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New rules for red-eared slider take
effect July 1
June 25, 2007
Contact: Mary Scott Gilbert (850) 410-5293; (850) 519-1540 cell
Beginning July 1, people no longer may purchase
red-eared sliders -- common pet store turtles. A new rule passed
by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
prohibits selling the species. 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.”
Red-eared sliders already in captivity will not
be allowed to breed, so any offspring will have to be
surrendered to certified red-eared slider adopters or dealers,
or euthanized.
People still can buy and sell albino red-eared
sliders and others with unusual color variations, often known as
pastels.
"These colorful varieties are more expensive and
unlikely to be released,” Hardin said.
Dealers can 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.
The new rule also requires a solid fence or
planking buried at least 6 inches under the ground for red-eared
sliders kept outside.
Owners of pet red-eared sliders may not acquire
additional specimens, and if their turtles reproduce, they
should destroy all eggs before they hatch.
FWC is working to establish a pet adoption
network for nonnative fish and wildlife, including red-eared
sliders. If you have questions about your pet red-eared slider
or are interested in becoming a certified adopter of unwanted
nonnative pets, contact Jenny Novak at (850) 926-0128. |
