traveling with chams

[choriona]

Does anyone know the rules about travelling with chameleons?
I am living the the Caribbean for the next 2 years and want to bring my chameleons from Canada to the Caribbean.
Any ideas about where to get information on bringing reptiles on a plane or the forms to fill out for bringing them to an island would be great!

Thanks.
Choriona

[meow_mix450]

I have no idea, but I guess you need like permits and stuff

Good luck
Meow

[vipervenom]

All chameleons with the exception of B. perarmata, are listed under CITES species appendix 2 (B. peraramata is 1). This means for each individual animal you export must have the proper CITES paperwork BEFORE exporting it. To find out more, go to www.cites.org.

[K1LOS]

I think you are going to have lots of difficulty transporting them. Good luck though, and let us know how much hassel it is to get the paperwork.

Geoff

[newticus]

I thought all brookesia and rampholeon
or very nearly didn't need CITES

[vipervenom]

My apologies, all Rhampholeon may be traded without any legal restrictions, however Brookesia are all labelled under CITES appendix 2, except, once again, B. perarmata which is listed under appendix 1.

"As a result of the most recent CITES conferences, Brookesia perarmata has been categorized as an "A" species, whereas the remaining Brookesia now fall within the "B" category. All members of the genus Rhampholeon, however, may still be traded without any legal restrictions."

(Stump-Tailed Chameleons. P. Necas, W. Schmidt. Page 61)

[Solomon]

That's a great book isn't it!?!

[Trace]

Heya!

Long time no see!

While CITES is important, you need to check with each specific island's wildlife authority, as is with Hawaii and Puerto Rico, reptile importation is extremely difficult. Whether it be pet or commercial. While I'm not positive, I believe some islands do not permit non-native fauna.

Cheers!
Trace

P.S. I still live in Ottawa (for now) your cute woggley-eyed beasts can be shipped to me for safe keeping! ;)

[choriona]

Thanks for the advice guys! I really want to get a panther down here as I had a cochroach running around in my room last night and got no sleep at all. (I am terrified of the buggers!)

And sorry Trace - I had to deposit my scaled friends on family members to come down here in the first place..... (they were thrilled.) But I will keep you in mind next time. :)

[vipervenom]

Darn right Solomon!!! A very great book indeed, I am still saving up to get the other one, "Nature's Hidden Jewels". Both amazing books.

Trace how long are you going to be in Canada for?

[Geofft]

Well hello,

I havent been on this board for a while, but this attracted my intrest, as i have had a like experience. (i wasnt moving anywhere, but im talking about permits in general)

I was going to WA from BC a month or 2 ago. I was looking into dart frogs, and was having trouble finding them in BC. I looked around on the internet and found some breeders in WA. Conveniently we were staying close by to where one of the breeders lived. BUT.... i inquired to someone at the border, as to whether or not i would be able to bring the frog through. Like chameleons, it is a CITES class 2. I emailed CITES and asked for paperwork. They granted it to me, but it looked more like it was for a zoo... (bobcats, bears etc). So they told me to inquire to a Doctor of Foods, animals being brought into Canada.. (Dr livingston i think) He told us we would need more papers, that could take 1 week, or 5 months to process. As they said it has to go ALL the way to the government of Canada. I toyed with the idea of "smuggling"..... (i did it!) The issue was not with Canadas import laws, rather with the US export laws..

This does not have much relation for your situation, as i dont know what import laws in the Caribbean are like.. but if i were you, id get started on that paperwork!!

i hope that helped

[Geofft]

well... i guess i was a little late... haha.... youve already done something about it...lol

[Solomon]

Originally posted by vipervenom
Darn right Solomon!!! A very great book indeed, I am still saving up to get the other one, "Nature's Hidden Jewels". Both amazing books.

Make sure you get the second edition!

[vipervenom]

Yeah, Chimaira, I know, haha, thanks.

[labomb2]

hmmm, never thought about problems of THAT sort with traveling. I didn't leave the US but took my cham across many states a couple weeks ago on vacation. never thought that each state may have different laws as they do with venomous snakes. I know about them being illegal in Hawaii, but as far as I know they are OK where I went.
He was a good travelor, never complained about the long ride. I had made a cover for his cage with a flap on each side that could be lifted to let some air flow.
Once we were at the beach, we had a window that faced a lake with palm trees that we placed him in front of (no direct sun) and he LOVED it. he would sit and look out the window ALL day. but he didn't like to be out of his cage outdoors, I guess it was to overwhelming and too many big ugly birds in sight. We're back home now and I am moving his cage to a window with a view, no direct sun.

[Lowell]

Hey D!

I thought you were already gone. The international papers will be important, but I think the import/possession regs of the destination country will be even tighter.

You should see if the school can help out by sponsoring your application for educational purposes or something.

Good luck!

L

[choriona]

Hey guys, sorry about not keeping you up to date on my progress with this. I have been doing some work with leatherback sea turtle researchers here and they directed me to the CITES representative for the island. He has yet to get back to me, but I am sure he will let me know all the regulations about bringing a cham onto this island.

L - i did leave. I get to come home for summer break you know. So I figured I would do some shopping because life without chameleons is kinda boring!!! Plus this climate is ideal for them.
:)