What method do you use to ship?

[WebSlave]

This is going to go hand in hand with another thread here concerning shipping options. I (and others) would like to get a feel for exactly how you all are shipping RIGHT NOW.

So please, take the time to participate in this poll to help us all figure out the numbers we are dealing with as well as exactly what is at stake with efforts we may need to make in the future.

BTW, this poll allows multiple choices in case you use more than one method to ship.

Thanks!

 

[HerpVenue]

Well I don't know whether to ask here or to post somewhere else.

But there are over 30 people (as of this writing) who ship with UPS WITH aproval.
Are there really that many of you?
What are the steps you took to get aproved?

 

[WebSlave]

I probably should have made this poll specific to shipping snakes, I guess. But this should give a well rounded view of just what shipper is the most popular and the manner in which most people utilize their services. Perhaps a followup poll specific to shipping snakes will be in order when this one has run its course.

But there have been between 600 and 900 registered members on here every day. Certainly half that number are shipping animals, I would think. Perhaps I should broadcast email ALL registered members on this site to come on in and participate in this issue.

 

[dwedeking]

Oh, what, Lizard people don't have important opinions? At least our animals come without missing their legs!!!


Ritchie,

With UPS we had to request authorization to ship live lizards. Then we went through a phone interview to discuss how we ship. The biggest thing with any of the carriers is to not take "No" as an answer. Be persistent.

 

[Bci Joe]

I have found that Airborne misses pickups, misses deliveries, and scans boxes, risking animals health

I have found that UPS has shipped to incorrect addresses and usually demands to know what is in the box.

I have found that Fedex does not ask, nor get dramatic over some old writing on a box (Keep warm/handle with Care.. and they have NEVER done me wrong..

thanks, Joe Rollo

The reason, IMO, we are possibly excluding lizards is because many shippers i've seen/heard of are not strict about lizards and do allow their shipment.
BUT NONE will knowingly accept snakes... and unfortunately, it is mostly due to ignorance.

I bet if they knew Gila's were being shipped they would change that policy too - real quick..
because it would be easier for them to ban ALL LIZARDS than to simply worry about regulating one type.. lol

 

[Darin Chappell]

Rich,

While I agree that a companion poll showing the numbers of people that specifically ship snakes is in order, I have another idea for you too. How about a poll for everyone who has received snakes being shipped to them? What company(ies) did the shipment(s) come by? I think that would give you, not only a sense of what the percentages are for shipper choices, but also a MUCH larger pool from which to draw any analysis.

Like you said, about half of us ship at some point during the year. But I bet it's more like 80 or 90 percent of us that receive shipments!

Just a thought...

 

[Ken Foose]

I started with Airborne. Had a nice thing going, everything was fine. Daily pickups, drivers were customers. Drivers knew what was in the boxes. Managment knew what was in the boxes, including snakes. Then they merged with the other company. Managment switched. All of the sudden, in one day, I was told I could ship nothing but turtles, and that my boxes would be inspected for violations.

Off to fedex I go. Shipment are fine, driver knows what's in the box. After a few weeks, I ship out a large box of very active diamond back terrepins. They make noise. Fedex calls, tells me to come pick up box. The do not allow the shipping of live animals, period. I fight, but no good. I took it as far as the vp of the company. I was told I could ship horses, but not turtles.

Off to UPS I go. They don't allow snakes. I know this. I ship snakes anyway. The driver, once again, is a customer of mine. He knows what's in the boxs. He shipped a 85 pound retic for me to Texas. Laughed as we loaded it, saying he had never picked up a snake that big, "wait til' the guys at the hub see this" and such. UPS for the most part has been good to me so far. I did ship a couple frogs to Minnisota, and they got there late and did not survive. They refused to refund my money for the lost animals, but did refund me for the shipping. They will not guarantee live arrival, period, according to the letter I recieved.

As far as Delta goes, I use them all the time. I have had no problems with them, and they are the only legit way I know of to ship snakes.

