Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just got my fedex certification today. Process was real simple. It took about 2-3 weeks, but could have taken less if I was in a hurry. Sales rep was extremely helpful and ws a fellow herper.

Could you please describe the process for us?

Also, I am a bit confused as to why a person would want to get certified, and tell the shipper what's in the box? My experience has been that most people are afraid of, or harbor some hatered for snakes. Once I place that package in their care, I do not wish to attract any extra attention to it. I want them to handle it like any other package. I can just see some fearful or hateful person kicking the box accross the tarmac, or leaving it in the sun, just because they don't like snakes. And if it wer'nt labeled as such, they'd never know. As far as I'm concerned, they just need to deliver that package to it's destination as planned, and paid for,...and mind their own business.

On a side note, I have learned through many years of eating at the drive through window, that my best bet is to get the pre-designed value meal, without any changes, without anything special, without any requests. Any time I try to "have it my way", I change what they are used to, and my chances of them screwing up my order go up, exponentialy!

As far as I'm concerned, the spirit of the law, with regard to the Lacey Act, is to let the shipper know when they are dealing with anything potentially dangerous or hazardous. I don't ship hots, or anything that could hurt anyone, so what's the deal? If they kill it during transport, they won't pay for it anyway, right? Have I missed something? I don't get it. Seems to me the best way to ship a harmless animal, is quietly and covertly. I don't have plans to get "certified" unless I start breeding hots.

I became Fedex certified a few months ago after one of my boxes containing about 10 hatchlings worth about $1000 was opened by fedex. I was calle dby Fedex and was told that without being certified they could keep the animals as i was not permitted to ship them in the first place. I was nice to the Fedex rep and she agreed to ship muy animals back to me at my expense.. Another $50!

So, there is a good reason to be certified..

I understand your concern about marking the box.. And, i clearly mark the inside of the box with stickers that say FEDEX CERTIFIED LIVE HARMLESS REPTILE SHIPPER - but, I saw nowhere in the rule book that stated that you have to mark the box on the outside to let anyone know what is inside.. so, to answer your quesr it will be treated just like any other package..

~ Mike

As I understand it, labeling the contents is a stipulation of the Law, "The Lacey Act". Never mind Fed Ex policy.

If someone ever opens one of my packages without my consent, they'd better prey to whatever God they believe in, that I don't get my hands on them! I don't believe it's legal, unless they're actual postal service investigators, or law enforcement officials WITH a search warrant. Otherwise it's illegal search and seizure, or illegal tampering at a minimum. It's in the constitution! I may be wrong. But,... tampering with one of my packages by a FedEx employee, or anyone else for that matter, without a search warrant, and without my consent, ever, would activate my own personal launch sequence! I can't even begin to describe the resulting pain.

The maximum effective range of an excuse is ZERO METERS!

Humor me,...What excuse or "reason" did they give for opening that package?

And one more thing,...

This is exactly why we need a National Herp Society, to raise money, hire lawyers, and fight this kind of garbage!

If a person ships something which is truly harmless, then it should be nobody's friggin beezwax what's in the dawgawn box!

And if anything happens to that box, in transit, the shipping company should be held responsible!!!

okay,...3 things

i used to work at fedex i would tell them in a heart beat as they will take precaution and terat them with care if it doesnt say fragile or something and its a small box it could get thrown smashed anything regular boxes rnt handled with care ......

To tell you the truth it was a several months ago and i was just happy to get the animals back..

The best i can remember is that they told me they had cause to open the box because it was marked ** PERISHABLE ** on the outside and had air holes in it. I though it was odd.. but, in my opinion in a post 9/11 world maybe a few safety checks are not such a bad thing. After all they are not saying they won't ship harmless reptiles, they just want you to be certified to do so.

I do NOT agree that Fedex should be responsible for live delivery.. Fisrt off, they have no control over how the shipper packs an animal.. or what condition the animal is in prior to being shipped.

Second... Say you do pack an animal 100% perfectly in a 3" thick styro box with heat packs and there is absolutly no way on earth your $1500 animal should not have made it alive.... But, it was dead before you even put it in the box.. What now FedEx has to pay $1500 for that animal?? Give me an answer on how they are supposed to protect against this from happening???

~ Mike

FedEx has every right to inspect packages that we ship through them. And how are they to guarantee the health of an animal they never saw? If they did, we could ship all kinds of dead reptiles, just to file a claim. As far as the Lacey Act, I have my own opinion about that, but that's not FedEx's fault. The simple thing to do is get FedEx approved and do it the legal way.

I agree 100%!! There is NO way on earth we should expect Fedex to be responsibil for live delivery.. And, In my opinion if Fedex is handling packages they should have every right in the world to make sure the conents are SAFE to ship..

Fedex requires certification to ensure that potential shippers know how to safely ship live harmless reptiles.. There is no charge to become certified and they even pay to ship your test box to them and ship it back to you for free!!

I think some people forget how much of a pain in the butt it used to be to have to drive out to the airport to ship and receive live animals.. Not to mention that Delta Dash almost twice the cost of what Fedex charges for what in my opinion is a better service!

So, stop quoting the Lacey Act GET CERTIFIED and be happy that you have a door to door shipper willing to handle your reptiles!

~ Mike Russo

No. Period. What's in the box is none of their buisness. They have no right to open the package unless it's ticking, or it sets off a radiological alarm. And I would only hold them responsible if they did something to dammage it. Other than that,...they can just worry about getting my packages to their destinations on time. That's my pinion, and I'm sticking to it. I think you guys must be Fed Ex employees. So we're done.

I guess on this topic we will need to agree to disagree..

And, i promise you i am not a fedex employee! But, that would be kinda funny if i was..

~ Mike Russo

Likewise...I am not employed by FedEx...but I do appreciate that they are the ONLY carrier that will allow us to legally ship snakes. I know the odds of getting hit with a Lacey violation are almost non-existent, but why risk it. Plus, in Texas where I live, the state is making it hard enough to be a herper as it is....we don't need more problems

I hear that!!!

Nice Alterna Mike. Do you collect your own?

Packages are also opened if there is no airbill attached to it. In my fedex career i've come across at least 10 packages, most of the envelopes though, that had no airbill on them. I take the pkg back to the station & we all have laugh. I guess people are just in such a hurry that they simply forget to attach the airbill onto the package. or if the package is damaged & snakes come crawling out

Doing stuff like that only screws thing up for those of us that follow the rules, Its the same concept when someone dumps oil at the parts house and purposely dumps an oil/coolant mix, eventually the parts house will get tired of it and stop letting us dump oil there, As far as I am aware Fedex is the only shipper I can use in my area, If you choose to break the rules at least don't make it public GRRRRRRRR
Foot Hill Reptiles

I'm a fedex courier & your right most don't like snakes & in my opinion what they don't know can't hurt them.

You'll always get better assistance if the person your dealing with also likes reptiles