Clay Davenport
Cerebral Nomad
For decades, at least since the 1950s, pet shops sold small, green red-eared slider turtles, which many children would keep in a plastic turtle bowl with its plastic palm tree setting atop the plastic bowl's island.
But that tradition came to an end July 1 in Florida.
Effective that day, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission put into effect a statewide ban on the sale of red-eared slider turtles -- nicknamed "pet shop turtles." However, anyone who already has a red-eared slider may keep it, under the new rule.
"This exemption was included to allow owners of red-eared sliders to keep their turtles and discourage them from releasing this nonnative species into the wild," said Scott Hardin, FWC exotic species coordinator. "We want to encourage people to protect our native turtles. Red-eared slider turtles interbreed with Florida's native yellow-bellied sliders."
The red-eared turtle is native to the Mississippi drainage system, but populations of the red-eared sliders have established themselves in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.
Even though the sale of the turtles has been going on for 50 years or more, Hardin said several herpetologists, scientists specializing in the study of turtles, petitioned the wildlife commission for the ban. The scientists discovered red-eared slider turtles breeding with yellow-bellied sliders, which are native in northern Florida as far south as Gainesville.
Dealers were allowed to apply for permits to import red-eared sliders to ship out of state or sell to permitted turtle dealers or breeders in Florida, but imported red-eared sliders may not be sold as pets in this state. FWC will issue permits to qualified research institutions and exhibitors to possess red-eared sliders.
Like the iguanas
Several years ago, the Federal Drug Commission did limit the sale of small turtles under 4 inches to those who say they want the turtles for "educational or scientific research." The FDA called for the restriction because the turtles can carry diseases.
AA Pets and Mike's Aquarium and Pet Shop were well prepared for the ban. While they no longer have red-eared sliders for sale, they do sell map and other varieties of turtles.
Hillary Duke at Mike's Aquarium said it's been a while since the distributors have carried the red-eared sliders. Tom Johnson, the owner of AA Pets, said he and other pet shops and dealers have been preparing for the ban for more than a year.
"There's still a lot of other turtles," Duke said.
As with any other exotic reptile or amphibian or fish, he said the ultimate responsibility falls on the owner.
"It all comes back to the people -- they're the ones turning them loose," he said. "We try to educate the people when they buy these (turtles). That's a long-term animal; they live 75 years. If you're not willing to care for them, then don't buy them."
Now in his 50s, Duke said, "(Red-eared sliders) have been popular since we were kids. So many have been turned loose and now, it's like the iguanas on Boca Grande."
http://tinyurl.com/yuvj45
But that tradition came to an end July 1 in Florida.
Effective that day, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission put into effect a statewide ban on the sale of red-eared slider turtles -- nicknamed "pet shop turtles." However, anyone who already has a red-eared slider may keep it, under the new rule.
"This exemption was included to allow owners of red-eared sliders to keep their turtles and discourage them from releasing this nonnative species into the wild," said Scott Hardin, FWC exotic species coordinator. "We want to encourage people to protect our native turtles. Red-eared slider turtles interbreed with Florida's native yellow-bellied sliders."
The red-eared turtle is native to the Mississippi drainage system, but populations of the red-eared sliders have established themselves in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.
Even though the sale of the turtles has been going on for 50 years or more, Hardin said several herpetologists, scientists specializing in the study of turtles, petitioned the wildlife commission for the ban. The scientists discovered red-eared slider turtles breeding with yellow-bellied sliders, which are native in northern Florida as far south as Gainesville.
Dealers were allowed to apply for permits to import red-eared sliders to ship out of state or sell to permitted turtle dealers or breeders in Florida, but imported red-eared sliders may not be sold as pets in this state. FWC will issue permits to qualified research institutions and exhibitors to possess red-eared sliders.
Like the iguanas
Several years ago, the Federal Drug Commission did limit the sale of small turtles under 4 inches to those who say they want the turtles for "educational or scientific research." The FDA called for the restriction because the turtles can carry diseases.
AA Pets and Mike's Aquarium and Pet Shop were well prepared for the ban. While they no longer have red-eared sliders for sale, they do sell map and other varieties of turtles.
Hillary Duke at Mike's Aquarium said it's been a while since the distributors have carried the red-eared sliders. Tom Johnson, the owner of AA Pets, said he and other pet shops and dealers have been preparing for the ban for more than a year.
"There's still a lot of other turtles," Duke said.
As with any other exotic reptile or amphibian or fish, he said the ultimate responsibility falls on the owner.
"It all comes back to the people -- they're the ones turning them loose," he said. "We try to educate the people when they buy these (turtles). That's a long-term animal; they live 75 years. If you're not willing to care for them, then don't buy them."
Now in his 50s, Duke said, "(Red-eared sliders) have been popular since we were kids. So many have been turned loose and now, it's like the iguanas on Boca Grande."
http://tinyurl.com/yuvj45