Are native animals prohibited to ship/sell in MICH.?

[Beardie_Guy]

is it Ok for me to sell, ship native species in michigan? i believe in my fishing guide it said you may take 0 salamanders and mudpuppies for commercial use. i have 4 eastern newts that i need to get rid of. is it OK to list them and have the person pay shipping plus 6 bucks for them? will i get in trouble for that? i just need to get rid of them before i get my beardie.

[kzooherpetoculturist]

you must aquire a permit from the DNR.

michigan is pretty darn strict on this too... i dunno if anyone would ever find out, but if they did you could bet you would be paying some substancial fines and possibly have your house search by DNR agents (who don't need a warrant by the way). the DNR can sieze anything they want in an investigation in michigan... not really the kind of people i'd want messing with me.

[jsrocket]

Here are the DNR rules for collecting and selling herps. They are covered under fishing licenses:

Amphibians and reptiles MAY NOT be shot with firearms (including spring, air, or gas propelled) or bow and
arrow. The following shall not be taken or possessed except as authorized by the Director of the Department
of Natural Resources: Blandings, spotted, wood, and eastern box turtle; black rat snake, eastern fox
snake, copperbelly watersnake, kirtlands snake and massasauga rattlesnake; boreal chorus frog, Blanchards
cricket frog; smallmouth salamander, marbled salamander; all reptile eggs; and amphibians and reptiles
protected under Part 365 (Endangered Species) of 1994 P.A. 451. For further information, ask for list FO-224.
Personal Use: A fishing license is required to take frogs and turtles for personal use and as such may not be
bought, sold, or offered for sale. Hand, trap, nets, seines (up to 12 x 4 feet overall dimensions), and hook
and line may be used. Set lines may not be used to take turtles. Frogs may be speared but NOT with the aid
of an artificial light. Traps used (or possessed) in areas frequented by reptiles must have a plate or tag
attached bearing the name and address of the user in legible English. For taking turtles, no more than three
(3) traps may be used, mesh traps must be no less than one (1) inch mesh, and traps must be set to allow
turtles to surface and breathe.
Commercial Use: A commercial amphibian and reptile license is required to take turtles and frogs for
commercial sale. The take is restricted to snapping turtles and green frogs ( Rana clamitans). License
applications are available from DNR Customer Services (517- 373-1204).

[jsrocket]

The only Mich. herps that can be legally taken and sold are green frogs and snapping turtles. And only then if you have a commercial fishing license.

Here's the link:http://www.michigan.gov/documents/amphibians-reptiles_119623_7.pdf

[John Apple]

A good rule of thumb here in Michigan is when in doubt do not do it...
Being the subject of a raid is not a fun time as a lot of people I know were in such a situation with the joke called operation slither.
And if your animals are seized they are subject to being frozen and killed to preserve the evidence..if they are wrong in identification they will not admit it 90% of the time.
With that being said it is time for my bald eagle sandwich sprinkled with orchids and a touch of turtle sauce

[Beardie_Guy]

well, i decided to keep the animals. dnr is strict about shipping animals, but, hey, they don't really have any pet regulations. that is good. or do they?

[jsrocket]

Technically, you can't even possess the following, no matter where they came from:

Blandings, spotted, wood, and eastern box turtle; black rat snake, eastern fox
snake, copperbelly watersnake, kirtlands snake and massasauga rattlesnake; boreal chorus frog, Blanchards
cricket frog; smallmouth salamander, marbled salamander

I know a guy who got caught with a CAPTIVE BRED Blanding's turtle he bought in ANOTHER STATE. He still wound up in a world of trouble.