Wait, aren't these illegal?

[Bettacreek]

I thought these things were illegal EVERYWHERE in the USA... Even illegal to simply own.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Baby-GIANT-AFRICAN-LAND-SNAILS-EBAYS-Cheapest-x-2-Xmas_W0QQitemZ400018384268QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pe t_Supplies_Reptiles_Spiders_Insects?hash=item40001 8384268&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50


Are they legal or does this person simply not know/care? These suckers would be sweet, but if they're illegal... :/

[Cory Keeper]

If you would take care to note, thats not in the US, its in the UK. THat said, I'm not sure what UK's laws are about those.

[msjinkzd]

They are, they are being sold as food, not pets.

[jackiomy]

It does say a shipping cost to the US. What kind of fish eat those?

[Bettacreek]

Yeah, he's shipping to the US.

Ms, does that mean that it's legal for him to sell them to US residents? First, wouldn't they be confiscated at customs? Second, isn't it still illegal to have them, period?

[msjinkzd]

I honestly have no idea.

[jackiomy]

I honestly have no idea.

Don't get any ideas here Jinkz.:lipssealedsmilie:

[Bettacreek]

Hrmm. I couldn't see them getting past customs, even if they're getting past ebay policy... I'm going to keep an eye on the seller, see if anyone leaves negative because their snails were confiscated...


Jackiomy, I'd be willing to bet that the USDA is already tracking those sales...

[jackiomy]

EWWWW!!! l like them in a tank but not out running around loose!

[Damodred]

Yeah, I love my aquatic snails, but there's something quite disturbing about those slimy behemoths.

[Bettacreek]

Lol. I think they're awesome. They'd probably be really neat pets. I wouldn't be half as afraid to let them crawl on me as a cana or haustrum (I hear they can break skin, lol). But, if I remember correctly, they're insane plant eaters as well, which is why they're illegal (like I said, if I remember correctly). Either way, I still think they're cute, lol. But, imagine, gardeners' complain about the little itty bitty snails that are native, imagine if they had an infestation of these suckers... Lol.

[kelly82]

i live in the uk, these are perfectly legal to own here, i used to have 2. its got to be complete nonsense that they are fish food though, i had mine from babies, barely 1cm, and within a few months had grown to maybe 3 inches in shell alone, unless you kept maybe 2 adults and continually fed off the young. they lay hundreds of eggs on an almost constant basis, and have both male and female reproductive parts (having a dense moment and cannot remember the name for this) i had mine for maybe 8-9 months and after many clutches of 200+ eggs i decided to rehome them. my friend currently owns 42 of them (where mine came from) and she has to go through the compost twice a day on egg searches, she only started with 2 snails, but missed eggs on various occassions. i dont see why anyone would pay for them though, they are offered for free all over the place, nobody seems to want them, i had mine up for rehoming for 2 months before a teacher got in touch wanting them for her classroom pets. i will never get any again, so far my friends oldest snail is 9inches in shell, well over a foot long when out and about, and is 8 years old, an interesting pet but you cant even go on holiday incase you miss a clutch of eggs as they hatch in just a couple of days, and if your soft like my friend, culling is not an option!

[kelly82]

oh and no they cant break the skin, though being rasped on by an adult isnt the most pleasant experience, and you should see/feel the slime trail!

[Damodred]

A foot long? Eight years old? Holy crap.

[kelly82]

ye, and its still going strong, they can live to 10 years or more, she has had him for 8 but he wasnt a baby when she got him!

[Bettacreek]

Wow. Thanks for the information on them. Do you have any pictures of them? I think the whole "for fish food" bit is just their way of getting around ebay's policies. And, I think the reason that people are paying for them is because I'm pretty sure they're illegal in the US, so, that would obviously make it extremely hard to obtain them, even if they do reproduce like nothing else. Either way, just one more reason that people need to do their research long before buying pets, even if it is a snail or a pair of snails...

[yikesjason]

Those are some really neat snails, but I don't think I would want them. I am sure my wife would freak if I got anything like it.

[Bettacreek]

Lol. You just have to work harder on your wife. My hubby wasn't into pets at all, then I slowly got him into the whole aquarium thing, and, well, now he even gets excited about snails... Lol. I got a package today, and since it said "fragile" on it, hubby was rushing me to open it, thinking that there were snails in it... Lol. Much to his disappointment, it was just a pair of scarves, but it is quite amusing that he went from thinking that I was a total weirdo when it came to animals (especially the snails, lol) to being excited about them...

[jackiomy]

Okay, I have to say it again. EWWWWWWW!!!!!!

