Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Wow, I haven't been on this forum in forever! I'm here to ask about bringing pet pythons over the Canadian border... I reside in Massachusetts currently and am looking to attend school in Halifax, NS. Naturally I want to bring my ball with me, snake friendly housing is not an issue. Is there any legal documentation I could get to show the border? I'm not sure how it works... I've smuggled her through under the car seat a couple times as I've spent as much as three months at a time up there. It's hard to find somebody willing to thaw out rats... but Eleanor doesn't seem to mind the travel. But anyway, I can't smuggle a 40 gallon aquarium through the border if I move up there, so what kind of papers do I need/where do I obtain these? Thanks!
-Lindsay

First off you have just posted on a forum that is visited by Officers from USFW regularly that you have commited illegal exportation & Importation and smuggling of wildlife. This can subject you to 5 years in prison for this & up to a $10,000.00 fine.
If you want to legally take your snake with you, you will need to apply and get your import/export license from USFW, you will need to get CITES papers for the snake, you will need to have an inspection performed by USFW of the animal before it leaves the country. And there is more than likely importation processes that need to be performed on the Canadian side of the border as well. Taking animals (specially CITES regulated animals) across the border is not something that should be taken lightly.
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Rob Trenor
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I think it's important to remember that snakes are not like dogs or cats - they're wild animals. Laws vary wildy (pun intended) from country to country, state to state, and even city to city.

For instance, in my area, it's against once city's ordinances to transport a snake that is not secured. The next city over, they don't care. However, in that city, you can't buy *frozen* pinkies - you have to go to a pet store outside the city limits. "Weird" laws are a fact of life when dealing with "exotic" (i.e. not cat or dog) pets.

Ball pythons are protected by CITES. This means that their international transportation is regulated by international treaty.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
http://www.cites.org/

United States Fish and Wildlife International Affairs:
http://international.fws.gov/cites/cites.html

There is a link on the second page labelled "Directory CITES or CITES-Equivalent Permit Issuing (Management) Authorities and Scientific Authorities Port Information" which will take you to the CITES site. Click the country you want (USA and Canada), and you will get the contact information for getting the requisite permits.

It's better to get the permits ahead of time, rather than get your beloved pet confiscated at the border, never to be seen again.

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2.0 Ball Pythons
2.0 Bettas
1.1 Pekingeses
1.4 Rats (for breeding)
1.0 Mouse (for scenting rat pinkies)

Thanks very much! This is a tremendous help... I feel like a moron not doing it before; the first time I asked around (about two years ago) everybody told me to stick it under the seat since I was only going on vacation... I regret doing that now.

Well, no real harm done. Now that you know, you can do it right and not run into trouble. Glad to help.

!Pitr
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2.0 Ball Pythons
2.0 Bettas
1.1 Pekingeses
1.4 Rats (for breeding)
1.0 Mouse (for scenting rat pinkies)