Shipping Tips

PACKING THE ANIMALS

  1. MOST REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS ARE BEST PACK INDIVIUALLY IN A CUP OR BAG TO AVOID ANY INJURY DURING SHIPMENT.
  2. SMALL LIZARDS, FROGS, SNAKES, AND TURTLES SHOULD BE PACK IN CONTAINERS, IT HELP PROTECT THE ANIMALS AND ALLOW EASY INSPECTION AND LABELING. THE LARGER REPTILES SHOULD BE PACK IN CLOTH BAGS.
  3. A LITTLE BIT OF LOOSE BEDDING OR SHREDED NEWS PAPER SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE CUPS OR BAGS TO HELP ABSORP ANY ANIMAL’S WASTE DURING THE TRIP.
  4. AMPHIBIANS ARE BEST PACK WITH MOIST SPAGNUM MOSS IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS WITH NO STANDING WATER. (AVOID USING WET PAPER TOWEL ON THE BOTTOM)
  5. DO NOT PLACED THE ANIMALS IN AN OVER SIZE CONTAINER DURING SHIPPING, ESPECIALLY TURTLES AND TORTOISES. MORE THAN LIKELY, THE BOX WILL BE DROP SEVERAL TIMES AND MAY BE PLACED IN ANY POSITIONS OTHER THAN RIGHT SIDE UP. THIS WILL HELP MINIMIZE THE IMPACT TO THE ANIMALS WHEN THE BOX IS DROPPED

    6.  CAREFULLY PLACED THE CONTAINERS OR BAGS IN AN INSULATED SHIPPING
           BOX AND FILL ANY VOID SPACE  WITH CRUMBLED NEWS PAPER.
   
   7.   PUNCTURING THE BOX FOR VENTALATION IS NOT NESSECCARY.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT HEAT PACK

  1. THERE ARE 20, 30, 40, AND 60 HOURS HEAT PACKS.
  2. BESIDES FROM THE DIFFERENT LENGTH OF TIME THAT EACH TYPE OF HEAT PACKS LAST, THEY ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT PEAK TIME AND TEMPERATURE AS WELL AS ACTIVATION TIME.
  3. 20 HOURS HEAT PACK ACTIVATE QUICKLY (5-10 MIN.), GET HOTTER THAN THE OTHERS, AND REACH PEAK TEMPERATURE IN APPROXIMATELY 7 HOURS. IT IS GOOD FOR TROPICAL FISH BECAUSE IT TAKES MORE TO HEAT UP WATER THAN AIR. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO USE IT ALONG WITH THE OTHER HEAT PACKS FOR REPTILE SHIPMENT ORIGINATING FROM A VERY COLD CLIMATE TO ACHEIVED A MORE EVEN TEMPERATURE THROUGHOUT THE TRIP.
  4. 30 HOURS HEAT PACK ACTIVATE IN APPROX. 20-30 MINUTES. THE ACTUAL SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF THE HEAT PACK MAY REACH 115 DEGREES AT ITS PEAK WHICH IS NOT AS HOT AS 20 HOURS BUT NOT AS MILD AS 40 HOURS. IT PEAKS BETWEEN 12 TO 14 HOURS.
  5. 40 HOURS HEAT PACK ACTIVATE IN APPROX. 40-50 MINUTES. IT IS THE MOST POPULAR TYPE FOR REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS, AND INSECT SHIPPING. THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE IS APPROX. 110 DEGREES AT ITS PEAK. IT RELEASES STEADY TEMPERATURE AND PEAK OUT BETWEEN 17 TO 19 HOURS.
  6. 60 HOURS HEAT PACK IS SIMILAR TO THE 40 HOURS EXCEPT IT LAST MUCH LONGER AND REACH ITS PEAK TEMPERATURE AT APPROX. 25 TO 28 HOURS. IT IS GREAT FOR EXPORT SHIPMENT OR SHIPPING VIA USPS PRIORITY MAIL.

