4" Turtle Ban Lifted!

I had heard over the last few weeks that Congress was considering passing bill H.R. 924 Domestic Pet Turtle Market Access Act of 2007. Well according to a very reliable source, who is also a large turtle farmer the bill was passed yesterday. The reason we know this to be true is that PetCo called and placed a very large order today for baby turtles!

Here are the specifics of the bill.

Prohibits the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from restricting the sale by a turtle farmer or other commercial retail seller of a turtle that is less than 10.2 centimeters in diameter as a pet if: (1) the turtle is raised, shipped, and sold using methods proven to keep the turtle free of salmonella, using salmonella safety standards comparable to standards for other animals allowed for sale as pets or animal products allowed for sale as food products; (2) the FDA has approved a plan submitted by the turtle farmer or seller relating to compliance with this Act; and (3) the farmer or seller makes certain disclosures to the buyer. Sets forth required disclosures, which include: (1) information regarding the dangers that could result if the turtle is not properly handled and safely maintained, the proper handling of the turtle, and the proven methods of treatment that keep the turtle safe from salmonella; (2) a detailed explanation of how to properly treat the turtle to keep it safe from salmonella; and (3) a statement that buyers of pet turtles should not abandon the turtle or abandon it outside, but should instead return them to a commercial retail pet seller or other organization that would accept turtles no longer wanted as pets.

the FDA has approved a plan submitted by the turtle farmer or seller relating to compliance with this Act

Might end up being a signifigant detriment to the ability of the individual dealer to sell them, depending on what the submission and approval process is.

As long as their is a paper trail that leads back to an authorized farmer, that seems to be all they want. So if I buy turtles from a wholesaler that bought them from a farmer as long as I can show where I got them, I should be fine. I assure you that PetCo isn't going to do a long drawn out paper trail for each 10.99 Red Ear Slider they sell.

more Red-eared Sliders in the pet trade! As a rescue, I'm tired of the phone calls to place these for whatever stupid excuse. "I didn't know it would get this big"!
"I'm pregnant"! "I'm tired of caring for it"! And so on. There are some great SMALLER turtles that make much better pets than a red-eared slider.

Fortunately this law works for ALL species of baby turtles. I agree with the complaint but that could go for several species of reptile in the trade.

animals are Green Iguanas, Red-eared Sliders, and large constrictors (usually burms).

and most often the Burms are almost always normals. Another one I have noticed that is becoming more of a problem is normal Retics.

But not to get off track, this law change will surly have a positive affect on the trade as well as potentially a bad one.

On the subject of red eared sliders, but not strictly on the topic of this thread (sorry for continuing the derailing), FL recently passed a state-wide ban of RES. Apparently, dealers can get permits to bring them in for export and out of state sales, but FL sales/purchases are out.
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...400#post529400

Originally Posted by Tim Cole

The top 3 problem animals are Green Iguanas, Red-eared Sliders, and large constrictors (usually burms).

I would have to think that the top 2 would be cats and dogs. Lot more of them in rescues(shelters) than any exotics.

Originally Posted by cahrens

I would have to think that the top 2 would be cats and dogs. Lot more of them in rescues(shelters) than any exotics.

No argument there, but I was just considering our topic of herps.