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Getting exotic pets into CR

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Sarahwlsn
  2/2/2018 16:16 EST

Does anyone know if it possible to bring reptiles from Canada into Costa Rica?

We have adopted/rescued a number of reptiles that we would like to bring with us when we relocate as we have grown very attached to them after nursing them back to a health.

We have 2 snakes, a chameleon, and an iguana. We have read that it is illegal to keep native species as pets in Costa Rica, However, they were all born in Canada, not imported from another country and we can prove that, So does that mean they would still considered native to Costa Rica?

The resources on this are limited, so we are hoping that someone might be able to provide some insight. Or provide us some resources that will help us.

These pets are very dear to us and we don't want to leave them behind, or worry about finding them a new home that has the adequate knowledge of how to take care of them properly.

Thank you,
Sarah

ILuvCR
  2/2/2018 17:10 EST

yep, this should be a fountain of information for you, we've all brought reptiles with us when we moved to Costa Rica!

BTW welcome to the forum.

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Kohl
  2/2/2018 17:28 EST

My first response is 'have you ever been to Costa Rica?"
I would really hesitate to bring animals here unless you have experienced the country, before hand, as this will be a shock for them and the price could be a shock for you. When trying to bring exotic animals, it would be best to hire a specialist. It could also make renting accommodations harder.

I do know that it will be difficult for you to find 'supplements' for your reptiles as the few pets stores do not sell mice, crickets, mealworms, etc. I was talking with a Tico neighbor last week about this, and he said that while you can in North America you can't in CR, even frozen.

If you haven't already done so, I suggest you read the info on these website.

http://costaricalaw.com/costa-rica-legal-topics/immigration-and-residency/residency-general-information-and-summary/

http://costaricalaw.com/category/costa-rica-legal-topics/working-in-costa-rica/

Becoming a 'non-resident for tax purposes:

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/international-non-residents/individuals-leaving-entering-canada-non-residents/non-residents-canada.html?wbdisable=true

NickyP
  2/3/2018 03:07 EST

Hello, I'm with the same question. We have, in addition to dogs, a pet snake Boa Constrictor born in captivity here in Spain, Europe. We want to bring her with us to Costa Rica or Panama when we move. Preferable Costa Rica, but if Panama seems easier it will be the election. Please keep me updated if you have more related information, I will do the same.

In regards to food and temperature, my snake is in its habitat and eats mostly live rabbits, so this would not be a problem at all to find.

Regards

Kohl
  2/3/2018 08:26 EST

NickyP, rabbits are not commonly found for sale in the grocery stores or in pet stores for food for reptiles here in Costa Rica. There is now an 'animal abuse law'.

http://www.ticotimes.net/2017/05/14/animal-welfare-bill-costa-rica.

Please don't move to my neighborhood where wild rabbits live in my garden.

ILuvCR
  2/3/2018 09:31 EST

Donate the reptiles to a local zoo near your homes and start fresh in Costa Rica!

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PEBBS
  2/3/2018 10:08 EST

I am a staunch animal activist and would vote AGAINST any creature who needed to EAT LIVE RABBITS ..bad enough if the rabbits were KILLED first UGH ..EATEN Alive.. just like the Chinese first torture,in a very in humane way, then cook them ALIVE so frigging CRUEL NOT for hunger but for their dog meat festivals a delicacy to THEM SO EVIL ..without killing them first MAKES MY B:LOOD BIOL !
.The world is now seeing hidden videos on Internet or we would never be aware of these atrocities... I say KEEP your rabbit eating snake where they allow such an outrageous "DIET"

lindyluvsCR
  2/3/2018 20:47 EST

Amen to that. Your pets get loose or boa wraps himself around my neck there is going to be trouble.

NickyP
  2/4/2018 03:00 EST

Dear, I think you guys do not know what you're talking about. Besides, make me remind you that they are species, my Boa, that live in Costa Rica and the law of life that they eat live creatures like rabbits to feed themselves. My snake was born in captivity and was rescued. Yes, I am a volunteer in an association that rescues animals.

Let me ask if you eat meat, fish or any other food that comes from a living being? Apart it seems to me that many of you do not like exotic animals then what they do in a country like Costa Rica full of wildlife everywhere. I read in the forums that many of you when you see a scorpion, spider or even a snake that enters into a house you kill it. Well, not me. Ok the first two they cause repugnance perhaps but they are still living beings that have not done anything bad to you.

I also read about some who recommend leaving our exotic animals in a zoo instead of taking them to Costa Rica. Well there is a possibility that they die of stress in a zoo since they are not used to being so caged. Likewise, I read that some of you, American expats, will drop your dogs for adoption in your country before moving to Costa Rica, so as not to pay the importation expenses. Cruel you are guys in my opinion.

