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Info Heads up on Gourmet Rodent

I am curious though that they chose to ship to you in CT...hasnt it been below freezing there recently? THAT would be irresponsible, I agree.
 
MCMB-2 said:
If they died from cold, I don't understand what that has to do with packaging unless the box wasn't insulated or there wasnt a heat pack...which it was, and there was. I just don't follow the logic. The cause of death seems to be a failed heat pack, which I don't think is a result of it not being wrapped up.
Click to expand...

We don't really know the exact cause that led to the snakes' demise.
However, to explain the logic behind this particular scenario, if the heat pack was working, and ended up failing during transit, the snakes could have been "cooked" prior to the heat pack's failure. It does not have to take a very long time.
After a heat pack fails, all contents would end up being cold by the time the box reached its destination.

Either way, and no matter cause of death, it is very irresponsible to throw in a loose heat pack. Especially without some barrier between the heat pack & critters/delis.
 
I think I may have misread something. LoL

Anyway, I did want to add this to my previous post:
Some heat pack failures are preventable.

BTW, on that note, here is one:
Wrapping, even a light wrapping, can prevent some potential heat pack failures (I had, once, been told).
I always lightly wrap my heat packs (among other things). However, one day (some time ago), I did end up having an unintentional opportunity to test this out.
Had set out an unwrapped heat pack, and it did start to heat up, but, after awhile, it started to cool (failing). Curious, I took out another heat pack, from the same package, and it did the same thing.
Ended up taking the heat packs and putting them into small/thin paper sandwich bags. Folding up the bags as well.
Lo & behold, they heated back up again (and remained hot inside the bag).
 
I wonder if we're seeing all the packing material, also that heat pack could have been wrapped in the packing material and when he took it out it plopped right where we see the heat pack in the picture. From all the good over heard about them I'm having trouble believing that's how they really packed it.
 
ElexisOrtiz said:
I wonder if we're seeing all the packing material, also that heat pack could have been wrapped in the packing material and when he took it out it plopped right where we see the heat pack in the picture. From all the good over heard about them I'm having trouble believing that's how they really packed it.
Click to expand...

This situation does not negate all the good you have heard about them.

The OP stated that the heat pack was just tossed in.
The seller has not denied it nor, in their response, did they state how it was packed.
Without more info, who really knows.:shrug01:
 
Pasodama said:
This situation does not negate all the good you have heard about them.

The OP stated that the heat pack was just tossed in.
The seller has not denied it nor, in their response, did they state how it was packed.
Without more info, who really knows.:shrug01:
Click to expand...
Did I say it did? No. I said I have a hard time believing that's how it was really shipped, that's my opinion not fact that is was indeed shipped different than eat were shown. And as I said it could have been wrapped in the packing and in haste pulling it out the heat pack could have dropped to right where it is leading him to believe it was just tossed in. I've never bought from them so I've never seen first hand their packing job but from everything I've heard this seems like a one time fluke if that's the case. Maybe a new employee packed it? Who knows. The guy got his refund promptly so rhea made good on the purchase. Yes two animals died but they made good on it the only way they could.
 
ElexisOrtiz said:
Did I say it did? No.
Click to expand...

Now, now, No need for attitude.:rolleyes:

If you had read, it's already been stated that they made things right by sending a refund to the OP.

Only issue is if they packaged the snakes the way that the OP claims and has shown. IF they did pack, as the OP claims/shows, then I will stand by the opinion/fact that they need to improve upon their packing animals for shipment (at least the interior of the box). That's is all.
 
I love how things get taken out of context to make it look like I have an attitude. I don't have an attitude. I saw things how I think it and don't feel I need to sugar coat for adults. If people take it as an attitude, not my fault. I'm honest, blunt, and say what I think/feel. Those used to be traits people admired but now seems everyone's so sensitive anymore. If you took it as an attitude I apologize but that's not how it was meant. Can't read tone threw text.
 
