Shipping Venomous vs Contrictors??????

Is there a difference in price when shipping yearling pythons compared to adult venomous snakes?

Venomous can only be shipped via the airlines. That makes for a minimum $75 charge. Most shippers of hots also have a $25 box charge or something similar since the packaging of venomous is very particular and involves a wooden box that must be built.

Most yearling pythons can be shipped via overnight carrier for around $40, so yes there would be a difference if the snakes were shipped properly and safely.
Even if the pythons were shipped through the airlines, unless the shipper absorbed the box cost himself, the venomous shipment would still be more expensive.

VERSES

I appreciaet your help. Why is it so expensicve to ship ven-snakes? I mean just cause it could be dangerous? I just don't understand.

Thanks,
Cassandra

The charge for shipping a snake via the airlines is $75, it doesn't matter if it's venomous or not.
In addition there are strict rules set forth by the airlines regarding the packaging of venomous animals. They must be contained in a wooden box with reinforced corners which is screwed together. There are other requirements as well, but the cost of this box is normally passed on to the buyer for an additional $25. The box charge varies though depending on the shipper.

The yearling pythons could be shipped via overnight carrier such as FedEx for around $40.
Venomous animals can only be legally shipped via the airlines however, so using an overnight carrier is not an option.

VS

What are the restrictions in how you package a yearling python?

There are no actual restrictions concerning non venomous other than they are well contained in the box of course.

A styrofoam lined cardboard box is used and the snake is either placed inside a snake bag or a deli cup depending on its size, then the dead space in the box is filled with something such as shredded newspaper or packing peanuts to minimize the movement of the container.

Shipping

Thye can breathe in the bag?

If they couldn't people wouldn't ship them in snake bags at all. Would kind of defeat the purpose.

Breathing

True! but is must be restricted a little maybe. What snakes do you own or reptiles?

The fabric of a snake bag is a very loose weave. Breathing is not restricted.

Deli cups only go so big and you can't just put a 6 foot asian ratsnake loose in a box, they need to be restrained for their safety and ease of unpacking.

As for me, I keep a fairly wide variety of snakes.

Yourt Snakes!

What types? Any ven-snakes?

Are you actually planning on keeping or shipping venomous snakes? I ask because your questions have me wondering if you have sufficient experience with snakes to even consider keeping venomous let alone ship them. In my opinion, to ask a novice type question, about either venomous or nonvenomous, such as:

Thye can breathe in the bag?

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indicates to me a level of snake keeping that is far below that which would be needed to responsibly maintain venomous species especially since the snake bag is an almost indispensible basic tool of the snake keeper. If by chance you are actually handling venomous species, bear in mind that not only can a snake breathe trough a proper snake bag, but it can also bite through one sufficiently to envenomate you. I realize that Clay never specifically mentioned placing a venomous species into a snake bag; however, snake bags are often used as the very inner container when shipping venomous species and are sometimes used for venomous species while field collecting.

One note on what Clay said about snake bags being of a loose weave - this is not particularly the case, anyway at least not for bags that I have used. I always use bags that have a tight and strong weave as opposed to a "loose" weave, but that are made of breathable natural fabrics such as 100% cotton or bags of a cotton/poly blend with high cotton content. A weave that is too loose would be easily damaged by pulls, snags or tears and could actually allow a snake to push a hole into the fabric of the bag and escape. This is, in my opinion, especially true of bags used for field collecting.

Best regards,
Glenn B

You are correct Glenn. I didn't mean a loose weave as in loose like burlap, but some of my snake bags are of a looser weave than pillow cases for instance, but remain a very strong fabric.
That is not to say pillow cases are not usable, I have several of those that I use as snake bags as well.
Most all cotton fabric is breathable.

Very good point on being bitten through a bag. I didn't think to mention it, but I guess you can't always depend on common sense to point out such things all the time.
I've unpacked hots that were in a bag within another container, and I don't even bother to try to loose the knot in the bag, I just cut it off then use tongs to pour the snake out.
Techniques vary by species, and this method would not be acceptable for some types of snakes, but it's the safest for me with the ones I have dealt with. I'd much rather ruin the bag than accidentally get a finger below the knot and get tagged.

Clay,
I have heard some people say pillow cases should never be used as snake bags because they will not stand up to the pressures snakes can put on the seams. I have always been rather amused by that because pillowcases are purposely manufactured to stand up to lots of pressure over and over again. They get slept on, pounded by fists, beaten, shaken, fluffed up and so forth and always take it; and if my fat head does not ruin them - well a snake sure won't (I am talking quality pillow cases not a .99 cent special). I use em all the time for nonvenomous species, and have never had an escape from one yet because it got through a seam, unless the seam was faulty beforehand. (Seams are always a weak point to check on any snake bag.) I have also used cotton laundry bags - also very strong if you buy the right type. I imagine that for hots you would want a bag that is plenty long to be able to give it at least a few good twists, and still have the snake hanging a good distance down away from your hands before tying a knot in it. I like the bags on the wire hoop, wire hoop connected to a pole thing. Those are some long bags.

As for letting snakes out of the bag, I like your method of cutting the bag and not trying to undo the knot. I don't keep any venomous but I have caught a few on my journeys here and there. I always handle them with a lot of care and respect borne out of my fear of being bitten. One of the scary things was bagging them when I decided to keep one for observation for a few days. I may never have thought about being able to be bitten through the bag except that I had read about the possibility in some old snake collector's book (maybe a Carl Kaufeld book or something similar).

About a year or two ago, I was watching O'Shea on TV. It was an episode of his show where he was island hopping on a sailboat in the Pacific or Indian Ocean. He had a small viper of some sort in a bag, and took out the bag to check on the snake and wham. Tagged one of his fingers I think. One of the first things he said was what a jerk he had been to let a snake bite him through the bag, and that he was mad at himself for having let it happen. Luckily he wound up ok in the long run, but you could tell he was pretty scared even though the snake was not known to have a very toxic venom. I have been there and done that in as far as wanting to kick myself in the head for having done something stupid that led to me being hurt, but I hope never to do so with a venomous snake.

In fact I stopped collecting venomous at all because of something I read somewhere, that should have been common sense yet I had never thought of it. I always had caught them while I was alone in the field. I only really ever looked for venomous species when I was away from home on a temporary work assignment to places like Florida, Arizona, California or Texas; and no one else from work ever wanted to go out with me except on one occasion. There were lots of venomous snakes where I was at, so I would catch a few. This was a very big mistake, and could have proven to have been my downfall had I ever been bitten. Having someone else there to administer first aid, to call for help, to drive you to a hospital, to tell the doctors what type of snake bit you if you become unconscious, could all be crucial to survival. Of course I could still be bitten while out herping for nonvenomous species, but that is a risk I take much like crossing the street. I no longer tempt fate by seeking out venomous, and if I find em while alone it is 'look don't touch'.

Sorry I am really getting off of the original subject here, but I guess it all speaks to being very careful in handling venomous species when you handle them, and especially when shipping them as you are putting not just yourself but others along the shipping route at risk.

All the best,
Glenn B

People often overlook the obvious. Another area of risk is screen on cages.
I know of one fellow that without thinking rested his arm on a snake cage while talking. The top was screen and he took a bite through it. I'm sure that's happened more than once.
It's real easy to get distracted, and with hots that's a very dangerous risk indeed.

I'm far from an expert on venomous and I have a personal rule than I do not advise anyone on methods of keeping them. In fact I actively discourage people from beginning to keep venomous.
I have my methods but they are mine. I refuse to accept the responsibility of teaching others in this area.