Shipping Question

Shipping question in reguard to heat or cold packs.

At what temp range do you switch from heat to cold packs?

Is there ever a temp when you wouldn't use either?

Well I try to avoid winter shipping and mid summer shipping.

I use heat packs if its below 60 at night.

I use cold packs if it is above 85 when picked up at 7pm.

I try to do most of my shipping when its below 90 at pick up time and will not get colder than 60 during transit.

In the summer if you have a late day pick up or drop off its going to get cooler during the night so cold packs are not something I use a lot.

In the winter it will only get colder after pick up or drop off so I do use heat packs when needed.

The cold pack issue is something I've worried about as well. I don't think there would ever be a situation where I would really want to use a cold pack as it dips into the 50s at night (often by dinner time) in the summer here. But what if I'm shipping somewhere where it might be really hot by noon? How cool is too cool and how hot is too hot (temps in the box) I guess are the real questions. The range of temperatures the geckos are likely to encounter during their trip can be just huge.

Originally Posted by nwheat

How cool is too cool and how hot is too hot (temps in the box) I guess are the real questions. The range of temperatures the geckos are likely to encounter during their trip can be just huge.

Exactly why I asked....LOL

Shipping overnight they get where they are going by 10:00am most places in the US do not get that hot by 10:00am now if say they don't get there by 10:00am well that never happens right ?

They don't actually guarantee 10:30 to that many places. My house is not really that far out there and UPS and FedEx will only guarantee 12:30. I just shipped a gecko to somewhere in Texas where UPS would only guarantee end of day (7:00 pm). She arrived by about 2:00, though. That's something I'll be checking on ahead of time in the future. When I checked prices online it gave me the correct price, but didn't mention the exception to the 10:30 guarantee - only found that out when I was dropping her off.

I have only sent one package in 4 years that was not guaranteed by fed ex to be there by 10:30 and the site said it was but it was an "oh well that is out our guaranteed area". The animals arrvied OK but cold later in the day.

The thing about heat and cold packs are:

Where is the package being shipped from and to....

There are times of the year that we have an early heat wave, meaning that it is 80+ or more here at 7pm when picked up BUT it goes to the TN sort center where it is a little colder then to North from there where it is a lot colder. HEAT PACK OR NOT? And what if it goes South where it is much more humid?

There are also times here that it is 90 at 7pm pick up time but it goes to the colder North and it so much cooler there and the package hits TN where it is much cooler and the NE area where its fine.

What you have to realize are the temps, EVERY step of the way, heat packs cannot do but so much; but they can also do TOO much, same for cold packs.

That is why I prefer to not ship if temps are not within reason for me at pick up and reamain within reason for delivery.

And you have to factor in the box being in the TRUCK heat or COLD, its not easy!