Many
people legally possess exotic wildlife species such as parrots, ferrets, and
many species of frogs, snakes, and turtles as pets. These animals are called
non-native species because they do not occur naturally in Oregon. If you choose
to possess these animals as pets, please take responsibility for them and do
not release them into the wild.
Introduced exotic species may prey on or compete with native species for food and shelter, and may carry diseases for which native animals have no immunity.
Several
non-native species that have been released by their owners, such as the bullfrog
and the red-eared slider turtle, have become established in this part of the
country and have had a significant negative impact on our native wildlife population.
Copyright © 1999 Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center