Importing Frogs from another country into US?

[bshmerlie]

I'm planning a trip to Costa Rica in Jan 2011. Does anyone know if it is legal to bring back a frog from there? It wouldn't be anthing threatened or endangered or anything like that. Don't they export a lot of frogs anyways for the pet trade?

[Deku]

I'm planning a trip to Costa Rica in Jan 2011. Does anyone know if it is legal to bring back a frog from there? It wouldn't be anthing threatened or endangered or anything like that. Don't they export a lot of frogs anyways for the pet trade?

Its not only illegal. But its also stupid to do so. Because it can contain various parasites and other things that you may not know about. You're asking yourself it lived in the wild with it and its fine. Right???? In the wild the only stress it had was predators. Which was a momentary thing. Which if you take it with you not only will the altitude play a role on it, but also how the whole thing about just bringing it with you will be stressing it. new environments. I would leave doing that to people who are pros. Just buy the frog, dont bring one.

[Kurt]

None. Its illegal to take stuff Costa Rica. You can try, but only if you want to live in a Costa Rican jail. On the off chance you were able to smuggle it out of the counrty, you are not likely to be able to bring it back into this country. Customs would catch you at the airport, then you would be fined, possibly jailed, and whatever you brought back would be taken away from you. Not worth it at all. Don't even think about bringing back produce or plants either. Same deal. You buy any produce down there, you better eat it down there.

Take pictures, not frogs.

[bshmerlie]

Why does everyone jump to the conclusion of smuggling? I have no desire to sneak a frog back in my pants. I was simply asking if it was legal to bring back an amphibian into the US by a legal means. There are many reptiles on our pet trade market that I'm sure come from Costa Rica and I doubt that they've been smuggled in.

[Deku]

Why does everyone jump to the conclusion of smuggling? I have no desire to sneak a frog back in my pants. I was simply asking if it was legal to bring back an amphibian into the US by a legal means. There are many reptiles on our pet trade market that I'm sure come from Costa Rica and I doubt that they've been smuggled in.

Yes, but thats because they have special permits. They do it for a good cause. So people dont take animals FROM the wild and instead they just breed them. Because for the MOST part wild caught animals do not belong in a house. Not only may it die, should it live it wont thrive. It will just sit there like a lump. People are able to breed frogs in captivity because they are complete experts and they have really huuge enclosures.

[bshmerlie]

Let me get this straight, "They do it for a good cause", "They are complete experts and they have really huge enclosures".....I don't even know how to respond to that?

[Kurt]

Actually the majority of species from Costa Rica that you see in the US trade, like red-eyes for example, are also found in other places like Panama and Nicaragua. Its from these countries they are imported. Costa Rica is very protective of it's native species. So to answer to your original question, no, its illegal. Sorry, if I came off all "hellfire and brimstone" the first time.

Even if Costa Rica let you take things, US Customs would not allow you to bring it back into the country. It woud be the same no matter where you were coming from outside the US.

Now if you want actual Costa Rican frogs, and I suspect you will when you get back, you may be able to get them frog Understory Enterprises. Brian Kubicki of the Costa Rican Amphibian Research Center in Guayacan, Costa Rica is captive breeding some of the native species from the area and shipping them to UE to raise money for his conservation work in Costa Rica. All is on the up and up. The downside is UE is in Canada. Yeah for the Canadians! Fear not, I heard that there are shipments to the US, but I don't know how that works.

I am hoping to get my hands on Centrolene ilex someday which I hear is a very common species down there, but unheard of in the US trade.

[Kurt]

Yes, but thats because they have special permits. They do it for a good cause.

No, its capitalism, plain and simple. Well, unless we are talking about Brian Kubicki. Then there a conservation element to it.

People are able to breed frogs in captivity because they are complete experts and they have really huuge enclosures.

Not every breeder is a complete expert. I will be the first one to admit that I am still learning about red-eyed leaf frog even though I have bred them a few times.

[Deku]

No, its capitalism, plain and simple. Well, unless we are talking about Brian Kubicki. Then there a conservation element to it.



Not every breeder is a complete expert. I will be the first one to admit that I am still learning about red-eyed leaf frog even though I have bred them a few times.

Shhh. She doesnt know that. XDDD anywho yeah agreed not every true breeder is an expert. But they have more experience under their belt than a newbie or a normal keeper. But I would say that yeah if anyone could take a frog from a place like that would be an actual legit breeder.

[Kurt]

Breeders are just hobbyist who took it to the next step.

[Deku]

Breeders are just hobbyist who took it to the next step.

Who succeded. I think thats what seperates the newbies from the experienced. Now its not bad being a newbie. We all are newbies. Heck I can still be c onsidered one. But yeah. My knowledge is more of field herping type. :P I can find pretty much anything if I have atleast a few accessible bodies of water. xD I found treefrog eggs and tadpoles by the thousands. :P

[bshmerlie]

Kurt, the glass frogs are actually what I was talking about. The Centrolene ilex and the Sachatamia ilex are not threatened or endangered but are simply not available in the US pet trade for some reason. I emailed Brian earlier today about seeing his facility when I go down there it's just so facinating. Their care does seem a little more complicated then my RETF's and Fire bellies so I definately wouldn't want to attempt something like that until I had a few more years under my belt. Although, I would love to get a half a dozen or so and give them to one of those "complete experts with the really huge enclosures" so that someday they would be more prevelant in the US pet trade.

[Kurt]

Kurt, the glass frogs are actually what I was talking about. The Centrolene ilex and the Sachatamia ilex are not threatened or endangered but are simply not available in the US pet trade for some reason.

Just in case you didn't know, Centrolene ilex and Sachatamia ilex are the same thing. Centrolene is the old genus and Sachatamia is the new genus. I still use Centrolene, because I know how to spell it.

I think I met Brian once. I bought his book on Costa Rican glass frogs at the NAAC in Erving, MA. I think I bought it from him, not sure. Never paid attention to who was selling it, I was just so messmerized by the book that I bought it and walked away. I will have to ask Rich at Black Jungle if it was indeed Brian selling the book that day.

The only glass frogs I have seen in person are the reticulated glass frogs, Hyalinobatrachium valerioi. Black Jungle is trying to breed them for the ABG.