After 22 years, I have found a great new home for my wild-caught Yellowfoot pair. Unfortunately, I live in North Dakota, and their new home is in the Hawaiian Islands. I have the permits, and the CVI exam is pending, and blah blah blah. Here is why I am sweating bullets:
I started with fed ex and Reptiles Express. He was very helpful, but advised me to go with Delta, based on the fact that these are full-grown tortoises. Because live animals can't fly on a 767, Delta has me traveling 440 miles to Billings, Montana immediately following their morning CVI exam here with their vet, to fly them from Billings into Salt Lake City, spending the night, and flying the next day into Honolulu. I have spoken to Delta 3 different times to get where I am.
# 1. I can't get a straight answer about acceptable shipping containers, substrate, etc. The IATA guidelines emailed to me say, "Tortoises and turtles may be packed in rigid plastic containers," but the examples given are wooden crates with "screened ventilation openings" and "padding (closed cell foam preferred) or other materials in the container must be covered or otherwise shielded from ingestion." I may have read on the Delta website that only dogs and cats can travel in plastic-kennel type crates with metal doors. I don't want to drive 7 hours only to be rejected at the Billings airport based on the vague, confusing, and multi-species container requirements I am trying to follow. The third agent I spoke with actually suggested I visit a pet store to ask them what shipping containers they sell for reptiles. Can someone that ships MATURE, 17-21 lb tortoises tell me what containers to put my animals in for shipping?
#2. I was told during all three phone calls that the temperature requirements listed (20-80 degrees F. at departure and arrival airports) don't apply to me because tortoises are 'cold-blooded,' but I am petrified someone will say, "Oh sorry, it's 83 degrees in Salt Lake City today, so I won't take your tortoises after you have driven 440 miles today." I also found a clause on the Delta website that states, "Any animal shipped as a pet (including exempted animals) must follow temperature limits (20-80 degrees)." Can someone that ships tortoises regularly assure me that Delta will ship my tortoises if it is between 80-85 degrees in Billings, Salt Lake, and Honolulu the second week in July?
#3. Should I freak out that I can't get my animals to Honolulu in one day? They are only allowed one layover by the airline, and they have to be at the airport a minimum of two (and preferable three) hours prior to each leg of the flight, which cuts out any same-day flights (let's not forget they can't fly out of closer airports to me because they can't fly on A300's or 767's).
#4. Am I missing another obvious shipping solution? Another airline? A reptile shipping company I don't know about (Ship My Reptiles doesn't ship to Hawaii)? I am discouraged and distressed, and I really want to make this heavenly opportunity happen safely and successfully for my pair. Thanks in advance for advice/knowledge.
My pair are mature and my girl is + - about 20 lbs, and she urinates in a cardboard box and starts tearing it up during vet visits. I said there is no way they can travel in cardboard.
I started with fed ex and Reptiles Express. He was very helpful, but advised me to go with Delta, based on the fact that these are full-grown tortoises. Because live animals can't fly on a 767, Delta has me traveling 440 miles to Billings, Montana immediately following their morning CVI exam here with their vet, to fly them from Billings into Salt Lake City, spending the night, and flying the next day into Honolulu. I have spoken to Delta 3 different times to get where I am.
# 1. I can't get a straight answer about acceptable shipping containers, substrate, etc. The IATA guidelines emailed to me say, "Tortoises and turtles may be packed in rigid plastic containers," but the examples given are wooden crates with "screened ventilation openings" and "padding (closed cell foam preferred) or other materials in the container must be covered or otherwise shielded from ingestion." I may have read on the Delta website that only dogs and cats can travel in plastic-kennel type crates with metal doors. I don't want to drive 7 hours only to be rejected at the Billings airport based on the vague, confusing, and multi-species container requirements I am trying to follow. The third agent I spoke with actually suggested I visit a pet store to ask them what shipping containers they sell for reptiles. Can someone that ships MATURE, 17-21 lb tortoises tell me what containers to put my animals in for shipping?
#2. I was told during all three phone calls that the temperature requirements listed (20-80 degrees F. at departure and arrival airports) don't apply to me because tortoises are 'cold-blooded,' but I am petrified someone will say, "Oh sorry, it's 83 degrees in Salt Lake City today, so I won't take your tortoises after you have driven 440 miles today." I also found a clause on the Delta website that states, "Any animal shipped as a pet (including exempted animals) must follow temperature limits (20-80 degrees)." Can someone that ships tortoises regularly assure me that Delta will ship my tortoises if it is between 80-85 degrees in Billings, Salt Lake, and Honolulu the second week in July?
#3. Should I freak out that I can't get my animals to Honolulu in one day? They are only allowed one layover by the airline, and they have to be at the airport a minimum of two (and preferable three) hours prior to each leg of the flight, which cuts out any same-day flights (let's not forget they can't fly out of closer airports to me because they can't fly on A300's or 767's).
#4. Am I missing another obvious shipping solution? Another airline? A reptile shipping company I don't know about (Ship My Reptiles doesn't ship to Hawaii)? I am discouraged and distressed, and I really want to make this heavenly opportunity happen safely and successfully for my pair. Thanks in advance for advice/knowledge.
My pair are mature and my girl is + - about 20 lbs, and she urinates in a cardboard box and starts tearing it up during vet visits. I said there is no way they can travel in cardboard.