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Air Canada, non heated cargo, winter, heat packs....
I have not shipped a lot of reptiles in the last year or so, and it seems as if things did infact change. When people mentioned this in the past, I'd make reference to chicken little and the sky falling, as I thought non heated cargo meant -30, and they couldn't do that as it would prevent shipping cats and dogs.
I just got off the phone with the new (since July) Live Animal Handling Desk at Air Canada.
I wanted to ship from Medicine Hat or Calgary. He told me the little Dash 8 plane used for that had a cargo compartment commonly heated wit the passenger compartment, but Calgary did not have heated cargo flights going out.
Normally Calgary uses Airbus 319 and 320's, which keep their cargo holds at +1 or 2 C to prevent freezing, but they don't suggest reptile or parrot people ship them (the do ship cats and dogs at these temps). They have a waiver (I've seen these before) which protects themselves from reptile death due to low temps, whihc they use in the winter. You can still insure the shipment for freak accidents having signed the waiver, and it is cheap, so it is still good to get that.
This might not be a big deal for colubrids, but it is pretty cold for the normal fish boxes and tropical boas and pythons, in my opinion.
Apparently, the last time I shipped from Calgary in November, I got lucky and got an international flight using either a Boeing 767, Airbus 330 or 340, which does have a heated cago hold. They only find out about these 24 hours in advance usually, and today they do not show any heated cargo shipments out of Calgary, as far as the guy could look ( a few weeks for sure)
Just last year, when we still booked through Medicine Hat, they could find heated cargo connections for us - but now Calgary does not have any scheduled heated cargo flights.
Edmonton never has international, and in Winter, Saskatoon connects to Calgary. so that doesn't help me out either.
Vancouver and Toronto does have quite a few international flights out, so heated cargo isn't usually a problem for those shipping from there.
These non heated cargo planes are also used in the summer, but the cargo hold starts at ambient air temps, and loses about 2 C / hour. So, starting at 25 C in the spring and summer, a 4 hour flight should land at 17 C in the cargo hold. Not usually a big deal I wouldn't think.
Got to buy some of those thicker styro boxes (which also need to be in a carboard box, as per Air Canada). All I have are the standard fish boxes, which don't hae really thick insulation. Last time I shipped, was the first time they looked at my shipment to make sure it was all properly packed. I guess they are starting to do this more now, at many of the cargo centers.
I've always liked a sealed stryo box, with water bottles heated to about 98 F. This works, unless they lose your shipment, then the water cools off.
Which are the best 24 and 48 hour heat packs, and can I get these in Canada?
Do they all deplete the oxygen (Catalytic)? Does everyone use holes in the box with these?
Have they ever overheated on anyone?
Anyone care to mail me some of these in the interem, I can replace them when I order them?
Where can a guy buy good thick insulated shipping boxes? All the petstores I've asked only have the thin ones, same as what I have.
What I'm considering, is taping one to a warm water bottle. It would keep the water warm, and help absorb any heat spike (capacity) that the heat packs could cause.
Ryan
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