Bringing wild geckos across country

[Leopardbreeder]

I am taking a trip to the mid-west for easter, and I am wanting to get 2 or 3 wild geckos and bring them back to PA with me. I would keep these geckos in a small-medium size pencil box in my carry on lugage. I have read the rules about shipping them and am going to call my airline today to confirm that this is ok to do. But do you think that it would be ok to do this on a 4 hour flight? What else would I need to put in the "cage"? Ok thats all thanks!!

 

[PaulSage]

Matt, I don't think any reptiles are allowed on commercial airline flights.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

 

[Stitch]

I personally don't think it's wise to take them from their environment. Just about all wild animals carry some kind of parasite so that would need to be taken care of. Not to mention the stress that you will be putting on the animal. It is in no way used to being confined to a cage no matter how big it is. Most wild caught animals wind up dieing from the stress. Also do you know that state laws for taking an animal form the wild, in that specific state and yours?

 

[NaughtyDawg]

Are there wild geckos in the mid west?

 

[Stitch]

I'm sure there are atleast some types of lizards out there.

 

[Leopardbreeder]

I would not say it is wild, I would tell them it is a friends pet he no longer wants!

And here is a link to information about bringing reptile in the carry on with you:

http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/transport/rp3.shtml




anyways its just an idea

 

[MichaelJ]

I've carried on a Leo I purchased in Phoenix and everything went fine. What I did was buy a small plastic reptarium. the kind you'd normally keep crickets in and they run around 4 dollars. When I got to the ticketing counter I told them about it and they said do NOT tell any of the flight attendants about it because Cold Blooded Reptiles are not allowed for carry on. So I bought a coffee at starbucks and put the enclosure in that and punched a few holes around the bag. The top of the cage has vents so air flow was good. It was a 3 and half hour flight, and hour layover, and another flight home to Tampa and she did fine.

The guys at security were cool about it and said not to put in through xray and let me carry it through the metal detector. This may have been lucky so I can't promise you anything.

But I agree with Brian, I wouldn't grab anything wild because of parasites and disease. Plus the stress on a wild animal being in an enclosure for an extended period of time, plus the air and temps of a commercial flight would probably kill it.

 

[BluGnat]

I brought my young leo from Denver to Baltimore in the pocket of my parka. I cupped my hand over him, in my pocket, the entire time. He did great (he's fat, old and spoiled now). Of course, this was in 1994...

 

[Scott&Nikki]

There is only one country that allows leos to be exported, or removed from that country, but even then, I am sure you just taking it is illegal. I don't know how it works with other lizards. I DEFFINATELY agree with everyone else about highly discouraging it. The parasites and diseases could be a problem, the stress would deffinately be a problem, and I am sure the lizard will NEVER be happy in a cage. I am against taking in any wild animal unless it is for veterinary care and rerelease. Plus, the chanses of you catching one are so slim as it is. IMO, you would be killing it by taking it back here.

 

[o0 Ryan 0o]

I would just have fun looking at anything wild, and purchase something captive bred.

Also, think about how everything has been with the airlines since 9-11. You can't even bring shampoo or toothpaste anymore. I'm sure any kind of reptile will be frowned upon, no matter how many hoops you jump through.

 

[Leopardbreeder]

I have flow with fish before, no problem in 2004. Also, it may not be wild, I have found brreders in that area which sell house geckos and this mae me very intrested. I was going to keep it in a pencil case. Would the X-ray machine kill it? Thanks!!

 

[moosassah]

Save the money you'd be paying in fines & buy a couple of real sweet geckos off someone here. Capture one while you are there, observe it & release it while you are there--just like any kid would.

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

The cites info is for packing and shipping, you can ship them to youself delta. Check with delta and try to arrange your flight to be able to get to the airport early enough to arrange shipping and pick them up when you land.