Sales and shipping to Florida

[CharlieM]

Many box turtle threads and classifieds say no sales to Florida. I cannot find any laws or regulations prohibiting sales or shipping eastern box and Florida box to Florida. The only regulations state you may not sell in state and the possession limit is two.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Charlie:

I don't recall seeing anything with regard to not shipping to Florida. Mostly what our ads say is that the seller prefers to not ship at all...to any one or state.

 

[CharlieM]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-7851.html#axzz29J84vLgy

This is an example.

 

[tortadise]

Thats because that species is protected in the state of florida. Limited to that law being only in that state they can be sent to surrounding or altnerate states that do not have regulation against that species. Same thing in louisiana. I am here on work, and the reptile shows have a HUGE list of animals that are protected by the states law, and those animals cannot be sold at the shows.

 

[shellysmom]

In this particular case, it's because it is a wild caught Florida. It's illegal in the sunshine state to collect them from the wild for the specific purpose of selling them. So, you're basically not supposed to buy and sell wild caught Florida boxies, although it is legal to keep up to 2 as personal pets without a permit.

 

[CharlieM]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-7521.html#axzz29J84vLgy

Another example

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I did find this but it does not mention box turtles or anything but leopard and sulcata tortoises:

(15) No leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis) or African spurred tortoise (Geochelone sulcata) shall be imported or transported into this state, without a special permit issued by the Commission. The basis for the issuance of such permit shall include:
(a) That each shipment is accompanied by a veterinary certificate stating that all specimens are free from external parasites;
(b) That all shipping containers used to transport such tortoises are incinerated within 24 hours;

 

[Yvonne G]

Terrapene carolina bauri (the Florida box turtle) is protected in the State of Florida and it is illegal to buy or sell them in that state.

 

[RedfootsRule]

Sorry for reviving this thread guys, but something needs to be clear up here.
As a member of the "sunshine state" and my experience with the fwc....The wording on the website is SO messed up. First, you will read on the florida fish and wildlife website that the possession limit of box turtles is two, and that you may not collect them from the wild, yada, yada....Further research reveals,
The following species have a possession limit of two, and can be collected from the wild or purchased from legal vendors:

Eastern box turtles (including sub-species)
Loggerhead musk turtles
Diamondback terrapins.

Taken directly from the FWC. (The page was updated on 12/21/12, so the information is not outdated.) Keywords: purchased from legal vendors. Therefore, it is completely legal to purchase them from a legal vendor in or out of the state of florida. However, the possession limit is two...This is not an enforced law however, and it is "2 per person of the household". Therefore, if I were to breed them, I could have 2 for every member of my family...And just say two belong to each of us. No law broken. However, you do need a license to sell them; but this license is fairly easy to apply for and be approved for.

I to have been looking for a male florida box turtle for a while now....Everyone says "NO FLORIDA SALES!". This is because of the misleading nature of the websites information....So if I ever find someone willing to ship here, I'll have to explain it to them....