Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am stationed in Okinawa Japan and I was shopping at a store similar to a Wal-Mart they have a small animal section and they always have tortoises usually russains, leopards, and sulcutas. Today they had two Indian stars maybe three the third one looked like a radiata I am not to good at telling them apart and I didn’t have a camera with me. My question is they where selling all three for about $200 U.S. Two where only about 2-3 inches long the other was about 6-8. My question is for the price would either be a good buy as far as the species. More importantly does anyone have any information about shipping are those species even legal to ship without a permit. I would not buy them if I can’t bring them back to the states any info would be appreciated.

They are selling them for 200 each not for all three.

That's actually kinda high for where you are getting them.

The hard part is getting them back to the states legally. Contact F/W and ask if you can do it. I really don't think you can.

Ed

>>They are selling them for 200 each not for all three.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

At $200, it had to be an Indian Star Tortoise, which is a high price for most of Asia, but not exceptionally high for Japan.
Here is an Indian Star Tortoise:

Here is a Radiated Tortoise:

If it is an Indian Star Tortoise, do not count on the military helping you; they only seem to be concerned with dogs and cats. If there was some way to get a CITES export permit from Japan and a CITES import permit from the US (not very likely from Japan, especially Okinawa, with the Ryukus being so removed from the rest of Japan) you could possibly do it. It will not be easy.

If it is a Radiated Tortoise, just forget it.