NSW code of practice about to be released

[girdheinz]

THE COP has been finalised and is being implemented now to private keepers. Cage sizes become law now.

This was taken from an internal memo about reptiles in pet shops:

"People who keep pet reptiles under an Animal Keepers Licence or Companion Animal Licence are
now required to comply with the Code of Practice for the Private Keeping of Reptiles administered
and enforced by NPWS. The minimum enclosure sizes specified in the Code will not be enforced
for the first year (to March 2014) to give keepers the opportunity to change their enclosures if
necessary."

Let the fun begin

 

[girdheinz]

NPWS website has been updated with code

 

[girdheinz]

The Code contains both standards and guidelines for keeping pet reptiles. Compliance with the standards in the Code is a condition of all OEH animal keepers' licences and companion animal keepers' licences.

OEH staff undertake regular audits of reptile keepers to assess compliance with the Code.

The Code is divided into the following eight sections:

'Enclosure construction' details standards for building outdoor and indoor enclosures as well as special requirements for housing dangerously venomous snakes.


'Enclosure sizes' establishes minimum spatial requirements for reptiles based on their size and behaviour. Keepers have until March 2014 to ensure their enclosures comply with these requirements.


'Enclosure environment' includes standards for temperature, ventilation, humidity, lighting and UV light requirements.


'Enclosure furnishing' has standards for substrate provision and furniture such as hides.


'Food, water and cleaning' details standards for food and water provision and hygiene.


'Transport' has standards on containers for transporting reptiles.


'Quarantine' has guidelines on measures to reduce the risks of disease transmission between reptiles.


'Record keeping' details information that may assist in identifying health issues.

 

[girdheinz]

Code of practice for the private keeping of reptiles | NSW Environment & Heritage

 

[=bECS=]

10.2.2 A reptile should be micro chipped by a veterinarian with relevant experience, as this enables ownership of the reptile to be established. In the event of the reptile being stolen or escaping, it can be identified by the local council and returned to its rightful owner. Micro chipping is not recommended for juveniles and very small species.

Interesting.....

 

[jacorin]

might make some of our enclosures redundant

 

[=bECS=]

And everyone can kiss keeping snakes in tub racks goodbye by the look of it.

 

[Bushfire]

Here is an interesting statement:

The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) has compiled this code of practice in
good faith, exercising all due care and attention. No representation is made about the
accuracy, completeness or suitability of the information in this publication for any
particular purpose. OEH shall not be liable for any damage which may occur to any
person or organisation taking action or not on the basis of this publication. Readers
should seek appropriate advice when applying the information to their specific needs.
This document may be subject to revision without notice and readers should ensure
they are using the latest version.

 

[=bECS=]

The lawyer's added that part :lol:

 

[jacorin]

i think the microchipping is a guide,not actuality..... would prefer us to do it,but not troubled if we dont... im guessing

 

[Ramsayi]

"Compliance with the standards in the Code is a condition of all OEH animal keepers' licences and companion animal keepers' licences"

How can someone hold a legitimate license one day and that very same license has new conditions added the next ?

"This document may be subject to revision without notice"

So conditions can be changed at any time for whatever reason the department sees fit?

Unbelievable stuff and all because of the push by the pet shop industry to be able to sell reptiles.

 

[=bECS=]

How will pet shops comply with quarantine of snakes for 6 to 12 months if they usually have a fast turnover and several snakes on display in close vicinity of each other?




Rams you still have that same avatar that makes me swipe the screen when I scroll to a post by you :lol:

 

[Ramsayi]

Also love how on page 3 it states that the code was prepared with consultation from the various reptile societies in the state.

 

[Bushfire]

"Compliance with the standards in the Code is a condition of all OEH animal keepers' licences and companion animal keepers' licences"

How can someone hold a legitimate license one day and that very same license has new conditions added the next ?

"This document may be subject to revision without notice"

So conditions can be changed at any time for whatever reason the department sees fit?

Unbelievable stuff and all because of the push by the pet shop industry to be able to sell reptiles.

