NOT Happy!

[youbeyouibei]

I've had all of mine, minus the ones I've bought in person, shipped to the hub. I know FedEx occasionally contracts drivers to make deliveries and the ones that have delivered to my house with random E-Bay crap I've bought aren't the top of the barrel, to put it politely. I've also had the regular FedEx drivers not knock, ring the bell or anything of the sort; one just tossed the package on the porch from five feet or so and then proceeded to get an earful from my wife...who was expecting some clothes or shoes or lotion or who knows what and though her stuff should be "treated with care" according to her, lol! Glad you got your snake okay and most importantly, alive; I'd say chalk it up to a lesson learned and if you're able to make the trip to your FedEx hub and don't mind driving it, I'd go for that option in the future, save the headache.

[Robyn@SYR]

The Lacey Act does not mention anything about "Live Harmless Reptile" labeling actually, that is a common industry term, not a federal law term : )

It DOES specify a minimum requirement of marking the package "wildlife" however. And after speaking at length with Fish & Wildlife folks doing the inspections, we advise shippers to mark as "Wildlife- Live Harmless Reptiles". Meets the federal requirement, as well as adds easily understood clarifying language.

Mark it with full inventory and scientific names if you like, that also meets (exceeds) the requirement. But for goodness snakes, DON'T mark it LIVE REPTILES in 6 inch tall RED letters all over the box. That is only going to attract negative attention (and phobic handling) and still doesn't meet any labeling requirement : )

As for the signature...

Delivery confirmation (requiring a signature) is a PAID OPTION. You have to select that during booking. When you do, it becomes required for delivery.

If you do not select it, which is also very common, the driver may leave the package in a safe area, at his discretion. There is no requirement to knock, ring, or otherwise wait for you. That is why it is so important for a live reptile recipient to be ready and waiting for the imminent arrival of their package. Follow tracking updates online, watch the porch instead of the tv, don't "take a quick shower" or "duck out for a quick lunch". Proactively check for your package.

If you do see the driver face to face, and he hands you the package, he will request a signature, required or not, that is also standard policy.

But if has not been booked as Delivery Confirmation (with an extra fee), it is just one of 2000 packages he has to deliver today, and he is trying to get on with it.

Hoping to provide some clarification and reasonable expectation : )

[RichsBallPythons]

Signature required IMO is a waste of money. As Ive had snakes shipped and received with signature required and they would drop box off on porch or not even ask for signature.

[Mike41793]

Hey thanks for the extra info guys! Very good to know for future purchases. Even though i started this thread kinda pissed, its ending on a very positive note from me learning so much.
Also just to reiterate, i still only have good things to say about my buying experience with Adriane. Please no one hold any of this fed ex crap against her lol.
Once again thanks for everyones responses, i learned ALOT here!

[WingedWolfPsion]

I've received many snakes without signature required, safely. They do sneak them on to the porch and run--you MUST watch carefully and closely.

The only DOA I have ever received arrived in a package marked only 'perishable', so I FIRMLY believe that not marking the box as containing a live animal is FAR worse than marking it legally. The incidence of people who don't like reptiles shaking boxes is pretty low--most people do take more care if they notice the box contains a live animal. (Most people are not jerks). NO one takes more care of a package if they don't know the box has a live animal in it. Packages in general are treated roughly.

I've had snakes shipped to me with signature required. Here's what happens, virtually EVERY time--they run up onto the porch, drop a door tag, and take off--without knocking. This has happened in all of the different places I've lived, so it's not just one bad driver.

In one case, i was upstairs, I heard the truck pull up, I ran down the stairs, and by the time I got to the door, the truck had pulled away, leaving the door tag! The poor animal had to ride around on the truck. Of course, I called to complain, but the driver claimed he had rung the bell properly (of course he didn't--he didn't even bring the package to the door, only the tag. If he had brought the box, he wouldn't have been nimble enough to drop the door tag so quickly).

I had to drive to where the driver was going to be and hunt him down to get the animal, so it wouldn't ride in the truck all day. I've had to do that TWICE.

So, I never send animals with signature required, and I always properly mark boxes. I've had no problems this way. I package so that the animal will be safe in outdoor temperatures, and the package is safer on a customer's porch, even if they don't find it for an hour, than it is in the back of a hot truck for half the day.