Now, nothing to do with this topic but I also read that most of you, American expats, almost do not speak Spanish, you keep buying your American (crap-) food etc and keep complaining about Costa Rica. So what are you doing there?
I think that to establish someone in a country you must adapt to the culture of the country and accept its pros and cons.
Final point, it is not worth entering into debate with people like you guys.

NickyP
  2/4/2018 03:19 EST

NB. Believe me if my Boa wraps around your neck you will not be able to cause any problems. She is almost 3 meters, weighs a lot, and still needs to grow. But do not worry, in spite of your ignorance, she is very good. And I do not think I'll need to move,
thank God, to your type of neighbourhood.

NickyP
  2/4/2018 03:19 EST

NB. Believe me if my Boa wraps around your neck you will not be able to cause any problems. She is almost 3 meters, weighs a lot, and still needs to grow. But do not worry, in spite of your ignorance, she is very good. And I do not think I'll need to move,
thank God, to your type of neighbourhood.

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Sarahwlsn
  2/5/2018 12:33 EST

Thank you ILuvCR!
Did you have a customs agent that you were working with to get your reptiles into Costa Rica? Would you mind sharing the process that you took?
Also regarding Kohls post, do you find it hard to find food for the reptiles?
We want to make sure we are making the most educated decisions prior to our move.

Sarahwlsn
  2/5/2018 12:40 EST

Hi Kohl,

Yes, we have been to Costa Rica many times and love it, which is why we have decided to relocate there.

I'm not worried about a shock to the reptiles since the Costa Rica climate is going to be more suited to their needs than our climate is in Vancouver.

We realize this is going to be pricey and have come to terms with it. Finding a place to rent also won't be an issue as we will own our home.

You bring up a good point about the food and we will definitely look into this further,.

Thank you for the other resources. We are already familiar with many of those sites.

Sarah

Sarahwlsn
  2/5/2018 12:49 EST

Well said NickyP!

If we have the option, we will not just give our pets away. They are part of our family. Especially given the fact that we brought them back to life from being neglected by others.

It is surprising to me that people could just give away their pets. That is what seems inhumane to me.

We also have 2 dogs that will come with us to Costa Rica :)

Kohl
  2/5/2018 15:48 EST

Sarahwlsn, there are areas here which may remind you of Vancouver weather.

ILuvCR
  2/5/2018 17:23 EST

Sarahwlsn, I didn't bring reptiles to Costa Rica?

Kohl
  2/5/2018 18:15 EST

Be advised that all animal importation is regulated by SENASA. You would need to obtain import permits for all your animals.

Suggest you search from there...but expect it all to be in Spanish.

Sarahwlsn
  2/5/2018 21:22 EST

Thanks Kohl for the information and resources for SENASA. My Spanish isn’t horrible so I should be able to get the gist.

ILuvCR - sorry, I don’t understand your first post where you said we all brought reptiles with us to CR.

PombinhaCoco7
  2/5/2018 21:40 EST

I'm sorry but I have been having that picture crossing my mind over and over about the terrified rabbits seeing that huge boa coming to get them.
I know that every animal has to be killed before we eat their meat but this is too much for me.
I don't mean to offend anyone but it really affected me.
As a child I was traumatized watching my mother killing rabbits she raised in her backyard for our meals.
She used to get mad at me because every time I would say in Portuguese 'pobrecito' she would tell me to shut up or it would take longer for them to die.
Also when I went to an orphanage in Brazil in 2000 I was on my way to the prayer center in the evening and I could hear a cow screaming. They were killing it. Those screams stayed with me for a long time. I heard that they killed it by strangulation.
I wish there was another way to do things.

NickyP
  2/6/2018 05:21 EST

PombinhaCoco7

That snakes, etc. exotic animals need to kill, their prey, to eat and survive is the law of nature. That people need to kill animals to eat, especially in a cruel way, is a different matter, however I regret hurting your feelings, it was not with bad intentions.

Regards

ILuvCR
  2/6/2018 08:23 EST

Hi Sarah, oop's! tongue in cheek (snide) remark taken seriously, oh well.

"yep, this should be a fountain of information for you, we've all brought reptiles with us when we moved to Costa Rica! " jajaja

lindyluvsCR
  2/6/2018 08:27 EST

Sarah - I may be wrong, but I took ILuvCR post from the git n go to be sarcasm. No we are not all bringing in reptiles.

Kohl
  2/6/2018 08:30 EST

Me too.

lindyluvsCR
  2/6/2018 08:43 EST

Pombinha, I have never eaten rabbit etc because I envisioned Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck. Shell fish and oysters and anything the idea of sushi etc freak me out. Couldn't pay me enough to even try it. About a couple of months ago, the chicken we had been getting got weird. Read about the possibilities and even though I had been enjoying it, lost my appetite for it too. And even though we enjoyed the ground beef here, looking at blood turns my stomach.

