5-11-08

 International Shipments


I hold an exporter's permit from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. I use a global shipping broker (with experience shipping snakes) to assist me with international shipments.

I have shipped to:

  • Taipei, Taiwan (three shipments)
  • Manchester, England
  • Rome, Italy

If you are outside the U.S., carefully consider the following before you choose to purchase:

  1. Due to the extra time requirements involved in applying for CITES permits and making proper arrangements for shipping, I will require a minimum purchase of $1,500 for an international order. In the U.S., CITES applications are currently taking about 40-90 days to process. It is best to plan ahead. For instance, I can apply for a CITES permit early in the season so that I have it in hand when the babies are born and ready to be shipped.

  2. I require a $100 CITES application fee and 50% of the animal's cost before I will begin the paperwork required for a CITES permit. I will consider $500 of this initial deposit to be non-refundable. Order must be paid in full before arrangements are made for shipment.

  3. Payment fees such as wire transfer costs and currency exchange fees are the buyer's responsibility.

  4. Fees for importation into your country such as tariffs, custom duties, excise tax (or whatever they choose to call it) are also the buyer's responsibility.

  5. You must find out what is required to legally import boas into your country. If you need a copy of the official CITES document ahead of time then I will scan it, convert it to PDF format, and email it to you. The original CITES permit will be in the shipping container. It is very important that you check local regulations to see if a veterinary health certificate is required. I must know this well in advance of the shipping date. A health inspection & certificate from a veterinarian is an extra $100 fee. Some countries do not require a health inspection because they will conduct their own.

  6. I will not provide my 30 day guarantee on international orders. I can't guarantee live delivery. I can guarantee live arrival at the port city but once the animal reaches its destination, I have no control over the importation laws/procedures at the port of importation.

  7. Shipping costs are relatively high. Here is a breakdown of the costs:

Shipping to port of exportation (Dallas) $75
CITES permit required for export $100
Broker fee (includes broker charges, inspection by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and shipping costs to your port of importation) $375
(this fee may vary depending on destination, number of shipping containers, and weight)
Health inspection and certificate from a veterinarian (if required by your local laws) $100
Optional Insurance $10 per $1,000 of value