Obtaining a Tuatara???

[Richard]

Anyone have any idea how i would get a Tuatara?

[mainbutter]

I'm pretty sure they aren't really found in the pet trade..

Only like a few zoos have been able to successfully breed in captivity(they don't become mature until 10+ years old), and no individuals from what I understand have attempted it. I seriously doubt that wild caught animals are legal, so you probably can't get one anywhere.

[janeothejungle]

Are you a Zoo or do you work for a species recovery program? Otherwise, no. Being that the population is estimated at less than 100k worldwide, methinks they are likely very strictly regulated. Maybe look into Fiji Iguanas, eh?


~Kat

[Royal Morphz]

Kat you dont even have to think it KNOW IT. There are an estimated 90,000+ left in the world. I'd say lets let them be

[Richard]

so it would be pretty much impossible for a private collector to get ahold of one?

[Colin Vestrand]

it would be impossible. i can count on one hand the number of people i know that have even touched one... and the ones that have only account for about half of the people i know that have worked with or studied them!

[DavidG]

I was reading the post and thinking "these people are crazy! anyone can find a tarantula." I realized it wasn't the same thing so I googled it and that's a neat looking animal. Thanks for posting so I could see it.

[redpython]

smuggle one.

the st. louis zoo has a nice population of them and behind the scenes they are very off limits.

I dont think any zoos in the western hemisphere have bred them in captivity...i could be wrong though.

[Colin Vestrand]

smuggle one.

got a regular tom crutchfield here!

[dr del]

Hi,

I think we can assume he meant that was the only way to get one not as a suggestion of a course of action - otherwise we'd have to moderate it.


dr del