Recently, I went on a trip to DC with JetBlue (Long Beach to Dulles). I took 8 tadpoles and 1 frog with me (all Ranitomeya benedicta). Each tadpole was transported in a 50ml conical screw-cap tube (available from lab supply companies) filled with 5ml of water (about 0.17 fluid ounces). TSA told me that the total liquid volume in all tubes should not exceed 3 ounces. The conical tubes come in styrofoam trays that can be cut to size and keep the tubes upright and locked in place. The frog traveled in a standard 2 ounce deli cup with some sphagnum and a few clippings. I put everything in a plastic bag which can be taken onboard as a personal item. Animals should not go through the X-ray scanner. Instead, they were declared to TSA and inspected visually by a TSA officer. They also performed a vapor test on each liquid-containing vial, i.e. I had to open each vial individually while they held a test strip over it.
The whole procedure took about 5 minutes and was no big deal at all (and everyone liked the colors of the benedicta...). During the flight, I kept the plastic bag under the seat in fron of me. All in all, I feel that this is a good and relatively hassle-free way to deliver tadpoles (and frogs). Those of us who are frequent travelers should consider it as an alternative to shipping. However, you should still contact the airline and your local TSA personnel ahead of time to obtain their approval (individual policies may apply).
The whole procedure took about 5 minutes and was no big deal at all (and everyone liked the colors of the benedicta...). During the flight, I kept the plastic bag under the seat in fron of me. All in all, I feel that this is a good and relatively hassle-free way to deliver tadpoles (and frogs). Those of us who are frequent travelers should consider it as an alternative to shipping. However, you should still contact the airline and your local TSA personnel ahead of time to obtain their approval (individual policies may apply).
