Gambian Rat Legalities

Starting in the Mammals for sale section was an add looking for Gambian Rats that has turned into a discussion including myself. So as advised by Harold I am starting this thread to properly discuss the legalities in transporting, capturing, owning or whatever in regard to the legal ramifications

Classified link is at http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=323024

Thanks for your advice Harold

Here's one thing that we haven't discussed. We have established that they appear to be legal on the federal level to posess, but we haven't talked about the ramifications of interstate transit. I have not had any luck with finding the answer to this one. If they are one the Lacey Act for example we could not legally do so, except maybe a zoo or sanctuary. Does anybody know if they are legal for interstate transit because if not, this may be a lost cause. I would like to see a link to a .gov web page with a quote of the law if possible. I know they are illegal in many states, so also what are the ramifications of transporting through a banned state(assuming interstate transit is legal).

Originally Posted by IMAJACOBIAN

Here's one thing that we haven't discussed. We have established that they appear to be legal on the federal level to posess, but we haven't talked about the ramifications of interstate transit. I have not had any luck with finding the answer to this one. If they are one the Lacey Act for example we could not legally do so, except maybe a zoo or sanctuary. Does anybody know if they are legal for interstate transit because if not, this may be a lost cause. I would like to see a link to a .gov web page with a quote of the law if possible. I know they are illegal in many states, so also what are the ramifications of transporting through a banned state(assuming interstate transit is legal).

They are legal in SC, but no one here ,that I can find, has them.

I spent three months in Florida and whoever told you they do not exist there must not get out much or doesnt know what they are talking about. They are all over the cane fields and other Ag areas. You can trap them but not sure of legalities. I guess they are really smart but you have to get young ones and work with them if you want a pet out of them. Also some of the more daring locals eat them like they do possums.

They were only on Grassy Key and they claimed that more had been seen recently and set out traps. I had contacted federal and state agencies(Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas Parks & Wildlife, USDA, US Fish & Wildlife, and the CDC - FL requires special permits to transport the animals because it is on their list of prohibited species, but they couldn't care less if I took them away from their state) to clear the path so that I could go there, myself, and also spoke with several trappers in the area as well as a local to Grassy Key who was VERY informative. She told me that there was government money given for the eradication effort, and evidently there were raccoons needed for some kind of testing. Suddenly there are reports of Gambian rats (when no one locally had seen them), trapping begins, no Gambians are caught, but once 30 raccoons had been captured - they were *supposed* to release anything other than the Gambians - the trapping was stopped and the raccoons went *missing* as in, they were not released... I asked her if she thought they used the Gambians as an excuse to fund the raccoon hunt and she certainly did believe that was what actually happened...

Just get em in Brooklyn....what can't you get in New York City?....I'm not commenting on the legality, but we have em in NY. I'd go catch em for money, lol
http://io9.com/5834527/photo-proof-g...oklyn-new-york

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_937316.html

I am sure there are folks out there who would pay to have them trapped. The reason I wanted to go to Florida is because my father has a house there about 30 minutes from where they were "reported" as being seen, as well as it was a contained area. They would have had to cross a LONG bridge to get off of the island. If I recall correctly, they were sold for several hundred dollars per baby... It would be a pretty hefty initial investment - acquiring several animals, having them cleared by a vet, and proper enclosures for housing for them - but after that it would be Ratzilla paradise! lol

Trespassing sign would read: "Beware of Giant Rats!" Pretty sure they'd pick another house... LOL

Seriously, though - I wish someone would capture and breed them. They are incredible animals. Surely everyone has heard of HeroRats...

HeroRats

So, no word on capturing the gambians? Supposedly they had made a resurgence, or is this all just media hype? I'd pay to have them trapped, but they'd have to go to some willing breeders to work with them, outside of fl until I could move.
Personally, I have no idea how to trap, get permission to trap, a place to stay so far away (unless I camped which be ok- why do I keep ryhming, guess I just have good timing) actual cat sized traps (only brown rat sized traps) or I'd do it myself. I live in s. fl but not in the keys!

I don't know how to edit my replies, but anyway, in the ad for gambian rat someone posted apic of a "gambian rat" killed in ny, which I would have to say is a fake photo using forced perception and blurry quality, then the media just ran with it.
http://io9.com/5834527/photo-proof-g...oklyn-new-york
I can't say that it is not a gambian straight from looking at it, but the whole put it on a stick and force it far away from you is a common photography trick to make the object appear larger than it is and it's just extremely unlikely.