Moving to Hawaii. HELP.

Kittymac

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Joined
Jan 12, 2021
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1
Location (City and/or State)
Las Vegas
Hii!
i finally have the opportunity to move back home. I’ve been away for 10 years. In that time, I’ve loved and care for my Red foot tortoise (Seaweed) and my African Spur tortoise (squishy) I can leave with out them. I need help figuring out how to get them back to Hawaii with me.
to the Big Island.
Plane ? What airlines? Or cargo ? I’ll need heating pads ? Detla shipping ?
Is there paper work, like if I was taking a dog or cat?
Any advice would be really appreciate it!
I can’t leave my little ones.
I just need help.
thank you !
 

queen koopa

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2018
Messages
754
Location (City and/or State)
Las Vegas Nevada
Hii!
i finally have the opportunity to move back home. I’ve been away for 10 years. In that time, I’ve loved and care for my Red foot tortoise (Seaweed) and my African Spur tortoise (squishy) I can leave with out them. I need help figuring out how to get them back to Hawaii with me.
to the Big Island.
Plane ? What airlines? Or cargo ? I’ll need heating pads ? Detla shipping ?
Is there paper work, like if I was taking a dog or cat?
Any advice would be really appreciate it!
I can’t leave my little ones.
I just need help.
thank you !
How big are they?
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Nov 7, 2012
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South of Southern California, but not Mexico
It's not so complicated as many people would have you think.

All animals have to go through Honolulu, period. Their end destination can be somewhere else, I shipped to the airport on the western side of the big island. I suggest shipping via one of the animal shipping consolidators, I use Reptiles2you . And ship only to a FedEx hub for 'at will' called 'hold at location' pick-up by FedEx.

The requirement is to complete a form online with your intention, get a home authorized Vet to sign certificates of health, and ship within a few days of getting that health cert.

Some cautions:

1) Try to find a vet that has done this before, otherwise their education on what to do will be at your expense. The health certificate is mostly about dogs and cats having all their vaccinations, for reptiles it's about clear nasal passage and no ticks, that's about it.

Make multiple copies of the health certificate if it is not already a multi-part form, you know where the copies are all bound at the top, and there is a pink, green, yellow copy produced when the top copy is completed. Place them all in an envelope on the outside of the shipping box so they can be accessed without opening the box.

Pack according to instructions at the shipping company site.

email or call me for greater detail. use PM here to connect.
 

BTM

Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2020
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
New York, NY
Hii!
i finally have the opportunity to move back home. I’ve been away for 10 years. In that time, I’ve loved and care for my Red foot tortoise (Seaweed) and my African Spur tortoise (squishy) I can leave with out them. I need help figuring out how to get them back to Hawaii with me.
to the Big Island.
Plane ? What airlines? Or cargo ? I’ll need heating pads ? Detla shipping ?
Is there paper work, like if I was taking a dog or cat?
Any advice would be really appreciate it!
I can’t leave my little ones.
I just need help.
thank you !
Aloha!
I'm moving home after 30 years in NYC!! All the questions you have here, I have as well....wondering how it went for you? I know theres paperwork to fill out, a vet visit, but it seems a lot easier than taking my dog, since tortoises don't carry rabies and that is the big concern. Anyway, my tort is a Burmese Star, and is only about the size of a duck egg...I"m wondering if I can take him in my carry on? Would you mind sharing your experience and any advice you may have?
Mahalo!
 

ZenHerper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Messages
2,078
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
Aloha!
I'm moving home after 30 years in NYC!! All the questions you have here, I have as well....wondering how it went for you? I know theres paperwork to fill out, a vet visit, but it seems a lot easier than taking my dog, since tortoises don't carry rabies and that is the big concern. Anyway, my tort is a Burmese Star, and is only about the size of a duck egg...I"m wondering if I can take him in my carry on? Would you mind sharing your experience and any advice you may have?
Mahalo!
You are really better off working directly with the state Wildlife department and your airline...laws and policies change.
 
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Markw84

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Jan 17, 2012
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Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
I recently shipped to Hawaii. Just a few months ago. It also was a Burmese Star.

A health certificate is needed as stated above by @Kapidolo Farms , However, that is all done online now with the vet filling in a form online.

From experience it was important for the vet to note on the health certificate the wording that the "animal is free of any visible health issues or parasites". Please tell your vet to include that wording.

All shipments have to be addressed to and go to the quarantine facility in Honolulu and must be picked up there.

Animal Quarantine
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
Honolulu, HI 96819
Phone (808) 837-8092

The import permit was issued by the State of Hawaii, Department of Agriculture and is valid for one year.
Plant Quarantine Branch
1849 Auiki St
Honolulu, HI 96819

Although this was for a tortoise being sold (by me) and imported into Hawaii (by the buyer) It should be the same place you will have to deal with for any animal being brought into Hawaii.
 

BTM

Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2020
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
New York, NY
I recently shipped to Hawaii. Just a few months ago. It also was a Burmese Star.

A health certificate is needed as stated above by @Kapidolo Farms , However, that is all done online now with the vet filling in a form online.

From experience it was important for the vet to note on the health certificate the wording that the "animal is free of any visible health issues or parasites". Please tell your vet to include that wording.

All shipments have to be addressed to and go to the quarantine facility in Honolulu and must be picked up there.

Animal Quarantine
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
Honolulu, HI 96819
Phone (808) 837-8092

The import permit was issued by the State of Hawaii, Department of Agriculture and is valid for one year.
Plant Quarantine Branch
1849 Auiki St
Honolulu, HI 96819

Although this was for a tortoise being sold (by me) and imported into Hawaii (by the buyer) It should be the same place you will have to deal with for any animal being brought into Hawaii.
Hey Mark, it's Brian in NYC!! I should've just asked you in the first place lol. I'm quite glad that this is the case....I knew getting him there legally and paperwork wasn't an issue like for my dog, but was just wondering about the actual transport. Glad to know this is the case, that I can just overnight him, as it's one less thing for me to deal with the airport. I'm still trying to figure out the enclosure situation, but I'll be in touch with you privately about that. Hope all is well, and as usual, thanks for the advice!!
 

Kapidolo Farms

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10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
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Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
5,172
Location (City and/or State)
South of Southern California, but not Mexico
I used Reptiles2You and shipped through Honolulu trough to a final destination on the big island. You don't, or at least did not, need to pick the tortoise up in Honolulu.

Good to know there is an online health cert.
 

BTM

Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2020
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
New York, NY
I used Reptiles2You and shipped through Honolulu trough to a final destination on the big island. You don't, or at least did not, need to pick the tortoise up in Honolulu.

Good to know there is an online health cert.
Thanks so much for the advice and recommendation of Reptiles2you...I'm looking at their site, so glad I can get the shipping supplies from them, as that was another question I had. Thanks!!
 
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