Wait, aren't these illegal?

[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 and CDC Fact Sheet on Angiostrongylus Infections."

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.