This is how:
Under the NPW Act
[h=4]133 Conditions and restrictions attaching to licences and certificates and variation of licences and certificates[/h]

(1) A licence or certificate issued under this Part shall be subject to such conditions and restrictions (if any) as are for the time being prescribed in relation to licences or certificates of the class to which the licence or certificate belongs.​

(1A) It is a condition of a licence issued under section 131 authorising the picking of a protected native plant in the wild that the picking be carried out in accordance with any relevant flora plan of management for the protected native plant adopted under section 115A.​

(2) The Director-General may, if the Director-General thinks fit, attach any conditions or restrictions to a licence or certificate upon its issue.​

(3) The Director-General may, by notice in writing served on the holder of a licence or certificate:

(a) attach any conditions or restrictions to the licence or certificate after its issue,
​

(b) vary or remove any conditions or restrictions attached to the licence or certificate, or​

(c) otherwise vary the licence or certificate.
​

 

[Focus]

This is all disheartening & disappointing.

 

[sara_sabian]

I feel for you guys in NSW. I don't like the implication that a beaurocrat knows more about the needs of reptiles than people who've been keeping and breeding for literally decades.

Does anyone know what herp societies they supposedly conferred with?

It certainly leaves a bad taste in the mouth and sets an ugly precedent for other states to follow suit.

Are there provisions for bad feeders that may thrive better in smaller, darker enclosures? I'm curious as to what they deem to be a suitable substrate when many in the hobby can't even agree on that one.

You could make the argument that they have the reptiles best interests at heart but if the rangers in NSW are anything like a few I've met in QLD I'd find it very hard to take them seriously.

And the NSW pet industry selling reptiles, I'll keep those thoughts to myself. To put it in simple terms though, a minority of decent stores with the knowledge of reptile husbandry does not make up for the majority that do not. Antaresia are available in QLD and more than once I've heard store people telling customers to get their baby spotted onto mealworms or crickets if it won't take pinkies. SMH. I'm not convinced that most of these places should even be selling gold fish, let alone pythons & dragons.

 

[Bushfire]

After a look read of this document it isn't too bad. The biggest losers will be the monitor keepers particular those that keep mid sized monitors. Eg. For 1 ackie an enclosure of 0.98m2 is needed which equals to 1.4m x 0.7m for a pair you will have to add on at 50% making the area 1.47m2 which equals to 1.8 x 0.82 (slightly above 1.47m2).

For tristis including the smaller freckleds the area is 1.92m2 for a pair.

Looks like I will have to build new cages - bummer

 

[RSPcrazy]

I just read the minimum size requirements for lace monitors, 3.2m x 1.6m!

I have 3 lacies! which all live inside. Where am I going to find that sort of space!

I'm in the middle of upgrading some of my jungles to bigger enclosures 750mm L x 600mm D x 500mm H. I felt this was a good size for them and also space efficient for me. But after reading the requirements for jungles, that's still to small. With all my reptiles, I don't have the space for 1m - 1.75m long enclosures for my 60+ reptiles.

So far the only pythons I keep that pass the requirements, are my Antaresia's and hatchlings (all my rack tubs are the exact size listed on the document, lucky).

 

[sd1981]

It's ridiculous... I have been following this closely as I have lived in Sydney for the majority of my life, moving up to Brissy only recently... How are the people who have large collections going to go? I get the concept of space for each individual animal, but people who have 5+ animals physically won't have enough space in an average sized home..... Large Monitor specialists would need a bedroom per monitor or thereabouts... People like Crocdoc who have a few specimens in various stages of growth and development needs to either move house or get rid of a few of his lacies??? I think everyone who knows him and has seen how he loves and respects his lacies would agree that his collection is immaculately maintained, well adjusted and happy.... Who did these clowns consult with before writing this document??? Just curious, what's the minimum size for a scrubby enclosure??? A 2bedroom appartment???

 

[Chris1]

i think its great news!!

some people obviously need to be told that its not right to keep big snakes in tiny storage boxes, some of those rack threads make me feel sick!!

hopefully other states wont be too far behind.