How to Ship Live Reptiles

Using the right shipping supplies will make all the difference in properly shipping out your live reptile. It is very important to use an insulated shipping box in either hot or cold weather to provide a protective and stable environment. For almost all of our shipments we use a standard 12" x 9" x 6" 1/2" insulated shipping box. Depending on the weather we will add either a hot or cold pack as well. The rest of the package is then stuffed full of newspaper to help better insulate as well as minimize the amount of movement inside the box. The more secure the better. Below outlines in detail this process.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Insulated Shipping Box
• Deli Cup With Holes or Cloth Bag
• 40 Hour Heat Pack or Ice Pack
• Packing Tape
• Newspaper

1. 

   Putting together the cardboard box is simple. You simply unfold the sides and fit them together.

2. 

   Next comes adding your insulated foam pieces inside your cardboard box. This is critical and makes all the difference in shipping live animals. Do not skip this process!

3. 

   Next you will add your deli cup or cloth back inside the insulated box. Make sure to add extra newspaper around and on top of each container or bag. You want to make sure they fit securely inside and will not move around when the box is handled and thrown around.

4. 

   I like to wrap the heat pack in a thin layer of newspaper and then tape the heat back to the top of the lid. Make sure when you do this that the red stripes are facing downwards towards the inside of the box.

5. 

   Next tape the box together nice and tight and make sure to use lots of packaging tape. Your box will be tossed around and go through a fairly rough process, and you want to make sure it stays together well.

Tips & Warnings

• Always add a heat pack or cold pack
• Do not forget to add a heat or cold pack

Resources

• Shipping Supplies
• Discount Reptile Shipping