Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have never shipped or have had a snake shipped to me. What is the best method to do do this? Who do you ship through? Costs?
And what is the best way to package a live snake.
Any other advice?
Thanks Mark

I am new to shipping to but this is what I have down so far. Go with Fedex overnight proity(spelling check). Shipping cost depends on the weight of your snake. My snakes around about three to four pounds and it will cost me around $21. Then get a box that says fragile on it and arrows pointing up. Inside the box get a heat pad ramped in paper towl and get shredded paper. They say no air holes.

NP

CHuck

Shipping snakes is against most shipping companies policies. Unless you are approved by them first. And Fed Ex is not particularly nice about it if they find you have shipped or received snakes without prior approval. They will send the package back to original shipper or destroy the package. I question the legality of them destroying someone else's property that is not breaking any laws, but I am not a lawyer so I can't say for sure. Yes, they reserve the right to open any package.

grumble grumble grumble....

How many people actually ship without approval of FedEx?
And has anyone ever had any problems with them? What does it take to get approval?

-----

I would be willing to bet there are hundreds of breeders that ship via Fed Ex without approval. I have had many reptiles shipped to me via Fed Ex. Delivery is always on time and never a dead animal. Best service around.

However, a friend of mine.....yeah that's it.... a friend... Had some corn snakes shipped to her. Fed Ex opened the box at the local shipping center before putting it on the truck for delivery. I.. I mean my friend, than received a phone call stating that the snakes could not be delivered, that my friend would have to pick them up at the local Fed Ex office. So my friend drives on over there and then is told that it is "illegal" to ship snakes through Fed Ex and that the package will be shipped back to the original shipper. My friend could see the box right behind the counter, demanded that the box be turned over to her. Tried to calmly explain that it is NOT illegal to ship snakes through Fed Ex. It may be against company policy, but NOT breaking any laws. And they had no right to hold my package or destroy it. Got nowhere with local office.

In short, it was a very long day with many phone calls to several people at Fed Ex and one call to a very helpful lady at corporate. A few deals were made, alot of promises that my friend would never have live animals shipped to her via Fed Ex again. My friend eventually got her snakes, but now Fed Ex is opening/inspecting every package with her name or address on it.

In the end, it's a risky situation. Yes, it is done successfully hundreds of times a day, but the one time you get caught, it can cost you the life of the animal.

Wish I had a lawyer in the family, I wonder over their rights to deny delivery of my property. And by destroying the package, knowing that there are live animals inside, wouldn't that be animal cruelty? And how can they destroy anyone's property without due process/court order??

Yeah, I heard all the garbage about it being in their TOS, but just because someone writes something in a TOS, doesn't make it legal.

grumble grumble...

There is an EXCELLENT website that explains ALL of this.

Here is the website that goes through packaging and shipping methods:

http://www.arbreptiles.com/shipping/index.shtml

Here is the website that talks about what you must do to get aproved to ship the snakes:

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33533&perpage=5&pagenumber=1
-----

www.mplionhearts.com

Thank you Bryan,
Your links have answered all my questions and are very helpful. That is a great post you put op up on the other forum and a good website too. If any one else has had questions in shipping I recmomend you check those links out.
-----

so it is free to get verified?
-----
0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Road Hog"