Diskboy12;4891517; said:
Well it all depends if I can get the permits. I was looking on the NYSDEC site and it didnt say there were anything more you needed to do than pay the fee and there you go you have them and your on your way. If it falls out that I wont be able to gain access to a caiman then oh well. I still plan on building a greenhouse around my catfish pond. It should stay fairly warm in the greenhouse by itself. But I most likely will need a heater to accompany it. They sell greenhouse heaters. They dont run to much and can keep the gh with a nice warm stable conditions. I may also incorperate some larger snake enclosures for the future BCI's and possible reticulated pythons. Hopefully they will email me back tomorrow...i wont hold my breathe that they will but when they do ill let you all know what they say. For now I will head back to the drawing boards and try to get some pictures of my plans up.
Good info here.
NYSDEC Permits
Unfoutunately, heres the catch that you may be missing. On top of the fees, you have to do a required amount of educational shows at schools, ect. and there is no way around this. You cannot own any crocodilian in NY state for anything other than education. I actually looked into this when I wanted a dwarf caiman. Due to the potential danger, I also believe you have to have additional insurance in case your caiman ever harms anyone during a show. And DEC officers come to your house once a year at random to insure the safety of the enclosure, and also require proof that you have completed the necessary amount of educational hours.
One of my friends has a permit from like the 80's before it was a big deal, and he flat out told me that when the thing expires, hes not even going to attempt to get it again cause its too much trouble every year.
Important bits in yellow from link above.
"
(b) Prohibitions. It shall be unlawful for any person to:
(1) import or possess alligator, caiman or crocodile, or the parts thereof or products made therefrom, without a registration issued by the department. Where a Federal permit is required, such registration shall be issued only to a person holding a valid Federal permit. Possession by an applicant of a valid Federal permit shall entitle the applicant to registration pursuant thereto;
(2) sell or offer to sell at retail alligator, caiman or crocodile, or the parts thereof or products made therefrom, without a permit issued by the department;
(3) import, possess, sell or offer to sell any alligator, caiman or crocodile, or the parts thereof or products made therefrom, in violation of the Code of Federal Regulations, 50 CFR parts 17 and 23;
(4) import, possess, sell or offer for sale any live alligator, caiman or crocodile, except for scientific or educational purposes as authorized by the department; or
(5) violate the terms of provisions of any registration or permit issued pursuant to this section.
(c) Application for registration or permit; interim registration or permit. Until April 1, 1981, an application for registration or a permit, on the form provided by the department and accompanied by the proper fee, shall be deemed to be an interim registration or permit and shall satisfy the registration and permit requirements of this section, provided such application has actually been received by the department. Registrations and permits, and renewals thereof, issued after April 1, 1981 shall be valid through the following March 31st.
(d) Fees. The annual fee for the registration required by this section shall be $150. The annual fee for a permit shall be $25.
(e) Maintenance of records; inspection. A person to whom a registration or permit has been issued pursuant to this section shall maintain complete and accurate records concerning importation and possession of alligator, caiman or crocodile parts or products. Such records shall be maintained for a minimum of five years, and shall be available for inspection by an officer of the department at any reasonable hour."
Sorry bro, I wish we could both get one.