[kelly82]

i did have some pictures of my old ones, il have to see if i can dig them out, mine were maybe 10 months old max when i rehomed them and the bigger ones foot was around 6 inches long at full stretch. i can certainly understand why they would be illegal where the winters wouldnt wipe them out, mine even as juveniles would eat half a cucumber every day, probably more if i let them. my daughters loved them, until they rasped them lol, then they decided they just liked to stroke their shells while i held them! i will try to find a pic of mine, the were about palm size when i photographed them. i remember i took the pics straight after bath time, so their shells were beautiful and super shiney :-)

[Bettacreek]

Lol. Are the slime trails like slug slime trails? Ehh, I'm not sure if I could handle that. I walk around barefoot ALL the time, and when I step on a slug, I could almost barf. :( Couldn't imagine letting something that monsterous climb on me if they had slime just like a slug.

[kelly82]

it does dry very quickly, and then you can just rub most of it off, so not quite like a slug, though when they really get going if you get it wet again when you wash your hands (if i remember rightly they can carry salmonella sp? so we always washed hand even if we didnt get slimed) the slime seems to double up and its almost like soap, takes some scrubbing, yes i hear you all in a resounding 'ewwwwwww' lol

[kelly82]

i have to say though, the feeling of them crawling over your hands is quite nice lol, you can feel all the muscles in their foot moving along,so it was worth the odd sliming!

[Bettacreek]

Lol. That's insane! I don't think I'd ever be able to let one crawl on me (not that I'd ever get the opportunity anyways, lol). Still, pretty neat critter to look at anyways. You'll just have to supply us with pics. ;)

[DarrylR]

mmmmmm dinner!

[yikesjason]

That does sound like something to experience at least once. Does any one in the Portland OR area have one?

...No?


...Ah shucks, guess I will just have to miss out on this one.

[Damodred]

That sounds highly creepy.

[KIM_TMA]

O I would so love to have one of these snails. In the past I seen a sale of these going on (Ebay), I researched them and discovered that they were very illegal to own in the states. So it crushed that idea but I found them so interesting I kept on researching.
They were banned b/c of a parasite that they carry and can swap host to the human, if I remember right it is like a liver fluke, I think. If left untreated in small children it can kill them. Yes these things were in the US classrooms at the time they discovered this and jerked them from everywhere in the US. BANNED forever! It also has to do with the destruction that they can do to a crop/field, it said that within a months time that a single snail can turn into 1,000s and destroy up to an acre each per day.

Wowoser you talking about doing some eating.

I am with you on this one Betta Creek it would be neat but way to risky to even attempt at sneaking one in the US.
Even as Puffer food! LOL, that is what the post says on Ebay.

[Bettacreek]

Lol. Imagine trying to feed a foot long snail to a puffer... Lol.
I appreciate the extra info on them. :)


I looked up some of the feedback on this guy, and there were a lot of sales of these guys, but the buyers have all been in the UK. He also has a LOT of private auctions, and, ironically, at least one of them has a comment of "Thanks hopefully my fish will love em will deal again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Seems odd that they would make private auctions for fish supplies... I can't imagine that anyone would make (or anyone would buy for that matter) a pornographic aquarium ornament...

[NickD]

Doing a google this came up: http://www.wvagriculture.org/news_releases/2004/5-17-04.htm. That page has exactly the same picture as the ebay listing.

Besides being voracious eaters, they can also apparently carry some parasites harmful to humans.

A couple more pages:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/gas/index.shtml
http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/animals/africansnail.shtml

They are probably illegal in some states.

[Bettacreek]

"GALS are illegal to import into the United States without a permit and currently no permits have been issued. "

"Scientists also consider the GALS to be one of the most damaging snails in the world because it is known to consume at least 500 different types of plants."


Crazy.

[jackiomy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCF3NKKatjw

[fishorama]

Wow! That Gary is gorgeous :hearts:

[captmicha]

Ewww..... Couldn't they be used as food for really big loaches?

[xsdbs]

can you put a leash on them and take them for a walk

[kelly82]

lol i think a saddle would be more appropriate ;-)

[KIM_TMA]

Hey I just checked the listing again for that sale and a US person bought them. I wonder if they will make it through customs.

