• Responding to email notices you receive.
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  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

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    Posted 08/15/2025
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    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

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    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....
To me being able to save even a dollar is beneficial. However I don't ship often ATM. When I am selling snakes more regularly I think I'll offer a choice (providing SYR/UPS is still up and running) to the buyer. That sounds most reasonable. For my choice, I like to save money.... So whoever helps me do that (and offers a good service) who is I'm going with.
 
Using the UPS SYS system might also hinge on local UPS personel. Our local FedEx is usually very reliable, while UPS can be late, missing, or no-shows.
When I was in a town an hour south, it was the opposite, with UPS the BEST ever, and FedEx a nightmare.
So some folks might not use SYS because their local UPS sucks, while the SYSTEM might work great! There's nothing at all that SYS can do about local delivery people not working well in their area.
I'll probably start using SYS very soon. The quotes I got were reasonable.
 
I recently use SYR to ship some snakes to a friend. It was the first time and it went perfectly. All I did was drop-off the box at the nearest UPS with minimal conversation to the employee there. Just reporting my experience.
 
I recently use SYR to ship some snakes to a friend. It was the first time and it went perfectly. All I did was drop-off the box at the nearest UPS with minimal conversation to the employee there. Just reporting my experience.
Same here, No problems! I shipped two boxes out recently one here in Ohio and one to New Mexico...Everything went very well!
 
Just a little feedback here after reading this thread.

To sum up what I've read, correct me if I'm wrong, but SYR has a written exception, that doesn't show up in the UPS exception or tracking number generation system. The only evidence of this exception is the letter itself, which has been read over the phone to several individuals, but for all pragmatic purposes doesn't exist because it isn't available to us, and isn't available to anyone internal to UPS who might be moving the package or resolving a dispute.

So, essentially, SYR offers a service of shipping a snake through a system that is as convinced as any other system that it should not be shipping snakes. So customers are lead to believe that the system does allow for all kinds of reptile shipping, when it clearly is not set up to allow for snakes, which further confuses and confounds the resolution of the rare times that the system works correctly and doesn't ship the snake.

I'm sorry, but as a consumer, I can't imagine why anyone would use this method aside from the hope of getting a better rate. It certainly can't be because it's more legal, made to ship snakes, or that it is less likely to result in harm to the animal. Not from what I've read here.

I'll go a little bit further and I hope I don't offend anyone but, the ads make it sound like SYR is a shipping method made for shipping reptiles of all kinds. I don't see a little * anywhere that says "by the way, everyone who touches the package will believe that they shouldn't be shipping snakes, so if they find out, your snake is hosed". How is it that everyone is OK with this? From my perspective either UPS should be aware of, and set up to ship snakes from SYR's account or SYR shouldn't be offering and profiting from the service. The strategy of using a service to ship snakes, who’s policies are set up so as to not ship snakes, in hopes of convincing it to change it's policy is not just putting the cart before the horse, it's putting the cart before the horse before the cart is properly built and then selling cart rides.

-Paul Holsinger
 
Well, since this has been brought back to the top anyway and it's been nearly two months since the initial post...

Anyone know if the "pilot program" has been completed (ie, Policy has changed or their is now some manner of identification with the SYR account in the UPS system)? I haven't tested it for a third time as of yet, but made the decision to continue waiting until the program was much more stable and UPS got their butt together.
 
Ive use SYR several times and both being snakes...without any problems..and the UPS store guy was informed about what was in the boxes. At first he was hesitant, but I told him that SYR is a new service and that its allowed, he was ok with that explanation.
 
My Hypo from Chuck was a SYR. Actually got here in the morning all in one undented, carried upright, not shaken in front of me piece.

However, due to past experiences I still strongly prefer Fed Ex.
 
Dont sit and wait for UPS to come around in agreement to snakes.

Get FedEx Certified so its done and out of the way. If ups comes back online for snakes then you now have 2 options
 
I can't imagine why anyone would use this method aside from the hope of getting a better rate. It certainly can't be because it's more legal, made to ship snakes, or that it is less likely to result in harm to the animal. Not from what I've read here.

Yeah, you about sum it up for me. People ignore and defend a lot of CRAP and danger to the animal itself if it is just a little easier on them (no certification process) or saves them a couple of dollars.

