Posted by:
HappyHillbilly
at Sat Feb 21 22:39:18 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by HappyHillbilly ]
Please do NOT ship, or encourage anyone to ship, a snake without being certified by the shipping company you/they use. Please! Our hobby is being threatened enough as it is.
In order to ship a snake through FedEx the person doing the shipping has to be a FedEx certified Live Harmless Reptile Shipper. It's not a hard process to go through and usually only takes a few weeks to get certified. By the time the weather warms up good enough for safe shipping from an inexperienced shipper both parties will have had plenty of time to get FedEx certified, read up on how to package it, etc...
At the moment FedEx is the average Joe's main option to ship non-venomous snakes. Snakes can also be shipped by Delta (airport terminals) but due to the lack of local facilities & door delivery, FedEx is the most commonly used.
For a 4ft BP, I'd probably suggest using Delta. Your friend can contact the Delta shipping office at his nearest airport. Cost between FedEx & Delta will be pretty close to the same, with Delta maybe a tad cheaper. However, he'll have to take the snake to his nearest airport & you'll have to pick it up at your nearest airport.
Maybe some people have been able to slip some snake shipments through FedEx without being certified, but it sure jeopardizes our hobby as a whole. Not only that, but it jeopardizes some people's profession, including me, because the money I make from Internet sales & shipping through FedEx helps feed my family.
Let a few unauthorized snake shipments go bad, or they escape in transit and then watch everyone cry because FedEx puts a stop to allowing even certified shippers to ship. Everyone will be stuck with having to buy only what's available locally, or, pay a higher price for Delta shipping.
If an unauthorized shipment is caught by FedEx there's a good chance the snake will be dead & dried out by the time it's returned to FedEx facility nearest to the shipper, where it will sit until they go face the music, fines, penalties, and/or whatever else.
UPS' policy states that they do not allow the shipping of snakes through them. Although, some longtime customers appear to have agreements that allow them to do so. UPS, at this point in time, does not allow the average Joe to do it.
Shipping a snake through the United States Post Office is a federal offense.
There's a reptile company now in the works of starting a shipping portal that I believe anyone/everyone can use. It's supposed to kickoff sometime in March. Keep an eye on the big banners at the top of the pages here at Kingsnake.com for future announcements.
As for packaging - Do a Google search for: shipping snakes and read several of the links. Don't just read one, two, or a few, but several. Get various ideas. Most of them will be for shipping through FedEx, not necessary Delta standards, or requirements.
Best wishes!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American
www.natures-signature.com
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Please Do Not........ - HappyHillbilly, Sat Feb 21 22:39:18 2009