Shipping a snake

[joe&beth]

Some of you may remember me from the recent post in the giant python discussion. I am trading my snake with someone several states away. What is the best way to send my snake? I assume flying is the best way to go? As you can tell this is new to me so I want to do what will be the least stressful on my snake. Any input is much appreciated.

Beth

[Classic]

Over Night Air freight.

[ANACONDASAURUS]

You can either send it overnight guaranteed through Fed Ex in an unmarked box or through you local airport.

[reverendsterlin]

Delta Dash if they will pick it up at the airport, Fed-Ex overnight to their door, sturdy box with a snug fitting styrofoam insert, snake in vented deli container(and moist papertowel) completely padded with newspaper, hot or cold pack as needed, well marked 'live animal' 'keep out of direct sun'.

[Lisa]

Fed ex, UPS and other ground couriers have rules against shipping live animals.

You don't want to have a story like the 7' python that escaped it's box http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-nj--snakemailed0903sep03,0,3427562.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire
It's just too much bad press and bad for the hobby altogether.

Fed Ex how ever is willing to ship animals through their live animal desk 800.405.9052 http://www.fedex.com/us/services/express/termsandconditions/us/liveanimals.html

[ANACONDASAURUS]

Originally posted by Lisa
Fed ex, UPS and other ground couriers have rules against shipping live animals.

What they don't know doesn't hurt them. Do you know how many dealers send reptiles throught those companies in unmarked boxes....lol

[BoidKeeper]

What they don't know doesn't hurt them. Do you know how many dealers send reptiles throught those companies in unmarked boxes....lol
That is one of the most irresponsible things I've ever heard! I tell you what, what they find out hurts our hobby, have you ever thought of that? Not to mention what the animal must go through in an an-marked box.
Don't be cheap; pay to have your animals properly shipped in a labelled box so you can protect them and the public.
Can you imagine the headlines if some UPS guy thought there was something suspicious in the box and opened it up. The snake would probably be killed on the spot and the shipper and receiver would probably be charged and it would be even harder for legitimate people to ship their stuff.
Not smart,
Trevor

[ANACONDASAURUS]

Listen Trevor you got it all wrong! I don't promote the shipping of reps that way. But most of those carriers don't allow shipping of live animals unless you ship airfreight. I myself don't ship reps I just receive them. How often do you buy on line? Because that's how I receive most of my reps the other being I go to shows.

[arachnomania]

I ship fedex and by bus and those people DO know what's in the box. I kind of broke the ice by saying that they were crickets (explaining the weight as I ship tarantulas and other invertes). You're not permitted to ship crickets either but at least I didn't say that I had huge spiders and scorpions that could kill you if they got out. Heck, even the airport wouldn't accept deadly scorpions! After a while and lots of business on my part I be-friended the people at the cash (the ones that would normally give the order to open the box) and I gave them my business card, they looked at me funny and said "eik, cool" (i've heard them all). One of them now wants to buy a tarantula from me for his kid. This is the only possible way to be able to ship within Canada without shipping airport to airport. Most people don't live that close to their airport and don't have any way of getting there, especially for a few tarantulas. It also cost more. Also, you can take my word as I've done this for a long time (shipping and receiving) that you can mark your boxes as much as you want and it won't change the outcome one single bit.

[BoidKeeper]

I buy 99% of my herps on line or over the phone. I've often paid more for shipping then for the actual order. The dealers I've bought from would never ship anyother way then through insured airfreight. Whether you would do it or not just menthion the use of this method of shipping can be iresponsible as it might lead to a rush of people who had never thought about before to begin trying it. Eventually someone will get busted. Some truth and realities of this industry are best left unmenthioned.
Trevor

[Linds]

Originally posted by ANACONDASAURUS
What they don't know doesn't hurt them.

May not hurt the company, but DOES hurt the animals. Animals need to be shipped in -clearly- marked boxes... "This end up" "Live Harmless Reptile" "Keep warm" yadda yadda yadda to prevent any mishandling of packages that can stress or injure (potentially fatally) the animals shipped. I agree with Trevor, that is irresponsible. Many of my herps are not purchased locally. I will not ship my animals anything other than air cargo.

[arachnomania]

All I'm trying to say is that you can write fragile, perishable, this side up, keep warm all you want. Do you really think they will go out of their way to do this? I've had 1000's of crickets freeze outside in the winter as they were forgotten there and they were extremely well marked "live insects", "rush" etc.... I know of another company that had ordered frozen fish food which was also well marked and was left in the warehouse apx fifty feet from their freezer for it to melt. Air cargo or not, everybody looses packages. Did you ever get a shippement that was late? Try calling to get it tracked, sometimes they don't even know where the package is, even after 9-11. There is absolutely NO SAFE way to ship animals unless you do it yourself. That's where packaging experience comes in. I've never tryed it but I am sure that I could trow a box full of tarantulas off a three story building and none would die. Just because I choose to do it my way doesn't make me irresponsible. With that said, I invite any of the people that bought and received dead or injured animals from us to come share their story. (silent.....) That's what I tought, there aren't any. If you choose to call me irresponsible, you might as well call everybody that ships animals irresponsible.

[Linds]

I'm not saying that it safeguards your animals against any harm, as there are many idiots out there that don't care, but it DOES greatly improve the chances of safe arrival. Also, shipping with companies that ship animals you can usually insure the package. You cannot do this with UPS and the like. Speaking in terms of money, you ship a $1000 package and something happens, you are SOL.

[BoidKeeper]

Arachnomania,

Mus post about being iresponsible was intentended for those who would knowingly not lable the box or tell the company what was is inside. That's not you, therefore my post was not intended for you.
Cheers,
Trevor

[Lisa]

I've had a few animals shipped to me and paid extra for Live Cargo. IMHO it's the only way to ship. I want the carrier to treat the package like it might explode, not like it's foot ball.

[ohh_kristina]

I've had all my snakes and other herps shipped to me (I do not have good breeders in my area), and I have paid extra to make sure they are shipped correctly. If a breeder told me that they were going to ship UPS or elsewhere that doesn't agree to shipping live animals, I would drop the deal immediately! That is irresponsible and it shows me that you are only in it for the money (you want the cheapest possible way). I don't agree with that.