Anyone ever have Fedx open your package during shipment?

[Venomgland]

It just happened to me... I got an alert saying the package can't be held at the ship center on fedx.com.. I was curious why and called fedx. I got some lady some where and she said the package was expedited and got opened, and because it is a reptile (its not, its a 4" Male G. pulchra) that they can't hold it at the ship center. She called my local fedx and confirmed that they DO hold reptiles. So I guess it will still be held, but now I am worried that since it was opened. How well they repacked it.

 

[MetalMan2004]

Wow. Any explanation as to why someone opened it?

Since they knew it was a live animal I’m sure they repacked as best ad they could but that doesn’t mean they know how to repack properly... keep us updated!

 

[darkness975]

It just happened to me... I got an alert saying the package can't be held at the ship center on fedx.com.. I was curious why and called fedx. I got some lady some where and she said the package was expedited and got opened, and because it is a reptile (its not, its a 4" Male G. pulchra) that they can't hold it at the ship center. She called my local fedx and confirmed that they DO hold reptiles. So I guess it will still be held, but now I am worried that since it was opened. How well they repacked it.

Why did they feel the need to open it? Seems like invasion of privacy to me although I am not well versed in the laws of shipping companies.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I will be concerned as well since they opened the parcel, btw not exactly in a moment where there's an 'invert friendly' weather.

 

[Venomgland]

I will be concerned as well since they opened the parcel, btw not exactly in a moment where there's an 'invert friendly' weather.

Its coming from warm weather to warm weather. The seller said he put a 70 hour heat pack in there as well. Its already been delayed a day, and looks like it might miss today too. I hate this..

 

[Tia B]

I've never had a live animal shipment opened, but I've had other packages opened by FedEx, and they arrived in less than optimal condition. They were clearly haphazardly ripped apart and taped together with little care. I would say to expect the worse for the packing job and hope that the spider is tough enough to survive it.

 

[chanda]

So sorry to hear that! While I have not had any Fed Ex packages opened (that I know of!), I have had it happen with USPS.

A few years ago I purchased a set of Monty Python CD's on ebay. When the package (a padded envelope) arrived, it had clearly been sliced open right in the middle and taped back up again rather sloppily - and when I opened it, instead of the CD's I'd ordered was an autographed copy of the book Coraline! I contacted the post office and was told that it is common for them to open media mail packages to make sure the items being shipped actually qualify for the media rate, and apparently when they did so, they were checking multiple packages and switched the contents. (I did contact the seller first, in case he'd accidentally shipped the wrong item - but he said he'd never even seen that book before and had definitely shipped the CD set. The indentations in the envelope support his story - it looked to have originally been around a different-sized item than the book.) The post office was not at all helpful about getting it sorted, though. As far as they were concerned, a package was shipped and a package was delivered, end of story.

I also had a package containing three DEAD leaf insects opened at customs and confiscated. I didn't realize you needed to fill out paperwork to buy dead insects. (Heck, when I placed the order on Etsy, I didn't even realize they were coming from overseas!)

Best of luck with the tarantula! I certainly hope it makes it ok. Officially, FedEx does not ship live animals, so you're lucky it wasn't confiscated, destroyed, or accidentally released when they opened it for inspection.

"FedEx Express does not accept live-animal shipments as part of its regular-scheduled service and does not transport household pets such as dogs, cats, birds and hamsters. FedEx Express may accept certain shipments of live animals such as horses, livestock and zoo animals (to and from zoo locations only) on an exception basis if approved and coordinated by the FedEx Animal Desk (call 1.800.405.9052)" http://images.fedex.com/us/services/pdf/Service_Guide_2017.pdf

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I also had a package containing three DEAD leaf insects opened at customs and confiscated. I didn't realize you needed to fill out paperwork to buy dead insects. (Heck, when I placed the order on Etsy, I didn't even realize they were coming from overseas!)

I remember that. What happened after? I mean, nothing (aside confiscation) or you ended even to pay a $ fine?

 

[chanda]

I remember that. What happened after? I mean, nothing (aside confiscation) or you ended even to pay a $ fine?

Nothing. I got two letters. The first told me that they'd been confiscated and gave me some options for if I wanted to appeal the confiscation and try to get them back, but most of the information appeared to be more pertinent to large/commercial imports - and required some rather substantial fees that were way more than the cost of the bugs in question. For $15 of bugs, it wasn't worth the hassle of trying to wade through the paperwork. I can buy the exact same thing from people here in the states (albeit for slightly more money) and avoid all the hassle. There was a second letter when the time period to appeal had expired, notifying me that they would be disposed of. That was it, though.

