Are Sulcata tortoises considered an exotic pet?

[TriciaStringer]

I am in a discussion with a friend about whether we are allowed to have sulcata tortoises. We are talking about an adjoining parish, not mine. She said that they are an exotic pet and therefore illegal. What are your thoughts?

 

[TechnoCheese]

Definitely an exotic pet(I would consider all reptiles exotic), but why would exotic pets be illegal? You can go up to the nearest petsmart and buy a tortoise or any other reptile?

 

[TriciaStringer]

Definitely an exotic pet(I would consider all reptiles exotic), but why would exotic pets be illegal? You can go up to the nearest petsmart and buy a tortoise or any other reptile?

I don’t know. I had posted a pic of my tortoise on FB and she private messaged me. She told me I might not want to post pics because he could be taken away. I can’t find anything in my research on my parish but can find it for the one next to us, but it doesn’t define or list the exotic animals that aren’t allowed. I had even contacted a rescue organization in that parish to see if they had any tortoises available and they said not at the moment but they would let me know if they receive any.

 

[Jay Bagley]

I agree, they're definitely an exotic species. I think it varies from state to state on what exotic animals you can have and cannot have. Florida for instance, I believe pythons have been banned there where is in Michigan where I live you can own them. I'm pretty sure you could probably Google what animals are illegal in the state that you reside in.

 

[Tom]

The definition of exotic is "originating from a foreign country". It could arguably be broken down even further than that.

Since you live in North America, and the tortoise originated in Africa, it is an "exotic" species.

 

[enchilada]

No . I feel like they are The “Red ear slider” of tortoise :
1. Cheap
2. Easy to get
3. High abandon rate when grow larger

 

[TriciaStringer]

I called the LA wildlife and fisheries. They said tortoises are allowed.

 

[Tom]

No . I feel like they are The “Red ear slider” of tortoise :
1. Cheap
2. Easy to get
3. High abandon rate when grow larger

Red ear sliders are an exotic species too, unless you are in their native range in Mexico.

 

[TammyJ]

I called the LA wildlife and fisheries. They said tortoises are allowed.

Did they not expand on this? I am sure that certain species are not allowed. There are many illegally imported species all over the world and they are not allowed, unless you have a special permit?

 

[TammyJ]

Red ear sliders are an exotic species too, unless you are in their native range in Mexico.

Wow! I always thought RES's were US East Coast native turtles.

 

[TammyJ]

No . I feel like they are The “Red ear slider” of tortoise :
1. Cheap
2. Easy to get
3. High abandon rate when grow larger

Yes. Here in Jamaica, we used to see them in the dozens at all the pet shops. They would often end up at a rescue section at the zoo, if they managed to live more than a few years in the care of people who had not a clue. Now you don't see them again much in the pet shops and it's because the permits are not being given - a good thing! They can and will mate with our indigenous Jamaican slider and create a hybrid which we don't want.

 

[Kevinrrussell]

Wow, bed blood...here in Michigan almost any tortoise ...my vet has a healthy sulcata

 

[TammyJ]

Wow, bed blood...here in Michigan almost any tortoise ...my vet has a healthy sulcata

Not getting this...?

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

'Exotic' sometimes also means unusual. If you lived in Nevada and had a Bobcat, even though they are native, that might be considered an exotic pet as it is an unusual pet.

@Tom

Mexico before the Alamo? https://www.google.com/search?q=red...AhVP7mMKHeLKCmAQ9QEILzAC#imgrc=7Cap_Yd44zUglM:

 

[TriciaStringer]

Did they not expand on this? I am sure that certain species are not allowed. There are many illegally imported species all over the world and they are not allowed, unless you have a special permit?

He just said that permits were required for poinsonous snakes. He said tortoises were fine as pets. I gave sulcata and leopard as an example. He didn’t expand.

 

[wellington]

Wow! I always thought RES's were US East Coast native turtles.

Me too.

 

[Yvonne G]

Me too.

The link Will posted shows an excellent RES range map.

 

[Via Infinito]

I genuinely think anything that is not a dog, a cat or a fish is exotic tbh.
Like I even find myself categorizing rabbits and hamsters as exotic as well...

 

[TechnoCheese]

I genuinely think anything that is not a dog, a cat or a fish is exotic tbh.
Like I even find myself categorizing rabbits and hamsters as exotic as well...

Me too!

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

I genuinely think anything that is not a dog, a cat or a fish is exotic tbh.
Like I even find myself categorizing rabbits and hamsters as exotic as well...

Really by definition most all pet are exotic. Very few pets are native animals and there are normally laws agenst keeping natives as pet. I think governing bodies that write laws agenst keeping excitics some times leave them veg so they can decide things on a case by case as they go