Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a chance to get some live Chalcosoma Atlas & Xylotrupes Gideon from the Philippines. Does anyone know if I need a permit or anything like that to have them shipped into the USA? I live in California. Thanks in advance.

Sorry, not going to happen anytime soon and I would adise you not to. USDA/APHIS does not give out permits to individuals for keeping or importing exotics. Importing will be at your own risk and it is risky business, we're talking up to $200,000 fines and jail time. Just stay with natives like granti or tityus, I have some myself and they are cool.

So I can't have them shipped in via FedEx or other common carriers? Does USDA/APHIS or Customs check every single package that comes into the US?

US customs checks each package in accordance to content that is labelled on the customs form. They may not always open the package since it is a individual parcel for a home address. Suspected packages that are mislabelled will be searched and you will get busted. In short, it may or may not be checked. Its at your own risk.

I am a teacher and am looking for some large living beetles for my classes. I currently have a large collection of live arthropods but am having trouble finding the beetles. When I find a supplier, it is most often not in the US (where I reside), and i am not too sure about the legal implications of importing. I would love to have the native North American species anyway.

Is there a north american supplier (website preferred) that can ship these beetles to California?