Tarantula Importing and Arachnid Commerce
Page 1 of 3 | © 2005-2010 text by Frank Somma
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Editor's Note: This article was first published in early 2005 in ARACHNOCULTURE 1(2) and all information may not be up-to-date.
Introduction
Many tarantula keepers seek the next holy grail species. Some breeders look for rare species that might bring a good return on investment if successfully bred. Other keepers enjoy the excitement of acquiring a rare species, possibly one that has never been in the country before. Just in the past year alone, American tarantula enthusiasts have had reason to be enthused about some amazing species bred in Europe, the most prominent of which was Poecilotheria metallica. Many exotic species first become available in Europe for a number of reasons including less strict import regulations, the comparative ease of travel for European trader/collectors to Africa and Asia, and the great success of many European breeders. The idea of circumventing middle men and importing arachnids directly from sources overseas crosses every American arachnoculturist's mind at some point. This article will reveal the realities of legally obtaining arachnids from overseas sources. The person who brought those blue "Poecs" to the US was me and I'd like to share with you just how involved importing is.
I have been seriously involved in the hobby for over twenty years. I have been fortunate to breed about 40 different species of tarantulas and have kept close to 300 different invertebrate species. Somewhere along my arachnocultural path I became involved in importing captive bred spiders from European breeders or dealers. I do not import any wild-caught animals or CITES (Convention in the International Trade of Endangered Species) protected arachnids such as Brachypelma species. To date, I would estimate that I have imported around 150 arachnid species into the US. Many were first-time species, most recently Poecilotheria metallica, P. miranda, P. striata and Euathlus vulpinus [aka Pachypelma oculatum]. As the hobby has exploded there has been an increased demand for something new, but most hobbyists don't realize what obtaining these species takes. I'd like to take you through the steps required and illustrate why I sometimes think I am crazy for doing it at all.
Tarantula Importing
The first step required to become an importer is to apply to the U.S. Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service [USFW] for an import/export license. The license costs $100 and must be renewed each year [http://www.fws.gov/permits/importexport/importexport.shtml].
Next, you will need to establish a relationship with a reliable and honest dealer or breeder. Although many Europeans speak and write English to some degree"many even perfectly, there is a chance that a language barrier will cause some difficulties communicating. It is best to develop a partnership through a number of contacts by email, but to ensure that you are comfortable with the dealer and any arrangements international phone calls may be necessary. These calls may be expensive and due to time zone differences a bit tricky to arrange. Finding overseas dealers or breeders can be very difficult. Many have an exclusive arrangement with other importers or excessive minimum order amounts. Others may be scam artists. Most require that you take everything they offer, not just the species you are interested in.
Once a exporter has been found many details will have to be worked out, not the least of which is payment. It is customary for 50% of the total order price to be paid up front, but some dealers or breeders may require full payment in advance of shipping. Either way you will be trusting a considerable amount of money to someone thousands of miles away that you probably won't be able to pursue legally should your payment be stolen. Exchange rates need to be calculated; most Europeans will quote prices in Euro dollars. It is important to remember that if you paid 10 Euros for a certain species on a previous order and the price remains the same on a subsequent order your cost may change considerably depending on the current exchange rate. Payment is usually sent by wire transfer from account to account and your bank will charge a fee for this. All aspects of the transaction need to be discussed including any guarantees or dead-on-arrival refunds or credits.
After details of the transaction are worked out the exporter will need to schedule an international flight for shipment of your order. The average shipping cost of my imports is $300, typically paid to the exporter in advance. After a flight has been scheduled you must notify USFW 48 hours in advance and complete Form 3177, the import declaration. There is a $55 fee for this and you will need to specify quantities, scientific names, common names, prices, country of origin and other details of the order. If the total price of your animals exceeds $2000 US you will need to use a customs broker to handle your shipment upon arrival, which will cost between $200 and $500.