USING THE HEAT PACK

  1. THE IDEA OF USING THE HEAT PACK DURING THE SHIPMENT OF LIVE ANIMALS IS NOT TO ACHIEVE THE OPTIMAL TEMPERATURE INSIDE THE BOX BUT TO KEEP THE TEMPERATUE FROM FALLING TOO LOW THAT IT MAY CAUSE THE ANIMALS TO BE VERY STRESS OR DIE.
  2. IF TESTING IS NEEDED BEFORE PUTTING IT IN THE BOX, OPEN THE VACUUM SEALED PLASTIC BAG AND ROLL IN A LAYER OF NEWS PAPER OR PLACE IT IN A SMALL SPACE LIKE LUNCH BAG OR IN THE SHIRT OR PANTS POCKET THEN GIVE IT TIME TO HEAT UP. DO NOT SIMPLY PLACE THE HEAT PACKS ON THE TABLE AS YOU WILL MOST LIKELY NOT FEEL ANY HEAT RELEASES BECAUSE THE AIR VOLUME SURROUNDING THE HEAT PACKS ARE MUCH GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT OF HEAT BEING RELEASE IN THE INITIAL STAGE.
  3. THERE ARE 2 SIDES TO THE HEAT PACK. THE SIDE WITH THE RED STRIPS, WHICH HAVE MANY TINY PERFORATIONS, MUST ALWAYS BE EXPOSED TO AIR. DO NOT LAY THE RED STRIPS SIDE FLAT ON ANY FLAT SUFACE OR TAPE IT DOWN IN SUCH A FASHION THAT IT MAY OBSTRUCT THE AIR FLOW INTO THE PERFORATED HOLES.
  4. IN A CUBIC FOOT INSULATED BOX, THE FIRST HEAT PACK WILL RAISE APPROX. 12-16 DEGREES AND EACH ADDITIONAL HEAT PACK WILL RAISE APPROX.10 DEGREES MORE. THE TEMPERATURE RANGE OF 60 TO 75 DEGREES IS VERY SAVE FOR MOST REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS DURING SHIPMENT.
  5. IF THE TEMPERATURE IN THE SHIPPING BOX IS ALLOW TO FALL BELOW 32 DEGREES (FREEZING POINT), THE HEAT PACK MAY CEASE TO WORK BECAUSE WATER, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN INGREDIENTS OF THE HEAT PACK, MAY BECOME FROZEN.

SHIP LIKE A PRO

  1. OFTEN TIME, THE PRICE OF THE FREIGHT CAN DETERMINE THE DECISION TO PURCHASE THE ANIMALS.
  2. STARTING 1/1/05, UPS, FED EX, AND DHL AIR SHIPMENT WILL NO LONGER USE THE CUBIC FOOT RULE WHICH WAS IF THE DIMENSION OF THE BOX IS LESS THAN 1 CUBIC FOOT, THE CHARGE WILL BE BASED ON THE ACTUAL WEIGHT OF THE PACKAGE. NOW, WHICHEVER WEIGHT IS GREATER BETWEEN THE DIMENSIONAL WEIGHT (L*W*H DIVIDED BY 192) AND THE ACTUAL WEIGHT, THE FREIGHT CHARGE WILL BE BASED ON THAT WEIGHT.
  3. AIRLINE CARGO USUALLY HAVE A FLAT RATE PER BOX AS LONG AS IT IS NOT AN OVER SIZE BOX (2*L+2*W+H IS MORE THAN 108”). SO BOXES MAY BE TAPED TOGETHER AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT EXCEED 108”
  4. USPS USES ACTUAL WEIGHT FOR CHARGES AND DELIVERS ON WEEKEND BUT THEY DO NOT ACCEPT SNAKES. IT IS HARDER TO LOCATE THE PACKAGE IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG AND DO NOT OFFER MORNING DELIVERY.
  5. UPS, FED EX, AIRBORNE OFFERS BEFORE 10:30 AM DELIVERY TIME WHICH IS NICE DOING THE SUMMER HEAT.
  6. IN EXTREME HEAT OR COLD, IT IS SAFER TO HAVE THE BOX HOLD AT THE LOCAL HUB OR POST OFFICE THEN CALL THE CONSIGNEE FOR PICK UP.