Axolotl laws

[princessjlk10]

Can anyone tell me which states that it is illegal to own axolotls in? Also, is it possible to ship to cananda. Thanks

 

[IanF]

Hello, I'm no lawyer but as far as I know it isn't illegal in any states. And yes people do ship to Canada, you can look for someone on the buying and selling section of this site.

 

[t_summ]

It is illegal to own axolotls in California and New Jersey. There may be others. Those two I am sure of though.

 

[michael]

They can be shipped to Canada. From the U.S. the shipper needs an imort/export licensed and has to have an export inspection. They also need CITES permits because they are CITES II. It's an expensive proposition to do legally. Due to the low price of axolotls and the huge expense involved in importing and exporting they are rarely imported or exported.

 

[IanF]

Huh, I never knew Axolotls were illegal in California and New Jersey... thats very odd.

 

[michael]

Laws are a funny thing. My understanding is it is illegal to ship axolotls to California. I think it is legal to sell axolotls within the state of California. My understanding is if the axolotl was produced in Calif. it is o.k.. My understanding could be totally wrong.

 

[pete]

Laws are a funny thing. My understanding is it is illegal to ship axolotls to California. I think it is legal to sell axolotls within the state of California. My understanding is if the axolotl was produced in Calif. it is o.k.. My understanding could be totally wrong.

That was the case a while back, but now all Ambystoma, including axolotls, are flat out banned in CA, or at least this was the case the last time I checked.

 

[t_summ]

You're correct in that, Pete. They are illegal in every capacity (shipping, keeping, breeding and selling) according to the California Department of Fish and Game.

There are many people here that are keeping them in the state (and even some companies that are serlling them). Hopefully, those people do not release them into the wild further validating the fears that make them illegal in the first place.

 

[Aquatic]

I can appreciate California's stance on Axolotls, but I think it was passed without any opposition. Conservation is great, but all Ambystoma are NOT the same. I went to school in California and I worked for Butte County in Northern California for a while. There, I learned that 80% of the fish found in Californian waters are introduced. The mitten crab has been a disaster. I shudder to think what zebra mussels would do if they get established. But I refuse to accept that axolotls could ever be a threat to native species. Axolotls should be allowed, at least in certain counties.

 

[Tim S]

In 1993 I made seven attempts to cross Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum with A. mexicanum. Three were successful. The following year I did five back crosses with F1 hybrids and A. mexicanum. Make no mistake, A. mexicanum will breed with it's close relatives if given the chance!

 

[slowfoot]

As Tim S. said, it's tricky. Imported tigers breed readily with the native endangered California tiger (which are just gorgeous salamanders, btw). The other problem is that apparently A. tigrinum x A. californiense hybrids actually do better than the native species, so could potentially replace them:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070926143355.htm

 

[Markgilst]

Wouldn't the hybrid species from both animals be sterile though and wouldn't be able to further reproduce?

 

[Kaysie]

While that's usually the case with mammals, it's rarely true with other classes.