Just wanted to recap what I have used, might be usefull to someone

 

[Neil Gubitz]

I, too, used to have the same problems.... I used to use Airborne and FedEx (at times) to ship my animals (I've never used the USPS), the driver's knew what were in the boxes and had no problems with it.... then, for no reason that I could ascertain, both of those companies decided not to ship animals anymore, and they asked me not to ship through them.... I complied.... I have been using UPS almost exclusively for 6 years now, and have NEVER had a problem with them.... The drivers, and the company, know exactly what I ship and I have never had any warnings about it at all.... It might be due to the fact that I always use brand new boxes, I always put, "Harmless Reptile", and "Keep Warm", in the Winter months.... and "Harmless Reptile" and "Keep Out Of Sun", in the Summer months.... and nothing has ever escaped or gotten loose in the box so they could hear anything "walking around".... it also doesn't hurt that I give my UPS drivers a $100 Christmas bonus every year, either (lol).... they treat my shippments like Gold!.... It also might have that "Grandfather Clause" attached because I have been using them for so long and nothing bad has ever happened.... whatever the reason, I will continue using UPS exclusively (and Delta sometimes.... I'm verified with them, also), until they tell me otherwise.... even my customers who are in areas that don't allow them to ship animals, always receive MY boxes without problems....

Neil

 

[sputnik]

SHIPPING

No service is perfect - UPS, fed, airborne etc. There will be screw ups by all of them.

The problem I have is are some of these shippers allowing some to ship, but not others?

Wouldn't that be descrimination?

The stupidity of these shipping policies is just plain for all to see. These companies are also missing out on a lot more business.

With the policy stance they take, it gives some of us who ship very few items per year little choice but to ship without permission. Who is going to ship delta, with animals that are $100 or less in value?

Something needs to change!

Maybe some educating needs to take place first.

 

[Mickey_TLK]

The question is flawed in a way if you were asking for snakes only, however if you asked for snakes only I would guess you could take UPS with approval off also, as to the best of my knowladge NO ONE IS APPROVED TO SHIP SNAKES VIA UPS. Some may be able to, but none are approved from above to.

However since the question asked for thoose shipping with UPS approval, and didnt get animal specific, you have to mark it.

I also think a poll on what company people have recieved SNAKE SHIPMENTS FROm, and IF THEY WERE PROPERLY LABLED, may be a good follow up poll.

Mickey Hinkle
The Lizard King Reptiles

 

[WebSlave]

Yes, there are a number of ways that a poll can be set up. My intent was to have some numbers to talk about to a representative of the various shipping companies and be able to say "I have input from X number of companies who are looking for a reliable, aboveboard method to ship their snakes and other reptiles to customers." Obviously as long as there is not a major price difference, anyone who can ship their snakes through a shipper is not going to ship lizards and turtles through one, and snakes through the other. So I would be discussing TOTAL business coming from X number of potential shippers.

In some respects I do wish I could have this entire mess over in the SHIPPING forum, but you all know as well as I do that this site has a huge problem with tunnel vision centered only on the BOI. Polls of various flavors are a good way to get some concrete information to work with, but I really do not want to flood the BOI with them.

 

[Neil Gubitz]

Rich.... for the life of me, I can't remember who it was, but SOMEONE was talking to the higher-ups at UPS to try and get them to relent and let us ship snakes "legally".... do you know what ever happend to that??

Neil

 

[Boasnsuch]

Though we haven't shipped anything in a long time, I used to use airborne exclusively. The driver knew what was in the box and I never had any hassles or screw ups. Until the last time I tried to ship, I was told that unless they were turtles over 4" in length, they weren't going to accept the box.

 

[OBZ]

my honest opion on the matter is this;

while i am guilty of utilizing 'unauthorized' overnight carriers to ship live reptiles.... there is no excuse for spending a little extra money to shi legally, in a temperature controlled environment in a properly pressurized cabin. US air PDQ and Delta dash. I am not a verified delta shipper so i dont ship out via delta, however anyone can use US air PDQ. Again, there is no excuse. Inconveniant? More expensive?

Who here is in this 'HOBBY' to save money? If you are, you should stick to cutting cupons for cans of baked beans. Not to say its an elite hobby or anyhting, but plain and simple IT COSTS MONEY. I cant get into the 'yachting' scene due to finacial restrictions... The proper care and shipping of reptiles is not much different, if you cannot afford to do it right, that you cannot afford to do it.
To ship animals THE RIGHT WAY.... it costs a little more.

