Border crossing...

[Tim_Cranwill]

I am driving to the Sates on Saturday to pick up some snakes. What do I need to do/say when I am coming back into Canada? Do I need to declare them?

Any info on the subject would be great!

Thanks.

[Scotty Allen]

Assuming none are CITES listed animals, all you need is a USFW inspection. Yes, you must declare them, you must have an invoice showing value so that Canada Customs can collect GST and whatever the PST is for Manitoba, as well as common and Latin names. You cannot have any more that 8 of any species without a commercial import permit. It is also helpful if you have a book with you illustrating the species you are importing.

If anything is CITES listed, forget it unless the person you are buying them from has already applied for and received export permits. The process can take months.

[Tim_Cranwill]

Ok, thanks.

It's 1.1 adult cal kings and 1.0 sinaloan milk.

So they will want to see the snakes and I will need a receipt from the seller. I will bring a few books along with me. Anything else I need to know?

[Scotty Allen]

You should not have any problem in that case. If you have your books registered by Canada Customs before going into the US, you will save yourself having to pay PST on them when re-entering Canada. Kind of nit picky I know, but it's happened.

The biggest problem you are likely to incur is Canada Customs officials not knowing what to do about the live snakes. It is not a common thing for them. Ontario Agriculture is not concerned with live reptiles (except turtles), I don't know if the same holds true in Manitoba.

Most important of all, be polite to the uniforms.

[Big Mike]

Don't make any jokes...terror related or not. I'm sure the training to become a border guard involves lodging something uncomfortable where the sun don't shine.

[Tim_Cranwill]

I hear ya, Mike! lol :)

Thanks guys. That helps a lot.

[Zoom]

This probably won't help any, but I bought some reptiles at the Toronto show in Nov. all non CITES and when we got to the border I declared them to U.S. customs. The border guards (all very nice BTW) took one look at them scratched their heads and said "duh...we don't know". I provided them with all the scientific names and they decided to call the USFW and see if they could clear it through them. Well I guess being as it was a Sunday no one was working over at USFW. So after waiting approximately one-half hour the border guards told us to go on our way and have a nice day. Best part was they were so interested in our lizards and frogs that they didn't seem to notice that I forgot to declare all the other things that I had bought while in Canada.

[Tim_Cranwill]

Good story:). I hope my crossing will go as smooth or better.

Now come all the posts about breeding them in the spring!;)

[Lisa]

Good luck with your boarder crossing, i've never had any problems coming back (mind you i've never brought a snake with me but i did pass through with my cat) from the states. going across to the states has been a different matter.