Monkeypox fallout???

I just read a news article that said importation and trade of African rodents is being banned, as well as the sale of prarie dogs, because of that stupid Gambian rat. If it had passed the disease to a guinea pig, I'd like to see them ban those.

Anyway, is this accurate, and if so, is it permanent? Is my dream of one day running a Springhaas farm ruined forever?

I read an editorial that managed to turn this into a discussion of salmonella spread by reptiles, so at any rate we have to really watch our backs. But it doesn't sound like the government is worried about reptiles now, just mammals. What they're really worried about is the livestock industry, but that's ok.

Erin Benner

http://www.sunspot.net/news/printedi...al-pe-asection

(f'n HSUS)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...atoday/5235848

I was just at a pet store near my work today to buy some crickets. I overheard one of the employees calling the manager about a lady who had called them from her vets office very irate claiming that the rabbit they had sold her was diagnosed with monkey pox. I wondered about the ligitimacy of the claim since the lady was calling from her vets. I figured that they must do some mighty fast lab work, or the vet made a diagnosis before the lab work was in. It made me wonder if the claim was legitimate or if the lady was trying to shake down the store.

Later I called another friend of mine who runs a pet store and she told me that she had just gotten a fax that Michigan has now banned the sale of rabbits. Both for pets and as food animals.

I wonder how long it will be before they ban the sale of all rodents. Then what happens to my snakes? What are they going to eat? Has anyone else heard about this rabbit ban?

Mark

No, there is no rabbit ban, nor is one planned. The ban is pretty cut and dry now, though I don't agree with or understand the reasoning behind it. It is now illegal to import from Africa ALL species of rodents. It is also illegal to possess for sale or public display certain rodents which include two species of African squirrells, the brush tail porcupine, zebra mice, the pouched rat, dourmice, and of course the cursed prairie dog. The CDC has made this ruling, and as far as my USDA inspector can speculate, it is a long term thing, that may never be changed. He had to come in and inventory my stock, and drop off the official paperwork. I was lucky enough to only have 3 prairie dogs left, and none of the other effected animals. I took the dogs to the vet last week to have them put down, then creamated, as the law now demands. It was very sad, but I could not afford to keep them in my store for the rest of their natural lives, taking up space needed for other purposes. Hopefully the ban will someday be lifted. I felt sorry for myself, but feel even worse for the dealers that have possibly been stuck with hundreds of prairie dogs, with choice of keeping them forever, or putting them down. Many a business might go belly up over this one

I guess I should have said there is no NATIONAL rabbit ban. I don't know about the state you live in.