[saram521]

I seriously hope the US bidder who won the snails has them confiscated! I found an article on these snails on a GA agriculture site, asking Georgians to help hunt these things down. If I ever see one, I'll promptly remove/kill it, whatever. Apparently, humans can get infected by these snails from the snails going through gardens and passing over the vegetables/fruits being grown, leaving their secretions. The article I read says the parasite is called rat lungworm. That conjures up completely awful images!! I can just see a worm gnawing through my lungs, like a rat....lol

Here's the GA article: http://apps.caes.uga.edu/news/storypage.cfm?storyid=2252

[yikesjason]

rat lungworm!!?? Not a nice mental picture at all

[StarStruck8]

These are horrifying. I like my aquarium snails but no wayyy would I want one of those!

[Bettacreek]

Rest assured, chances are, they'll be confiscated. Ya know, if you're going to be buying an illegal pet, the least you could do is be smart and buy it in the country so that it isn't opened and inspected by people who are looking for these things... The problem with illegal pets though, if you get sick of it, then what? That's when people end up dumping them in the wild. :/ That's why they're illegal in the first place.

[petluvr]

I don't think they are being sold as food for fish, they could probably easily make it into the country passing the USDA if they are being sold for HUMAN consumption.

[Bettacreek]

I don't think they could. Not only because of the diseases that they carry, but, when you look at our very own Canas and Haustrums (and the other large, restricted species), they were originally imported specifically for our consumption, yet there's no getting around the USDA with them. If they're anal about the restricted species, and actually hunt people down who sell them to investigate the origins, imagine what they'll do about people with an illegal species. I just don't think that there's a chance in hell that these guys will make it past customs. I'd bet money that these people end up with an empty box with a note.

[ChilDawg]

Hey I just checked the listing again for that sale and a US person bought them. I wonder if they will make it through customs.

I hope not, and I hope the person is fined heavily. We need to get these things back legally, and trying to circumvent the rules won't help.

[NeonFlux]

They look like huge Malaysian trumpet snails

[KIM_TMA]

I hope not, and I hope the person is fined heavily. We need to get these things back legally, and trying to circumvent the rules won't help.


I 100% agree, I would want somebody to be punished for it, Seller! The buyer needs a wake up call too b/c I am sure he didn't even check to see if they are legal in the states. The seller should know good and darn well that they are illegal in the states and yet he ships them to a dummy that don't even know what the crap he is going to do with it when it grows up, let alone the nightmares of all the snail eggs that he is going to have to control and make sure that they are destroyed. I just hope customs snatch them before they are given a chance to take over the US.

[Riiz]

I dont think anyone can be fined in this case, they are using the loophole provided through the USDA.

[Bettacreek]

The buyer needs a wake up call too b/c I am sure he didn't even check to see if they are legal in the states.


Exactly. If they can't take the time to research the legalities of the critters, then they probably don't even know how to care for them. Either way, it's not a good outlook. Either the person is an idiot who can't be bothered to do a little bit of research, or they simply don't give a hoot, and either way, I wouldn't want to be subjected to the care this person provides.



they are using the loophole provided through the USDA.


There isn't a loophole. You cannot ship this species into the states. It's pretty clear-cut. It's illegal to import, it doesn't say that they're only illegal to keep as pets or only illegal to import as pets. It's illegal to import and keep these snails, period.

[Bettacreek]

"The Giant African Snail poses a threat to both humans and plants. It is not only strictly prohibited from entering the United States but is confiscated when discovered. For more information related to this risk, see the USDA Pest Alert for Wisconsin (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/giantsnail.pdf) and CDC Fact Sheet on Angiostrongylus Infections (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/angiostrongylus/factsht_angiostrongylus.htm)."

Quoted from: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/organism/snails_slugs.shtml

[Bettacreek]

Omfg, guys, look, apparantly they made it through customs! Go to page two of his feedback, look for Pegzee, he's a US buyer. Wonder why/how they made it through?! Shame we won't know how long it actually takes for the USDA to show up at his door, lol.

[pik01]

I hope the USDA tears bboth buyer and seller a new one. Those snails are way too dangerous to be shipping and buying all over the place.

[RodInCALIFORNIA]

i sent a email to the buyer in the usa who won 2 auctions for these snails asking if i could buy a few babies havent heard back yet.

[waverush]

Have fun with that meningitis, kids! Mom and Dad will be back from their jail vacation in a little while. Remember, if you wake up covered in slime, tied up in a corner, and the snails are carrying your TV and high-end kitchen appliances out the door, you need a better lid for your tank.

[Dwarf Puffers]

Too bad they can carry some nasty parasites, I would've liked to have one.

[wendamus]

Well, there's nothing like being proactive. We can report the sale on ebay as illegal, and report it to customs or the USDA... Anyone know how to report such a thing?