[BFE Pets]

So i just got my new snake today from mues155, Adriane. That whole process went flawlessly, a pleasure to do business with!
Now for the bad part. The FedEx tracking was nice, i followed the whole thing which was cool. My girl was supposed to arrive by 12pm. So i woke up at like 8:30am this morning. Checked the steps to see if she was there and she wasnt. Ok so im sitting watching tv all morning right next to the window waiting for the fedex truck. So finally the mail truck comes at like 11:15am. So finally at like 12 my grandpa walks over from next door and comes inside saying "oh mike this package was on your steps". Its my snake!!! I was like wtf when did fedex come?!?! I always hear it when it pulls up in front of my house! Its impossible not to with the squeaky brakes!
So my question is now: is it possible the mail lady delivered it? Im pretty sure she didnt and the fedex guy was just really sneaky. But doesnt he need to get my signature since it says "live harmless reptile" on like every side of the box??? The snake was fine, a little frazzled from her journey but still a nice big, friendly girl! Im seriously considering putting a call or email into fedex, but before i do someone please tell me if what i experienced was normal...

Ive never had to sign for one. but heres my rant on fedex:
I hated the fedex guy in my neighborhood! He either got a new route or got fired! I get packages all the time not just snakes but other stuff and he was notorious for just throwing the boxes on my porch. literally throwing them. I have had several confontations with him and finally started calling and complaining about him. The icing on the cake was when I got my last reptile delivered. I was sitting on the porch waiting for it and he dropped the box on his way out of the truck and then handed it to me laughing. He thought it was funny. I was ready to hurt him! the wife convinced me to let it go but she was fuming over the phone with the complaint department. Havent seen him since

[Mike41793]

Ive never had to sign for one. but heres my rant on fedex:
I hated the fedex guy in my neighborhood! He either got a new route or got fired! I get packages all the time not just snakes but other stuff and he was notorious for just throwing the boxes on my porch. literally throwing them. I have had several confontations with him and finally started calling and complaining about him. The icing on the cake was when I got my last reptile delivered. I was sitting on the porch waiting for it and he dropped the box on his way out of the truck and then handed it to me laughing. He thought it was funny. I was ready to hurt him! the wife convinced me to let it go but she was fuming over the phone with the complaint department. Havent seen him since

Ive gotten 1 or 2 packages since then, both non herp related. I got my dog all riled up in the other room as he pulled up, so when i opened the door and he handed me the package she was barking like mad lol. The look on his face was pure fear! Shes only an 80 pound german shepherd but her bark sounds like a 120lb male lol. I could give a crap what he does to my stuff anymore bc ill be picking up all snakes i receive at the checkpoint hub.

[Cameron Lamb Exotics]

I always have them shipped to my work So I always can physically see the fed ex guy walk through the door. But I also live in So cal so the weather is always awesome

[Skiploder]

Another reason why I pick every snake up at the hub Glad everything went well though!

Regards,

B

x2 - I only deliver to hubs. Customers can pick their animals up at 9 AM if they wish, much less time in a hot or cold delivery truck.

Plus, fedex rules state business to business delivery only. Anything else needs to be held at the hub.

[Freakie_frog]

Ok now for my take one this. The Fed-ex requires that the box be marked "live harmless reptile" in at least two place if I remember correctly. Depending on the state you are shipping to you have to even put something stating the species and quantity in the box. I do this for all my shipments because I'm never sure what states the package will be transported through and how or what that area will require, it's as easy as a $.02 address label.

Requesting a signature is one of three ways, 1: addressee only, 2: Adult signature, 3: Signature. When I will normally pay the 2-5.00 extra to have third party electronic verification when and that the package was received. This can in handy recently when I shipped a Mojo to someone and they happened to be in school at the time the animal was delivered. I requested that it be a direct signature. I get notice that it was delivered but no word from the buyer that everything was A-OK. 4 hours later I find out that it was his brother that signed his name and had just thrown the box is his room. Luckily the animal was fine and the customer was happy. Had it turned out for the worse then I'd of had to go to Fed-ex and start an investigation.

If the shipper is worth their salt the package the snake for a 30-48 hour stay in the box knowing that it will not be in there for more than 24. Shipped a snake a couple of year that due to weather the animal sat in Memphis for a full 24 hours. It arrived just fine and ok due to me packing if for a 48 hour trip instead of a 12 hour trip.

In closing it's all in the shipper and their diligence to good shipping practices.