Reptile & Amphibian Forums

n/p
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DAVE

Western green toad
green treefrogs
green Anole
brown Anole
Mediterranean gecko
Oriental fire-bellied toads
American bullfrog
South American caecilian (Dermophis occidentalis)
Spanish ribbed newt
rough-skinned newt
golden Axolotl
Eastern ribbon snakes
red-cheeked mud turtles
dwarf peacock day gecko
Dubia day gecko
Sonoran gopher snake
rough green snakes
giant African black millipedes
White's treefrog
Okeetee corn snake
Albino African clawed frog
Pygmy leaf chameleon
Kenyan sand boa
Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
African bullfrog
yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
Western hognose snake
fire salamander

I read it. Pretty basic but that is the way the editors at Reptiles want it.

Ed

Hi there:

I thought it was good advice for beginners, and thought that the pictures and scattered interesting facts were a great way to get beginners captivated. I am glad to hear that someone else read it, and it wasn't just a dream!
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DAVE

Western green toad
green treefrogs
green Anole
brown Anole
Mediterranean gecko
Oriental fire-bellied toads
American bullfrog
South American caecilian (Dermophis occidentalis)
Spanish ribbed newt
rough-skinned newt
golden Axolotl
Eastern ribbon snakes
red-cheeked mud turtles
dwarf peacock day gecko
Dubia day gecko
Sonoran gopher snake
rough green snakes
giant African black millipedes
White's treefrog
Okeetee corn snake
Albino African clawed frog
Pygmy leaf chameleon
Kenyan sand boa
Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
African bullfrog
yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
Western hognose snake
fire salamander

I also read it, but wondered about the sidebar disclaimer stating that Typhlonectes natans are illegal to own in the US. I had read that their country of origin had stopped exporting them, but when did their legal status change here?

Hi there:

Me too. I see these guys all over for sale these days, and lots of people on this board keep them. I know for a fact that it is indeed illegal to own Typhlonectes natans, but I think it is one of those laws that even police seem to ignore. For example, and this is true, in California it is illegal to swim on dry land. It is in the book, but I don't think you'd go to jail if you were caught swimming on dry land. Anyway, for now I think its best that I stop buying this speies. I don't want to get in trouble with the law!
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DAVE

Western green toad
green treefrogs
green Anole
brown Anole
Mediterranean gecko
Oriental fire-bellied toads
American bullfrog
South American caecilian (Dermophis occidentalis)
Spanish ribbed newt
rough-skinned newt
golden Axolotl
Eastern ribbon snakes
red-cheeked mud turtles
dwarf peacock day gecko
Dubia day gecko
Sonoran gopher snake
rough green snakes
giant African black millipedes
White's treefrog
Okeetee corn snake
Albino African clawed frog
Pygmy leaf chameleon
Kenyan sand boa
Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
African bullfrog
yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
Western hognose snake
fire salamander

The police do not enforce it. USF&W enforces it. The status has not changed, they have always been illegal to purchase/possess in the USA. The countries of origin have never allowed legal exports of Typhlonectes other than for some research performed at a university or two on preserved animals.
If it comes to the attention of USF&W that you have them and are conducting transactions with them, then you can be prosecuted under the LACY act.

Ed

Then why aren't owners of bearded dragons and zebra finches in trouble with the law, since Australia doesn't allow thier exportation?

Katrina

Hi there:

I do not know anything about zebra finches. However, I do know that most of the bearded dragons in the pet trade are captive-bred. I do know that Australia does not expot any of its fauna, and frilled dragons and such are instead brought to the United States from New Zealand.
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DAVE

Western green toad
green treefrogs
mud snake
brown Anole
Mediterranean gecko
Oriental fire-bellied toads
American bullfrog
South American caecilian (Dermophis occidentalis)
Spanish ribbed newt
rough-skinned newt
golden Axolotl
Eastern ribbon snakes
red-cheeked mud turtles
dwarf peacock day gecko
Dubia day gecko
Sonoran gopher snake
rough green snakes
giant African black millipedes
White's treefrog
Okeetee corn snake
Albino African clawed frog
Pygmy leaf chameleon
Kenyan sand boa
Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
African bullfrog
yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
Western hognose snake
fire salamander

Does this mean even if I can prove that these are captive bred? ie pics of babies being born etc, I can still not legailly sell? Would the petstore I bought them from not be the one to blaim by originailly selling these to an unknowledgable owner? If push came to shove thats who I point the blaim to....

The problem with the Zebra finches is that they were established in the pet trade before Australia stopped exporting animals (the mid 1970s if I remember correctly).
Bearded dragons were brought to the USA from Germany where hobbyists had offspring from animals either released to the public from Zoos or were animals that had been confiscated and released to the public thus legalizing them. (The same has occured for any number of species from Phyllobates terriblis to Varanus gillini.)

As there have been no legal Typhlonectes imported in the USA or released to private hands then if you sell/trade them and USF&W so chooses to enforce the law, you are in trouble.

If you buy a stolen TV from someone and then are busted selling a stolen TV are you any less at fault?

Ed

Lol, well I guess your right. I just think its such a shame after owning more than 30 sp of amphibians and 25 sp of reptiles I think that T.natans are one of my favorites... guess when I get some offspring im gonna be doubling up my collection . BTW im from Canada so I assume the laws are the same up here?

Don't know about Canada.

Ed

argh! every animal i like seems to have some horrid legal mess around it! giant african land snails, giant carnivorous land snails, and now the one i thought would be safe: rubber eels.

I haven't been able to find the actual law banning T. natans on the Fish and Wildlife web site. Where would I be able to see the regulations?

The USA does not have a law against Typhlonectes, the countries of origin have laws prohibiting export of Typhlonectes. The USA because of its treaty obligations observes all wildlife regulations from countries of origins and enforces these laws under various acts and legislation such as the LACY act. As the countries do not permit legal export, you cannot legally bring them into the country and this is where the federal laws come into play.
Ed