I would have never believed my husband, a redneck, would on his own decide to stop eating meat and fish. It had also changed and believe they were changing the red snapper for some other fish.

We are not animal activist types like you and many we know, and have to say I am more concerned with the boa around my neck than the rabbits. I love my dogs but I have a hard time understanding being attached to a reptile.

Kohl
  2/6/2018 09:28 EST

How up-to-date this website is, I don't know...

http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/CostaRica.cfm

PombinhaCoco7
  2/6/2018 10:42 EST

NickyP
You didn't hurt my feelings. It's just the way I am.
When my husband is killing ants that are all over our wall (inside) I say:Lord, please don't let them feel anything".
I didn't know that exotic animals need to kill their prey.

PombinhaCoco7
  2/6/2018 10:55 EST

lindyLuvsCR
I am not an animal activist, I just feel bad about what some animals go through.
About snakes: there was one on my back door We have bars and when I opened the door it fell on the ground
and it went underground.
A Tico guy told me it was a coral and that it was poisonous.
Then I saw it a second time again going underground on a hole it dug beside my door.
Now I'm the one hurting NickyP feelings.
My husband went to the hardware and they suggested that we would get some liquid (forgot the name) and mix it with water and spread it in front of our door.
Last week I left the screen door and the glass door open by mistake all day long and I was wondering if the snake had gotten inside.
That night every little noise I heard I thought it was the snake.
However I feel sorry when people keep snakes in boxes for a long time and mistreat them.

Kohl
  2/6/2018 11:20 EST

We have had, multiple times, snakes get into our home(s)
Always check, carefully, boxes that you have stored....and as mentioned previously, watch out for your pets.

RogerKB
  2/7/2018 10:33 EST

The laws regarding bringing wildlife (not domestic dogs and cats) into Costa Rica were changed in July 2017, even if the animals were domestic-bred. One MUST have CITES permits issued from both your Canadian government and also you MUST obtain CITES permits from Costa Rica via MINAE/SINAC. SENASA will be in charge of health testing requirements, quarantine, and site inspections. This could be very problematic under the new rules. I have a copy of the rules in Spanish (88 pages!) that I can email to you (contact me at [email protected]).

You might also want to contact Quetzal Dwyer, owner of Reptilandia (crreptiles.com).

I also have a good attorney you might need.

Good luck! Gail J. Worth

Kohl
  2/7/2018 11:13 EST

Thanks for supplying/confirming this information.

Sarahwlsn
  2/8/2018 20:17 EST

Thanks RogerKB.
I actually contacted SENASA to try to find out some more information. They advised me that it is MINEA (Ministry of Environment) that issues permits to grant access for animals into CR.
After discussing with MINEA, we found we are not able to bring the reptiles into CR. They advised me that new Costa Rican regulation has prohibited the importation of wild fauna to come to Costa Rica to live as a pet.
This is incredibly disappointing for us as these reptiles are part of our family. We are very sad that we will have to leave them behind. I'm just glad we have lots of time before our move to find them new homes.
And at least the dogs can still come with us.

NickyP
  2/9/2018 03:25 EST

Dear, it would be very bad news, but once I was informed by a Costa Rican association of exotic animals that the law previously prohibited, any kind of exotic animals, whatever the circumstances, but now with the new law they are allowed to enter only if It shows certificate that they were born in captivity. Which would be very good. Next week I will look again for the association's data and will investigate more in detail and pass on the information. Regards

Sarahwlsn
  2/9/2018 13:06 EST

Hi Nicky,

Yes, MINAE told me I would need to provide certificates for proof of birth. For the snakes, we can definitely obtain certificates as they were purchased from a local reputable breeder. Unfortunately, we aren't able to obtain certificates for the iguana or chameleon as they were rescued from some pretty dire circumstances and we have no way of getting in touch with the previous owners.

On the plus side, my mom asked me yesterday if she could take Norman, our chameleon, when we leave for CR. So at least I know he will be going to a good home.

I am the most concerned about re-homing Lola, our iguana because she is very high maintenance and requires a lot of special care. But at least we have some time to figure it out and do our due diligence to make sure she will go to a good home. If anyone is interested in finding out more about Lola, she has an Instagram page @lola_the_iguana. You can see how far she has come in just 6 moths since we got her if you look back at her first couple posts.

Anyway, thanks to everyone that has helped and provided information on this topic.

NickyP
  6/14/2019 12:46 EST

Hi Sarahwlsn,

I wonder if you have finally been able to import your pets to Costa Rica?

We have changed, delayed, our plans to move there because our boa, but again we are trying by all means to find a solution to import her. Without all our pets we will not be able to move to CR... all of them or nothing.

Thanks

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