[Bettacreek]

Rod, I'd be careful. I wouldn't be surprised if you were contacted by the USDA. I'd be willing to bet that they are going to try to tear through emails and everything to find out if the snails had been transferred between other people. I'm just a tad disappointed that the customs actually let them through.

DP, I'm with you. They're amazing creatures, but, with how dangerous they are to the environment AND to people, there's just no way. Not to mention the fact that I wouldn't want the USDA showing up on my doorstep, lol. But, really, the chances of my children getting hurt would be just way too much. Plus, since they're illegal and not native, I'd imagine that it would take awhile to diagnose the problem, since they wouldn't be thinking that you were housing an illegal snail. *Shudders*

[Lupin]

I wonder if these are the same snails that I find in my backyard during rainy days. Giant African land snails have been introduced here before. Hmmm...Glad I have much more sense than touching a land snail.:grinyes: I just don't like GALS very much to be honest. They don't appeal me.lol

[waverush]

I also wrote an ebay message, but to the seller. I told him/her that he/she is the subject of a lively, 6-page thread on illegal snails. No reply....he/she probably gets one of those messages per day!

[Bettacreek]

Lol. It makes you wonder if the seller could get in trouble for it, or if it's the buyer who is technically importing them.

[KIM_TMA]

The day that you opened this post BC I reported it to ebay that it was an illegal sell and they didn't do anything about it, but it has been reported to the USDA office too now. Mwahahahaha, Sheri knows about it and quote "it is under severe investigation and all people involved are looking at crimnal charges". I ask her how often does stuff like this happen and she said just about everyday some dummy out there is trying to push these slimy snails into the US. I just laughed and told her I would talk to her later.

[ChilDawg]

Probably the buyer is the one that will get in trouble, because I doubt that our govt has the ability to do anything about the seller.

[Bettacreek]

Kim, I'm still stunned that they even made it past customs. I was just positive that they'd be confiscated. Makes you wonder what all gets through customs that isn't supposed to. :/ Hopefully the USDA gets them before they reproduce and are spread further. Every day though? Jeez. :/ It's a shame for the snails too, they're getting destroyed because people can't just obey the law. Yes, they're neat snails, but, come on people, if they're illegal, they're illegal, and rightfully so, thanks to the exact kind of people who are still trying to get them in illegally.
I wonder what kind of charges people are getting for them. The seller doesn't have anything up for sale anymore, but he wasn't banned or suspended either. Maybe he's in custody? Lol.

[ITHURTZ]

holy cow those things are huge!

[Kashta]

I thought they were creepy until I saw the youtube videos. Gary is quite a charmer.

Wish they'd leave the poor things alone and stop trying to sell them.

[Dangerdoll]

OMG! I thought I was a lover of all animals big and small but these guys..... ok, so I was intrigued at first thinking.... ok, they MIGHT be cool... and then I began reading posts..... once I got to the sliming parts and the slugs.... pretty much turned me off for them.... why would someone want these?? Something that slimes, is hard to wash off, is "sluggy" and has the potential to carry salmonella.... yikes! I'll stick with the water buddies...

[Dangerdoll]

oh... one more thing.... I know 2 common loopholes in the selling of turtles in certain states of the US is either you are selling/buying them for food purposes or you are selling/buying them for educational purposes.... I have to wonder if that is the same case here.

[AquaGem]

I love the little aquatic ones, but these are, um, yeah. I looked at a site where people kept them and were sharing pics of their slugs along with them. Maybe I can't get past that mental connection. Or the slime.

[Riiz]

oh... one more thing.... I know 2 common loopholes in the selling of turtles in certain states of the US is either you are selling/buying them for food purposes or you are selling/buying them for educational purposes.... I have to wonder if that is the same case here.

Thats how they were listed, as food for other animals.

[Bettacreek]

On the USDA website, they're labelled as illegal to import into the US. No mentions of permits for research or anything, so I doubt that you'd ever be able to get them in by any legal means. There are some snails that you can get permits for if you're using them for research purposes, but these aren't one of them that they have listed.

[waverush]

1. They were listed as pets
2. Here is the response the seller sent to my question:
Dear waverush2,

Hello
I am not [selling the snails], The transactions have been voided and snails not sent. We agreed that this was the best option.

- premier_lancashire_shrimps_direct

[Lupin]

So does that mean she still has the snails but will not sell or give them away? Good because the GALS are great vectors of the rat lungworm that causes meningitis. I see these icky creatures all the time during rainy season in my place and I just dispose them. Not worth getting ill over a few GALS.

[Bettacreek]

Transaction voided my ***. They were shipped, lol. I guess the USDA confiscated the US ones and probably let this person off with a warning.