Can you take a Tortoise abroad?

Question

I have a captive-bred Bell's Hingeback (Kinixys belliana). I have had him for almost four years. I know that some airlines allow pets on board as long as they are in cage. I heard that Hingebacks are under CITES. Does that mean you need special documents to take them abroad (France) and can anyone tell me an airline which can take reptiles?

Answer 1

does he have a passport!

Answer 2

http://airtravel.about.com/od/serviceiss... here is a guide to transporting tortoises it also has some airlines who do some can be taken on as hand luggage but it depends on the airline that you want to use, i am sure that hinge backs are covered by CITES but you need to check, here is the address and email from their web site For all queries relating to CITES licence applications (including whether you need a licence) or the import/(re)export of CITES-listed species:

Animal Health CITES Team

Zone 1/17, Temple Quay House

2 The Square

Temple Quay

Bristol

BS1 6EB

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]....

you can also get in touch with DEFRA (in Britain) on this number  Telephone: [phone] - Monday to Friday - 8am to 6pm UK time (closed Bank Holidays).  if you are outside Britain then they will tell you who you need to contact to find out the information , another good place to ask is the tortosie trust http://www.tortoisetrust.org/ they will be able to tell you the safest way to transport your tortoise with the minimum of stress to it they might even know of some good airlines, best of luck honey hope all goes well

Answer 3

Airlines do allow pets but not all kinds of pets so you would need to call first and see. Also your pet would need to go threw customs and get a health check to make sure he had no dieases that would be tranfered so you would be separate for a while =[