Another UPS story

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Yvonne G

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I'm sending a tortoise and a deformed turtle to Jacqui. So I box them all up in a box I had sitting around here, marked "this side up" and "caution, harmless reptiles" all over the box, and poked holes in it for a bit of air. I took it to the UPS store here in my neighborhood yesterday afternoon.

Around 6p I get a phone call from Chris over at the UPS terminal. Seems that the box I used had some letters printed on it that told them the box can't be put on an airplane. I don't remember the letters, but it was something like "sc-u" two letters, a dash and another letter. I asked Chris if he can't just scratch off the letters (they were only printed on one end of the box) and he said that he would be subject to a $50,000 fine if he messed with my package. So it ended up that he would put the box back on the truck and it would come back to me sometime today. I even got a call back in an hour telling me that the box is on the truck.

Just now I get a phone call from Pam with UPS. She tells me the whole thing all over again, like this is my first phone call. I told her that yes, I understand, and that Chris told me the box was wending its way back to me sometime today. She said that no, she has the box right there on the counter in front of her. It is open and the turtles are just fine. And do I want her to re-package the turtles and send them out tonight to be delivered tomorrow? I told her YES, PLEASE!!!

I never used to have any problems shipping out tortoises. Hopefully my shipment makes it to its destination in good order tomorrow.
 

wellington

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After the tort and turt are received by Jacqui, I would go see if you could collect the $50,000 fine for Pam opening your package.:D
Let us know when the shipment is complete and that everything turned out okay. Fingers crossed for the little guys until then.
 

DevilsLettuce

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UPS is in the dog house with me. Our feline hospital recently ordered a new curved linear ultrasound probe, which is quite pricey, and it took almost 3 months to get here. Yesterday it was even delivered to the wrong location, instead of us it somehow made it to the walmart down the street. To top it all off on the tracking on their website said it was delivered twice yesterday, once at an address in a completely different city and once to us but said we were closed. Idiots...


Good luck with the tortoises, hope they arrive safe and sound
 

hunterk997

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Good luck with the turtles and tortoises. I don't really like UPS, when I was younger, my mother bough me an expensive flute online, and it was to be shipped through them. It took three weeks, and I got annoyed, it turned out they were continuously trying to deliver it to a business up the street from us.


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Jacqui

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I am just glad Pam finally called you and was doing the changing for you. She deserves a high five (even though she could get in trouble with her company so SHHHH mums the word.
 

Robyn@TRR

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You would be surprised how many folks re-use old boxes to ship live reptiles, or even dry goods, and the boxes are previously from liquor shipments, explosives, hazardous materials, etc.

None of those items are permissible to ship as a "regular package". They all require special packaging, special handling, sometimes special planes, and def special labeling.

It is indeed a very serious offense, and causes all kinds of panic within the shipping company, and even from the FAA. You can't just scratch off a hazardous materials label and call it a day.

You should use a NEW shipping box to ship a live reptile, and it must be insulated.

We provide all the proper packaging at our site ShipYourReptiles, along with detailed guidelines on safe and proper packaging. We offer Live Arrival Insurance, and to top it off, rates start at 20% off the FedEx and UPS retail rate.

We would be happy to help you get your next shipment done without the five alarm hassle and labeling concern.
 

Yvonne G

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I just got a phone call from Jacqui, and the package has arrived and the contents are alive and well! I sent her that poor deformed Florida cooter that I took in a few days ago. She said, "OMG!!!" (I'm paraphrasing) She was unprepared for just how bad off the poor turtle is.
 

kathyth

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I'm so happy it turned out! What a nice little network!
Frightening story with a good ending. :)
 
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