Sasheena
Imperfect
I finally did it. I shipped a snake! How nervous I was, and how careful in packing the animal. Temperatures were a bit low on the receiving end, but 100 degrees here on the shipping end, so I couldn't do a heat pack, and couldn't do a cold pack. But I just heard that she arrived fine, and I'm breathing easy.
When I was packaging up the animal for shipping, I tried to remember every thread on this site that has discussed the good and the bad ways of shipping. I tried to do it right, and she arrived alive, slightly cool, and healthy.
I think it would be nice to have a sort of "shippping 101" for those who are new to this hobby and to shipping. It would be especially nice for it to be in one location.
Some of the things of interest to me:
1. How should you mark the box?
2. How should you pack the box?
3. How should the snake itself be packaged inside the package?
4. What temperatures should decide if you include a heat pack, a cold pack, or neither?
I'm sure there are more questions I have but those are all that come to mind at the moment. What I did for my first ever shipment of a snake was the following:
1. How should you mark the box?
I marked it "Live Harmless Reptile" and below that "Lampropeltis Getula Goini" also had marked "Fragile" and "do not expose to extreme temps."
2. How should you pack the box?
I cut some styrofoam to fit on all six sides of the box. It was NOT the most professional job, but it was solidly done. Inside the styrofoam I used crumpled newspaper to act as further insulation and as a buffer.
3. How should the snake itself be packaged inside the package?
I put the snake in a glad disposable container, with holes in it, and a couple of crumpled papertowels that almost filled the container. I let the snake slither into the papertowels and then shut it up.
4. What temperatures should decide if you include a heat pack, a cold pack, or neither?
Since it was 100 here and 70 at the destination, I opted for no heat or cold pack. The snake was in an air conditioned facility until pickup at 5:30 pm when the temperatures were already much lower. she arrived cool but otherwise okay. A cold pack would have just made her colder at arrival, and a heat pack would have cooked her on departure.
Anyway I would love to hear any other words of advice or a "shipping 101" type discourse. I figure that this can help more than myself, as the more people who learn proper shipping, the more reptiles will make it to their destinations alive, etc.
When I was packaging up the animal for shipping, I tried to remember every thread on this site that has discussed the good and the bad ways of shipping. I tried to do it right, and she arrived alive, slightly cool, and healthy.
I think it would be nice to have a sort of "shippping 101" for those who are new to this hobby and to shipping. It would be especially nice for it to be in one location.
Some of the things of interest to me:
1. How should you mark the box?
2. How should you pack the box?
3. How should the snake itself be packaged inside the package?
4. What temperatures should decide if you include a heat pack, a cold pack, or neither?
I'm sure there are more questions I have but those are all that come to mind at the moment. What I did for my first ever shipment of a snake was the following:
1. How should you mark the box?
I marked it "Live Harmless Reptile" and below that "Lampropeltis Getula Goini" also had marked "Fragile" and "do not expose to extreme temps."
2. How should you pack the box?
I cut some styrofoam to fit on all six sides of the box. It was NOT the most professional job, but it was solidly done. Inside the styrofoam I used crumpled newspaper to act as further insulation and as a buffer.
3. How should the snake itself be packaged inside the package?
I put the snake in a glad disposable container, with holes in it, and a couple of crumpled papertowels that almost filled the container. I let the snake slither into the papertowels and then shut it up.
4. What temperatures should decide if you include a heat pack, a cold pack, or neither?
Since it was 100 here and 70 at the destination, I opted for no heat or cold pack. The snake was in an air conditioned facility until pickup at 5:30 pm when the temperatures were already much lower. she arrived cool but otherwise okay. A cold pack would have just made her colder at arrival, and a heat pack would have cooked her on departure.
Anyway I would love to hear any other words of advice or a "shipping 101" type discourse. I figure that this can help more than myself, as the more people who learn proper shipping, the more reptiles will make it to their destinations alive, etc.
