Let's talk about animals. The exotic ones. I never really thought of a turtle as exotic, but I guess it is. Turtles are my favorite animal. I once went to Costa Rica and helped preserve sea turtle eggs from being taken and sold on the black market by poachers. Yeah, I was a badass.

We would walk up and down this black sand beach with our guide on a small island in the middle of the night. When our guide turned around and made a hand signal, we would all run in to the lining of the forest (because that meant poacher) when manchettes were spotted. I was 17 years old. But I felt like I was doing something worthy for these animals. Turtle eggs sell for a lot on the black market, and we wanted to prevent that as much as we could.

Now, you may ask if it's legal to own certain types of turtles in Maine. The answer is no, according to the Saco Wild Life River Center, 

 It is now illegal to buy or own these turtles in Maine, and that includes buying them out of state and transporting them back. If you have a red-eared slider you need to give up, call your local PetLife.

I spoke to my friend, Mr. Drew, and his animals, and he has taught me about the animals that are banned in Maine.

He recently rescued a box of a variety of different turtles being held.


My Drew via Facebook
My Drew via Facebook
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These all come from different sources. Some were family pets that could longer be kept, and they were legal to own when they were first purchased.

The box had many turtles – including snapping turtles – bought without permits from Florida.

Mr. Drew said,

Maine laws are different than the other states. We have the most restrictive laws regarding exotic animals in captivity. The most common turtle I get in is the red ear slider. Before 2010 they were legal to sell in pet stores in Maine. 2017 the became a prohibited species due to being highly invasive and we are now finding them in Maine lakes.

We thank Mr. Drew for always keeping animals safe, whether they're domestic or exotic. He's the very best at loving all animals!

Now, according to The Spruce Pets, 

Maine. Permits are needed to possess or breed wild animals in Maine. You may not own deer, bears, moose, or wild turkeys. Other forbidden animals include lion, cheetah, wolf, monkeys, camel, alligator, monk parakeet, and mute swan.

So to keep you updated on the pets you cannot own in Maine, I created a gallery to share with you! I might've gotten a little out of hand, but you know me!

People Who Own These Pets In Maine Could Face Jail Time

Since there are many exotic animals you cannot own in Maine, I decided to put together a gallery to see what it would be like if I did own them. A girl could dream, right? Below are the animals you cannot own in Maine!

Gallery Credit: Lizzy Snyder

Here's What Maine Residents said Their Town Candle Would Smell Like

Each town in Maine is special. If your town were a candle, what would its scent be? We asked our listeners and these are the top 10 best responses!

Gallery Credit: Lizzy Snyder

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