when is it too cold to ship?

At what overnight temp is it too cold to ship a ball python? anyone have some opinions?

I wouldn't recommend shipping 40 degrees and under. If its above 40 up to like 65 I would recommend using a heat pack.

If you ship hub to hub you can ship year round if properly packed.

I just shipped Monday from Michigan to AZ. My lows was 37 and customers low was 28 when arrived in morning. Snake arrived Perfectly fine and warm, not cold. When shipping Hub to Hub theres only the low temps you worry about since they arrive at the hub by 6-7am.

When having fedex do pickup and then drop off at customers house id recommend nothing under 35F, since they will have a 3-5 hour longer trip on truck.

Ok because I'm thinking of selling some of my bps to make more rack room and our loews have been 25-35 overnight.never thought of just sending for a pick up at the fedex store.

I have shipped at all times of the year, and never had any snakes pass away during shipping. As long as you have them packaged correctly, and they are delivered on time, you should not have any issues whatever the temperature.

We call 15 degrees our low cut-off. Although, remember that even if you ship hub to hub, the coldest temps the box is exposed to is on the flight at 20,000 feet with no environmental control in the cargo hold. It does get cold on the flight.

I am more comfortable shipping in cold than extreme heat, but as Tim mentioned 15 degrees is typically my cut off too. In a 12x9x6 box I like to take 1 heat pack and tape to the lid all the way on one side of the box and another heat pack on the side of the box on the opposite side.

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Originally Posted by muddoc

We call 15 degrees our low cut-off. Although, remember that even if you ship hub to hub, the coldest temps the box is exposed to is on the flight at 20,000 feet with no environmental control in the cargo hold. It does get cold on the flight.

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This is why Marking boxes of whats inside helps them board the box in a heated area. If not mistaken all FedEx planes have the cargo area that gets to freezing and below, and then a heated area where the pilots are exposed to as well.

I had a ball shipped to me and the temp took an unexpected dive down to 9 degrees and they didn't hold it at the hub for me, then they LOST what truck they put him on, took six hours to track the snake down. He was snug as a bug in a rug.

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

This is why Marking boxes of whats inside helps them board the box in a heated area. If not mistaken all FedEx planes have the cargo area that gets to freezing and below, and then a heated area where the pilots are exposed to as well.

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It has been my understanding that everything goes in the Cargo area. You can mark your box with anything you wish, but It still goes in one of those big metal containers that is stuffed in the cargo hold. Plus, I do mark my box according to IATA standards. If you don't these days, you could have problems shipping into Florida or California.

I verified cargo info with the FedEx Live Animal Desk just the other day. Packages are held in a pressurized hold, with temperature regulated between 55-75F.

Thanks for that great tidbit Robyn. Is that all packages? Or, do you have to inform them that you have live animals or temperature sensitive goods to get in that "special area"?

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Originally Posted by FIREball

I am more comfortable shipping in cold than extreme heat, but as Tim mentioned 15 degrees is typically my cut off too.

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I agree, snakes can handle a little cold better than heat. But a properly packed snake will be just fine in most weather.

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Originally Posted by muddoc

Thanks for that great tidbit Robyn. Is that all packages? Or, do you have to inform them that you have live animals or temperature sensitive goods to get in that "special area"?

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That would be all Overnight packages. I imagine freight and pallets are handled differently. They handle millions of packages a day, they don't do any sorting on content, aside from Hazardous or High Value type stuff, which is booked differently.

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Originally Posted by Robyn@SYR

I verified cargo info with the FedEx Live Animal Desk just the other day. Packages are held in a pressurized hold, with temperature regulated between 55-75F.

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well that information is very useful, thanks for finding that out for us.

it all depends on how you label it and what you pay. fedex has so many services that if you "spend enough" there is a special service that they will hand deliver mail for you... but it comes at a cost. off topic, why to getting rid of them?