Breeding standards

I live in Houston Texas, I am contemplating purchasing a 1.1 albino hedgehogs, I am aware of the monkey pocks issue in Parrie Dogs, and I was wondering if that was also true with hedgehogs? Also, do you have to have a license to breed and sell them like ferrets? Any help and answers would be greatly appreciated.

~Walter~

You need to have a usda permit number to breed and sell hedgehogs as for the monkey pox issue I am not sure

This health scare is a wake-up call for more scrutiny of how exotic pets are brought into this country, and what happens to them when they get here. owners of exotic pets hope the scrutiny results in clampdowns on unscrupulous dealers and neglectful owners, and not the responsible owners of everything from prairie dogs to pythons. ''There is plenty of regulation as far as breeders -- I have to carry a license, and I'm open to inspection by the state or US Government at any point, for them to come in and check for cage cleanliness, and whether animals are in cages that are too small, 'As for people who buy exotics, there is a need to educate them. Luckily, there's tons of information out there on the Web. The federal government does not regulate private ownership of wild animals -- it's a state to state proposition, with some states having stringent laws, and others having no restrictions at all. Monkeys and turtles are under the jurisdiction of the CDC. Fish and reptiles are regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has guidelines for importing dogs, cats, horses and livestock.

But there are no regulations for a host of exotic animals, including rats, tigers, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, chinchillas, squirrels, chipmunks, mongooses and ferrets.

Numbers of exotics in captivity are a huge guessing game. The USDA licenses breeders and dealers but does not keep track of how many animals they breed or sell.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that at least 2 million reptiles alone are imported each year. The group also estimates that there are 10,000 big cats, including lions, tigers and cougars, kept as private pets in the United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it knows that 20,000 prairie dogs were pulled from the ground in Texas last year, destined for the pet trade, but several other states also allow trapping of prairie dogs.

The number of pets that come into the United States illegally is glimpsed only when crackdowns occur, such as a 1998 undercover sting by the U.S. Customs Service that revealed a massive bird and animal smuggling ring operating across the U.S.-Mexico border. ''Operation Jungle Trade,'' as it was dubbed, resulted in 29 arrests and the seizure of more than 640 macaws, spider monkeys, toucans and other animals valued at more than $600,000.

Wild animals can carry diseases. About 93,000 people a year get salmonella poisoning from handling reptiles, the CDC estimated in a 1999 report. Most cases occurred in children, the agency said, and could have been prevented with proper hand-washing.

Outbreaks of bubonic plague have wiped out thousands of prairie dogs across the Midwest since the mid-1990s. Although transmission to humans is rare -- and plague is effectively treated with antibiotics during its early stages -- the outbreak raised a scare that led to a ban on prairie dogs in Japan, where they were considered a ''fad pet.''

Monkeypox can spread to humans from an infected animal through an animal bite or direct contact with the animal’s lesions or body fluids. The disease also can be spread from person to person, although it is much less infectious than smallpox. The virus is thought to be transmitted by respiratory droplets during direct and prolonged face-to-face contact. In addition, it is possible monkeypox can be spread by direct contact with body fluids of an infected person or with virus-contaminated objects, such as bedding or clothing.
There is not enough information to determine all the types of animals that may become ill with monkeypox. Until more is known about this disease, it should be assumed that any mammal – including common household pets (e.g., dogs, cats) and “pocket pets” (e.g., hamsters or gerbils) – could get monkeypox if exposed to another animal that is infected.

So, any animal and/or human can carry the disease. However, the the current investigation is limited to the Gambian rat, Prairie dogs, certain ground squirrels, dormice, Sun Squirrel, Spotted Squirrel, Red leg squirrel, Tree squirrel, Lady Burtins squirrel, Brush tail porcupines and zebra or striped mice. Monkey Pox has been a problem in certain Parts of Africa for years, yet the Government allowed these importers to bring in these animals for sales on the exotic market. As far as the CDC knows, the problem was isolated to the importer out of TX. only people who had direct contact with infected prairie dogs, or in one case a rabbit, have come down with the illness. There have been no instances in this outbreak of the virus being spread from person to person, though that has happened in Africa.

Be sure you understand where your hedgehogs will be coming from - their origin. Is the breeder reputable. Ask them what type of practices they impliment in bringing new animals into their facility. How do they care for their aniamls. Are animals inspected by their current veterinarian. You MUST have a USDA license to breed and sell hedgehogs. Make sure they surrender any and all licenses to you before you purchase them. What type of quarantee do they have. Check with the Better Business Bureau, the USDA and any State agencies to make sure you know who you are dealing with. On more info on the Monkey Pox virus, visit cdc.gov. Also Kingsnake.com has been keeping updates on the virus. Hope this helps. Sorry for rambling. Melonie