Shipping Snakes via UPS

Originally Posted by DragonCharm

Just got billed for my first shipment since the rate hike. Surprisingly only $26.43 from CT to OH.....not much change from before.

Fedex

Also, what does a violation of the Lacey Act entail legally should someone discretely ship snakes?

It costs me $45-55 to ship a 15" x 11" x 7" box now that UPS uses dimensional weight for air packages. The packages are usually around 2 lbs, but they are charging 6 lbs. I'm surprised that more people are not talking about this. This is absolutely devastating. Well, at least I can ship geckos. I do feel for the snake breeders. You guys are really getting the shaft. Why? DISCRIMINATION!! Period!

Rich, are you using FedEx exclusively now?

The days of shipping herps are numbered...

Rich~
I'm sure you've thought of this~ but in case you haven't and for anyone else with higher shipping costs~

Call you local Fed-Ex rep and ask what kind of discounts he/she can get you. My rep hooked me up with a "Volume discount pricing agreement" that saves me 36% on all overnight services. I've shipped all of maybe 3 or 4 boxes in the last year~ but my rep was kind enough to hook me up.

Can't hurt to ask~ and a discount is always nice.

Fed-Ex is looking really good about now.

I just tallied up my shipments for January with the Dimensional Weight charges. In 7 shipments, UPS tacked on an additional $185.00. I had been charging a flat rate of $40.00 for shipping. My actual shipping charges were usually very close to this. With the Dimensional Weight Billing Adjustments - my average cost per package ended up being close to $65.00.

Now I use a little larger box then many of you - 12 x 12 x 10 - I'll not sacrifice my standard of shipping to save a couple of dollars, but this is crazy. I think the thing that bothers me the most is that I have been a UPS customer for a very long time and this all came without any notice at all. I didn't realize that they had modified their Dimensional Weight policy until it appeared as an adjustment on my bill. Pretty poor business practice.

I feel like I've been dragged through the "Brown". Farewell UPS....

Rich, airborne did the same exact thing to me. A rep from their offices called and told me they wanted to be my shipper. When I explained to him that I shipped live reptiles, he spoke to his "supervisor" who said it was ok.

Everything went fine until one delivery never made it to its destination. The customer called airborne and was told several different stories, ranging from "there is no package going to that address" to "we don't ship snakes".

The next day, she contacted her local office and they told her I had sent a "duct-taped shoebox with holes." and that they "couldn't deliver boxes like that."

Needless to say, when she finally got her snake, it was just fine, the snake was in a taped deli-cup, and packaged in a propak shipping box with a heatpack.

These shipping companies are ridiculous. They hire people who don't seem to care about the packages they deliver. I've had more than one box show up here damaged, a few damaged beyond repair (which were not live animals, thankfully!) and been told there's nothing I can do.

"I feel like I've been dragged through the "Brown"."

LOL! No kidding.

I feel like I've been dragged through the "Brown".

LOL! Thats the best one ive heard yet. I will contact FEDEX and see what they can do. The shippers in my area (new location) are not exactly freindly guys. That counts for all of them. Only some of the drivers I got to know, are really any good.
Thanks, Jim

My regular UPS driver is a friendly guy. He doesn't mind handling my boxes that say "live reptiles" or "live animal" on them.

My regular UPS driver is a friendly guy. He doesn't mind handling my boxes that say "live reptiles" or "live animal" on them.

-I think it would be alright to conclude that MOST (not all) UPS drivers are typically not to bad with shipping Live reptiles. I think it is mainly the reps, and people that are positioned at a drop off station.