Hi-Ho! new Cali Axie lover

Hello everyone i found this site a few weeks ago and have been reading up on Axolotls and caring for them on here, so i figured why not sign up? My name is Talerra and im from Califonia, annnnd im getting my first axie this thursday.
I do have a few questions and am totally open to suggestions and feedback from everyone this is going to be my first experience and id love to keep my little friend as happy as he/she? will make me

well did you know axolotls are illegal to have in california? i know many pet stores sell them in cali. it's just like the 1in baby turtles that they sell. not legal. just be careful about getting caught owning one.

yes i have been reading that, but i have no plans on getting caught as im sure no one else does....
thanks for the input

yeah, it's kind of like all the people that own ferrets in cali. i worked at a pet store and a vet office in cali. so why have laws that never gets enforced properly.

well good luck with the new axie.

thank you! i actually had never heard of axolotls before i went to a pet store a few weeks ago, and found out a few days ago on here that there illegal...i dont understand why all types of salamanders are illegal instead of just the tiger, which is if i remember correctly, is the reason why....if anything make it illegal because of its near extinction in the wild

Talerra said:

yes i have been reading that, but i have no plans on getting caught

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Well you sure are going about it the wrong way. Just so you know, the proper authorities do read this forum.

well they are used for lab research in the U.S. so i don't think its a matter of them being critically endangered in the wild (Mexico). plus they breed well in captivity. from my understanding it is because they are worried about axolotls escaping and breeding in California possibly killing off native wildlife.

Welcome to caudata, but don't break the law! Kuphie-why roll eyes at the invader theory? Snakeheads have complete control of the Deleware River because of that exact reason, we don't need any more invaders.

i'm just saying its stupid because the law is useless when you find pet stores selling these animal they shouldn't all the time. if you are going to make a law, please enforce it better. california goes over kill on making laws that nobody cares enough to listens to anyways. example: people just come to Reno to buy their ferrets and take them back to cali.

and to make it clear, i don't advocate breaking laws.

Talerra said:

Hello everyone i found this site a few weeks ago and have been reading up on Axolotls and caring for them on here, so i figured why not sign up? My name is Talerra and im from Califonia, annnnd im getting my first axie this thursday.
I do have a few questions and am totally open to suggestions and feedback from everyone this is going to be my first experience and id love to keep my little friend as happy as he/she? will make me

Click to expand...

Talerra said:

yes i have been reading that, but i have no plans on getting caught as im sure no one else does....
thanks for the input

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If you have no plans on getting caught then you should post on public forums about what you're planning on doing. Personally, I completely agree that the CA ban on all Ambystoma is ridiculous, but since you invited suggestions. I'd recommend considering not getting one. Clearly you seem enthusiastic and talkative, but in essence you'll be getting a pet that you can't publicly acknowledge if you truly want to avoid getting caught. So if your axolotl is sick even posting a request for help puts you and your animal at risk of being caught. I'd just ask you to consider it a little bit more, because an axolotl can be a 20 yr commitment.

thank you everyone! i talked to a few local pets and fish places as well as the animal control and many ( 6 out of 8) said that the captive or lab bred albinos are perfectly legal, the two places didnt know...i have tried looking up the laws on this site but when people quote directly i dont quite understand...is it possible that the law has changed or that lab bred is ok? jw

All axolotls are captive bred. They're all illegal in the state of California. If you don't understand the law as it is written, how can you take the word of others to be the truth? Especially those at a PET SHOP! That's like taking lessons on gourmet cooking from someone who works at McDonalds. Call Fish and Game law enforcement officers, not the pet shop.

The law states Ambystoma species are illegal in California. This is because of the possibility of hybridization with the State and Federally listed California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense.

Now, you're not even unknowingly breaking the law, but you're willfully breaking the law. It's people like you that ruin the hobby for people like me. It's people like you that get stringent restrictions put in place and laws strictly enforced. Of course, it's also people like you that blatantly disregard those laws. I sincerely hope you get busted.

The current laws are nicely compiled in the following thread:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...ls-illegal-california-here-relevant-laws.html

I'm unaware of any changes to this, but essentially it bans all Ambystoma in the state. It's true that the state does not enforce it well concerning axolotls. However, by the wording of the law if you have one in the state you are violating the law. Realistically, the fish and game commission doesn't have a SWAT team busting down doors. Probably the bigger fish is the pet shop that sold it to you or the supplier to the pet store.

That being said there are people on this forum that adamantly support this rule or support following the rules even if you disagree with them. So, if you plan on posting repeatedly that you are directly and knowingly violating this law. I would not be surprised that someone on this forum may become inflamed and try to report you. So that is the risk you invited by starting this thread entitled "Hi-Ho! new Cali Axie lover". If you are reported what would happen.... I don't know, but I don't want to find out either.

hi talerra

im so lucky i live here in aussie land......you have to think of the axie as well if you get caught the authories might/will take the axie and put him/her to sleep.......be careful and think things through before you act....
lea