Thought I might post this.......

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spider_creations

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I pmed Cosby art this to to see what he had to say...here's what's on my mind, to be honest I am still deathly afraid of what usda says about mantids but I have made a deal with my self to still stay with this hobby, until I get rock hard evidence that says I can in fact keep exotic mantids I am going to keep all the native species. It will also be a fun challenge to get all the cool species in the USA next month I am going to start looking for Arizona  unicorn mantids Becuase that's when I find the most, also I will be seeing if yen is selling texas unicorn mantids, probably keep Chinese mantids, ground mantids, and Arizona bordered mantis

 
Indeed it isn't a issue - look at all the sites online that sell them publicly, if it is a issue they would be the first to be shut down and confiscated. Although, you will definitely not see "rock hard evidence" from the USDA that you can keep them. The USDA likes to say everything is by permits, yet I don't know a single soul that has them, but they do have the mantids and have for many years.

I guess I missed that PM, I will take a look. ;)

Edit - I found your PM and wrote a much more detailed response there. So hopefully it will help. :)

 
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I am seeing them pop up more and more at Reptile shows also. I imagine they would get in trouble for selling them there too.

 
I agree Cosby but IMO the problem for us hobbyists is not so much that they don't enforce it, just that they could if they wanted to.  You would think they would have better things to do than set up sting operations to nab a few hobbyists but its the government so you never know.  

On a thread at arachnoboards I commented on the difference, or at least the perceived difference, in keeping exotic phasmids vs mantids.  Seems the customary thought is they don't care about the praying mantises so much but try to keep an exotic walking stick and they will find you.  And don't even get me going on the giant African land snails.  I think they can throw you in jail just for thinking about keeping one of them, which is very unfortunate but I guess I understand the concerns.

When I first got into exotics they (the snails) were still legal and I had an opportunity to get some. I never did.   They changed it shortly after I bought my pet shop.  

 
True, I have some thinking to do. Hey Ata least they have not banned(heck not even banned them) native mantids (which I think the never will) and if they did I would probly explode. 

 
@spider_creations

I'm friends with (or at least acquainted with) the Chief Entomologist of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. We've run events together and we've met for personal interactions several times. I introduced him to the mantis hobby, and we've discussed quite a bit about them. One of the things we discussed was the legality of the little critters. He has told me that they are completely legal everywhere but Florida, because any exotic species simply wouldn't survive in the united states, in the wild.

Now what bugs me is that this is completely contradictory to what I've been told by everybody on this board, as well as the horror stories of the USDA busting down somebodies door and killing all the insects in front of them.

 
Falconerguy said:
@spider_creations

I'm friends with (or at least acquainted with) the Chief Entomologist of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. We've run events together and we've met for personal interactions several times. I introduced him to the mantis hobby, and we've discussed quite a bit about them. One of the things we discussed was the legality of the little critters. He has told me that they are completely legal everywhere but Florida, because any exotic species simply wouldn't survive in the united states, in the wild.

Now what bugs me is that this is completely contradictory to what I've been told by everybody on this board, as well as the horror stories of the USDA busting down somebodies door and killing all the insects in front of them.
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I wish there was a straight answer on keeping exotic mantids, what really bugs me is non native reptiles for the most part are legal examples leopard geckos, bearded dragons, crested geckos. but I can't keep a orcid mantis? what's up with that. is usda with holding info about exotic mantids, I wish there was a solid answer. I am glad though that natives are fine to keep. I am pretty sure any native bug as long as it's not a plant pest it's fine to ship. hopefully we can get some answers on non native mantids 

 
And I think native mantids can be shipped to the 48 states just not Alaska or hawwi unless they can be shipped there ?

 

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