Shipping discussions

[ConcinusMan]

they are allowed to mark the package "Live reptiles"...so I know that care is being taken when handling the package.

You're kidding right? I used to work for FedEx transferring the packages from plane to truck and visa-versa. They treat the packages the same, regardless of the "fragile" or "live" labels and I gotta tell you, they are far from gentle. Packages get thrown, dropped, slammed on the floor, etc. every day. Quite often, packages bust open and we would have to re-tape them. They don't care about careful handling. Moving them swiftly is all they care about. And yeah, there's even a-holes that will treat a package worse if it says "LIVE" anything on it.

[Robyn@TRR]

You're kidding right? I used to work for FedEx transferring the packages from plane to truck and visa-versa. They treat the packages the same, regardless of the "fragile" or "live" labels and I gotta tell you, they are far from gentle. Packages get thrown, dropped, slammed on the floor, etc. every day. Quite often, packages bust open and we would have to re-tape them. They don't care about careful handling. Moving them swiftly is all they care about. And yeah, there's even a-holes that will treat a package worse if it says "LIVE" anything on it.

This is absolutely correct. There is NOTHING you can write on the box that gets you "preferred" treatment. No one is going to deliver your box on a goose down pillow.

But that's ok.

You can ship reptiles because they do well in the shipping process. You can't ship puppies the same way, because they don't. The reptile packaging protects the animals from the inevitable jostling, tumbling and conveyer belt madness that they WILL be subject to. And if the animal is packaged properly, it will be fine.

A FedEx handler or driver handles a thousand (or ten thousand) packages a day. They want to get their job done quickly and efficiently.

What you really want is NO special attention. Let the proper packaging do its job. Just get the package to the destination on time, that is the only goal. CM is correct, raising eyebrows with big red garish labeling that says "BE CAREFUL OF MY SNAKE!" is only going to attract negative attention, and reptile phobic attention. You ARE required by federal law (the Lacey Act) to properly label the outside of your box, and we cover that in our Get Help section, but it doesn't have to be in giant red letters, and again, nothing you write on the box is going to get you more "prefered" handling.

If you have appropriate expectations of the shipping process, you give yourself the best chance of success. Time spent worrying about "Fragile" or "Be Careful" labeling is better spent on ensuring the animal is properly protected inside the box, it is taped up well, address is 100% complete, includes unit or apartment numbers, the stuff that really matters : )

When you do YOUR part properly, the booking and packaging, and let FedEx do their part, the transport, your package will be delivered safely and on time 99.99% of the time.

[ConcinusMan]

The reptile packaging protects the animals from the inevitable jostling, tumbling and conveyer belt madness that they WILL be subject to. And if the animal is packaged properly, it will be fine.

Which is pretty much what I said but it turned into an argument. My only point was that if you don't package properly, escapes, injuries, and even death can result. "Noob" shippers tend to put their snakes in containers that are too big. Ideally, they should fit rather tightly. It's not supposed to be roomy. If there's enough room that the snake smacks against the inside of the container when you shake it, it's too big.

I use FedEx 8X8X9 crush rated boxes for shipping my snakes. They always charge actual weight by the pound. 1 lb.1 oz is charged as a 2 lb box.

With USPS, any box with a maximum side length of 18'' goes by weight, rounded to the nearest ounce. (doesn't apply to flat rate boxes) You're not getting charged 2lbs when your package only weighs 1.1 or 1.6lbs. I think most shipping companies also have maximum dimensions before they start charging by "dimensional weight". You really get screwed if you go past that size, particularly if your package is rather light.

[Robyn@TRR]

Which is pretty much what I said but it turned into an argument. My only point was that if you don't package properly, escapes, injuries, and even death can result. "Noob" shippers tend to put their snakes in containers that are too big. Ideally, they should fit rather tightly. It's not supposed to be roomy. If there's enough room that the snake smacks against the inside of the container when you shake it, it's too big.



With USPS, any box with a maximum side length of 18'' goes by weight, rounded to the nearest ounce. (doesn't apply to flat rate boxes) You're not getting charged 2lbs when your package only weighs 1.1 or 1.6lbs. I think most shipping companies also have maximum dimensions before they start charging by "dimensional weight". You really get screwed if you go past that size, particularly if your package is rather light.

I must have missed the "argument", I was confirming what you said about packaging and handling.

The whole point of dimensional weight is to get a higher rate for the packages that don't weigh much. Perhaps you are confusing dim charges with Oversize charges, which is a different fee that does indeed kick in after a package exceeds a set size on the large end.

But they do indeed charge according to dimensional weight for all air packages. Starting at 1 pound.

[ConcinusMan]

The whole point of dimensional weight is to get a higher rate for the packages that don't weigh much. Perhaps you are confusing dim charges with Oversize charges, which is a different fee that does indeed kick in after a package exceeds a set size on the large end.

But they do indeed charge according to dimensional weight for all air packages. Starting at 1 pound.

Who does? All snake packages I mail out charge by weight. "dimensional weight" ONLY comes into play if any one side is over 18" . Then they use the higher of the two (weight or dimensional). Oversize limits are much higher than 18" All I know is that there is a minimum 1lb charge on my 12X12X12 boxes and as long as they are under 18" on any one side, they only charge for each additional ounce, up to to a certain weight limit.

For example, that box is going to cost the same for shipping whether it weighs 8oz or 16 oz. If it goes over 16, they charge by weight rounded to nearest ounce. But if I were to use a 20" box that weighed 8oz, or even 16oz I get screwed on the rate. In other words, keep it under 18" unless you want to get screwed.

EDIT: oops. correction. Anything over 12" you get screwed.'

Actually, I dont' even know anymore. Cant count on the shipping calculator online. It's flat out wrong sometimes. I just know that size beyond a certain amount really screws you regardless of weight. I just keep them small to avoid that.

[Robyn@TRR]

Who does?

FedEx and UPS do. I have not forgotten so quickly that you are a US Postal customer, who prohibit snake shipping. I'm talking about proper carriers.

As for the rate, I was trying to explain that getting a quote for the same box, same service and fees can be difficult through their sites, but I know, for a fact, that the rates are at parity, to the penny. Again, this is just FedEx and UPS.

And when they raise their rates the first of the year, as they do each year, they will raise them by the exact same amount, and parity will remain. They both still publish a rate book, with printed rates, and they are the same.

You give me the package spec, size and weight, zip to zip, and I do know the subtle process differences that produce the same quote/booking result at both FedEx and UPS. It is challenging, but once you know their systems, you can find the answer.

All I know about garters is that they are small, and can be REALLY pretty. But I do know all about shipping, for real : )