• 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....

Steps To Become Fedex Certified!!!

FedEx now refusing my shipments!!

For crying out loud... I've been through all this mess, got the approval, and had been shipping with FedEx for months.

Now the local office is refusing my packages, and there is NOTHING in the computer records that I ever had approval to ship reptiles.

To make matters worse, the flood here on August 30 had damaged my paperwork, and it was thrown out, so I have nothing to show them as proof.

This all happened on Tuesday, and I still have not gotten a call back from FedEx about this. I am totally pissed off!!

Anyone else have FedEx turn on them??

Grrrrrr...........

Bonnie Keller
VA Reptile Rescue, Inc.
 
Hey Bonnie,
Sorry to hear about this!
Did you contact James Brown in legal by chance? He should have records of those of us that were approved via FedEx (just a thought).
Hope you get some resolution soon.
 
No but

The way my paperwork went was my rep sent me my contract then I signed it sent it back to him in which he is suposed to keep a copy--then the signed one went to legal. may be your rep has a copy. But someone in legal has to have the original copy with your signature on it. Good luck!

Shanell
 
Yep

And I did do exactly that! Hope you can get things worked out. At this very moment UPS has no idea where my reptiles are or where the driver is I just hope they get to me soon, Shanell
 
Is Fedex still making a big deal out of this, or has the 'memo' gotten to the local reps?

BTW Bonnie, did you get everything sorted out with your local facility?
 
credit card

Do you have to give a credit card number to sign up with fedex? Every forum i've seen so far requires it. But i don't use a credit card. :(
 
Live near main Fed Ex Hub

I live a few miles from the Fed Ex Hub. ALL Fed Ex packages go here to be routed out. I'll keep an eye out for everyone's packages:)

Someone mentioned that DHL no longer ships animals. I used Airborne for years and when they switched to DHL I specifically was told reptiles were permited. The local Airborne agent at the Memphis airport takes in many, many reptiles. They never give me a problem. Shipped just the other week.
Goes to show the variance between drop off points.

Someone also mentioned dropping their shipment in a drop box that was a converted photo drop box. There are businesses that are drop off points for Fed Ex if you don't want to go to airport. The animal would be in an airconditioned building that way.

I just opened my account on line and will be doing the lab thing. Glad to have another option. Thanks to all who plowed the way.

I want to concur and underscore the need to be level headed when you have a screw up on a shipment. We may think we are an attractive market for them to tap but we are not. The waiver is proof of that. We are a liablility if we can collect on a lost high ticket item. One 1k hit would nix a whole lot of other animal shipments profits.
 
As far as DHL is concerned, I would avoid them at all cost for shipping herps, even if your local counter allows it. I have twice had them fail to deliver an overnight package by the next day. The last time one of the animals nearly died. It just isn't worth it. Go with FedEx.
 
I have used Airborne/DHL for at least 5 or 6 years. Only had two late deliveries, still on same day. Never any losses. Delta for me is the one that never works out. Animals always cold, or late. Every shipper and shipping station is going to give you different service due to human influence.

Just my experience. I don't want to take this off topic of Fed EX so will refrain from further ramblings. :)
 
Quality of Service Depends on where you live.

I have only shipped once. I have received many live animals.

Where I live UPS does not deliver to me until after 4pm. Regardless of whether the sender pays for earlier delivery or not. I have received packages from UPS as late a 6:30pm. For this reason I always ask that UPS not be used to ship to me. Also, the UPS driver told me that he didn't think UPS accepted live animals. :dgrin: There was a case in San Francisco where the UPS delivery person turned in the recipient of the packages of live snakes to authorities. The recipient had most of his snakes confiscated and was arrested and fined.

I have experienced the best and most reliable service from DHL and FedEX. DHL would be first and FedEx second for reliability. Both carriers have gotten my packages to me before 1pm. Oftentimes before noon. That is the best I can hope for where I live.

:hot: I never accept USPS as a carrier because 3 times out of 5 they are late by days or lose the package all together.

All this applies to shipments of live animals and feeders.

So, from my perspective, the quality of customer service for the recipient of the packages should weigh more heavily than that for the sender. After all, as the buyer I lose all my money and end up with no animal if the carrier loses or fails to deliver live. The seller still has my money. JMO
 
buyer looses money?

So, from my perspective, the quality of customer service for the
recipient of the packages should weigh more heavily than that for the
sender. After all, as the buyer I lose all my money and end up with
no animal if the carrier loses or fails to deliver live. The seller
still has my money. JMO

My understanding of the contracts with DHL and FED EX are that they will not reimburse for loss of animal but only the shipping charges. So someone is out either an animal or money. Read carefully the Terms of Service of the breeder. Some guarantee live deliver barring shipping snafus. Some guarantee live delivery only if using Delta. Personally, we take the hit if the shipper screws up and there is a loss. The buyers money sits in a separate account until their return period ends. We prefer to use DHL because for us they are the fastest. We have had snafus with all the shippers over the years. Most of the time they are all reliable enough barring circumstance such as yours (location). If someone is buying a 50k ball I would take it to them personally. They should get it in person that is for sure, but I would do the trasporting.
 
YAY!!! I am not approved to ship via FEDEX! WooHoo! The process was simple. However, I have heard from a few others that it was not so smooth. I guess it depends totally on your local FedEx sales rep. Mine was awesome and I can't wait to start shipping without the fear or feeling that I'm doing something terribly wrong.lol.
 
Fed Ex has now removed the link from their website and from what I have been told by others inquiring, they will no longer allow new accounts and do not like dealing with reptiles from the people currently shipping.
 
I re-read my post after Steve's reply....I said,
"YAY!!! I am not approved to ship via FEDEX! WooHoo!" BUT I MEANT TO SAY
"YAY!!! I am noW approved to ship via FEDEX! WooHoo!" BIG DIFFERENCE! LOL.

Anyway, that's a shame if they pull-out of this now after I've talked to so many that have had a good experience with it so far. BUT remember, it only takes 1 idiot to screw things up for everyone else in this hobby.

Also, I've heard about some people that have tried going through the process entirely through the internet without actually speaking to someone from FedEx. This could be bad since it would allow shady characters to get approved/certified. I personally spoke with my local FedEx sales rep and was able to lay all their worries to rest by repeatedly assuring them that I would ship professionally and responsibly.

Also, one of the things they kept inquiring about when I went through this process was 'how often did I plan to ship?'....they basically wanted me to ship high volumes b/c it obviously means more money for them. However, I'm only a small-time hobbyist with a few babies each year. I would imagine the more one ships, the greater their chances for mistakes or mishaps occuring.
 
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