Water7 Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 It's possible I'm totally misunderstanding this, but if anyone has any knowledge about this topic, I'd be glad if you can explain this. I was reading this from the US Postal Service website at http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/601.htm#9_0 9.3.10 Packaging [1-26-14] Any mailing container used for mailable animals must be made of at least 275-pound test, double wall, corrugated, weather-resistant fiberboard (W5c) or equivalent and must be adequately ventilated. The container must be constructed to prevent escape of the animals while in the mail and to preclude the container and its contents from being crushed in normal handling. The outside of the container must include a return address and a description of the contents. A container marked “If Undeliverable, Abandon” is not accepted. USPS-produced packaging, including Flat Rate containers, is not eligible for shipping live animals. It seems that shrimp are normally shipped by priority mail. Does this rule, which looks like it was added in January, mean that is no longer acceptable? I would just like to know because I was hoping to order shrimp next month. Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 While I don't condone lying... it is more of a just fail to mention that detail when you are shipping a package... If you declare that you are shipping live animals of any type the price just about doubles for the same service Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 I never mark my packages with what I am shipping. Additionally some post office employees thing that you can't ship fish or shrimp and will give you a hard time about it. I have found it easiest to just not say anything. Triton and Louie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 I agree, sadly I think some PO workers will actually treat the package worse if they know the contents. I never mark as fragile or anything. You just need to make sure it is water tight so if a bag does leak a little they won't notice (if they notice it will get held up a few days) Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louie Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Triton, That was very funny . I agree . Fed -ex 2 day guaranteed shipping is $15 while USPS $10 can be a week . Twenty years ago , I used too send Scarlet King snakes through the mail . Granted in a box not an envelope hee hee but a larger box with a heavier wooden box inside took about 2 days . Now the 2 day priority can take a week . manticore 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Water7 Posted March 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Thank you very much for your answers. I think I understand the situation a little better now. It is interesting that the same page I quoted from in the original post says: 9.3.3 Small Cold-Blooded AnimalsSmall, harmless, cold-blooded animals (except snakes and turtles) that do notrequire food or water or attention during handling in the mail and that do not create sanitary problems or obnoxious odors are mailable (e.g., baby alligators and caimans not more than 20 inches long, bloodworms, earthworms, mealworms, salamanders, leeches, lizards, snails, and tadpoles). So shrimp would be considered mailable according to this. The section I posted this morning is not saying that shrimp can't be shipped priority, but that they don't want the flat rate mailing boxes used for this purpose. I am sorry if I caused any confusion by my original question. I'm not planning on shipping shrimp myself, but just wanted to know if it was going to be possible for me to order them by mail. Thank you again for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Yes, you are allowed to mail them... but per their rules you still need to declare them (thus the extra cost) Then there is the individual state rules (certain plants and snails cannot be mailed to some states) Yes you will be able to receive shrimp no problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtletanks91 Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 There's a specific guideline for shipping fish. When they cay animal they refer to any warm mammal or bird basically. I have never had a problem mailing priority with fish shrimp or plants and I always label the box. They have made me open the box a few times to make sure it was insulated and the contents were double bagged at least. And I have never had to pay a surcharge either. The basic guidelines I found for fish last year was a styro lined box for insulation and to prevent any water from leaking out, at least a 3-5mm bag to prevent puncture, a heat pack or cold pack if required and a clear labeling on the outside of the package, It also depends how often you mail these things out from your local p.o. I go to myne every week so they know me and what I'm mailing and if I ever have trouble I open the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 +1 to the above, typically I just go and use the automated postage machine, only reason I say it adds cost is that I've tried it before with the same box saying yes/no to live animals I think it varies from PO to PO though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Water7 Posted March 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Thank you for these informative answers. Yes, I agree that they say you should declare it, and I would want to do that. Subtletanks, I am glad to hear that you have been able to ship so many times according to the proper procedures and have not had any problems. That is wonderful. And yes, I'm looking forward to getting shrimp in the mail one day! I am just waiting for my tank to be matured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicca32 Posted March 14, 2014 Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 i just bought a cheap scale from ebay and print my own labels. its a bit cheaper that way as well. i ship medium flat rate for like a buck less by printing my own labels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juancho Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Shipping live animals is a nightmare for me....saying that I live in Colombia.... maybe it's my fault....for me it has been a battle when it comes to shipping. If I was to follow the existing laws well......I could either wait (till | die) or become Colombia's next president...trying to preserve the environment is a concern, but if we are real this is impossible....keeping in mind that those are the same people that put profit above anything else.....cellphones produced in mass by children, in an unsafe factory somewhere in china., with raw material that literally kill everything around ....that's ok ...but to ship a few shrimps or plants somehow , that is a menace to the environment.... so much stuff would be easier if we use common sense... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicca32 Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 also one thing to keep in mind is boxes labeled live,fragile, or breakable are taken off the automated system and hand sorted so it will take longer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 And also sometimes lost or misplaced by good meaning people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dukendabears Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Anybody know if perishable is hand sorted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicca32 Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 i believe so. because it would take extra care. i have shipped for a good 10 yrs now and never write anything on the package. never had a problme. i think in all the years i have been shipping and even longer receiving ive only had a problem like 4 or 5 times. once a package got lost in july (i live in the south) once was seller error and once paypal sent wrong address to sender so instead of 2 days it took 8. as for sending only time i have probs is when i send to florida. for some reason once a package hits gainsville facility it seems to take an extra day. same with getting from florida. Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 Yea better off just, shipping it blind. I had one that someone marked live fish on the side. You would have thought the post office stopped thst day lol. Now they all ask what I'm getting and want to see lol. Once I showed them the fine packing job most of us do,they were ok with it. They actually call me and hold,any package that comes -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
featherblue Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 Best label I've found so far is "fragile:water sample". According to a postal insider, this is supposed to get gentle handling with out the hand sorting delay. Ive had shipping delays with packages marked live, but so far (knock on wood), the water sample marked packages have all been on time and uncrushed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dukendabears Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 I sent my first 3 boxes out unmarked last week.. One showed up crushed but no DOA. I think ill stick with stickering them perishable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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