Bringing back scorps

scorpio

Arachnodemon
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Aug 3, 2003
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Has anybody here ever brought a scorp on the airplane with them? Is it OK to do, or will customs mess with you? Im going to Florida in a few months, and I want to look for a few scorpions. I have relatives that live on a golf course, and I will probably go looking in the woods a little. If I do find a scorp, how do you reccomend bringing it abck? I dont want to pay shipping $$$, but I want them to come home with me, but Im not sure how customs would deal with it.
 

Cooper

Arachnoangel
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Jun 22, 2003
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I brought back preserved fish and eels in little glass vials with me on my carry ion bags from PEI, they didnt care.
 

jper26

Arachnobaron
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Apr 5, 2003
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If you are serious about bringing them shipping them one day too your home in Michigian will be no more than $20 dollars. Thats not a bad price since you are getting the scorps for free.
 

XOskeletonRED

Arachnodemon
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Jan 6, 2003
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They said nothing to me when I took a group of thirthy Heterometrus on a plane with me. Actually, they were like "That is really cool." That was on a plane from Utah to Ga. I have carried anywhere from one to one hundred (and change) scorps with me (I took a plane from Ft. Polk, LA to my home in GA, packing every scorp I owned at the time). I just wore a backpack stuffed to the gills with small deli cups and photo containers.



adios,
edw. ;)
 

Fausta

Arachnosquire
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Bringing Scorps

I have brought 4 B. arenicolas and a deathstalker back from my many trips back and forth to Egypt. I just put them in lightly damp papertowels in deli cups and store them in my carry on. I have it arranged that no one will check my luggage or xray it so home they come. I would bring more stalkers, but they are hard to find and difficult to catch, for obvious reasons.
Kelly
 

scorpio

Arachnodemon
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Well, I guess if you guys can bring home 30 specimens at a time, I should have no trouble taking home a few centruoides. Im gonna try and bring home as many as possible, and store them in a large flat faunarium, with dividers. It should be pretty cool. I might ship a few priority, in case customs seizes them, I will at least have a few for myself insured.

Thanks for all the help. I look forward to scorp hunting!
 

Frank

Arachnobaron
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Feb 22, 2003
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When did you people brang scorps on plane? Before sept. 11 or after? Maybe they will check way more if it is after september 11.

Frank
 

Fausta

Arachnosquire
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I brought mine back from Egypt three months after 9/11. I left to Egypt 11 days after 9/11. It actually made it easier.
Kelly
 

neveragain

Arachnobaron
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Jan 15, 2003
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Originally posted by scorpio
Well, I guess if you guys can bring home 30 specimens at a time, I should have no trouble taking home a few centruoides. Im gonna try and bring home as many as possible, and store them in a large flat faunarium, with dividers. It should be pretty cool. I might ship a few priority, in case customs seizes them, I will at least have a few for myself insured.

Thanks for all the help. I look forward to scorp hunting!
If you are going to ship a few of them priority, you might as well just ship them all since it will be the same price, and this way you dont have to worry about losing most of the ones you caught.
 

mdfic

Arachnopeon
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Jul 16, 2003
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46
now flying into florida with them would be difficult... but flying out shouldn't be a problem.
 

scorpio

Arachnodemon
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Maybe when I arrive I'll check with the airport. Are there any endangered insects in Florida I need to look out for? I dont wanna get detained or anything.
 

mdfic

Arachnopeon
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Jul 16, 2003
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46
not that i am aware of. the ones that are endangered are way too hard to find on a casual trip scouting for scorps.
 

Malhavoc's

Arachnoking
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Jul 12, 2003
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as for sept 11 thats a laugh I came from canada and your great USA customs that are so checking everyone forgot to stamp my pass... twice it was on my third trip I had to ASK to get it stamped.. and as far as scorps go how can you bring them back on a plane when 5o0 chilean rosea Tarantula's were taken from the owner and left to die because he didnt have the right papers??
 

Wade

Arachnoking
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Aug 16, 2002
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You're not crossing any international boarders, so customs is a non-issue. Basically, you just have to worry about somone searching your bag at the security checkpoint and freaking out. Even then, you're probably not going to be in violation of anything, unless the actual airline you're flying on has a regulation that mentions scorpions. The problem is, the security personnel may decide to make a stink. In such cases, most likley the piot of your plane has the ability to decide if you can bring it on. If the scorps are well packed and labled, he may decide you're legit and just let you take them. If they're poorly packed he may decide you're a nut job and kick you off the plane. He may be an arachnophobe and just kick the scorps off, or force you to send them air freight, which starts at like $75.

So basically, while you're not doing anything illegal, there still could be plenty of potential headaches. I used to carry all manner of invertebrates on planes in my carry on, literally dozens. I never had any problems, I just avoided including anything metal in the bag since such items tend to attract the attention of the screeners who will then want to look in the bag. However, this was in the pre 9-11 days when they didn't do random searches. These days, you may get searched for no reason at all, there's no way to avoid it. Kelly's example may have been after 9-11, but it was still before the new federal guidlines had gone into effect. Things are a lot stricter now.

I have also packed invertebrates in my checked baggage. This is also subject to search, so once again you must pack and label well. You don't want someone to open the cup accidently! If you are thinking about bringing back any plant feeding insects, there may be state restrictions (on your end, not Florida) as well as USDA regulations that come into play.

In the end, it's too much of a headache just to save a few bucks IMO. If I were you, I'd ship them USPS next day express (about $25) and use your relatives addy for a return address. Your flight will be much more relaxed.

Wade
 
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