taking jackson home from HAwaii ok?

Went to Maui & Oahu. I never could find any in the wild. We even went on the the road to Hanna and couldnt find any on maui. I heard they are easier to find on Oahu. But I couldnt spot any. Tried to talk the ex into going out at night with flashlights. That didnt go over so well. I think it would be easier to spot them at nite.

You'll love Kaui, Both Kaui & Maui are bad a--! I cant stand Oahu. Its overpopulated and the traffic sucks big time. The north shore is cool but Honalulu sucks.

I feel the same about Honalulu, just another big city. But the north shore is awesome. I like it almost as well as Kauai. We will see what we can hunt down...I don't really have high hopes we will find anything but never hurts to try;)
 
Honolulu is not much fun if you're expecting an empty island retreat type experience. This is the image that sells plane tickets to Hawaii but if you really wanted something like that, you'd be better off going to southeast Asia.

I have a ton of family on Oahu so when I go I know I need to schedule time for both city and country stuff. The island is awesome when you have friends and family that can take you to their secret surf spots, chameleon spotting hikes, best offshore fishing spots, favorite restaurants, and have you over to relax at their own homes. Not to mention enjoy kama'aina rates (local discounts) at all of these places.

I couldn't bare to see Oahu getting slammed without balancing the scales a bit.;) And Rob, anyone who gets a permit before they even go is kidding themselves if they think they can "decide" when and if they spot a chameleon. The question is really IF you spot one. As I understand, Kauai is the least populated with jacks but there are some populations. Good luck!:cool:
 
I couldn't bare to see Oahu getting slammed without balancing the scales a bit.;) And Rob, anyone who gets a permit before they even go is kidding themselves if they think they can "decide" when and if they spot a chameleon. The question is really IF you spot one. As I understand, Kauai is the least populated with jacks but there are some populations. Good luck!:cool:

Your right Chad:D it's IF and IF the wife allows it back, knowing what is already on the way;) BTW I don't want you or anyone else to get the wrong impression about Oahu. :eek: I LOVE Hawaii and out of all the islands the north shore of Oahu and the north shore of Kauai are by far my favorite!!:D:D You are right I don't go to Hawaii for the city life, I have more than my fill of that here;) But I know it would be a BLAST to have family and friends that could hook you up:cool:
 
I couldn't bare to see Oahu getting slammed without balancing the scales a bit.;) And Rob, anyone who gets a permit before they even go is kidding themselves if they think they can "decide" when and if they spot a chameleon. The question is really IF you spot one. As I understand, Kauai is the least populated with jacks but there are some populations. Good luck!:cool:[/QUOTE]

Didnt mean to slam Oahu. Its still one of the most beautiful places Ive ever been. Just didnt enjoy the trappings of busy city life. Most of us dont have the privilidge of having family take us to the locals spots.

What I found was so sad about Honalulu was all the mentally unstable ppl that were taken to the island by family members on the mainland and basically dumped there. They leave them there and they have nowhere to go and no way to get back to the mainland. :( I know when i was there it was still a bad problem the locals had to deal with.
 
Having never been to Ohau, But I was watching the local news on Maui, Seeing the reports of the homeless problem there and showing pictures of people living on the streets. I just couldn't belive it...Such a beautiful place, I would of never thought!!!!
HEY... TPM...How'd you like the pic of me and the miss. on page #6
 
ive done it

i brought back a pair from oahu i had to spend a day getting permits and was all ready then i found out the airplane company we flew with would not allow them so i had to end up sneaking them onto the plane in my luggage i had the permits but it was still kinda weird. They made it fine noone said anything and about 6 months later the female had 20 babies.
 
If I was homeless I think I'd like a warm sunny place with a hawaiian/samoan everybody shares culture too.

Save yourself the hunt, and buy a jackson at local petshop for 15 bucks.
 
