A question of legallity...turtle sizes

It's regulation 1240.62 Try USDA as well... Educational, Export, Research. All persons purchasing them must sign a paper attesting to the fact they are aware of the regulations and are purchasing for these reasons...at least it covers the seller..??? Ray Goushaw HBR

From what I understand, babies hatch all about the same time in certain areas and anyone who knows when that time is can just go pick them all up. I believe the 4 inch rule was enacted to keep people from destroying the natural habitat. I don't think it has much, if anything at all, with kids putting the whole animal in their mouth.

I don't know if there's a legal difference between ccbs and wcs in turtles, as there are for snakes, but I do know that one could go to a local swap meet here in Central California and pick up as many sliders as they want for dirt cheap. These babies are only the size of a quarter.

Sybella,

It sounds as if you have been talking to an animal rights activist who has twisted things around to make this particular statute sound like a good one by saying it was driven by conservation. That is pure balderdash. I have been around long enough to remember the hoopla when it was passed way back when. Even back then there were some turtle farms breeding the turtles that were the driving force behind this law, and they are the Red Eared Sliders. They are bred by numerous breeders today on what amount to turtle farms and surely would be easy to pick up when they hatch there. However, out in the wild you would have to locate the egg laying site which would not be all that easy. And no they do not all hatch out at the same time as females lay at various times. I believe you may be thinking of sea turtles and there are enough laws on the books as enforced by US Fish and Wildlife that protect them from illegal harvest. You have to remember the law we are discussing is a statute that specifically names the FDA (that is the FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION) to oversee the enforcement of this statute. Yes it was a panic law aimed at not letting children contract salmonella because they could place a sub 4 inch turtle into their mouths - silly isn't it!

Best regards,
Glenn B

Sybella,

Here is a link to a page from the official FDA web site that talks all about the 4 inch law. Please note that the preface talks all about how turtles can transmit Salmonella, then they go right into an explanation of the 4 inch law. Hopefully that will not leave any doubt as to why this rather, in my opinion, ludicrous law was passed.

By the way, once on the linked page look at the last sentence in the second paragraph which I will also quote here:

The ban applies to small turtles (under 4 inch carapace length) because these are most likely to be held for sale as children's pets, and the purpose of the ban is to protect children from turtle-born salmonellosis.

The link is below.

FDA WEB PAGE REFERENCE SUB 4 INCH TURTLE BAN

Best regards,
Glenn B

Ah, you're right. I am thinking of sea turtles! Doh! LOL!

Thanks for the link to that FDA page on the turtle regulations...I'm off to go read.