• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

FEDEX Standard Overnight Shipping.

J

John Albrecht

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Anybody use the "Standard", white Overnight Shipping Box to deliver small reptiles? Has this worked for you? I'm getting ready to ship a few small snakes and the box seems perfect for me. I used a hole-punch to put a few holes in the corners of the box and it looks like it should work. I was going to use crunched up newspaper as insulation and just bury the deli cups inside with a cold-pack. Any concerns I should have?

Thanks!

-John Albrecht
 
John,

You mean no Styro lining at all? What are the temperatures on your end and at mid-morning on destination?

Regards
 
I think that the less time they are in transit the better, I always use AM delivery and a styro lined box. The weather is nice but without styro the ice packs will most likely be not do much with newspaper.
 
I agree with Wendy, that's why I asked. Then again depending on the current temperatures and the species in question you "may" be OK. You can put a liner of Styro inside the box in just a few minutes of work. Why taking any chances?
 
i often have snakes shipped to me..........

..........standard overnight to save a few bucks,but ONLY because i pick up my packages at the airport in early AM.to have a reptile delivered standard overnight is taking a unecessary risk and is not worth it (IMO).uninsulated boxes are never a good idea.the best insulated boxes are from your MD or vet,plus there free.have fun!
 
This is for 10:00AM ish delivery overnight. I've been assured the recipient will be waiting at the door. It's around 60 F at origin and destination is Orlando. I really can't imagine it getting that hot, even there, by 10ish. Even with insulation I think the cold-pack has minimal effect but it's so cheap it's worth the trouble. I think if it was later in the summer I would be more concerned. But I will be looking at the styro panels I have laying around to see if they fit just-in-case.

My biggest concern was the arrival of the box in an undamaged condition. I've used the service before with good results but not with live animals inside.

Thanks all for input!

-John Albrecht
 
To me the styro supports the box just as much as it helps keep interior temps, you can take a box with no styro and step on it vs a box with styro and and unlined box will crush sooner. I get 6 sheets of styro at Lowes for like $7 and cut them to fit my boxes, its not worth the risk to me to save a few cents per box to not have it.

Standard overnight it by 3pm too, not sure how you will be getting that service guaranteed before the priority servive time.....

Also if the temps are on the 60's from you and to the destinationt he whole way, I woudl not use an ice pack! An ice pack on top of below 60 temps could cause them to get way way too cold!

I would ship them in a styro lined box, no cold packs and depending on the reptile you may need a heat pack at those low temps.
 
It's actually "standard" box, "priority" overnight shipping. 10:00AM delivery. you all make a good point regarding the styro. But it might not fit in the "standard" box. I will check it out though.

Thanks!
 
I am assuming that you are not "certified" to ship animals through FedEx?
 
I have used those boxes many times, BUT...

I still send them Priority Overnight so they get there early in the morning. Whenever possible, I try to convince customers to pick up at the local FedEx office in the morning. If they can't, then I remind them that they will only get a live arrival guarantee if the package is signed for on the first delivery attempt (if they insist on delivery to a business or home business).

I use a smaller, strong box inside the standard FedEx box for strength and insulation. AND I use either styro pieces or a couple of layers of bubblewrap around the smaller inside box for both shock absorption and temp insulation. Inside the smaller box, the individual (low type) deli cups are nestled in a padded envelope packed with newspaper so they can't move around too much, and it gives them even more shock absorption and temp insulation. Heat or cold packs are used as needed, although I try to keep heat packs as far from the snakes as possible, yet still inside the inner box.

It takes a little more time to pack this way, but they have always arrived safe (knock on wood) so far, and I think the shock and temp insulation is as good this way as the more traditional way. This way, FedEx does not charge dimensional weight because it is their own box, and it is free (at least the outer box is free).

BTW, my test box was sent packed in this manner and was approved by FedEx to ship reptiles.
 
Thanks Kathy. I'm glad you got that method certified. If I find myself having to ship a lot this would certainly be a preferred method and I might wind up having to get certified myself one day.

As I've mentioned, this would be a "priority" overnight shipment with the expectation of early morning delivery.
 
John Albrecht said:
It's actually "standard" box, "priority" overnight shipping. 10:00AM delivery. you all make a good point regarding the styro. But it might not fit in the "standard" box. I will check it out though.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

You can very easily get the flat sheets of styro at Lowes or Home Depot, and it only takes a few minutes to cut them to whatever size you need.
 
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