Hellbender...?

I was wondering if it is legal to keep these as pets and where you can get them
and any other info possable.
aquarium size?how big?

i know they're "special concern" in NY state. (usa) but dont think they are federally listed. Ive heard (fact or fiction?) that the populations are declining, they are not having offspring and only some older adults are being found. I know there are only two river drainages in NY that have them.


I believe the Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi (ozark) hellbender is being "considered/proposed" for protection FEDERALLY.

I "heard" of them for sale (around $100.00US) but most people think its unethical (maybe illegal) to aquire any WC bender. (of course due to tank size and other factors, only ZOOS , if lucky, would have CB LOL)

hope i bored you to death.

steve

p.s. I seen a site in JAPAN that had benders for sale, but the price was 98,000 YEN "$808.00US". + shipping/import (probably another 500.00+) Maybe tim(tj) has seen this?

p.s.s.(for laughs, sorry tim) they also have: Tiger sallies for $50.00US, fire salamander for $313.00US(i thought canada was bad), and sirens for $164.00US just to name a few i remember(wrote down)

you can legally obtain them in pennsylvania, but i think you need a fishing license. The smallest tank that would work for a pair would be 180 gallons. they require COLD flowing water, which is often hard to do in an aquarium.

~Aaron

Can you catch a hallbender with a fishing line? like the way you catch fishies?

tim

Fisherman often catch hellbenders (well, when they used to be plentiful anyway) on accident, but I don't know that you could specifically fish for them. Netting them by hand would be far easier.

actually ive heard of people using night crawlers,chicken pieces,and crayfish to fish for hellbenders... but why would you want to? a fishing hook in the gut could be fatal. and lik Nate said netting them would be easier... and much safer for them as well

I've had several hellbenders brought to the Zoo that were caught on hook and line and all of them died shortly after we recieved them. (We didn't ask people to catch them, they caught them and then brought them to us). All of them had severe mouth truama from the hook and were very stressed from being caught and transported. I would not recommend this as a good way to try and catch hellbenders.
Ed

I would think, they would swallow the hook and rip their insides up?

just a thought!