Importing exotics

[ErikRasmussen]

Are there laws about importing straws or indos into the US?

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[JoeHermits]

Yes, you need to pay for a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fees for inspection at a designated entry port, and overnight international shipping. The entire process costs hundreds of dollars and generally isn’t worth the effort.


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[Quinnthescrub]

do you need any of that to buy them

[DragonsFly]

There should be laws banning the import of any "wild-harvested" animal for sale as a "pet." The trade in hermit crabs, in particular, is a horror, both for the crabs (the vast majority of whom die horribly after having been horribly abused into captivity), and for the delicate island ecosystems from which they are "harvested." Please, please adopt. You may have to wait a long time to find exotics needing a home, but buying them only encourages the cruel and environmentally heinous trade. And if you are not willing to wait for years to see a particular hermit crab, then you probably shouldn't be keeping them at all, because at some point you will indeed have to wait for years for them to come up from molting (Major Tom is coming up on 2 years this time; last time he molted he took 18 months).

More people are having greater success now in captive breeding programs; perhaps soon you will be able to acquire captive-bred exotics, too.

Finally, if you are fairly new to crabbing, I know it is all very exciting and there is a great temptation to want to "collect 'em all!" But you need to make sure that you are really ready and able to provide the best possible conditions for them; the exotics tend to be a good bit fussier to keep than PP's. Also bear in mind the question of how many softball-sized hermit crabs do you really think you will want to still be caring for in 20 years? Time, effort, and expense all multiply. Think it over!

[wodesorel]

do you need any of that to buy them

If you are purchasing from someone who is in your country, no. Only when shipping or transporting across country borders are there fees and permits.

[Quinnthescrub]

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