Besides discussing, strategizing, and taking whatever action you feel appropriate to comment on the Proposed Rule, try also to think of the longer term.
One thing I would urge everyone to consider, assuming you are in a position to do so, is find ways to consolidate the stock that you do have either in your own collection or by sharing with community members here before January 28, or experienced keepers/breeders in your state after January 28. Think in terms of all possibilities and contingencies or combinations thereof.
For example, legal imports may not happen again in the foreseeable future, but perhaps testing will be reliable enough in the near future that interstate trade could again be permitted. If that happens it would be a shame if the hobby could not be resurrected because all that were left of captive stocks was Axolotls for example (or any other species not on the list of banned species). Take stock of what you have that is special and find a way to keep the breeding groups going!
These suggestions are not different than those made in several recent discussions (about how interests in certain species wax and wane until one day they are suddenly rare in the hobby). But now there is a real reason to try to work on innovative ways to legally keep species you are interested in around for the future. The market between hobbyists may undergo some huge changes, but I would ask, is money/profit the only reason for enjoying the hobby?
I've been a quiet lurker here for many years, and just joined about a year ago, but think this community has shown that private salamander enthusiasts and especially breeders have something to offer. Whether through innovative husbandry, or being able to work out many subtleties and quirks of breeding various species, many of you have contributed to the knowledge of salamanders. Don't forget that if and just because we may be adapting to some new realities.
