4 inch rule?

[tickle]

I just want everyones opinion on this bogus 4 inch rule on turtle and tortoises especially Russians and stars.this law keeps the harvesting of wild young tortoises going and until it is removed we will all have to deal with the poor sick wild caught torts we see at local and chain pet stores.if we got rid of it and started selling hatchlings and bring up the demand for them we can slow down the harvest.hatchlings are much harder to find and mayby they can switch to breeding them instead of hunting them.this also would create jobs for breeding and allot of less heartbroken owners.what do you guys think?I was in pennsilvania once and. stopped at a petsmart .i asked the salesman to feed the Russians so I could see wich was healthiest for a future purchase.the one that ate and looked healthiest was far from it.I picked him up and he wieghed nothing like a empty shell.he had atleast 8 ticks on him.there were 9 males and no females in a 20 gallon tank. All the males did was fight.the sales man had no idea abought them eather.I think they should change the law to any size tort but you must go to classes on the reptiles you want to sell and pass a test on each. Pluss the seller can only sell the reptiles he has been licenced to.what do you guys think about that.

 

[Spn785]

I think this is good in theory, but will never happen. Patsmart and Petco and others like them will have you pass a test that tests you on the bogus info they give. Not to mention there is already way too much bad information out there, so changing the law won't happen because turtles and tortoises are apparently causes of epidemics of salmonella. Good information needs to get out before the law can change.

 

[Yvonne G]

The 4" rule doesn't apply to non-business turtle and tortoise sales.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I also think the 4-inch law is bunk, based on bad science and a reluctance to change. We should have gotten rid of it years ago.

 

[greyshirt]

The 4" rule doesn't apply to non-business turtle and tortoise sales.

I saw this post and I have never known you to put out false information, but I wondered about this as I had never heard this before. I went back and re-read the law and there it was;

(d) Exceptions. The provisions of this section are not applicable to:
(2) The sale, holding for sale, and distribution of live turtles and viable turtle eggs not in connection with a business.

Once more you are correct! Thank you so much.

 

[mctlong]

I also think the 4-inch law is bunk, based on bad science and a reluctance to change. We should have gotten rid of it years ago.

Agree. 100%.