Rhode Island’s New Reptile Laws Take Effect

The new laws define all animals as one of three categories: Domestic Animals, Exempt Exotic Animals and Exotic Animals. Only animals classified as Exotic Animals, which includes any animal not on either of the other lists, will require a permit. Under the new laws, a Domestic Animal is any animal that has been bred to a degree that makes it distinguishable from wild individuals of their species.

An Exotic Animal is defined as "any vertebrate or invertebrate other than those defined as domestic animals, native wildlife, or exempt exotic animals under this regulation". Any animals imported or possessed that does not fall under the Domestic Animal or Exempt Exotic Animals lists and does not have a permit can be confiscated. Permits will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require that the animal is in a position where it can not escape.

Any amphibian that is "kept, housed or maintained" outdoors will require a permit. Indoor amphibians will no longer require a permit, as in an earlier draft, but all retail amphibian vendors must provide written notification to purchasers of the permit requirement and keep a sales log that includes the name and address of the buyer, and details of the species purchased. All species of turtles can be kept without a permit except endangered species, the red-eared slider turtle, the Argentina or Chaco tortoise; gopher tortoise and pancake tortoises.

All venomous snakes require a permit, except for boa and python species other than the emerald tree boa, green tree python, African rock python, reticulated python and all species of anaconda. Permits are also not required for some species of snake in the families Uropeltidae, Xenopeltidae, Typhlopidae, Leptotyphlopidae, Anomalepidae and Colubridae. Most species of lizard require that the owner has a permit, except for some species of skink, girdle-tailed lizards, geckos, iguanis lizards, agamid lizards and night lizards.