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I lived on Maui for almost 9 years and kept a couple Jacksons during that time. I got them from a pet store for $20, pretty sure they were WC. I lived in an area where you could find them in the wild, between 1000ft and 2000ft elevation and after a year in that house I never saw a single one. Sometimes people would find them in their yard but as a whole they are INCREDIBLY difficult to spot. They're definately not running around everywhere. After airfare, hotel/condo, rental car, food, activities, ect. ect....... thats gonna be a REALLY expensive cham!:eek::D
 
i know a few spots on the big island where they are thriving. i have helped breed them over there for some of the farmers to naturaly kill pest.
last time i was there i found one or more a day and i was there for 2 months.
 
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After having been to all 4 of the larger islands, here is my opinion. The big island (hawaii) has the most diversity, in the country, temps and will always be where I go back to. Maui is more cultured, Kauai is lush, beyond belief. The word green doesn't begin to cover it. Fewer people that the other islands, but not a lot to do. Oahu, is about what you expect for Hawaii if you leave the city. Some really pretty places, but I go to Hawaii to get away from people - well I did when I lived in So California. I haven't been over to visit since the move to Montana, almost 4 years ago.
 
*brushes off her shoulders* Ok, let da local sista talk story fo ya.

As a local girl who is damn proud of her island home, I would never ever suggest removing wildlife - or even a shell or rock - from the islands. But that's mostly superstition on my behalf.

Besides that do NOT take Jackson's home. Please people, don't be silly about it. These guys are all wild and even though they are an introduced species, they are still part of the 'aina and the biodiversity. removing even one could cause such a huge impact. I know it sounds all tree-hugger hippie of me, but seriously. I've seen singular animals destroy entire banyans and I have seen the removal on a certain "pest" bug also destroy the habitat. People don't realize how unbalanced the land is out there and the chams really do help keep a little bit of balance around, which is why you are, technically, not allowed to remove the chams.

However, if you do want to see them, the best bet is to ask da local where you can see the chams. However, if you are a tourist about it, they will give you stink eye and send you somewhere else. Many locals are very protective of the 'aina and if they think you are there to mess it up, they won't help you.

I've seen only two wild Jackson's while living out there (I love in NY now). The first one was up near Tripler Army Hospital. I had a friend who lived on base and while walking around one day, I happened to look up in the tree we were under and lo-and-behold, there was a beautiful male Jackson's, hanging by his tail. The second one was while I was working at Kualoa Ranch, on windward side. I was giving a tour and we were stopped, waiting for the slow people/horses to catch up...and a Jackson's, literally, fell from the sky. Freaked out the Japanese tourist a lot - poor girl was shrieking her head off while her horse sat there munching the grass...lol.

There have been plenty of reports of a windward Oahu colony.

Now, I've driven Hana many times and never saw any chams anywhere around there. I've visited Kauai and did the Kalaulau trail twice and never saw a thing. I've hiked from Kaunakakai to Kalaupapa on Molokai and never saw any there either, although my friend said she saw a few.

If you reallllly wanna see Jackson's, you go to the pet store, ya? You see them for sale for $20!

And someone did mention the guy out windward who sells chams. great guy - i highly recommend him. When I had to leave island for my job, he took in my chams and bred them - Karma's kids are still breeding many babies to this day!
 
So I thought I would give an update. The permit was super easy to get, mostly emailed back and forth. We looked for chams on both Kauai and Oahu with no luck except for a pet store lol....and they were not in good shape. It was pretty funny because most of the locals we talked to had no idea they were on the island (at least Kauai) We did see green Anoles and day geckos. So no chams came home which is what I expected. Like I said I was just covering basis but it was a fun diversion for a very fun trip. Even got both my 4yo and 5yo snorkeling :D
 
My daughter lives on Oahu at the top of Mt. Tantalus on Round Top Drive. She finds them occasionally in her yard :). A few weeks ago one surprised her right on her front porch! If you are still in Hawaii, you might take a drive up there to go look?
 
*brushes off her shoulders* Ok, let da local sista talk story fo ya.

As a local girl who is damn proud of her island home, I would never ever suggest removing wildlife - or even a shell or rock - from the islands. But that's mostly superstition on my behalf.

