Snakeskin illegal in California?

[chique]

I was paging through a catalog in the doctor’s office the other day when I came across several pairs of snakeskin boots. The fine print in the ad stated that the boots could not be shipped to California.

Is it illegal to sell snakeskin in CA, or just import it into the state? And, why?

[friedo]

Wouldn’t surprise me, knowing California. Maybe it’s some weird animal “rights” thing.

[BobT]

I checked the California Fish and Game Code which I presumed would cover the importation of snakeskin. It didn’t mention that it was illegal.

The only thing remotely close I could find was that you can’t run a commercial alligator or crocodile farm if you are using the animals for their hides or meat.
I suppose this limits what you can do with the gators except keep them around as part of a weird petting zoo.

There are a whole bunch of animals you can’t bring into California without a permit including magpies.

I think I’m going to quit my job and go work for California Fish and Game and try to track down magpie smugglers.

[Jorge]

It’s not in the Fish & Game code, but rather in the Calif. penal code, sec. 640. Refers to making it illegal to import & sell certain animals and products therefrom: ivory, python, tigers, rhinos, a couple others…

[Johnny_L.A]

I’ve seen snakeskin boots in California. I’d guess that snakeskin boots are not necessarily illegal here, but certain kinds of snakeskin might be.

[chique]

*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. *
I’ve seen snakeskin boots in California.

Have you seen snakeskin boots for sale in California?

[Johnny_L.A]

Have you seen snakeskin boots for sale in California?

I don’t wear cowboy boots any more, so I haven’t looked recently; but yes, I have seen snakeskin boots for sale in California as late as the mid-90s. I haven’t looked since then. To my knowledge, I’ve never seen python-skin boots for sale anywhere.

[Derleth]

How 'bout ivory boots? I wonder how many elephants die to provide our feet with high-quality ivory boots.

[Jorge]

Sorry, wrong cite. Should be Cal. PC Chap.2, sec.653(o), which is:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=pen&group=00001-01000&file=639-653.1

[Johnny_L.A]

653o. (a) It is unlawful to import into this state for commercial purposes, to possess with intent to sell, or to sell within the state, the dead body, or any part or product thereof, of any alligator, crocodile, polar bear, leopard, ocelot, tiger, cheetah, jaguar, sable antelope,wolf ( Canis lupus), zebra, whale, cobra, python, sea turtle, colobus monkey, kangaroo, vicuna, sea otter, free-roaming feral horse, dolphin or porpoise (Delphinidae), Spanish lynx, or elephant.

653p. It is unlawful to possess with the intent to sell, or to sell, within the state, the dead body, or any part or product thereof, of any species or subspecies of any fish, bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile, mollusk, invertebrate, or plant, the importation of which is illegal under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Title 16, United States Code Sec. 1531 et seq.) and subsequent amendments, or under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (Title 16, United States Code Sec. 1361 et seq.), or which is listed in the Federal Register by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to the above acts.

According to this (from the previous link), it is not illegal to buy or sell snakeskins. The only snake specified is a python. Other snakes may be prohibited byt 635p, which prohibits trade in endangered species.