Tortoise shipping
- Thread starter kr1991
- Start date
Shipyourreptiles.com. Strange. They work through FedEx. Most FedEx stores can't ship live animals. You have to go to a distribution center. Shipyourreptiles.com should be able to help you locate one.
T.G.
T.G.
Yes, both ups and FedEx say they can't ship them because they can't do it for private individuals. The company ShipYourReptiles has authorization and permits with them to allowing shipping (and yes it's overnight). By using SYR (buying your shipping label through them) you are covered under their permits.
Also, it is true you must drop off a distribution center,not a regular FedEx store. The distribution centers are near airports...well at least the the 2 I've been to are.
Also, it is true you must drop off a distribution center,not a regular FedEx store. The distribution centers are near airports...well at least the the 2 I've been to are.
Just thoughts that may help ALL your future deliveries arrive as healthy as possible:
This is how I recieved my 2 Burmese black mountain tort babies from suncoast reptiles. They were 3 3/4'' at the time. My first torts so I didn't know if this shipping proceedure was correct or not. I wish I had pictures. It seemed wrong but I wasn't sure.
They were wrapped in paper towels and placed side by side in a box they barely fit in(4"x8"x1.5"). Thats an extremely small box for TWO tortoises! Their bodies actually distorted the shape of the box because the 1.5" didn't take into account their thickness plus the paper towels! The box had a few holes in it but was inside another BARELY bigger box with a small heat pack. by barely I mean I had to CUT THEM OUT. That outside box was taped up tight. AIRTIGHT! I had to use a razor knife to get through the tape! I HONESTLY don't know how they arrived from Florida to me in ohio ALIVE with so little air? Without being able to expand their carapaces to pull air in? They were so tightly packed they couldn't push their heads or feet out of their shells. One of them was very lethargic(I actually thought it was dead at first but then it moved slightly)and I was concerned for the first few days that the stress was too much for it but both are doing fine now, thank god.
When I actually recieved the little guys I was on my porch and watched as the fed ex guy walked up to the house (with the box held in his hand sideways) swinging his arms the way guys do(I was cringing)...I don't know if he realized that the package held live animals or just didn't care but I didn't have time to ask about this before he was on his way back to the truck.
i'm giving him the benifit of the doubt because when I went to look at the package to see if it was marked the small writing on the side of the top was half covered with a label. I wasn't able to read it but I saw the word "live" so...But, really, that was it for marking. Sharpie marking in bad penmanship.
My other concerns are...how was the package loaded on the truck? Upside down? At the bottom of a stack? both would hurt them I think.
People who ship may want to write something on the back as well(if you can read this-flip me over!) to make it clear that the box should be placed up^. Perhaps a stamp that says 'this side up^'? There wasnt a label or stamp marking it as "fragile" or anything.
Sorry if I rambled on...still aggravates me
This is how I recieved my 2 Burmese black mountain tort babies from suncoast reptiles. They were 3 3/4'' at the time. My first torts so I didn't know if this shipping proceedure was correct or not. I wish I had pictures. It seemed wrong but I wasn't sure.
They were wrapped in paper towels and placed side by side in a box they barely fit in(4"x8"x1.5"). Thats an extremely small box for TWO tortoises! Their bodies actually distorted the shape of the box because the 1.5" didn't take into account their thickness plus the paper towels! The box had a few holes in it but was inside another BARELY bigger box with a small heat pack. by barely I mean I had to CUT THEM OUT. That outside box was taped up tight. AIRTIGHT! I had to use a razor knife to get through the tape! I HONESTLY don't know how they arrived from Florida to me in ohio ALIVE with so little air? Without being able to expand their carapaces to pull air in? They were so tightly packed they couldn't push their heads or feet out of their shells. One of them was very lethargic(I actually thought it was dead at first but then it moved slightly)and I was concerned for the first few days that the stress was too much for it but both are doing fine now, thank god.
When I actually recieved the little guys I was on my porch and watched as the fed ex guy walked up to the house (with the box held in his hand sideways) swinging his arms the way guys do(I was cringing)...I don't know if he realized that the package held live animals or just didn't care but I didn't have time to ask about this before he was on his way back to the truck.
i'm giving him the benifit of the doubt because when I went to look at the package to see if it was marked the small writing on the side of the top was half covered with a label. I wasn't able to read it but I saw the word "live" so...But, really, that was it for marking. Sharpie marking in bad penmanship.
My other concerns are...how was the package loaded on the truck? Upside down? At the bottom of a stack? both would hurt them I think.
People who ship may want to write something on the back as well(if you can read this-flip me over!) to make it clear that the box should be placed up^. Perhaps a stamp that says 'this side up^'? There wasnt a label or stamp marking it as "fragile" or anything.
Sorry if I rambled on...still aggravates me
Most folks use a box like this to ship. http://www.lllreptile.com/products/2644-12-x-9-x-6-shipping-box It doesn't necessarily have to be this type, but it should have multiple signs on the box showing which side should be up and that live reptiles are inside the box. Anytime I ship, I write this all over the thing so that there is no question as to what is inside. The box should be lined with styrofoam to ensure insulation. Now, when I ship babies, I ship them in deli cups with holes punched in the side. Inside the delicup, I pack moistened sphagnum moss to ensure that they have adequate cushion and water for the journey. Bigger torts are a little trickier. A cloth bag (pillow case) must be tied off with a zip tie or heavy string. The animal should be placed inside the box with either packing peanuts or crumpled paper placed on all sides of the tortoise. You don't want them moving that much, but you want them to fit into the box to ensure their ride is comfortable. Before placing the torts into the container, punch airholes, six on each side of the box. They don't have to penetrate the styrofoam, as that is counterproductive as far as insulation goes. They don't need much air inside, but they do need some. Lastly, ship only during the spring and autumn months. Some folks risk it during the high heat of summer and the bone chilling cold of winter. To me, this is simply not worth the risk. Shipyourreptiles.com is always good about offering instructions with their boxes. Follow those and these instructions, and your chances of having a tortoise land DOA is very small. Keep in mind, though, Fedex isn't perfect. They are better about live deliveries than UPS, but they still do make mistakes.
T.G.
T.G.
Never heard of suncoast reptiles. Looks like they were trying to cheap out on the shipping supplies. Safe shipping is expensive, but it is absolutely essential, I find. I mean, if the tortoise arrives dead, what's the point?
T.G.
T.G.
wow.. Well not everyone ships like tha. It isn't how I shipped my torts. It's also not how I've received them.... What a horrible shipping experience.. Yikes
