Illegal to keep or buy?
- Thread starter Gourami Swami
- Start date
Here is the full answer from http://www.reptastic.com--user:KingTortoiseCL:
One of the most common lines I hear or see written in many of the forums all over the internet is "Wow you're from NJ that must be so hard for you to keep turtles!" or "Turtles are illegal in NJ, you shouldn't have them." These lines are becoming almost as common as the typicals such as "I got a turtle from China town, it's small and green it won't eat and I have it in a bowl." and "I found a turtle crossing the road can I keep him in a box with lettuce?"
The best is when you try to purchase turtle food from your local NJ pet store and you get "I'm guessing you have turtles huh? You know that's illegal right?" from the person behind the counter. It truly amazes me how especially people who OWN pet stores or who have been working in one for years do not know a thing about the laws regarding turtles let alone any exotic animal.
The truth here ladies and gentlemen is that turtles and tortoises are by absolutely no means ILLEGAL in the state of New Jersey. Since many of us on this site are residents of the Garden State I thought it would be appropriate to address this here. Turtles have never been illegal in our state to own, only to sell or buy. Pet stores, hobbyists, even legit breeders cannot sell any turtle or tortoise regardless of the species, size or sex in New Jersey. After the salmonella outbreak years ago, the sale of these animals was banned. However, ownership of these creatures has remained legal. There is a small price to pay here if you wish to keep or breed chelonians and if you ask me it's really not much and it's totally worth it.
New Jersey residents must obtain, fill out and submit a Non-Game and Exotic Species permit to keep turtles and tortoises. This small application asks you basic questions about the animals you are wishing to keep.
The questions include some of the following:
Indoor and outdoor accomodation
Feeding and watering
Protection from predators and theft
Common and Scientific names of the animals including the sex
The name of a reputable veterinarian
and last but not least:
WHERE THE ANIMALS CAME FROM.
You must be able to prove without fail, how and where you got the animal(s).
In New Jersey you may not collect and keep any wildlife. The turtles and tortoises must come from either a private breeder, pet store or hobbyist from out of state. Again, the sale and purchase of these animals is strictly forbidden in this state so you must prove that it came from somewhere else. A simple receipt or invoice or written letter from the seller will do, as long as if this person is contacted, they will state that the animals came from them.
Trading turtles and tortoises in New Jersey is ok and is allowed, providing both people involved in the trade have up to date permits. These permits only cost $10 a year and you can have as many animals as you want on the same one! That's pretty fair if you ask me. You may also obtain permits that allow you to sell your turtles and tortoises to out of state individuals or at reptiles shows. Conact NJ Fish and Wildlife for info on that.
In New Jersey you may also keep native species. In fact, there are actually two native species that you do not need a permit for! These two are the Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) and the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina). They must however, be obtained legally and not from the wild.
The following NATIVE species are allowed to be possessed in NJ with a permit:
Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum)
Common Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)
Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)
Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin)
Northern Red Bellied Turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris)
Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera spinifera)
North American Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)
The North American Wood Turtle can be kept and bred in the state of New Jersey even though it is threatened. Amazon Reptile Center has an interesting addition to their add on Kingsnake.com right now that pertains to NJ residents who want to own a wood turtle. You can see it here:
http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=39&de=458830
Links like that are helping to turn things around and help people understand laws much better!!
As for the Bog Turtle, because it is a federally endangered animal, the only way to own one in NJ is through special permission from the government. I do not know how to go about this because I have never tried.
A few months ago I was doing some research on this whole matter and reached out to NJ Fish and Wildlife for a bit of an explanation as to why so many people think it is illegal in NJ to own turtles. Here is a copy of the EXACT response I got:
["Chris,
Turtles and tortoises are legal to own in New Jersey as long as the person has
an up to date Individual Hobby Permit with the Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Since they are not allowed to be bought or sold in the state or taken from the
wild, each individual applying or a permit must show proof that the turtle or
tortoise was purchased legally from another state. If you have a further
questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the Wildlife Permits Unit at
908-735-5450 or 609-292-9591.
One of the most common lines I hear or see written in many of the forums all over the internet is "Wow you're from NJ that must be so hard for you to keep turtles!" or "Turtles are illegal in NJ, you shouldn't have them." These lines are becoming almost as common as the typicals such as "I got a turtle from China town, it's small and green it won't eat and I have it in a bowl." and "I found a turtle crossing the road can I keep him in a box with lettuce?"
