Designer Geckos
Contributor
- Messages
- 967
- Location
- Boulder, CO
Just to add in our two cents to the cold weather shipping talk......we ship in cold weather routinely and have never had a single problem. Here are a few of our procedures and criteria for shipping in cold weather conditions:
- Always check the weather forecast carefully for the departure and destination cities for the next 48-72 hours, and also check the hubs' weather forecasts. For instance, our shipments from Denver to the east via Fedex go through Indy, so we always check the weather of our hubs as well before making a decision to ship.
- If the weather looks good with no storms on Doppler etc., and the temps aren't too much below 35 degrees, we will usually ship. Cold weather is bad enough, but storms cause delays and that's something we definitely don't want to have to deal with. Of course it is imperative that the buyer be fully aware of the delivery time so the geckos are not left outside their door. This must be fully communicated. Be sure you have the buyer's cell phone number.
- It is essential to track your shipments. If there is a delay noted on the tracking info, you must call the carrier and talk to someone from customer service to alert them that the box contains live animals and that the box needs to be placed in a warm location/office and NOT on a cold loading dock! We use Fedex exclusively and they have been great at putting traces on shipments that have been delayed so those can be placed inside where it is warm until shipping resumes.
- We use 12x9x6 insulated shipping boxes, and most always use 32 oz deli cups (unless the geckos are small). The reason we use the larger box is because we use two 60-72 hour heat packs per box. One is placed in the corner very close to the deli cup, insulated from the cup with a small amount of crumpled paper so it is very close to the cup, and the other heat pack is positioned in the opposite corner. That way you get both fairly direct heat and some ambient heat in the box. The larger deli cup allows the gecko to move away or closer to the heat source as it wishes. Use crumpled paper to fill the voids in the box. ALWAYS use 60-72 hour heat packs in case of a delay, plus these packs are larger and provide better assurance for warmth. The smaller duration heat packs are too thin and can fail. The larger heat packs are considerably heavier and more expensive to buy and to ship, but it's worth it!
- Use crumpled paper (not shredded) to fill your voids. Do not use packing peanuts, which can give off toxic vapors when heated.
- Be sure the geckos have been well fed the days prior to shipping. This will help to make them fat and happy and will help them withstand the rigors and stress of shipping.
- Be sure to write clearly on the top of the box and at least one of the sides. We always write LIVE BABY GECKO - HANDLE WITH CARE....and add KEEP WARM during the winter months. We have found the carriers to be very compassionate folks and they take care when they see that writing on the box. Write clearly using a sharpie marker so the message is clearly visible. If you do not write this info on the box, the box will get thrown around like a rag doll and we certainly don't want our precious cargo treated like that! Let them know what's inside. Very important! We endorse Fedex because we know how great they have been in tracing packages when delayed so they can be placed inside a nice warm office rather than a freezing dock. (Note that Fedex requires that you be a certified reptile shipper. If you ship reptiles with them and are not certified by them they can ban you from shipping ever again with them....important.)
Hope these tips help. We ship routinely during the winter months with great success, although we do so with great caution. We have even shipped to the Arctic Ocean! Some of our geckos eat upon arrival so we know our method works well.
When in doubt, DON'T ship. These critters depend on us for their safety. We do NOT recommend shipping young juvies during winter months.
Best of luck, and let me know if you have any other questions about this and we'll be glad to help you out.
- Always check the weather forecast carefully for the departure and destination cities for the next 48-72 hours, and also check the hubs' weather forecasts. For instance, our shipments from Denver to the east via Fedex go through Indy, so we always check the weather of our hubs as well before making a decision to ship.
- If the weather looks good with no storms on Doppler etc., and the temps aren't too much below 35 degrees, we will usually ship. Cold weather is bad enough, but storms cause delays and that's something we definitely don't want to have to deal with. Of course it is imperative that the buyer be fully aware of the delivery time so the geckos are not left outside their door. This must be fully communicated. Be sure you have the buyer's cell phone number.
- It is essential to track your shipments. If there is a delay noted on the tracking info, you must call the carrier and talk to someone from customer service to alert them that the box contains live animals and that the box needs to be placed in a warm location/office and NOT on a cold loading dock! We use Fedex exclusively and they have been great at putting traces on shipments that have been delayed so those can be placed inside where it is warm until shipping resumes.
- We use 12x9x6 insulated shipping boxes, and most always use 32 oz deli cups (unless the geckos are small). The reason we use the larger box is because we use two 60-72 hour heat packs per box. One is placed in the corner very close to the deli cup, insulated from the cup with a small amount of crumpled paper so it is very close to the cup, and the other heat pack is positioned in the opposite corner. That way you get both fairly direct heat and some ambient heat in the box. The larger deli cup allows the gecko to move away or closer to the heat source as it wishes. Use crumpled paper to fill the voids in the box. ALWAYS use 60-72 hour heat packs in case of a delay, plus these packs are larger and provide better assurance for warmth. The smaller duration heat packs are too thin and can fail. The larger heat packs are considerably heavier and more expensive to buy and to ship, but it's worth it!
- Use crumpled paper (not shredded) to fill your voids. Do not use packing peanuts, which can give off toxic vapors when heated.
- Be sure the geckos have been well fed the days prior to shipping. This will help to make them fat and happy and will help them withstand the rigors and stress of shipping.
- Be sure to write clearly on the top of the box and at least one of the sides. We always write LIVE BABY GECKO - HANDLE WITH CARE....and add KEEP WARM during the winter months. We have found the carriers to be very compassionate folks and they take care when they see that writing on the box. Write clearly using a sharpie marker so the message is clearly visible. If you do not write this info on the box, the box will get thrown around like a rag doll and we certainly don't want our precious cargo treated like that! Let them know what's inside. Very important! We endorse Fedex because we know how great they have been in tracing packages when delayed so they can be placed inside a nice warm office rather than a freezing dock. (Note that Fedex requires that you be a certified reptile shipper. If you ship reptiles with them and are not certified by them they can ban you from shipping ever again with them....important.)
Hope these tips help. We ship routinely during the winter months with great success, although we do so with great caution. We have even shipped to the Arctic Ocean! Some of our geckos eat upon arrival so we know our method works well.
When in doubt, DON'T ship. These critters depend on us for their safety. We do NOT recommend shipping young juvies during winter months.
Best of luck, and let me know if you have any other questions about this and we'll be glad to help you out.
