologize, I think I was merely overwhemed by the information and responses. This was my first connection with a forum after many years with my pets. Until now I had never been in(nor heard of) any situation like what I have dedcribed, quite honestly once the dust had settled and I had slept on things I woke up very worried about the multitude of shady possibilities.
However, there does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel. Apparently my last employer has given this gentleman my details. Thats all I know for sure tonight. I do appreciate all the advice, no matter how harsh some of it seemed to my delicate eyes :)
 
I apologize, I think I was merely overwhemed by the information and responses. This was my first connection with a forum after many years with my pets. Until now I had never been in(nor heard of) any situation like what I have dedcribed, quite honestly once the dust had settled and I had slept on things I woke up very worried about the multitude of shady possibilities.
However, there does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel. Apparently my last employer has given this gentleman my details. Thats all I know for sure tonight. I do appreciate all the advice, no matter how harsh some of it seemed to my delicate eyes :)

Your last employer gave your address to some person you don't know...? No harm done or not, I would be having a serious talk with your last employer :s
 
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