Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How is the best way to package an adult beardie to ship out? Any help would be great from somone that has done this before. Thanks!

Pack it in a bag, with plenty of shredded and crumpled newspaper. Check out the shipping video at ShipYourReptiles.com.

I would suggest using the shipping kit #3, but there are also lizard sizing charts at the site to help choose the proper packaging.
ShipYourReptiles.com Shipping Kits for Lizards

-----
robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

That is the one thing I didn't like about the shipping kits you set up Robyn, is using bags for lizards. Bags are fine for snakes but I think lizards are better in deli dishes. I would be worried, especially with bearded dragons, of their claws getting caught and damaged in the bag, or their spines.

It would be better to buy an appropriate sized deli dish or small 'food saver' type plastic container and place the dragon in there with appropriate lining to reduce movement inside the container. Paper towel can be used to line the container and fill the 'spaces' to protect the dragon from slamming back and forth inside the container.
-----
PHLdyPayne

With most of the kits we offer both bags and delis for that choice.

But for foot long plus lizards (snout to vent) I do prefer bags.

We have shipped thousands of lizards in bags at PE over 16 years, and I have never had a single problem.

Certainly you can use another container inside the box if you choose or prefer to : )
-----
robyn@proexotics.com

ShipYourReptiles.com
Pro Exotics Reptiles

Why put an adult dragon in a bag or deli cup anyway? This time of year shipping from MI to NJ should the box be ventilated? Shouldn't a suitable box with padding be acceptable?

No, you should use a triple container- a reptile inside a container (bag or deli) inside an insulated box, inside a carboard box.

There was a news story recently from Australia about a box on a a plane getting crushed, and the snakes were then free to roam about, which caused a HUGE problem. I am not sure that box even had an insulating lining, which also handles a much higher load rate, just bad form all around there.

If the box needs to be opened and inspected, it is also important to have an interior container. As it is for the actual recipient, so that nothing leaps or scampers out of the box when they first open it.
-----
robyn@proexotics.com

ShipYourReptiles.com
Pro Exotics Reptiles

Thanks for all the help. I must add incase anyone is looking at this that if you are using UPS you must have a double walled cardboard box or they will not take the lizard. The biggiest problem I found trying to ship a lizard is no one wants to take your lizard. Your best bet is to find a hub "not a store" so that you will have less problems. Now robyn I noticed the boxes in your pictures are not double walled yet you seem to be able to ship them no problem. I think that the shipping companies do not have any idea what they are doing so they just come up with any idea at the time. Love the cloth bags which are a great idea. I will for sure use that or something like that if i have to ship anythign again.

If you read further into the regs, you will find that using an insulated box within your cardboard box allows you to use a single wall cardboard box. Whether shipping in warm weather or cold, an insulated box protects from temperature swings in either direction, allowing for safe and reliable transport.
-----
robyn@proexotics.com

ShipYourReptiles.com
Pro Exotics Reptiles

Like I said I think the shipping companies have no idea about their own rules and regs. So that makes it very hard to ship a lizard out unless you were a company and did it often with the same person.

When I can I use a cereal box with holes poked in it and lots of shredded paper towels, I will use a bag or pillow case if i need to, but i do worry a bit about the nails getting caught, sometimes if it is a strong feisty dragon they really fight it, and i feel scratching at the inside of a cereal box is a little safer than wrestling the cloth bag..

Just my 2 cents..

Heidi

I once received an adult dragon in a cricket box, the type with the screens on the side with shredded paper around him and the boxes are very flimsy so you know that wouldn't have been good if the box had gotten damaged.

I recently received an adult bearded dragon that was shipped in a cloth bag and inside a styrofoam lined box. One of his nail beds had blood on it. He had obviously gotten injured during shipment. He is doing fine and healed up nicely. I know it may be rare for it to happen but I prefer to use a styrofoam lined box with another smaller box inside with shredded paper or paper towel. I feel it is safer for adult dragons.

I had an incident with a snake I had shipped to me once where the snake had struggled so much in the bag that he'd made a hole in the corner of it. When I opened the box I was surprised to see his head sticking out. There was blood on the bag and it was very tight around him. She had some scale damage but it was superficial and shed out after a couple of sheds. I had to cut the bag off as it was that tight. Luckily he is fine now as well but it seems that the stitching of the bag was either flawed or the snake pushed enough to loosen the stitches up. The bag was brand new too. If I ever shipped a snake I would make sure all the seams were tight on the cloth bag b/f using it.

good call the bearide i shipped to BDlvr was in a pillow case and then wrapped into a towel and then put into a normal box that was maybe a little bigger than him so if he had to reposition he was able to. Then he was put into a double walled box. I shiped him UPS since they were the only ones to allow this and shipped him overnight ups from MI to NJ was $100 oh and AM delivery. BDlvr said he arrived great with no problems and he was very calm when unloading. Althouh I know it depends on the beardie i felt I did right by him getting him there fast and that i handled him enogh that we didn't have any issues on the other end. This is a good thing when a beardie makes it and doesn't have to spend 2 days relaxing enough to calm down. I would use a cloth bag and a nice box anytime. If i had to use a heat pack I would just not ship a beardie. I would perfer to wait until he was going to be able to make it with normal weather.

The only thing you should have done was tie the pillow case closed. lol. He could have come right out. But he is an ultra relaxed dragon and just casually looked at me when I took him out.