Isn't that just peachy? Again, I'll stick with FedEx to ship mine AND to receive mine until the mess is OPENLY resolved.
KJ
 
I was FedEx certified before SYR ever came online and while I've never had a problem myself shipping SYR/UPS I have in fact had a problem using FedEx, even though I had the paperwork, everything, they still "don't ship live animals" according to the people I talked to at FedEx, completely contrary to the document I had from going through their shipping process...so they have issues as well.
I offer the option of either to my customers and they get the savings if they choose to...So far I've saved my customers $214.18 via SYR and I don't ship that often...
Alhtough I didn't know FedEx had AC in their vans, if this is true and standard, it would be a great reason to use them especially during the warmer months.
 
None of this really matters as SYR is not allowed to ship snakes. Their exemption (which was never proven to have existed and allowed to be used in the manner it was) was revoked by UPS per SYR.
 
None of this really matters as SYR is not allowed to ship snakes. Their exemption (which was never proven to have existed and allowed to be used in the manner it was) was revoked by UPS per SYR.
But according to most of the employees at FedEx the exact same could be said. My paperwork from them didn't mean squat as a BP I had shipped sat in limbo. Their own paperwork ( read :exemption) meant nothing to them, nothing.
So in fact it does and did matter when I shipped FedEx...and if you call any FedEx shipping center right now and ask if they ship snakes, the answer is going to be a "no".
Again they both have issues and SYR may resolve this with UPS or it may not, but pretending that FedEx doesn't have the same problems is disingenuous.
 
Kyle is right on the money there. I've had snakes shipped twice with FedEx, and guess what... Problems twice with FedEx. I've heard millions of good things about FedEx, but I guess I'm the unluckiest guy on earth because FedEx is 100% bad for me as of yet.
 
I have in fact had a problem using FedEx, even though I had the paperwork,

Right..but the paperwork EXISTS. People could see it. I could - and have - shown it to others. SYR has "hidden" theirs so well that people don't even believe it exists.

None of this really matters as SYR is not allowed to ship snakes. Their exemption (which was never proven to have existed and allowed to be used in the manner it was) was revoked by UPS per SYR.

Bingo.....if there ever was an exemption to begin with!

On thing to people who have been told by FedEx that they don't have an exemption - ever wonder if the problem was in how YOU handled the issue? It seems the less one ships and the more they care about the couple dollar savings through SYR, the more likely they are to have a problem. Hmmmmmmmmm. Interesting, isn't it? Don't get riled - I'm mostly jesting.

People who usually have trouble are trying to drop them off at a Kinkos or send the package to a residential address. Now, I've done both without any problems, but both really aren't stated as being permitted in the reptile waivers. ...and THEN people get mad when they have problems even though THEY violated the contract and not FedEx.

That there is just plain funny stuff. ;)
KJ
 
I dont like UPS and their 100F trucks my snakes would arrive in. I like the aspect of Climate controlled Fedex vans.

Im sure UPS will see the major hit in profits with snakes have halted on their service. But Fedex is the way to go with live animals.

They ain't all climate controlled. White is better then brown from a thermal absorption point of view though.

Actually, with live animals, Delta DASH is the way to go. It's just that customers don't want to go to the airport to pick up their package, and it cost a little more. I guess same day service with a guarantee that the animal has been indoors, and NEVER put on a truck just don't seem "worth it" to some. :shrug01:
 
Kyle is right on the money there.
What a brilliant thing to say Sir, :)

People who usually have trouble are trying to drop them off at a Kinkos or send the package to a residential address. Now, I've done both without any problems, but both really aren't stated as being permitted in the reptile waivers. ...and THEN people get mad when they have problems even though THEY violated the contract and not FedEx.
Nope, didn't use Kinko's used the same FedEx shipping hub, that I had used many times before, the reason my BP got pulled and sat idle for a day was someone there noticed my finely printed label specifying contents ( According to Lacey Act), but it did eventually make it to buyer, after many phone calls.
Look, I'll use FedEx again because it was only one incident after having shipped with them many times, but I've never had a problem with SYR ( which you can still ship reptiles other than snakes with still), don't have a grudge against ProExotics and don't own stock in FedEx...:)

Actually, with live animals, Delta DASH is the way to go. It's just that customers don't want to go to the airport to pick up their package, and it cost a little more.
crotalusadamanteus has the answer. I'd be more than willing to ship DD, if my customers would accept that.
 
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