Authority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-22-2-6; IC 14-22-26-3; IC 14-22-34-17

Affected: IC 14-22

Sec. 9. (a) This section:

1. (1) establishes the reptile captive breeding license; and
2. (2) sets the requirements for an individual who wishes to apply for and maintain the license.

(b) The application must be made on a department form.

(c) The annual fee for a license under this section is fifteen dollars ($15).

(d) An application for a license under this section must be made within five (5) days after the applicant took possession of the first reptile described in subsection (e) and taken for captive breeding purposes.

(e) An individual holding a valid reptile captive breeding license may possess, breed, and sell the snakes listed in this section. In the following list, where both scientific names and common names are provided, common names are for public convenience, but the scientific names control:

1. (1) Gray ratsnake, also known as the black ratsnake (Pantherophis spiloides).
2. (2) Eastern foxsnake (Pantherophis vulpinus).
3. (3) Eastern hog-nosed snake (Heterodon platirhinos).
4. (4) Prairie kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster).
5. (5) Eastern black kingsnake (Lampropeltis nigra).
6. (6) Eastern milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum).
7. (7) Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi).

8. (8) A snake that is not on a state or federal endangered or threatened species list and with a color morphology that is:

   1. (A) albinistic (an animal lacking brown or black pigment);
   2. (B) leucistic (a predominately white animal); or
   3. (C) xanthic (a predominately yellow animal);
9. if it was not collected from the wild.

(f) Captive breeding stock other than a reptile described in subsection (e)(8) must be identified with an individually unique passive integrated transponder (pit tag) or by scale-clipping each snake in a unique manner. A transponder must be implanted in each specimen. The type of transponder must be able to be read by an AVID reader. The imbedded transponder's code and other required information concerning the general health and condition of the animal must be:

1. (1) provided on a departmental form; and
2. (2) verified by a supervising veterinarian;

within fourteen (14) days after obtaining the animal.

(g) A reptile held under this section must be confined in a cage or other enclosure that makes escape of the animal unlikely. Each animal must be:

1. (1) provided with ample space; and
2. (2) kept in a sanitary and humane manner.

Animals and cages must be made available for inspection upon request by a conservation officer.

(h) Each animal possessed under this section must be lawfully acquired. Not more than four (4) animals of each species described in subsection (e) may be collected annually from the wild. A receipted invoice, bill of lading, or other satisfactory evidence of lawful acquisition for animals not taken from the wild shall be presented to a conservation officer upon request. An individual licensed under this section who collects an animal from the wild must document, on a departmental form, when and where the animal was collected. The animal must be fitted with a passive integrated transponder within fourteen (14) days of taking possession.

(i) An individual licensed under this section must not possess an animal larger than the maximum sale length described in this subsection unless the animal is fitted with a transponder as part of the breeding stock of the person. Captive bred offspring may only be sold before an individual attains the following total length:

1. (1) Fifteen (15) inches for an eastern hog-nosed snake.

2. (2) Eighteen (18) inches for any of the following:

   1. (A) A gray ratsnake.
   2. (B) An eastern foxsnake.
   3. (C) An eastern black kingsnake.
   4. (D) A prairie kingsnake.
   5. (E) An eastern milksnake.
3. (3) Twenty-eight (28) inches for a bullsnake.

(j) An individual licensed under this section must maintain accurate records on a calendar year basis on the number and disposition of breeding stock and captive bred young. The records shall include the following:

1. (1) The species and number of animals captured, received, or sold.
2. (2) The birth dates of captive born animals.
3. (3) The complete name and complete address of the person from whom an animal was purchased or to whom an animal was sold.

The records shall be maintained at the place of business of the license holder for at least two (2) years after the end of the license year. Upon request by a conservation officer, the license holder must make the records available for inspection.

(k) An individual licensed under this section must not release to the wild a captive breeder or the offspring of a captive breeder.

(Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 9-5-9; filed Jul 9, 1999, 5:55 p.m.: 22 IR 3675; readopted filed Jul 28, 2003, 12:00 p.m.: 27 IR 286; filed Sep 23, 2004, 3:00 p.m.: 28 IR 545; filed May 25, 2005, 10:15 a.m.: 28 IR 2950; filed Jan 8, 2007, 9:11 a.m.: 20070207-IR-312060193FRA; readopted filed Nov 24, 2008, 11:08 a.m.: 20081210-IR-312080672RFA; filed Jul 6, 2010, 1:55 p.m.: 20100804-IR-312090616FRA; errata filed Sep 1, 2010, 11:08 a.m.: 20100915-IR-312100567ACA; readopted filed May 20, 2014, 9:43 a.m.: 20140618-IR-312140017RFA; readopted filed Sep 18, 2019, 1:16 p.m.: 20191016-IR-312190325RFA; filed Nov 16, 2020, 9:30 a.m.: 20201216-IR-312200069FRA; readopted filed Mar 25, 2025, 9:50 a.m.: 20250423-IR-312240574RFA)