It's not over *Please read*

[Giantkeeper Reptiles]

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Yesterday (1/17/2012) we were dealt a significant blow in our fight against anti-reptile legislation. The casualties were Burmese Pythons, Yellow Anaconda, and two types of African Rock Pythons.

Please remember, this fight is not over. The US Government will be coming after Reticulated Pythons. They will be coming after Boa Constrictor, Ball Pythons, and all other Non US Native Species of Reptiles and Amphibians.

In addition to the Federal fight we also have to fight anti reptile laws at the state level. Gather your thoughts, gather your strength and let’s stand together!

USARK is our representative. Renew your memberships and make your donations. Share this information with your co-workers, customers, friends and family. This fight is not free, it won't be easy, and we cannot win by ourselves.

Stand tall, be proud, and fight for your rights.........................................WE ARE THE REPTILE NATION!!!

http://www.usark.org/join.php

Please take a single minute of your day and share this with your friends and family.

 

[Jay Sommers Reptiles]

He isn't being an alarmist.A group(defenders of wildlife) already petitioned Salazar to list ALL amphibians as injurous wildlife under the lacey act.If successful no amphibians will be legal to import into the US or transport across state lines. People are trying to do to all amphibians what was just accomplished with the burms,rocks and yellow anaconda. If you think because you keep other types of reptile/amphibian besides big snakes that you are safe...you are not. This is a very real threat to all aspects of our hobby/industry. These groups are trying to kill the pet trade. Birds and fish will be next then your furry friends.Here is a link announcing the petition to list ALL amphibians as injurous wildlife.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-09-17/pdf/2010-23039.pdf

 

[hhmoore]

He isn't being an alarmist.A group(defenders of wildlife) already petitioned Salazar to list ALL amphibians as injurous wildlife under the lacey act.If successful no amphibians will be legal to import into the US or transport across state lines. People are trying to do to all amphibians what was just accomplished with the burms,rocks and yellow anaconda. If you think because you keep other types of reptile/amphibian besides big snakes that you are safe...you are not. This is a very real threat to all aspects of our hobby/industry. These groups are trying to kill the pet trade. Birds and fish will be next then your furry friends.Here is a link announcing the petition to list ALL amphibians as injurous wildlife.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-09-17/pdf/2010-23039.pdf

You're painting a slightly different (more alarmist?) picture than the piece you linked. Notice the title: Injurious Wildlife Species; Review of
Information Concerning a Petition To List All Live Amphibians in Trade as
Injurious Unless Free of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. At least at face value, the proposal is to limit importation to live specimens (and/or their eggs) which have been certified as being free from Chytrid fungus.

 

[Clay Davenport]

At least at face value, the proposal is to limit importation to live specimens (and/or their eggs) which have been certified as being free from Chytrid fungus.

But if amphibians were to be included on the injurious list and treated the same as the burmese pythons, wouldn't that mean that if I were breeding Red Eyed Tree Frogs for instance that I couldn't sell any of my CB offspring across state lines unless each one were certified Chytrid free?
The potential cost and hassle of obtaining such certifications for what may be several hundred froglets per year for a breeder would in essence make it no longer feasible to produce them.

 

[Jay Sommers Reptiles]

You're painting a slightly different (more alarmist?) picture than the piece you linked. Notice the title: Injurious Wildlife Species; Review of
Information Concerning a Petition To List All Live Amphibians in Trade as
Injurious Unless Free of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. At least at face value, the proposal is to limit importation to live specimens (and/or their eggs) which have been certified as being free from Chytrid fungus.

I am very aware of what this petition is all about.It is cause for alarm.Are you aware of what is involved to test amphibians for Chytrid fungus?Do you realize that this would kill the amphibian hobby? Seriously think hard. Do you know how many amphibians are imported into the united states every year?Who is set up to test all of those animals?Where would they sit while their tests are performed?Can you imagine testing hundreds of thousands of individual amphibians for chytrid fungus?At an estimated cost of $10-$30 per test. I sold over 20,000 axolotls last year and many thousands of other amphibian species.Lets just be very conservative and get me a discount on the test(not including shipping cost for the samples).Lets say I can get the test done for $5.That would mean I would have to spend $100,000.00 last year to test all my axolotls.It would actually cost me closer to $300,000.00 to have tested everything.Not happening.It would kill the amphibian trade.There is no lab or facility in the U.S. even all of them combined that has the capacity to test every amphibian that would come into the U.S. or cross state lines.Not for any amount of money. So read between the lines. $2.50 dwarf clawed frog at petco needs a $10-$30 test to come into the US or cross state lines.Do you know how many thousands of Hymenochirus are transported in the US every year?what about fire bellied toads?Water dogs?Pacmans?Darts,treefrogs,toads other frogs?Newts?Do you see my point yet?Every single individual amphibian would have to have a $10-$30 test and be cleared before it could be imported or cross state lines.This would absolutely kill the amphibian trade in the U.S. and the trickle down to feeders and supplies would be devestating. The logistics of testing are impossible. I am not saying it will ever pass but there are groups out there who are pushing for it. They came very close last year to banning all non native amphibians in california. I don't underestimate the power of any of these groups.And as you have all recently discovered the new angle is listing things as injurous wildlife for the potential enviromental damage they can "potentially" cause. Don't be fooled it says all amphibians are ok that have been tested and cleared for chytrid but the defenders of wildlife now very well it would destroy the amphibian trade because there is no way to test all those amphibians.besides the fact that the permit once the animal is cleared would take months to approve.

 

[Jay Sommers Reptiles]

But if amphibians were to be included on the injurious list and treated the same as the burmese pythons, wouldn't that mean that if I were breeding Red Eyed Tree Frogs for instance that I couldn't sell any of my CB offspring across state lines unless each one were certified Chytrid free?
The potential cost and hassle of obtaining such certifications for what may be several hundred froglets per year for a breeder would in essence make it no longer feasible to produce them.

Exactly.That is the point.Can you imagine if you wholesale redeyes for $10-$20 now having to pay up to $30 per frog to test?Then wait for the results,then apply for a permit that doesn't exist(they would have to invent one) then wait the 3-4 months to get approved?$40-$80 wholesale redeyes?No market,plus you can not get a permit for transporting any species of animal listed in the lacey act as injurous wildlife.It isn't happening.It has to be for bona fide scientific,medical,educational or zoological purposes only.They are not going to reinvent the permit system at the DMA to make a special provision for amphibians who are tested and cleared for chytrid. They don't have the staff.They will just list them and call it done.Hell its already taking many months just to get approval for a cb cites permit from the DMA they couldn't handle this too. everything would be so backlogged its ridiculous.

 

[hhmoore]

I do understand your point....but, I have had no dealings with amphibians of any kind for at least 6-8 yrs (and prior to that, it was simply a few species that I kept for my own enjoyment). It wasn't until a few years ago that I even heard of Chytrid fungus.
That said, my previous response was premature, and poorly thought out - I was thinking solely of importation, not interstate transport...and being listed as injurious wildlife knocks out both.

 

[Jay Sommers Reptiles]

no problem.this is the tricky stuff they are doing and it causes confusion and masks their true agenda.They say they only want to list non cleared amphibians but they know that no such thing is possible.It's either listed or not.There won't be exemptions.Our government doesn't have the manpower or the recources to handle any types of exemptions that would require regulating. you would have to wait because of the backlog so long its like deathrow inmates being in jail for 30 years without being executed. Defenders of wildlife knows there is no way to test every individual amphibian so they masquerade as doing some benevolent deed saying we have no problem with non chytrid amphibians crossing state lines etc.Knowing full well that testing on such a scale isn't possible.