Besides that do NOT take Jackson's home. Please people, don't be silly about it. These guys are all wild and even though they are an introduced species, they are still part of the 'aina and the biodiversity. removing even one could cause such a huge impact. I know it sounds all tree-hugger hippie of me, but seriously. I've seen singular animals destroy entire banyans and I have seen the removal on a certain "pest" bug also destroy the habitat. People don't realize how unbalanced the land is out there and the chams really do help keep a little bit of balance around, which is why you are, technically, not allowed to remove the chams.

However, if you do want to see them, the best bet is to ask da local where you can see the chams. However, if you are a tourist about it, they will give you stink eye and send you somewhere else. Many locals are very protective of the 'aina and if they think you are there to mess it up, they won't help you.

I've seen only two wild Jackson's while living out there (I love in NY now). The first one was up near Tripler Army Hospital. I had a friend who lived on base and while walking around one day, I happened to look up in the tree we were under and lo-and-behold, there was a beautiful male Jackson's, hanging by his tail. The second one was while I was working at Kualoa Ranch, on windward side. I was giving a tour and we were stopped, waiting for the slow people/horses to catch up...and a Jackson's, literally, fell from the sky. Freaked out the Japanese tourist a lot - poor girl was shrieking her head off while her horse sat there munching the grass...lol.

There have been plenty of reports of a windward Oahu colony.

Now, I've driven Hana many times and never saw any chams anywhere around there. I've visited Kauai and did the Kalaulau trail twice and never saw a thing. I've hiked from Kaunakakai to Kalaupapa on Molokai and never saw any there either, although my friend said she saw a few.

If you reallllly wanna see Jackson's, you go to the pet store, ya? You see them for sale for $20!

And someone did mention the guy out windward who sells chams. great guy - i highly recommend him. When I had to leave island for my job, he took in my chams and bred them - Karma's kids are still breeding many babies to this day!
at least your caling yourself a local and not a hawaiin that crap really pisses us real islanders off. but second most wc jacksons on the west coast come from hawaii its good to take them from the island to the states keeps the blood lines here in the states more pure and less chances of crossing them with each other. jacksons thrive in hawaii and are doing real good the only enemy that they really have to look out for besides ignorant humans that grab the males to let fight each other and watch are the big aZZ centapedes. It's hard to bring any species to the islands. but i wish they would allow to bring in more chams. heck even back in the day if you brought a dog or cat over you had to quarantine them for 30 days. but this helps out with keeping out unwanted parasites and virul nasties.
 
So I thought I would give an update. The permit was super easy to get, mostly emailed back and forth. We looked for chams on both Kauai and Oahu with no luck except for a pet store lol....and they were not in good shape. It was pretty funny because most of the locals we talked to had no idea they were on the island (at least Kauai) We did see green Anoles and day geckos. So no chams came home which is what I expected. Like I said I was just covering basis but it was a fun diversion for a very fun trip. Even got both my 4yo and 5yo snorkeling :D

i think chams in the wild like jacksons are freaking harder to find then cb and ch's i don't know why they just seem better at hiding and blending in my veields and panthers are easy to spot in their cages but when i had leo my wc k multi he was hard as heck to find except when he was basking. one thing about hawaii jacksons are they get huuuuuuge some are even bigger then panthers it must be that red dirt.
 
You need to get a city, and wildlife permit from Hawaii AND from where you are heading to. It can take months for this to be approved since the paperwork is so complicated. I also think it needs a special passport if its an international flight (passport for a lizard? i know right? haha) Any kind of animal that leaves the country needs these things, even a dog does, but since its a wild caught animal from its natural environment it will need more permits like i mentioned. Hope this helps! :D
 
wow guys I am totally picturing Indiana Jones here( dun da dun dun dun da da) and wondering if I can squeeze in a cham hunt in Florida when the fam goes in June, and then how to convince the hubby to do Hawaii next summer so I can hunt there too!
 
The TSA people do not mind hand checking your chameleons, the problem lies with the airline. Put your chams into a carry on bag & DON'T LET ANYONE know what your carrying.

But your carry on luggage goes through the x-ray machine. So they'll know if your carrying a lizard when they see the image of the skeleton. There's no way you can hide a chameleon under your clothing today without being detected unless it was a tiny hatchling.
 
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