Shipping discussions

[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.

[twgrosmick]

The advantage to being certified is that if all else fails and the SYR and reptiles express get shut down because of people doing it improperly then you will have a fall back. I used SYR for the longest time and just recently switched over to reptilesexpress... I do poke holes in, I do use the air activated heat packs, and I have never had a problem.

If SYR is supplying you with those heat packs what would make you think they wouldn't work. I used SYR for years and have never had a problem. Up until Andy came aboard the customer service was far from desirable but that was my only complaint. After using reptilesexpress and seeing the night and day price difference between the two I don't plan on going back to the other anytime soon.

Just my two cents on the two companies and packing supplies.. I shipped a package today to Alaska where high temps for the day are about 15 degrees so I will know tomorrow if my packaging and method held up to the test of below freezing (which I am extremely confident it will)

** UPS is no longer an option ** That deal was ruined because of irresponsible shippers. Now FedEx is your only option unless you take it to the airport

[guidofatherof5]

I am now a certified reptile shipper with FedEx. Before then I violated FedEx policy and shipped snakes anyway. Once I found out how easy it was to become certified I did so. A clear conscience was the driving force.
I have a business account with FedEx so my shipping rates are lower then "off the street people"
This puts the cost to ship right at the Shipyourreptile or Reptilesexpress price. It looks like the advantage to using those companies might be the fact your can purchase an on-time guarantee which isn't available as a certified shipper through FedEx.

I can ship to a residential address if the person has a legit business they are running from their home. In the same way I can have reptiles shipped to my resident/business address.
I like picking up at the Fedex hub as my snakes stay inside a climate controlled area until I pick them up. Less truck time is a good thing.

[ConcinusMan]

I've rarely shipped without it. It's cheap enough and only takes a few minutes to cut it to line the box. And I don't poke holes in it. It's not like it's air tight. Holes in the box and insulation are not necessary and completely defeats the purpose. I recently discovered a foam board that insulates as well as 1 inch styrofoam but is only 1/2 inch thick. Anyway, the boards are available at home depot or Lowes.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I couldn't remember how thick it was, but i knew it had to be present in every box.

[twgrosmick]

I couldn't remember how thick it was, but i knew it had to be present in every box.

Yeah I wasn't aware of that until recently. I have gotten boxes from so many different people and it was about 50/50 whether they had insulation or not in them. Just ordered a few shipping boxes through reptilesexpress so I won't have to worry about it :-)

[ConcinusMan]

I just use "ready post" boxes from the post office. Usually 12X12X12. They're $2.50 and it costs about a dollar to insulate them myself.

[Robyn@TRR]

I just use "ready post" boxes from the post office. Usually 12X12X12. They're $2.50 and it costs about a dollar to insulate them myself.

FedEx (and UPS) charge either actual weight (what a box weighs on the scale) or dimensional weight, whichever is higher. Dim weight is calculated by HxWxL, divided by 166. The dim weight on that 12x12x12 box would be 11 pounds (!!). Even if it has baby snakes, or lightweight garters, and actually weighs less than 2 pounds, if you are shipping it FedEx or UPS, you will be charged at the 11 pound rate, which is monumentally higher than the 2 pound rate.

It is always wise to use the smallest box that you can. Our 12x9x6 box is the most popular for us, and dims at 4 pounds. If you could fit your shipment in the 12x9x6 box, you would be paying for a 4 pound box, which is much less expensive than an 11 pound box.

A 12x12x12 box that weighs 2 pounds would bill at 11 pounds. The same size box that weighs 7 pounds would still bill at 11 pounds. The same size box that weighs 12 pounds would bill at 12 pounds, as actual weight is now higher than dimensional weight. Make sense?

CM, I don't know what box dims and weights you have used to run quotes at SYR, but knowing "tricks" like using the smallest box you can safely pack will help bring down the shipping rate, every time.

[guidofatherof5]

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.