Axolotl legality in U.S.

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mzcmn

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Hey there,

I haven't found anywhere on the net a comprehensive listing of which states in the United States axolotls are legal in and which ones they aren't. Has anybody found such a list anywhere? I know they're illegal in California, but that's about it.
 
California and New Jersey are the only states I believe.
 
I suspect there are more than just those two states. In Maine for example, there is not a list of animals that one cannot buy or own, there is only a list of those that they can. If the species doesn't appear on the list, then they are not legal. Ambystroma Mexicanum does not unfortunately, appear on that list, making it illegal. Suffice it to say, axolotl no longer lives in Maine! ;-)
 
mzcmn said:
Hey there,

I haven't found anywhere on the net a comprehensive listing of which states in the United States axolotls are legal in and which ones they aren't. Has anybody found such a list anywhere? I know they're illegal in California, but that's about it.
Click to expand...


Axolotls are legal in California. I have been unable to finad ANY up to date information from offical channels on this subject. (However the law may have changed in the last three years since I moved to the Midwest...) "Mudpuppies" are not. As per the laws there, this is an attempt to protect native species of tiger salamander as various species of tiger salamander larvae are used as fishing bait.

here is some links:

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/species/nuis_exo/ferret/ferret_issues_table6.html
http://www.californiaherps.com/salamanders/pages/a.t.mavortium.html

I have legally purchased true ambystoma mexicanum in San Diego, and have seen them stocked at both momNpop and big name pet shops many many times. In fact my current stock of axies are third generation descendants of my original two breeders purchased in La Mesa, California in 2000.


As for their legality state by state, there are only two states with documentation eliminating the sale of axolotls as pets: Hawaii and Maine

It is commonly believed that axies are not legal to own privately due to the all too common misnaming of them, and the inabillity of poorly trained pet trade employees to tell the difference between species.
 
SludgeMunkey said:
Axolotls are legal in California. (However the law may have changed in the last three years since I moved to the Midwest...) "Mudpuppies" are not. As per the laws there, this is an attempt to protect native species of tiger salamander as various species of tiger salamander larvae are used as fishing bait.

here is some links:

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/species/nuis_exo/ferret/ferret_issues_table6.html
http://www.californiaherps.com/salamanders/pages/a.t.mavortium.html

I have legally purchased true ambystoma mexicanum in San Diego, and have seen them stocked at both momNpop and big name pet shops many many times. In fact my current stock of axies are third generation descendants of my original two breeders purchased in La Mesa, California in 2000.


As for their legality state by state, there are only two states with documentation eliminating the sale of axolotls as pets: Hawaii and Maine

It is commonly believed that axies are not legal to own privately due to the all too common misnaming of them, and the inabillity of poorly trained pet trade employees to tell the difference between species.
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You are mistaken. All animals of the genus Ambystoma are illegal to keep or breed in the state of California. There is nothing in either of the links you posted to prove that they are legal. See:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52338&page=2 (beginning from post #45)

One pet shop has already been busted recently for selling tiger sals. It's only a matter of time...
 
Axolotls are currently banned in the state. In 2000 when you originally purchased yours they were not banned. The law doesn't make an exception for when you obtained yours. True mudpuppies (Necturus sp.) are not banned (at least last time I checked.) If you possess an Ambystoma species in the state, I would advise against public declaration, selling offspring in state, or public listing of particular vendors.
 
Axolotls are legal in Hawaii. It involves permits and shipping, but there are members here that have legally obtained axolotls in Hawaii.

They are illegal in New Jersey for the same reason they're illegal in California: risk of interbreeding with native species.
 
I guess apparently, that they are also only illegal in Maine if you don't have a permit and can apply for a permit to sell or own an axolotl with a $25 fee. I don't know however, if any axolotl owners in Maine have ever actually got the permit.
 
i ask possibly a silly question, but why would they be illegal? the only thing i can think of is when someone told me they can pose a riskk if accidentaly released into waterways...
 
Nattles88 said:
i ask possibly a silly question, but why would they be illegal? the only thing i can think of is when someone told me they can pose a riskk if accidentaly released into waterways...
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If they happened to be released they can interbreed with native Ambystomiads which in turn causes a whole myraid of problems for native species.
 
I stand corrected.
The laws have changed and in fact I was gone from the state long before they changed.
Thank you all for this clarification, I have been feeling very guilty for nothing.

Also thank you for the link to the other thread containing the link to the actual legal documentation pertaining to this law. (I had been searching for that for quite some time, which is what ultimately brought me to this site in the first place.)

I apologize for my previous misinformed post.
 
if they are or not i ordered 2 last mth and they came in fine and just 2day i ordered 2 more they come in thursday and i live in California:D
 
That's illegal. If the California Fish and Game sees this post, they may very well come knocking on your door, confiscate (and most likely destroy) your animals, and write you a hefty ticket. Conservation entities do monitor this board, and we are more than happy to assist them. People who break the law ruin the hobby for the rest of us.
 
freddy 209 said:
if they are or not i ordered 2 last mth and they came in fine and just 2day i ordered 2 more they come in thursday and i live in California:D
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It's true that you can still get them shipped into the state from various vendors if you search hard enough. As of 2008 they are currently not legal to possess, and they may have been illegal to ship into the state for even longer. However, what does some guy in Florida or whatever state care about CA laws? They're getting their money and you're the one that would likely suffer any legal penalties. Regardless, there does exist axolotl owners in California. What these individuals should be aware of is that this is a public forum, and you can declare what you wish within the boundaries of the posted rules. However, one has to question the mental fitness of individuals that openly declare their unsanctioned activities on a public forum.

Personally, I think the law is short-sighted and heavy-handed, and I hope that CA fish and game aren't running around busting down axolotl owner's doors. This state has bigger financial concerns, and I really hope that they can find more efficient and significant ways to use their capital. However, you never know, and you'll likely find little sympathy if your statements come back to bite you in the butt.
 
:alien:i called the california gamewardend and asked if they were legal and he said that they are legal the only state that there not legal is ohio :D
 
im a monsterfishkeeper also and i had called the Ca gamewdn 2 c if i needed a certain license to fish for crayfish so that i can feed my large tropical fish and just cause i new i had 2 axolotl and had seen this post at that time i asked if they were legal and he looked it up for me and he said there legal everywhere but Ohio unless he didnt know what he was talking about:ufo:
 
as far as i have been told they are illegal to purchase. there is nothing stated anywhere that i have seen about the ones already in the state of california.
 
freddy 209 said:
:alien:i called the california gamewardend and asked if they were legal and he said that they are legal the only state that there not legal is ohio :D
Click to expand...

well, I just looked at Ohio laws again and I sure can't find anything about ambystoma mexicanum being illegal in OH...

I did however find this info on CA law... last revision 04/08
you can read it for yourself at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/pdffiles/fg1518.pdf

Below is the portion relating to the topic at hand...

page 7
§671. Importation, Transportation and Possession of
Live Restricted Animals.
(a) It shall be unlawful to import, transport, or possess
alive animals restricted in subsection (c) below except under
permit issued by the Department of Fish and Game.

Page 8
(C)
(3) Class Amphibia-Frogs, Toads, Salamanders
(C) Family Ambystomatidae-Mole Salamanders
All species of the genus Ambystoma (tiger
salamanders)

Looks to me like they are restricted in CA
 
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