Wild Caught Chameleons

[karebear41486]

I was just wondering, like when breeders offer wild caught chams, or when they say that they got in a gravid wild caught female and now they are offering captive hatched babies, where do they get these wild caughts from? Do they have people that work for them over in Madagascar or something that send them chameleons? Or do they go there?? Ha...I've always wondered!

 

[sipos624]

There are importers and exporters all around the world for reptiles; many come from Africa and South America were reptiles and amphibians are abundant. Well Madagascar for instance has a quota on how many cites animals they can send out like panthers, those get distributed to various importers around the world. Exported animals usually get imported to the U.S. at major ports such as New York city, L.A., Miami etc.. At those ports there are basically a giant warehouses were reptiles come to and operate like a big pet store that sells animals in bulk. Breeders, pet stores etc., can go there and pick animals. Some breeders with import/export licenses can bring there own shipment in (have to get in contact with an exporter who will ship one to them). Some animals come in gravid and breeders hatch/ raise the young making them CH.

-Mike

 

[karebear41486]

Awesome. I wish I lived around one of those ports!! That is my favorite part about working at a pet store...opening the box of reptiles to see what we got!! Are they cheaper for the breeders to buy from this port? Is it kinda like an auction? Thanks for the info!

 

[sipos624]

The Importer is just a guy who basically sells animals wholesale or can very well be a breeder or vendor himself. They really don't let the public in unless you spend a lot or use cash lol. They name the price and you buy them. WC panthers (and some other cites animals) are actually pretty expensive whole sale and many just use them as breeders or sell the screamers for good money. The thing is when buying fresh WC its sort of a risk you have to inspect them thoroughly.

-Mike