4 inch rule - dumbest law ever passed

If a parent can tell me with a straight face that their kids would wash their hands every time after handling turtles, I would have a little trouble taking them seriously.
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I can guarentee that my kids wash their hands after handling ANY of my reptiles. Not just the turtles. Same goes for any kids and adults during a demo. I have Zoomed Wipe Out and paper towels on hand to use immediately after touching anything.

Not all parents are mindless fools who need the government to step in and make laws regarding common sense.

You want to know just how stupid the laws are? Here you go. I can house and display a cobra in public at a demo if I want. I just need the state permit. BUT, if I want to display a MOUSE in public at a demo, I need a FEDERAL permit from the USDA because I may not take the proper steps to ensure the safety of the mammal. Forget about the safety of the onlookers. Just make sure you know how to keep that mouse healthy and happy. You would not believe the hoops you have to jump thru to get the USDA Exhibitor license.

It just amazes me that there are laws being written that people support that never should be there in the first place. Why is it that no one takes responsibility for their own actions (or the consequences of those actions) anymore? It's always the government stepping in to "protect" the people.
 
But enough are. Welcome to the land of the lowest common denominator.
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I have to agree.

I did a show one time with a VERY large black throat monitor. He was pushing 6 feet in length. Granted he was a puppy dog but you cannot take stupid chances. I told everyone who wanted to touch him they could touch him on his back. ALL of the kids listened. Half the adults stuck their hands in his face and tried to pet him on the head. Now, if for some reason he bit one of them (and he could have done some serious damage), I would be at fault because they were too stupid to follow a simple set of instructions.

No wonder my liability insurance for shows is 3 times what I pay for my homeowners. :mad:
 
I agree with Mo here. I was under the impression and believe he and I are correct when saying the biggest start of the "4 inch law" was due mainly to the conditions that the baby turtles were sold to and the conditions which they were kept which allowed salmonella to thrive. Are they adorable, they sure are...... many people would agree which would promote the sale of these babies. Hoever, buying and not being knowledgable about them and their upkeep, being kept in unsatisfactory conditions and touching them and/or their habitats (if you want to call it that for most impulse buying people) and then putting their infected hands into their mouths or picking up their lunch sandwhich or whatever else they'd eat with their hands, thereby contaminating the food is where the problem came to a head. Not enough people did the homework. People are just not responsible enough, or so the evidence says so.

On another note, the Jersey law on prohibiting tanking up your car? Well, I'd rather not, especially on a bad weather day. And this is coming from a girl who is no stranger to changing her own oil, tires, plugs, wires, etc. I am no stranger to servicing my own vehicle, in fact I'd rather.

The seatbelt law? That has saved lives, how could that even be questioned and called pointless is beyond me.
 
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mogurnda said:
I remember tanks crammed with baby turtles, and people buying them without any clue as to how to keep them alive. Salmonella was the best thing to happen to turtle hatchlings.
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Excellent point.

Here in SC, baby turtles are always a farm pond away. I can catch them by the dozen in my aunt's pond. I've caught large bass out of that pond that had baby turtles in the bellies. Later on there was this one big redneck with one of those large bass in his belly.....
 
Steve,
You made alot of great points on this. I agree there are to many stupid people out there today and how they react to animals.
But I agree that the 4 inch law is silly but as many have stated it has also been a great thing for the pet and turtle trade. This law in the long run saved many a turtles over the years. To many people bought their cute little pet for their children not realizing the commitment it takes for them. The amount of work and cleaning it goes into cages. yeesh, i won't go into how many hours a week I put into my 6 geckos, 2 RES (at the 4 inch length) and iguana. That is not counting my tanks and 4 ferrets.
Hey good luck again on your turtles and remember do not be tempted to place them in your Mouth. ;)
 
I agree that we operate on the lowest common denominator. But an important point--many of the 'pointless' laws may not have saved lives, but they've likely saved you dollars. When injuries and illness can be be prevented through mandatory behavior (wearing a helmet on a bike, seatbelts in cars, washing hands), it saves all of us money on insurance premiums and doctor bills. Consider this: it's federal law that restaurant workers must wash their hands before returning to work after going to the bathroom. Anyone want to argue that of course these workers SHOULD wash their hands anyway? Of course not. But, enough don't that having a law is needed to offer safety and protection to us consumers.

It's easy to complain about a specific law because it inconveniences us as individuals. Look at them in terms of dealing with hundreds of thousands of people crammed into small spaces, all interacting directly or indirectly, and suddenly they make more sense.

And no, I do not agree with all laws. But those that target an obvious problem? Yep.
 
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