Keeping Garters together?

[kueluck]

I want 1 Eastern Normal male and 1 Red Sided Normal male. He doesn't have them yet, I was just putting in my prepay reservation with expected birth date of May/June. I went to the site to prepay for them and it came up $50 for shipping!! I'm about 2 hours away from him so I'm waiting for a response via e-mail if I can pick them up instead of shipping them.

I'm ordering from Scott too, may I ask what are you getting from him?

[Invisible Snake]

Kool! I'm getting 1.1 melanistic eastern, 1.1 neon blue california red sided, 1.1 albino flame eastern and 1.1 flames

[DIRK]

I also keep different spec./subspec. together, but only male with male, female with female.

[EasternGirl]

$50/$60 is about the standard rate you are going to pay for reptile shipping...you are paying for weight(which isn't much) and overnight shipping to ensure the snake gets to you as quickly as possible...that is the standard cost. I do understand if you are close by and you can drive to get them though.

[kueluck]

I just don't like the idea of shipping live animals since there are so many things that can go wrong. Plus I'm also going to the big reptile show in Raleigh May 5^th and I'm hopeful to maybe find garters there. I just hope the seller is honest when I ask if they are c/b or w/c. Sure I might be stubborn about shipping and c/b vs. w/c but I can wait. The way I see it is that I've waited the past 25 years for my husband to say yes to having a snake in the house, and the longer I wait, the more I learn from you guys.

[Invisible Snake]

I agree I hate getting live animals shipped, A few weeks ago I ordered a couple of snakes from someone through the faunaclassifieds and he shipped them in a box without any air holes or markings on the box stating "Live Animals" so when I waited for the mailman in the hallway I saw him flipping the box around as if nothing important was in it. When I opened the box the snakes inside looked terrified, I'm glad to say that now they are doing well.

[EasternGirl]

Breeders who have experience shipping snakes know what they are doing concerning how to ship reptiles safely. No one can guarantee that something will not go wrong. But an experienced breeder will take every precaution to make sure the animal gets to you safely. There are not usually air holes in the outside box...or live animals written on the box, in my experience. Usually..there will be a container inside with air holes inside that provides adequate ventilation...and markings on the outside of the box such as "fragile" and "perishable"...some may say "live animals". The animals should also be secured and protected...insulated in a way in which they will not get tossed around during shipping. If you deal with a breeder that knows what they are doing...chances are good that your snake will make it to you safe and sound. I have never had a problem and trust the people that ship snakes to me.

[snakehill]

This happens alot! I recieved a shipment and the Fedex driver was tossing the box around! As I was signing for it I kept trying to grab the box away from him! It wasn't marked live animal either. My last shipment had a picture of a snake on the box (a ball python) and the driver was very careful with it. He was also very curious about the type of snake that was inside! (a baby striped corn)

[kibakiba]

People on here know what they are doing whne it comes to shipping, and also if you write "fragile" on the box and the mail man isn't careful with itl... all you have to do is call the office and complain, and they get in trouble.

[snakehill]

I should have called and complained because it was marked "fragile"!