Deb, I know that most people DO wrap the heat packs, but I read the full instructions on them and it's completely unnecessary. I think the reason to wrap them is because the pack is working through a chemical reaction, and heat always speeds reactions up. By trapping the heat, it's basically a self-propagating reaction similar to fission. As long as the interior of the box stays warm enough it should keep working the full period no matter what.

That being said, if the shipping destination were too cold that could cause the pack to fail, but from my experience GR wont ship if the conditions aren't acceptable...which is usually based on when the buyer tells them temps are fine. SPJ, what were the temps like the day you had them shipped? Understand that I'm not accusing you of anything I'm just curious; like I said before, I thought temps had been below freezing there. I personally tell people to hold off on shipping if there's even a question about lows.
 
They said they had a staff meeting, which means that they DID have to talk to people about this particular incident. To prevent it from happening again. Cant read much further into that, its very plain. Obviously somebody was at fault for one or several factors. The double box is great, its the inner packing thats the problem. ( barely any ) Shipping animals out in improper temps matters too. So whoever made that decision was in the wrong as well.
 
Pasodama said:
The OP stated that the heat pack was just tossed in.
The seller has not denied it nor, in their response, did they state how it was packed.
Without more info, who really knows.:shrug01:
Click to expand...
Agreed. This is why I video all of my unboxings though, so there's no question of how the critter was packed if something does go wrong.
 
gourmet rodent

Shoddy shippers are still out there. Now I always ask questions about their packing methods if considering a purchase.

I started to use 1" blue construction foam board whenever shipping animals out. It's very strong, light weight, holds in the heat or cold pack better than the white foam used by most. Cost more, but it's worth it to get the herps to the destination in a safe matter.

Mike
 
It looks to me like a nice packing job. Double box with 3/4" Styrofoam is not cheap. If another piece of crumpled paper would have helped, I am sure they would add it to the package.
I believe it was an accident, perhaps the box was exposed to outside temps. longer than normal? I do not think suffocation is likely, but it is possible a total heat pack failure is not unheard of. I think it was pretty much unavoidable, not really sure what could have been done except wait on the weather, and then I have seen single heatpaks generate way TOO much heat for these little guys to have survived.
Shipping animals is very risky, I am sure most people hate it, but it is a "necessary evil".
 
Heck, when I was in the business, early Spring and late Fall were always problematical times to ship. What do you do when the temp at your place (as the shipper) is forecast to be 85 degrees in the afternoon when the packages would be picked up, yet the destination is forecast to only be 35 degrees in the morning when they will likely be delivered? Cold pack or heat pack? :shrug01:
 
Rich just made a good point, but I would expand on it further. As the former owner of The Gourmet Rodent, I have watched this thread with interest. As always on threads like this, there is much speculation about what happened, etc. During the last year of our ownership, my wife and I were responsible for over 27,000 shipments of live reptiles, and in prior years we did a similar volume. That is a responsibility that we did not take lightly. Needless to say, we developed protocol that we believed would insure the safety of our animals, yet also meet the needs of our customers. The first part of our protocol is the box. It is a corrugated outer, lined with 1" styro which then contains an inner corrugated box (a double box system). We do this to insure maximum safety to the animals. In the difficult time of year to ship (when the destination temperature is below 45°F) we check the temperature by zip code for each intermediate stop that the package will make (Gainesville, FL; Jacksonville, FL; Memphis; TN and finally the zip code of destination). Once those temperatures have been determined,then specific determinations are made based upon all temperatures in the chain of transit. The factors considered are: 1) number of heat packs included 2) are heat packs wrapped or unwrapped 3) where are heat packs being located in the box 4) what animals are being shipped. These protocols are still being used by the current owners, Mike and Betsy Layman. It was unfortunate that animals did not make it to the original poster alive and well. As a Mike indicated earlier, The Gourmet Rodent takes such matters very seriously, both out of respect for the animals, and also from a good business practices perspective. Having said all of this, no system is perfect, as there was obviously a failure somewhere in the chain of transit in this particular shipment. I hope this shed a little more light on the subject. Thanks, Bill Brant
 
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