Inconveiniant.... well how conveniant is cleaning up snake crap? It comes with the territory... god forbid anyone should have to get up and leave the house to pick up or drop off an animal with a shipping company that takes proper care of your animal in trasit and insures it for the declared value.

Your shipping methos is your option to choose. Im well aware of the number of succesful shipments made via overnight carriers at all times of the year. Fact is, the animals made it fine, everyone was happy, its more conveniant, etc etc etc.... BUT, yo uare taking a risk,... that that package will show up on time... that the temps dont plummit or skyrocket in trasit.... i dont care what the temp reads on CNN.com , at 30,000 ft its almost always freezing. The unpressurized, un heated belly of a mail cargo plane is not what its like outside on your porch 10 miles below. Some kid making 12 bucks an hour to kick boxes around is doing exactly that. Fed Ex Trucks leave the sort at 6am or so... you get your package by 10am... thats 4 hours of bouncing around, parked in the sun, or in the freezing cold with no heater, etc.

If you want to ship right, legally, and securley use an airport to airport service.

just my opinon. i dont condemn anyone for shipping however they please, and again, ive used fedex, and ups....but i took a gamble... gamble and sooner than later youll loose.

sean mills

 

[WebSlave]

Neil - it was Ben Sparks that tried this with UPS a while back.

 

[sputnik]

YEAH RIGHT!

If you want to ship right, legally, and securley use an airport to airport service.

That's all good and dandy to tell everyone you should ship airport to airport, but in the real world it doesn't happen. No one is going to ship a $25 corn snake or similar value reptile this way.

It's not realistic.

Airport to airport is not without risk either. Fewer risks!

This is about getting overnight carriers to change their policy on shipping snakes.

 

[OBZ]

hey buddy its my opinion....

your stating that a $25 cornsanke doesnt deserve the same humaine, secure transit that a $20000 snake does? thats pretty sad.

maybe that $25 corn snake should be a $75 cornsake, gauranteed to be shipped live and healthy....

 

[craig kade]

Shipping airlines

I for one am against shipping airlines. Yes it is inconveinient. For me to ship delta it is about a four hour round trip. The price really does not bother me, but I see no advantages to it. When I have gotten things in the winter they have been sitting on a cold floor. I have driven the four hour rond trip to find out the plane was delayed. I actually got my motley boa airborne by choice, the shipper wanted to pay for delta and I begged him to send it airborne, he agreed and no problem. Add to that getting certified as a delta shipper. I have a friend that did that and it took several months to get someone to approve it. I know someone reading this, that lives 5 mins from an airport, will disagree and say that is the only way to ship, but I have no intention of taking 4+hrs out of my day anytime I need to ship something. Craig Kade

 

[tarheelreptile]

The problem isn't with the individual shipping companies. The IATA and Federal Government says that live animals can only be shipped via air cargo. It is plain and simply illegal to ship live animals using a ground carrier (ie. UPS, Fedex, Airbourne Express). Who cares what the federal law says! I use UPS Next Day Air to ship animals on a daily basis. I ship everything from hatchling cornsnakes to 8 foot pythons. I've never had a problem in 10 years. People end up getting screwed because they write "Live Reptile", "Live Animal" or "Live Harmless Reptile" all over the box. Never do that, you're asking for trouble. "Perishable-Avoid Extreme Temperatures" is all you need to put on the box. You have to be discreet. It also helps to get to know the driver or clerk that recieves your packages. UPS leaves it up to the discretion of the clerk whether or not to accept a parcel. But if they get caught up in a jam, they will automatically say that they do not allow the shipping of live animals. Then you can kiss your package goodbye! They have to cover their own asses. It's not that these companies don't want our business. They could care less what people ship. They have to answer to IATA and the Federal government. Trust me, they will screw you every time to keep the Feds away.

 

[The Snake Guru]

Shipping issues

I will be very interested to see where this goes, I too have always thought that the shipping companies never had the right to block the shipping of harmless reptiles and especially snakes.
They really don't know what they are missing out on for buisness, the pet trade in the last five years has exploded! Everyone wants exotic reptiles the more rare the better.
I have heard from actual companies that they make a deal with some shipping companies, paying a yearly fee to them for allowing them to ship snakes, that's all well and good but what about the little guys!? What are we suppose to do!?

Thanks,
Brad Baysinger