I've had live snakes shipped to me 3 times now, and so far each time went well, but we also have a slightly different set up from most people which requires us to be more vigilant. Our house is set back off the street, behind another house, with just the driveway going to the street. At the top of the driveway is a gate, which delivery workers will not go through unless it is open (regulations I guess). So when we are expecting an important delivery, we do three things:
1) Leave our phone number on the shipping instructions to be called when they arrive.
2) Listen closely for the driveway alarm to go off.
3) Obsessively check the tracking for any and all updates.

So far so good.

Now non-snake deliveries I've gotten... oh the stories I could tell. Once had a saddle shipped to me. ALL over the box it has markings with "FRAGILE" and "THIS SIDE UP". It was a Western saddle, so not exactly light either. I hear the UPS driver blaring at his horn so I run outside to get my package, knowing what it was. I get out just in time to see the box with my saddle come flying over the gate, landing with a loud thud on its side. And before I could yell at the driver he was in his truck and gone. Took me less than a minute to get out the door, so it wasn't like he was sitting there waiting. I was #&*^$&#^*# mad. Thankfully he didn't break my saddle.