 

[Venomgland]

Fedx said some facilities won't hold reptiles and some will. They said mine will, so I don't know what to think... I'm probably black listed now.

 

[PanzoN88]

To get a shippers prospective, I will summon @sdsnybny

 

[cold blood]

When I use Fed Ex, I utilize ship your reptiles (through a friend who is a dealer)...so they are clearly live animals. The one thing is that you cannot drop live animals off at just any fed ex office...only the major hub, generally located at a local airport.

Shipping from warm to warm, why is there a heat pack...that's very dangerous...I won't use a heat pack if the temps are over 55.

 

[Venomgland]

When I use Fed Ex, I utilize ship your reptiles (through a friend who is a dealer)...so they are clearly live animals. The one thing is that you cannot drop live animals off at just any fed ex office...only the major hub, generally located at a local airport.

Shipping from warm to warm, why is there a heat pack...that's very dangerous...I won't use a heat pack if the temps are over 55.

IDK.. We will see tomorrow

 

[Paul1126]

Why did they feel the need to open it? Seems like invasion of privacy to me although I am not well versed in the laws of shipping companies.

I'm pretty sure they can search any package they want.
Would some a bit strange to me if they couldn't then you'd get people sending all sorts of illegal stuff.

 

[Venomgland]

my only guess why it was opened was because of the heat pack. I'm sure it felt warm and made the package suspicious. I just hope I don't get in trouble for receiving venomous animals in the mail.

 

[EulersK]

I have shipped several times through FedEx. I will no longer use them, even if a buyer insists on it. Here are my anecdotal stories that explain my refusal:

• I used their online tool for printing labels. I have a USPS certified scale, and a freaking ruler for measurements. So the package information was spot on, down to the ounce. In fact, I always tack on an extra three ounces to be safe. They took the package with no issue, and I get an email several days later that they "recalculated" the shipping rate from $75 to $115. That recalculation ate up almost my entire profit from the sale, and to top it off the overnight shipment took two days to get there. Turns out they don't honor Next Day Guarantee when you create the label yourself (exactly what a rep on the phone said).
• Had my package opened and inspected just like the OP. They went ahead and sealed it up, sure... without the top Styrofoam lid, which ruined the insulation. The spider died in transit, and I was forced to honor my LAG.
• A package arrived looking like an accordion. Thankfully the spider was housed in a durable container and thus wasn't crushed, but it literally looked like a cinder block was dropped on it.
• Two packages simply disappeared. Never returned to me, never delivered to the buyer, and even the tracking info perpetually stated that it was "out for delivery" until two weeks later when the tracking number expired. The FedEx rep on the phone stated that without the package in hand, there was nothing they could do. They will reimburse the contents, sure... oh, but you printed your label online? Apologies, we don't reimburse online labels.

FedEx is garbage, plain and simple. I'd trust a ten year old on a bike before I'd trust them again.

 

[PidderPeets]

As someone who works for a shipping company, I can tell you that most packages can be opened if they're deemed suspicious. At least for my company, an unmarked package generating heat is something we are supposed to report to our supervisors. I've never seen anything come of it (we usually just get told to load the package anyway), but that package can be opened by one of our building's hazmat responders.

Packages also often get opened because they get damaged before being loaded into a truck, and so they either have to be opened by our clerks and put into a new box or have all the contents accounted for and put back into the original box.

The sort of good news at least is that it's not illegal to ship venomous animals through FedEx, just prohibited. They could possibly persue the issue in court if they wanted to, but I have a hard time believing it would be worth it to them. Had it been shipped via USPS, it would actually be illegal.

Hopefully it was opened due to it generating heat and not because it got damaged (hazmat responders are obviously careful with their handling). I hope everything turns out alright and your pulchra gets to you safely. Keep us posted!

 

[Venomgland]

Well I picked it up today and surprisingly the box looked perfect! It even looked unopened, but they had to open it cause they knew there was a live animal in there. I dont know.... But anyways, no questions were asked at fedx and the spider is fine even though it was delayed 2 extra nights. Hats off to the seller for great packaging!

 

[MetalMan2004]

Glad it worked out, although not at all what I expected to happen!

 

[Venomgland]

Glad it worked out, although not at all what I expected to happen!

Same here.. I pictured a smashed package that was re taped shut and a lot of questions asked..