Reptile & Amphibian Forums

what is the coldest temps you can ship to using the insulated boxes and heat packs?

my season is off to a late start this year and I am finding that I am getting requests to ship to some pretty cold places. Not really comfortable going too cold but it got me wondering what temps some of you have had no problems with on the lower side.
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Misty Sprouse Ball Pythons

I've shipped throughout winter in temps below 12 Degrees and have only had one DOA in the six cold seasons I've been doing it. You just have to get a feel for how many heat packs VS. the square inches inside the box. Also realize that the heat packs use Oxygen as a catalyst, so you still need to let the box breathe.

so possible 25 degree night temps

9"x6"x6" box would you go to 2 heat packs? or keep with 1?

I never tape the boxes down 100% always leave some breathing room
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Misty Sprouse Ball Pythons

IMO heat is way harder to deal with than cold. The only thing I would recommend is have the people you are shipping to pick the snake up directly from the fedex center. That way they get them faster and they are not sitting in the back of a cold truck all day. All of the Fedex stations that I have ever been to bring the "hold for pickup" packages indoors. It is also a good idea not to ship too close to Christmas because they are so overloaded.
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John Vandegrift

good point about the x-mas rush I forgot about that factor
last year I had one that was a tad slow getting to it's home last year.

I ship priority overnight with fedex and really haven't had a problem as most are there by noon at the latest. Also living in CA and shipping to the east I feel cuts off on some of the time they are in the boxes, using the time differences to my advantage there!

I usually use a box 9"x6"x6" with one heat pack and all buyers reported the snakes have been just right as in not too hot or cold. Coldest I have shipped to has been around 50 degrees or just a tad below if I remember right.

the one in question would be going to an area that is around 25 degrees so that is what got me thinking about this.

I have yet to ship durning a warm time as being in CA my babies always come in the end of the season and are sold before summer gets here.
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Misty Sprouse Ball Pythons

I use Delta, because I ship off at around 10pm, using heat pack, and it arrives ususally the next day by 10am - around 1pm. Works great.

Dave

It has been in the upper teens/lower 20's at night here and all the packages I have been shipping/recieving are just fine. As long as you use an insulated box, good padding like newspaper that helps insulate, a nice snake bag or plastic container, and at least 1 60-hour heat pack (2 if you're using a 15x11x7 box or bigger). The snakes I have recieved lately have all been great -- warm like they would normally be in my house, but not hot and definitely far from being cold. Same with the 2 I sent out the other day. I recieved a pair of baby butter motley cornsnakes today that had NO insulation, NO heat pack (big WTF on my end), but yet they somehow made it through by shutting down and after being warmed up in my hands, they are acting like nothing happened. Wisconsin is damn cold right now, as are a few other places up on our latitude, but as long as you're smart and plan ahead (make sure to use long-lasting heat packs in case of delay), your animals will be fine.
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors