Massachusetts Restricted Herptiles List
Cover Letter
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Division of Fisheries & Wildlife
Memorandum
To: All Massachusetts pet stores
From: Tom French, Assistant Director
Re: Amended Regulations
Date: 10 August 1995
The Division of Fisheries & Wildlife has recently completed the revision
of several wildlife regulations. Enclosed are copies of two of these, the
Exemption List (321 CMR 9.01) and the Domestic Animal List (321 CMR 9.02),
which relate directly to pet stores.
The Domestic Animal List identifies the animals that are legally classified
as domestic in Massachusetts and are therefore not regulated by the Division
of Fisheries & Wildlife. The important change to this regulation is that
wolf/dog hybrids and wild/domestic cat hybrids are no longer classified as
domestic animals. All existing hybrids were grandfathered by a recent statute
(M.G.L. 131:77A) but must be registered with the Division of Fisheries &
Wildlife, and no new hybrids will be allowed as pets.
Many changes were made to the Exemption List. The vast majority of these
changes were to remove the permit requirement from species that previously
required a permit to keep and therefore could not previously be sold in pet
stores. However, there were some more restrictive changes made which changed
the status of a few species so that they can no longer be legally sold in
pet stores or kept by a person without a permit.
Examples of species that are now available for sale in pet stores that previously
were not include: African pygmy hedgehog, Egyptian spiny mouse, monk parakeet,
button quail, Java sparrow, leopard tortoise, spur-thighed tortoise, tropical
rat snake, western hognose snake, and prehensile-tailed skinks.
Examples of species that may no longer be sold in pet stores include: reticulated
python, African rock python, green tree python, anaconda, and most temperate
zone fresh water fish (i.e. channel catfish, sturgeon and gar). The sale
of any of these animals that are already in a pet store will be allowed until
October 1, 1995.
Examples of species that were already restricted and still may not be legally
kept or sold in pet stores include: most larger mammals (i.e. monkeys, Kinkajous,
fox, etc.), piranha, walking catfish, all venomous snakes, all true chameleons,
and all monitors.
If there are any questions relating to these or other wildlife regulations
do not hesitate to call me or other staff at the Division's Westboro Field
Headquarters (508-792-7270) or the Boston office (617-727-3151).
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