The best is when you try to purchase turtle food from your local NJ pet store and you get "I'm guessing you have turtles huh? You know that's illegal right?" from the person behind the counter. It truly amazes me how especially people who OWN pet stores or who have been working in one for years do not know a thing about the laws regarding turtles let alone any exotic animal.
The truth here ladies and gentlemen is that turtles and tortoises are by absolutely no means ILLEGAL in the state of New Jersey. Since many of us on this site are residents of the Garden State I thought it would be appropriate to address this here. Turtles have never been illegal in our state to own, only to sell or buy. Pet stores, hobbyists, even legit breeders cannot sell any turtle or tortoise regardless of the species, size or sex in New Jersey. After the salmonella outbreak years ago, the sale of these animals was banned. However, ownership of these creatures has remained legal. There is a small price to pay here if you wish to keep or breed chelonians and if you ask me it's really not much and it's totally worth it.
New Jersey residents must obtain, fill out and submit a Non-Game and Exotic Species permit to keep turtles and tortoises. This small application asks you basic questions about the animals you are wishing to keep.
The questions include some of the following:
Indoor and outdoor accomodation
Feeding and watering
Protection from predators and theft
Common and Scientific names of the animals including the sex
The name of a reputable veterinarian
and last but not least:
WHERE THE ANIMALS CAME FROM.
You must be able to prove without fail, how and where you got the animal(s).
In New Jersey you may not collect and keep any wildlife. The turtles and tortoises must come from either a private breeder, pet store or hobbyist from out of state. Again, the sale and purchase of these animals is strictly forbidden in this state so you must prove that it came from somewhere else. A simple receipt or invoice or written letter from the seller will do, as long as if this person is contacted, they will state that the animals came from them.
Trading turtles and tortoises in New Jersey is ok and is allowed, providing both people involved in the trade have up to date permits. These permits only cost $10 a year and you can have as many animals as you want on the same one! That's pretty fair if you ask me. You may also obtain permits that allow you to sell your turtles and tortoises to out of state individuals or at reptiles shows. Conact NJ Fish and Wildlife for info on that.
In New Jersey you may also keep native species. In fact, there are actually two native species that you do not need a permit for! These two are the Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) and the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina). They must however, be obtained legally and not from the wild.
The following NATIVE species are allowed to be possessed in NJ with a permit:
Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum)
Common Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)
Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)
Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin)
Northern Red Bellied Turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris)
Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera spinifera)
North American Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)
The North American Wood Turtle can be kept and bred in the state of New Jersey even though it is threatened. Amazon Reptile Center has an interesting addition to their add on Kingsnake.com right now that pertains to NJ residents who want to own a wood turtle. You can see it here:
http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=39&de=458830
Links like that are helping to turn things around and help people understand laws much better!!
As for the Bog Turtle, because it is a federally endangered animal, the only way to own one in NJ is through special permission from the government. I do not know how to go about this because I have never tried.
A few months ago I was doing some research on this whole matter and reached out to NJ Fish and Wildlife for a bit of an explanation as to why so many people think it is illegal in NJ to own turtles. Here is a copy of the EXACT response I got:
["Chris,
Turtles and tortoises are legal to own in New Jersey as long as the person has
an up to date Individual Hobby Permit with the Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Since they are not allowed to be bought or sold in the state or taken from the
wild, each individual applying or a permit must show proof that the turtle or
tortoise was purchased legally from another state. If you have a further
questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the Wildlife Permits Unit at
908-735-5450 or 609-292-9591.
Please tell us what that creature in your avatar is.It looks like the offspring of a mole and a skink.
---XR---;1462193; said:how does that make sence?
how would you own a turtle without buying it or someone selling it to you?
it's like minors with cigarettes or porn. You can't buy it, but they can't do anything if to you if they catch you with it
krichardson;1476758; said:
Ahhh....it says what is in his avatar:"It's not a male anatomy, it's a Bipes biporus!"
http://www.bluechameleon.org/Photo & Image Stockpile - BCV/WEB - Bipes biporus.htm
---XR---;1462193; said:how does that make sence?
how would you own a turtle without buying it or someone selling it to you?
if you are at the park taking your turtle for a walk on a leash, and a cop sees you, you are safe.
If you are at the pet store with a turtle in your hand and are giving money to the guy over the counter, who is selling you the turtle, as a cop walks in, one or both of you are goin to the pokey.
