Can you buy red-eared sliders in Florida?

Can you buy red-eared sliders in Florida?

Red-eared sliders are listed as a conditional species in Florida. Anyone that possessed a pet red-eared slider before July 1, 2007 can legally keep their turtle and no permit is required. However, Floridians are not allowed to acquire red-eared sliders as personal pets after that date.

How much does a red-eared slider cost?

The average price for a red-eared slider in pet stores is around $20, but a quality breeder will likely charge a little more. Choose a turtle that is active and alert, and make sure it is eating.

Is it illegal to catch turtles in Florida?

Under Florida law, the sale of wild-caught freshwater turtles are prohibited. According to the FWC, the poachers have been depleting turtle populations so much that they had to expand their illegal hunting into other part of the state—Lee County is believed to be the hardest hit by wildlife traffickers.

Can you pick up a turtle in Florida?

Freshwater turtles can only be taken by hand, dip net, minnow seine or baited hook. Most freshwater turtles may be taken year-round. Taking turtles with bucket traps, snares, or shooting with firearms is prohibited. Softshell turtles may not be taken from the wild from May 1 to July 31.

Where does the red eared slider come from?

Red-Eared Slider. Native Range: Red-eared sliders can be from in the Mississippi valley from Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Tennessee and Cumberland river valleys from Kentucky and Virginia to Alabama. Introduction: Beginning in the 1900s, red-eared sliders were captured in the wild for sale in markets and dime stores.

Is it illegal to sell red eared slider turtles?

Only two states have outright banned the sale of the animal. Current management involves catching the turtles with baited traps and either sterilizing or euthanizing them, which although effective, is time and resource intensive.

Who are the red eared sliders in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

It’s novel size and increased popularity following the release of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comics (the main characters, it was revealed, were red-eared sliders), led many to purchase the turtles for their home aquariums.

Why are red eared slider turtles illegal?

A number of non-native turtles are illegal, because all too often they end up in Oregon’s ponds and lakes where they compete with native turtles for food and habitat and spread disease. Red-eared sliders, named for the red “ear” (markings) on the sides of the head, are especially destructive.

What is the range of a red eared slider?

Distribution of the Red Eared Slider. Their natural range spans across the southern United States from Texas, to The Panhandle of Florida, and north along the Mississippi River. They can be found as far north as the Mississippi River and its tributaries run. Their range naturally extends as far north as Illinois.

How many eggs do red eared slider turtles lay?

Red Eared Slider turtles usually lay between 10 and 30 eggs. There have been cases when a red eared slider turtle laid 40 or more eggs, but most of them will lay between 10 and 30 eggs.

What is the origin of the red eared slider?

The red-eared slider originated from the area around the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, in warm climates in the southeastern United States.

Are red-eared sliders illegal to own?

Red-eared sliders are illegal to buy, sell or possess.

Are red-eared sliders exotic?

The red-eared slider is included in the list of the world’s 100 most invasive species published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Where are red eared sliders illegal?

In Oregon, it is prohibited to buy, sell, or possess many turtle species, including the red-eared slider. Since 1975, it has been illegal in the United States to sell or distribute turtles with shells that measure less than 4 inches in length.