Shipping

[Pitchfire]

I know this has been hashed out over and over, but I have to vent that the US Postal Service will ship baby alligators, live bees, and poisonous scorpions, but not harmless little baby snakes! In Southeast, Alaska the USPS is about as reliable as it gets.

DMM 601 Mailability

8.5 Harmful Matter—General

Except as provided in this document, any article, composition, or material is nonmailable if it can kill or injure another or injure the mail or other property. Harmful matter includes, but is not limited to:
a. All types and classes of poisons, including controlled substances.

b. All poisonous animals except scorpions mailed for medical research purposes or for the manufacture of antivenom; all poisonous insects; all poisonous reptiles; and all types of snakes, turtles, and spiders.

c. All disease germs or scabs.
d. All explosives, flammable material, infernal machines, and mechanical, chemical, or other devices or compositions that may ignite or explode.

pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_007.htm

526 Mailable Live Animals

526.1 General

Some animals are mailable under proper conditions. See the specific instructions as noted for the following kinds of animals:

1. Live bees, 526.2 and Exhibit 526.21.
2. Live, day–old poultry, 526.3 and Exhibit 526.33.
3. Live adult fowl, 526.4.
4. Live scorpions (only under limited circumstances), 526.5 and Exhibit 526.5.
5. Other small, harmless, cold–blooded animals, 526.6 and Exhibit 526.6.

Note: Regarding dead animals or parts of animals, see 526.7 and Exhibit 526.7.

526.5 Live Scorpions

The mailing of scorpions is limited by the restrictions in 18 U.S.C. 1716. Under this limitation, scorpions are mailable only when sent for the purposes of medical research use or the manufacture of antivenin (Ie. poisonous). Scorpions are nonmailable under any other circumstances. See Exhibit 526.5 and DMM 601.9.3.10 for mailing conditions that apply to permissible shipments.
526.6 Small, Harmless, Cold–Blooded Animals

Small, harmless, cold–blooded animals, except for snakes, turtles, and turtle eggs, are mailable only when they meet certain requirements. For some examples, see Exhibit 526.6.

General Requirements:
All animals in this group: Must be able to reach their destination in good condition in the normal transit time between the mailing and address points. Must not require any food, water, or attention during transport. Must not create sanitary problems. Must not create obnoxious odors.
Specific Requirements by Animal:
Baby Alligators Baby Caimans Chameleons Frogs Lizards Newts Reptiles and Amphibians Salamanders Tadpoles and Toads	Animals must not exceed 20 inches in length. No additional requirements, except the applicable standards in DMM 601.9. Packaging must comply with DMM 601.9.3.11.

[katach]

Does anyone you know come to Seattle? Would they be able to hand carry something back to you?

[EasternGirl]

It's pretty ridiculous...I could understand if they didn't want to ship venomous snakes...but to include all snakes is just stupid. I will, of course, make sure that I do not ship any scabs to anyone in the future...guess I have to stop doing that now. Lol...

[mikem]

Great, and I was going to order some scabs from you... I guess I'll just pick them up in person, lol! Is there a law regarding the transport of scabs across state lines?

[Dan72]

I work for the postal service (I have no control over policy....sorry), my old bid was to load and unload the trucks as they come in and go out, and one of the guys I worked with has a germ phobia something terrible. The post office has the contract that ships all the used needles through to where they dispose of them, so he would never handle the hazmats coming off the tail of the trucks for fear of what might be in those needles. So yeah, no garter snakes but we'll take those needles caring who knows what.

[Pitchfire]

So far the plan is FedEx to Anchorage and a local carrier down from there. Or UPS is direct if they'll do it. A lot of "next day" stuff here ends up being the next day after the day they feel like getting it here.

[greene]

why wont they let you ship them anyway?

[Selkielass]

Honeybees are a grandfathered in animal. Rural beekeepers have depended on sears & roebuck & other mail order sources for generations. It costs a fortune, the employees. Often hate handling them, and ihave had cigarette sized packets of queen bees worth huñdreds left wrapped. In a zip tied protective sack stuffed into a hot mailbox to bake despite repeated. Requests for pick up at office...just for starters..

I've heard worse stories about package bees.
Alligators. Must be a relic too. (Thank the florida senator, probably.)

Live plants get treated gently, & kept cool I.m.h.e.

[Pitchfire]

Wonder why USPS has such budgetary issues?

[EasternGirl]

Lol about the needles in packages...how exactly was he going to contract a disease from handling a package? Rofl...

Okay...I saw a show on alligators last night...and may I just say that an alligator can do a lot more damage than a snake. That is ridiculous that you can ship baby alligators.