Need a bit of assistance...

Ira NZ · #1 01/26/2006, 09:34 AM

Anyone wanna help me smuggle about 50 chameleons into New Zealand? I could sell them at half the going rate here and pay off my house.

Get them for $50 in the US, sell them here in NZ for $2000US, no more mortgage payments!

Shhhh, Don't tell anyone...

VoidRaven · #2 01/26/2006, 09:35 AM

Holy cow! Is the price difference really that much in NZ compared to other parts of the world?

Ira NZ · #3 01/26/2006, 09:38 AM

Yeah. The average rate for chameleons here is about $3500 US.

emilye2 · #4 01/26/2006, 09:49 AM

Why on earth is that? I could have sworn I saw something on tv about chameleons living in Tazmania....Have I completely lost it?

VoidRaven · #5 01/26/2006, 10:01 AM

Me thinks I've found my meal ticket! I'm gonna have to start importing these things to NZ!!!

dc · #6 01/26/2006, 10:04 AM

But do people actually pay that much? Sorry not interested, I'm pretty sure getting caught wouldn't be fun. Did you see Brokedown Palace?

oz · #7 01/26/2006, 10:06 AM

Why the smuggle ? Can't you import it legally ?

Is it an endangered specie or prohibited under CITES ?

VoidRaven · #8 01/26/2006, 10:10 AM

Where could one find that info out? I would never smuggle them...but if it that big a difference you wonder why no one has taken advantage of it yet.

Ira NZ · #9 01/26/2006, 10:20 AM

Don't know if there are any in Tasmania, that's not part of New Zealand. They're not on the allowed list of animal imports therefore, you can not import them. There are probably a total of maybe 12 in the country. Chameleons are far from an endangered species.

oz · #10 01/26/2006, 10:24 AM

I thought you said they sell them for $2000US.

And they are only 12 in the whole of New Zealand ?

Ira NZ · #11 01/26/2006, 10:31 AM

$2000US is what I'd sell them for, the usual price is about $3500.

I'm just making a guess of how many there are. Could be fewer than that.

Green Mariner · #12 01/26/2006, 01:54 PM

LOL, I could see it now.
Customs agent: Welcome to New Zealand sir. Are you here on business or pleasure?
Me: Thank you! I am here on holiday.
Customs agent: Sir is that a chameleon in your pants or are you just happy to be here?
Me: Ummm.........

dinoman · #13 01/26/2006, 02:14 PM

I can imagine it! One of the owners of the ranch here lives over there. He was so happy one time when he came over here because a pair of jeans was only like $30 or something (I think it was jeans, there has been all kinds of things he's been surprised at how cheap they are).

thehedge · #14 01/26/2006, 02:31 PM

Haha...come to Hawaii...they sell them for like $15-$20 each...and on any given hike (if you are looking), you can spot like 5 of them in the trees. Haha. You'd have a gold mine in like a week.

davidcalgary29 · #15 01/26/2006, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thehedge
Haha...come to Hawaii...they sell them for like $15-$20 each...and on any given hike (if you are looking), you can spot like 5 of them in the trees. Haha. You'd have a gold mine in like a week.

...or an environmental disaster. How about raising tuatara instead?

Ira NZ · #16 01/29/2006, 09:01 AM

Heh, trying to raise Tuatara would get you a nice big fine. Same with kakarikis...Well, kakarikis you can own, with a license, but you have to have a specific sized aviary for them, something like 4 meters by 4 meters and you're not allowed to breed them. Kakarikis are fairly easy and inexpensive in the US...