Shipping Guide-Let Me Teach You How TO Ship!

Check out the attached PDF! I created a guide for a buddy of mine, and decided to share the knowledge that I have picked up. Please let me know what you guys think! Thanks!

It looks pretty good, although I wouldn't suggest placing the heat pack on the bottom. If you put it on the bottom in a box that small, they have no where to go if they get too hot. If you place it on the side, you can allow the animal to regulate it's body temperature if it gets too hot or too cold.

I disagree with that in a way, as I don't put the animals right on top of the heat pack. I make a layer of paper between, meaning that there is no direct heat transfer between the heat pack and the animal. They are meant to raise ambient temps, not to be used like heat tape in a rack. If the animal can touch the heat pack, you run the risk of killing the animal. Not to mention that putting the heat pack on the bottom has been widely accepted by the many people that have shipped to me. I have used this method every time, and I have never had a mishap.

Even with the paper between the heat pack and the animal, the animal is still stuck sitting on the heat pack during transit. Although the heat pack is meant to work to raise the ambient temperature, it is still functioning as heat tape would in a rack system- except there's no "cool area" when they have to sit on the heat pack during shipment.

But to each their own- my preference has just always been to place the heat packs on the sides, instead of the bottom of the box. Just like any enclosure, I'm trying to create a warmer and cooler side (albeit in a much smaller area). I've also never had any mishaps while placing the heat packs on the sides. Like everything else in reptiles, I suppose it comes down to doing what works best for your and your animals.

Very true, everybody's animals are different and different methods work accordingly.

As a side note, I did try taping the heat pack to the sides and top before on a package before, and for some reason it didn't maintain temps as well as when I put it on the bottom. Not sure what the variable was that caused it, however, I have what works for me. This is not a strict guide to shipping or anything, things are meant to be slightly customized by each person to suit their own personal shipping needs. I just wanted to spread a little knowledge to those in the industry that have never shipped or have never been taught.

I always secure the heat pack to the inside top of the box and to one side in effort to try to create an up-down and side-side small temp gradient. That is usually how I've received as well, the heat pack on the top.
I know other ways work, just wanted to mention it.

Thank you very much for this! I have never sold/shipped reptiles so this should help me a lot! Thank you so much!

Nice work there Brendan. Keep in mind with the heat packs that you are not really trying to heat up the package, but rather just keep it temperate, neither hot nor cold.

Reptiles are well suited to overnight shipping, you just want to protect them from temperature extremes and swings either way.