Newish shipping method, you may not know about

[Binky/Carol]

I got a lizard that is w/c and am sending it to a rescue for that type of lizard.
This type of shipping applies to T's and scorps that are sent via USPS.
It is a post office to post office express mail shipping label.
You have to ask for it, and you need to have the name of the branch where the recieving person will be picking up the box.
You can have the label and box labeled perishable of course...
The nice part is the box will be kept in an a/c area and you have no worries about it being delivered in a too hot or too cold environment.

Hope this helps some.
Carol

 

[cacoseraph]

just a reminder that it most definitely violates the USPS terms of service/rules to ship venomous animals like scorpions, centipedes, and spiders

regardless of what some random ill informed manager might say it is relatively easily googleable that it definitely violates their TOS


i am not telling anyone what to do, but i am saying that it probably won't go well for most ppl if they say, "hey, i want to ship this big ass venomous tarantula"






that being said, that is sweet info, thanks

 

[Purpleorange8]

just a reminder that it most definitely violates the USPS terms of service/rules to ship venomous animals like scorpions, centipedes, and spiders

regardless of what some random ill informed manager might say it is relatively easily googleable that it definitely violates their TOS


i am not telling anyone what to do, but i am saying that it probably won't go well for most ppl if they say, "hey, i want to ship this big ass venomous tarantula"






that being said, that is sweet info, thanks

It is legal to ship scorpions/tarantulas VIA land.

 

[cacoseraph]

you want to cite that? i have looked up and/or called every shipping service i could find and it was not cool with ANY of them


edit:

some services let SCIENTIFIC and/or EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ship scorps to each other. this does not help hobbyists in the least

 

[Purpleorange8]

you want to cite that? i have looked up and/or called every shipping service i could find and it was not cool with ANY of them


edit:

some services let SCIENTIFIC and/or EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ship scorps to each other. this does not help hobbyists in the least

Just say it is for scientific research. Duh.

 

[cacoseraph]

iirc, you have to be shipping to such an institution.


edit:
and there are labeling and packaging restrictions

 

[KoffinKat138]

i just tell them im shipping a glass picture frame or a coffee mug so that way they know its really fragile.

 

[vvx]

If you use one of those automated package drop boxes it specifically asks about arachnids/tarantulas on one screen. (To get past that screen, lie.)

 

[Warren Bautista]

I ell them I'm shipping my mom's homemade cookies for my cousin in (insert destination here).

 

[cacoseraph]

i wouldn't say you are shipping any food products. perishable products *can* sometimes be shipped, but it draws more attention than is probably good


if one were to want to break the law, saying you are shpping a glass cup or something like that would be the best bet, imo


not that i would EVER even think about actually contraverting rules or breaking laws!







as for can you ship venomous bugs:
http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/601.htm#wp1103548
read section 8.5
big old negatory on everything except scorps for medical research or for antivenin production. it would be, er, stupid to tell them you are shipping scorps for research if you are not actually doing so

 

[skippy]

heaven forfend!;P

 

[whitewolf]

Home chick at the post office looked it up back when I shipped mine off said she didn't see anything illigal about it. And generally holds my packages if she calls and can't get me to make sure they don't set in the sun. :?

 

[cacoseraph]

Home chick at the post office looked it up back when I shipped mine off said she didn't see anything illigal about it.:?

she is not as good at looking things up as me =P

follow the linky i posted earlier and look at part b under 8.5
"8.5 Harmful Matter—General

Except as provided in this document, any article, composition, or material is nonmailable if it can kill or injure another or injure the mail or other property. Harmful matter includes, but is not limited to:

a. All types and classes of poisons, including controlled substances.

b. All poisonous animals except scorpions mailed for medical research purposes or for the manufacture of antivenom; all poisonous insects; all poisonous reptiles; and all types of snakes, turtles, and spiders. "

you can also find a synopsis of when er... Michael Jacoby or some other old time hobbyist/dealer tried to get them to let us ship "nice" tarantulas and the conclusion was it is not up to post office emps to know nice from naughty and so all must stay under ban





trust me, i really looked for a legal and ruleful way for shipping and came up wanting... and i am a pretty good finder (online only, i am also the world's worst bug hunter hehehe)





edit:
oh, and technically there is virtually no way to mail anything, as you are forbidden to mail germs... and those little suckers are everywhere. go post office and excellent wording =P

 

[matthias]

Please read that section carefully. It says NOTHING about VENOMOUS anything, only POISONOUS!

T's are most defiantly not POISONOUS. There are many people that eat T's all over the world.

"8.5 Harmful Matter—General

Except as provided in this document, any article, composition, or material is nonmailable if it can kill or injure another or injure the mail or other property. Harmful matter includes, but is not limited to:

a. All types and classes of poisons, including controlled substances.

b. All poisonous animals except scorpions mailed for medical research purposes or for the manufacture of antivenom; all poisonous insects; all poisonous reptiles; and all types of snakes, turtles, and spiders. "

Hopefully they will never catch on to their mistake.
It is also against their rules to ask you what is in the package. They can ask if it is hazardous or dangerous other than that your package is sacrosanct.

 

[cacoseraph]

not going to fly

the whole "venomous has to be injected and poison eaten" argument is a figment off the hobby's imagination


afaik, from a legal perspective in the USA venom is a subgroup of poison

 

[xhexdx]

Please read that section carefully. It says NOTHING about VENOMOUS anything, only POISONOUS!

T's are most defiantly not POISONOUS. There are many people that eat T's all over the world.

That's because they don't collect poisonous/venomous things like we do, so they don't know the difference. You and I both know damn well what it means, even if they used the wrong terminology.

Defiantly?

And what does eating them have to do with their venom? People eat rattlesnakes, too.

 

[cacoseraph]

Hopefully they will never catch on to their mistake.
It is also against their rules to ask you what is in the package. They can ask if it is hazardous or dangerous other than that your package is sacrosanct.

pre 9/11 you had to have a search warrant to go into first class or better. i sure don't know if that is still the case. i suspect that frogging patriot act could have changed it

 

[ThomasH]

Caco - This is not law, it is USPS company policy. It is against policy to ship tarantulas, scorpions and other inverts. It is, however against law to ship hot herps through common carriers.
Have you ever seen an ad advertising a hot snake or heloderm? They always say can ship via Delta Dash. Delta Dash is not a common carrier and they will do business with hot herpers, it is illegal for, say Fedex or USPS to though.
TBH

 

[ThomasH]

pre 9/11 you had to have a search warrant to go into first class or better. i sure don't know if that is still the case. i suspect that frogging patriot act could have changed it

Why would that change any thing? Granted it makes it a heck of a lot harder to bring luggage along on flights and it often causes evaluation of persons and their belongings but it has absolutely nothing to do with common carriers. USPS gets packages by the thousands everyday, they aren't going to search them, even if they could legally.
TBH

 

[matthias]

pre 9/11 you had to have a search warrant to go into first class or better. i sure don't know if that is still the case. i suspect that frogging patriot act could have changed it

Your suppositions and suspicions are completely unfounded by fact in any way.
It is a gray area but technically legal. It is a risk. They could seize the package, and get the search warrant. Or they can simply refuse your package. I've found that the USPS is more concerned about you not using a Priority Box to ship Express than what is in the box.

If you want to ship 100% within the rules there are ways to do it using FedEx and UPS. You must have your packaging certified by them first and they are more expensive that USPS, but much more reliable with better tracking too. You get what you pay for.

The lesson is to use the right box, pack them well, and don't volunteer information. I also recommend paying for the shipping on line and just droping it off at the post office.