Reptile & Amphibian Forums

WARNING: I got a personal visit from the Security Supervisor at the local UPS district office. She informed me a package sent from our account contained a live snake and asked that we do not ship them any more. From what I gather UPS opened the box at some point. We pack all our animals in insulated boxes and tape them well. Generally we don't poke air holes in them either. In other words nothing inside rattles or moves, and I doubt it popped open by itself. Our account is in my wife's name, not some company name featuring reptile or snake in the title. I have no idea how or why our package was flagged but it seems to have been. The UPS person also said something to the effect of "it looks like you have had some (snakes) shipped to you as well" which is true, and ironically I just received an animal via UPS this morning. I've had many, many animals shipped by me or to me via UPS and nothing has happened up to this point.

So anyway, I don't know what the deal is, but I believe extreme caution is warranted when shipping with UPS.

BTW, I asked about making special arrangements and was told that is not possible. So it seems to me that even if your driver or local manager says everything is okay, if your shipment gets discovered somewhere else then problems may occur.

I would like to hear from people who are "legitimately" shipping through UPS as I just don't see how it's possible.

Well to legitimately ship through UPS you are supposed to only ship non-venomous lizards. Their policy states that Lizards are acceptable but snakes are not. You have to approved by them and sign a waiver stating that they are not responsible for the contents if something should happen to them (even if it is by their own fault). The only true authorized way of shipping snakes is via the Airlines. Also legally by federal standards all packages are supposed to be marked with Live Reptiles and somewhere on the box the scientific and common name are supposed to be written. I usually write the names on the bottom in small print so I am covered and all of my boxes have large labeled on each side stating "Live Harmless Reptiles" "Keep Cool" "Keep Inside" "UP".
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Rob Trenor
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Hi,
I know how they new it was a snake in your box.
They X-Rayed it. Then they opened it.
My best advice to you is to get your own account and specify that you will be shipping "Live Harmless Reptiles".
Also print it on the box so that they don't X-ray it.
I have never had a problem shipping snakes or any reptile with UPS, When I got my account I was very specific about what I was going to be shipping. I have never had one arrive to a customer DOA either.
I guess that it varies from state to state. I would call UPS and ask to speak to a supervisor or else you will get the run - around. Be very specific about what you will be shipping through your account.
I have been shipping for years and never had a problem.
Good luck!

I recently had a high dollar (well, for me anyway) ball python shipped to me via UPS. Sometime between 4 and 5 AM after reaching my local hub their tracking site suddenly said that it would be delayed a day (in 100 deg heat!). I started calling around like crazy (their customer service told me it was on a plane for the last 50 miles, LOL). After about an hour it seemed to get straitened out but then when I opened the box the snake was loose in the box. The shipper indicates he securely tied the bag so I wonder if they opened the box and bag before freaking and taping it back up.

At any rate, the snake is doing well but I sure wish there was a shipper who wanted the snake business. Airborne did it officially one summer, about 93 or 94, not sure why they didn't stick with it.

Hello,

This is a glitch in the UPS tracking program. I often track my shipments throughout the night, and I have noticed that the "rescheduled" tag pops up when the animals arrive at DFW. It has nothing to do with anyone tampering with your animals. I found out about the glitch the hard way. I shipped out 5 knob-tailed geckos and was worried sick about the shipment, and when I saw that is was supposed to be rescheduled, I freaked out. It was 2:00 am, and I tracked the box down in DFW. They informed of the glitch and to not worry. The package made it to the intended destination a couple of hours early.

Nathan Hall
GECKOS UNLIMITED

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Okay, I spent some time talking to the Security Supervisor and got a few things cleared up (as mud!).
I pointed out nowhere are the words "snake", "reptile", or "lizard" used in the TOS on their website.
Here is the page, go to paragraph (i)
She faxed me a copy of what she had read in some printed material and, golly gee, she had highlighted the same text. So essentially that clarifies nothing.
She said she called HQ and was told although exceptions will be made for some animals snakes are positively excluded from those exceptions.

So there you have it. It's not in writing, as far as I could find or they could tell me. However the "stated" policy is no snakes.

Another aside: I checked my server logs and in the wee hours of the morning while the package in question wan en route there were several hits on our site from someone using a UPS corp. version of Internet Explorer. Coincidence?

Once, years ago, I shipped a bunch of packages through UPS. Just "stuff", no live animals. Well, my stuff never showed up. Then I recived a notice from them that they were filing federal charges against me. They said that one of my boxes contained over a thousand used hypodermic saringes(sp). They said that one had poked through the box and stuck a UPS worker in the hand. Now, I don't know how much room a thousand used hypodermic needles would take up in a box, or why anyone would ship them.
Well, I never did hear anything more about it, but when I finally did recieve the box, it had in it, (among other things) a sewing kit. It did have about 50 sewing pins. I'm not sure if that's what thet were talking about, but it must have been. And, yes, they were securely packaged in a plastic box. There's no way one of them could poked through the box.
Anyway, charges were never filed, and my remaining 11 boxes were never seen again.
Hmmmmm.
I don't have a lot of faith in UPS.
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GratefulFred