Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just tried to ship two Geckos with the Post Office. I made the BIG mistake of being honest and labling the box FRAGILE LIVE ANIMAL In my (Ridiculous) belief that if it said that they would take MORE care of the package than if I just put PERISHABLE on it. BOY WAS I WRONG Their policy is EVERY ANIMAL SHIPMENT IS HELD FOR TWO DAY SHIPPING!
That is just pure genius on their part isn't it since we know how well animals do without food and water and the proper temperatures for two days.
The clerk told me they could not guarantee a Next Day Delivery and when I hesitated and told her I would just find another shipping method she told me "OH I WOULDN"T WORRY ABOUT IT THAT IS JUST SOMETHING WE HAVE TO SAY IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENED"
THEY WILL GET THERE FINE! EXPRESS SHIPPING WITH US GETS THERE BY NOON THE NEXT DAY!"
Of course it did not get there by noon next day. It got there in two days. Of course both my leopard geckos (3 and a half month olds) got there DEAD!
If they don't want to ship live animals they should just make a policy that says WE DON"T SHIP LIVE ANIMALS but I feel they are just trying to deter us from shipping our animals with them by TORTURING AND KILLING our beloved animals!
They even bad mouthed me to my customer and the mail carrier told her it was I that ASKED FOR SECOND DAY TO SAVE MONEY
I promptly am returning the full amount to my customer after apologizing profusely (none of which the Post Office will refund to me They would not even refund the measly $17.85 they charged for shipping Express Mail, the loophole is they CHARGE THE SAME for Express next day as for Express second day)
I feel the ones I need to apologize profusely to are my two beloved geckos. Instead of sending them to a new home I sent them to their death. I FEEL JUST HORRIBLE! I suggest you never ship ANY animal with the post office and actually I only reccommend UPS

I am very sorry to hear about your babies....I have also just left the post office after mailing some silkies and, whew, what an experience. It took me 30 minutes to get out of there. They had to consult every single bureaucratic instruction manual they could drag from the basement, just to be assured that silkworms are harmless!!! Hind sight is 20/20 I know, andf I am sorry you had to learn the hard way Sonia. I think we all know how much you care for your animals and the efforts you put into insuring their health and happiness.
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Matt

I used to work for UPS..And I am amazed that ANYTHING survives them! Of course, they managed to kill of a baby melleri, and leave one half dead...ON two seperate occations.

The trick with UPS is to always OVERSIZE the box. you get charged by the size of the box more than the weight. That's why next day airs are usually $40 for animals, they're shipped in oversized boxes.

This is for GOOD reason. Insulation, strength, air. However, most do not know this....small boxes and packages are NOT shipped independently. They are NOT tracked independently. They are thrown into a big plastic bag, with other smalls, all going to the same place, with one tracking label. IF it opens up, they spill out(and they DO open up). This bag is sealed. The hubs they are shipped to and from are usually 10 degrees hotter than the outside temps-YEAR ROUND. NExt day airs get much better treatment than ground. If you are shipping cross state, ground can be as fast as next day, although the temps in the shipping trucks are over 100 degrees in the summer.

USPS is fine in the cooler parts of the year, especially with more roust things, like geckos. but in the summer, it's a death entance.

The thing is it went to a cooler climate. To Oregon, the weather there was mild. It should have been fine. The problem was that just because it was an animal they kept it in Florida an extra day. I purposely took it to the post office in the early evening about 5PM so the hottest part of the day had passed. That way I would not have to use a cool pack because I knew the low that night in Portland was going to be near 60 and I did not want it too cold for them. I expected them to be out of Florida by the next days Heat but they did not reach Portland till the morning it was delivered.
They are holding packages 2 days because they are animals. I have shipped other items with the post office express mail and had it get there the next day at noon just like they said it would.

Hope this helps and provides some insight.

Stephen O'Neal
Natural State Chameleons
Shipping Chameleons (Lizards)

I wish it could give me more insight because I followed all the guidelines in the article.

I guess you know first hand because you know how carefully I packed yours when I sent him and how much information I sent you with him and how many of your questions I answered after you got him.
I'm sure it does not make me look good to post that I lost an animal I shipped out. I'm sure maybe even some will blame me but maybe someone will read my post and learn something that will save the life of an animal and save them the grief I just went through. I think that is what the forums are all about. Sharing our successes and our failures so that others will learn from our experiences. And helping make life better for the animals we keep.

Hi Sonia,

First, let me extend my condolences. It is an awful feeling, I am certain.

Now, here is the real scoop with the Post Office:
First, they don't own their own planes - so they have to farm out their overnights to Fed Ex and Airborne (currently holding the contracts from what I understand). When either shipper has too much/not enough room - the postal mail SITS. The contract says it must go the second day tho.

We have received 3 shipments using USPS overnights. All 3 were delivered the second day. Fortunately we only found one animal dead out of 9 possible. We were reimbursed for the postage each time by the Post Office/seller.

We highly recommend getting your animal shipping authorization with UPS or Airborne. At least they have planes - no excuses.

Take good care,
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I think it's because I know how to ship for durability. Some of what I ship are pictures that are framed with glass so I apply that to my animal shipping. It's the delay in hot Florida that threw me off.
Also How did you get reimbursed by the post office because I have talked to 5 different managers now and all of them say I will not be reimbursed for anything. Even though the receipt I have says Express mail provides a money back guarantee.

Hey, USPS has an 800 number you call for complaints....there main office I guess. Maybe a call to them would help....
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Matt

>>>>Also How did you get reimbursed by the post office because I have talked to 5 different managers now and all of them say I will not be reimbursed for anything. Even though the receipt I have says Express mail provides a money back guarantee.

Sonia,

If it say so in black and white... then they have to stand by it. Get on the phone and call somebody higher up the food chain!

Get after 'em gal!
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And all of them say they don't cover animals in their Express mail policy. They can't show me in black and white where on the reciept it says that but they all agree they will give me no refund. They say animals are not covered under perishables.
I am about to give up I am tired of talking to more people about it. I was really more upset knowing the animals suffered.
I am more interested in it not hapening to others in the future.
I just feel their policy of holding animals an extra day is not in the best interest of the animals. If they have the capability of getting them there next day why not do it? Why risk their death and upset their customers too. The other things I send Express mail get there by noon no problem.

I would call that 800 number and talk to someone who knows what is what. Even my route carrier knows they have to refund postage if it isn't delivered as paid for. The last time it happened to us, he handed me the box and waited while I opened it. He said to be sure and request the refund.

I did..... and got it. No hassel.
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