Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A baby False Water Cobra, native to South America, is now at a Pinellas County wildlife refuge after UPS found the creature Thursday afternoon in a plain, unmarked box at its Pinellas Park transfer facility.

An exotic animal dealer in Virginia, Off the Ark, used UPS to send the snake to a buyer at a school in Vero Beach, even though the delivery company doesn't knowingly accept snakes for shipment.

The U.S. Postal Service and Fed Ex also won't accept snakes for shipment.

UPS found the box containing the snake after the buyer called when it hadn't been delivered on time. UPS called state wildlife officers, who called Vernon Yates of Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation in Seminole to pick up the delivery.

"If it bit you, you would know it" said Yates. He said the snake's bite would make a person quite ill and under some circumstances, could kill.

The box containing the two-foot baby snake had no indication of its contents.

"I would be very concerned that at the school some kid could have found this and just opened the box," said Yates.

Yates said it's legal for anyone in Florida to posses the snake.

"It's a venomous creature but it's not one regulated by the state of Florida."

Yates said Alexander Moir, who ordered the snake, does not want to drive to Seminole to pick up. Yates would like to find someone to adopt the creature.

But keep this in mind.

It will grow to be six feet long.

News Channel 8 reporter Rod Challenger can be reached at (813) 731-8102.
www2.tbo.com/content/2009/oct/30/snake-box-shocks-seminole-ups-workers/news-metro/

Again more false information that makes headline news. I'm certified by FEDEX and UPS to carry live reptiles including snakes. In fact UPS sent a sales rep to see us and made us an offer we couldn't resist in freight charges. Presently we ship 90% of all our herps except for venomous thru UPS BECAUSE OF PRICING AND EXCELLENT SERVICE. HEADLINES LIKE THAT MAKE EVERYONE OUT TO BE DOING SOMETHING IMMORAL AND ILLEGAL WHICH SIMPLY ISN'T TRUE. It's unfortunate that we seem to be attacked on all fronts...
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

It's not just the media who doesn't know, many UPS/Fed Ex people have no clue that the company they work for ships herps either. CAse in point: I had a shipment of chameleons get delayed in Indianapolis en route to my house--I called fed ex to see what was going on ten times--every time the person I talked to (different person every time)claimed that I was mistaken that live animals were not shipped via Fed Ex and then implied that I was doing something wrong. Most frustrating experience ever. Ignorance is everywhere, so I dare say the local UPS or Fed Ex offices were the ones that supplied the media with this false information.

I was just on the UPS website and it states, as it has for as long as I can remember, that it DOES NOT carry live snakes. I refuse to accept any live snakes through UPS and will only accept mine through Fedex or Airfreight.

There is a company that is contracted with UPS to ship live snakes via UPS, but you have to use their service.

I received a shipment of snakes via UPS, but it was only marked "harmless reptiles". My driver was NOT thrilled!

I've shipped animals FedEx because I have an account..no issue. Taking one to the FedEx/Kinko's store had them saying that they couldn't ship it because they were a Kinko's store, even though they are owned by FedEx. I received confirmation from FedEx that it was ok to ship, but the lady refused to ship. You DO need to be approved and have a certified container, though.

Anyone ever beeen killed by a False Water cobra? No. The magic word "cobra" is what does it. Once again, the person supposedly with the gov't does NOT know what he's talking about.

If you are correct, I do stand corrected. A few key points to keep in mind though are:
1) I am not "with" the government, though I was once contracted to provide biological data to the government. After that "career", I returned to California to work with herps again and not fishes. Simple enough. 2) The UPS website states clearly that I am not to receive snakes via UPS, so, what am I to do? Since no clause/statement exist on the website indicating otherwise, I am left to assume that I might be breaking some company's rules by using the service. The statement is not ambiguous but is a statement of policy. 3) I only care about the welfare of the animals being shipped and I care a hell of a lot less about anyones opinion regarding my knowledge of fact. Your opinion would not get me back my animals.

I stand corrected. This forum is the best.

How strange. The UPS store that I've used recently knows that they ship snakes for a snake breeder. I know they know because I went to the store to see if they would ship turtles after DHL stopped domestic shipments, and the manager told an employee that they would ship turtles and they "already ship snakes for that guy". However, I do believe the boxes are supposed to be labeled to let the carreir know there are animals in the box. You'd have to be blind not to know that my boxes have a turtle in them.

I know that there is "approved shipper" status with FedEx that allows you to ship snakes (non-venomous), and that you need "approved containers", like boxed styros. To the best of my knowledge, UPS does not allow snakes to be shipped, although they do get shipped.

There also is a company that now ships reptiles and also sells approved containers. I think they advertise on KS.

Ok, this is from ShipYourReptiles. The word "dangerous" is subject to interpretation.

Shipping service restrictions
All live animals must be shipped UPS Next Day Air, Monday through Thursday only. An overnight Friday shipment won¡¯t arrive until Monday¡ªthat is not acceptable and not permitted.

Dry goods and merchandise can be shipped Monday through Friday, with the UPS service of your choice.

Absolutely no venomous or dangerous reptiles are to be shipped through UPS, ShipYourReptiles.com, or any of the AllProShipping.com family of sites. Absolutely no mammals.

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Reptile size restrictions
Snakes larger than 4 inches in diameter or 8 feet in length, and lizards larger than 6 inches in diameter or 36 inches in length, cannot be shipped with ShipYourReptiles.com or UPS.

To ship a giant snake or lizard, you must build or buy a strong wooden crate and ship it using a freight service such as Delta Air Cargo.

Jay, UPS was making a delivery here when they saw a lot of FEDEX boxes going out. The next day a representative from UPS called us, made an appointment to talk to me about using UPS to ship. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse so I ship mostly UPS and and I AM CERIFIED TO SHIP REPTILES INCUDING SNAKES. I'm happy with the service and the rates...
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

Tom, it seems like money is the deciding factor in regards to what UPS ships, and what they don't ship. If the average person attempts to ship a small snake out of their terminal, or a pack and ship, it won't be done. With my FedEx account they never check. I've received snakes from a mutual friend of ours via UPS, and have shipped snakes via UPS myself when I had an account with them. Their only consistency is their inconsistency. All of the major carriers (ok, now only 2) treat snakes completely differently than other herps. Or at least they say they do