Need a reptile specialist

[Olympia]

Hi All,

I used to write in this forum when we just got our Golden greek. Our Golden Greek name is Olympia. She is almost 3 years old. We are about to leave the US and move to Germany, Dusseldorf. We are taking her with us. I would like some help in finding a tortoise expert in the Dusseldorf area.

By the way, there is a very good clinic in Fairfax Virginia that specialize in tortoises. If you need the name contact me.

Many thanks,
Michal

 

[lq558]

How can you take a live tortoise from US to Germany by air?

 

[redbeef]

How can you take a live tortoise from US to Germany by air?

indeed...and how would you get her back to the US from Germany, were you to return? plant and animal quarantine restrictions can be pretty strict, especially on "non standard" pets...

 

[biochemnerd808]

What a beautiful tortoise! Looks captive bred - this will make it more likely that you'll be able to travel with her. Germany does not allow wild-caught tortoises (except in very rare cases).

You will want to make sure to get valid CITES papers that allow you to import him/her to Germany, and you'll want to make sure that it will be ok to bring her back here.

As far as a reptile specialist, I don't know any in particular, but you can search the local German phone books for the following words:
-Tierarzt (vet)
-Reptilienspezialist
-Exotik-Tierarzt
-Reptilientierarzt
-Universitaet Herpetologie

While the receptionists at German vets may not be fluent in English, almost all veterinarians will be fluent in English... by the time they have finished vet school, they will have had 10+ years of English... so even if you just call one vet, they should be able to point you in the right direction. You might also try the herpetology department of a university.

If you need any language help for German/English translation, I am happy to help...
Good luck!