Reptile Shipping & Packing Guidelines

Smart Logistics is an independent freight forwarder with a global network of agents at ports and airports worldwide. We can deliver any Pet anywhere in the world, and our team of passionate, experienced specialists will design a bespoke service around your shipment needs. In choosing to trust Smart Logistics with your shipment you will have a dedicated account handler, giving you one single point of contact who will guide you through each stage of our secure, efficient service.

Things Typically Required to Properly Ship Your Reptiles

  • Insulated Shipping Box with foam insulation (3/4″ thick insulation is highly recommended).
  • Deli Cups and/or Cotton Reptile Bags.
  • Heat Pack or Cold Pack.
  • Fill material (crumpled newspaper, paper towels, foam peanuts, etc).
  • Packing tape.
  • Sharpie-type marker.
  • Any Care Sheets you may want to provide to your customers.

Live Reptile Shipping Temperature Guidelines

  • 40°F and below: We recommend shipping be delayed until warmer weather if it at all possible – it is very risky to ship live animals in cold weather!
  • 40-70°F: Use a heat pack (40 hours or longer suggested).
  • 70-80°F: No Heat Pack or Cold Pack is typically required.
  • 80-90°F: Use a Cold Pack (our Phase 22 is highly recommended) or Thermafreeze Cold Cell. Shipping HAL (Hold at Location) to have your shipment held for pickup at our facility is also strongly advised.
  • 90°F and Above: We recommend shipping be delayed until cooler weather if at all possible.

These are general temperature tolerance guidelines. You should research specific information for the species that you plan to ship and adjust accordingly.

Live Reptile Packaging Guidelines

Approved Packaging: Reptiles2You has developed special packaging (boxes, foam, cups, bags, etc) that has been tested and approved by FedEx labs and is available for purchase on Seller’s website. Buyer understands and acknowledges that Carrier approves the shipping of items through the Services ONLY in said packaging, and Buyer agrees to use only said Approved Packaging for all shipments through the Services. Said packaging is designed to maximize the integrity of your shipments (strength of boxes, etc), and to make packages easily recognizable if they need to be located by Carrier personnel (in the event of any delays, etc.) Buyer understands and acknowledges that any shipments shipped through the Service NOT in said Approved Packaging may not be eligible for any recourse whatsoever in the event of any problems or damages (including but not limited to lost packages, crushed boxes, damaged contents, etc).

Assemble your shipping box

  1. Open the box and fold the bottom flaps of the box in.
  2. Tape the bottom of the box in a “H” pattern covering all seams/edges of the cardboard.
  3. Insert the styrofoam insulation (all but the top piece of course!) Insert the bottom panel first, then the side panels.
  4. Ventilate the shipping box (with a screw driver or something similar, carefully poke a few holes in each side of your shipping box (be sure holes go all the way through the styrofoam insulation)).

Prepare Deli Cup or Cotton Bag

Using Deli Cup

  1. Place a piece of paper towel or liner inside the deli cup.
  2. Place your reptile inside deli cup and snap lid in place.
  3. Place tape around edge of cup to insure there will be no escapes (careful not to cover air holes in the side of the cups!).
  1. Label the top of the cup with the animal’s common name, scientific name, and quantity.

Using Cotton Bag

  1. Place some strips of newspaper or paper towels inside the bag to cushion the animal.
  2. Place your reptile inside the bag.
  3. SECURE THE BAG using the bag’s tie-strings or tie the top of the bag in a knot (add a zip tie for extra security if desired – be sure your bag is secured properly!).
  4. Label the bag with the common name, scientific name, and quantity of animals.

Place Deli Cup or Cotton Bag into Shipping Box

Using Deli Cup

  1. Place deli cup into bottom of box, surround with cushioning material (shredder paper, foam peanuts, etc).
  2. If shipping multiple cups, stack them one on top of the other (largest ones on bottom, smaller ones on top).

Using Cotton Bag

  1. Place cushioning material (shredder paper, foam peanuts, etc) in a nest-like shape in bottom of the box.
  2. Place your cotton bag into the nest.

Temperature Regulation (Heat Pack or Cold Pack)

Reptiles and amphibians are ectotherms (they derive heat from their environment rather than producing it internally), so it is very important to maintain an appropriate temperature range within their shipping container.

When considering temperature requirements, consider the temps (highs & lows) not only at your location but also at the major FedEx hubs (usually Memphis, TN or Indianapolis, IN) and at the destination location as well.

Heat Packs

A good heat pack is soft and pliable, not firm.  If a heat pack feels hard or firm, it has likely been activated and will not get hot again – do not use it.

  1. Smart Logistics offers heat packs in “regular” and “extended” versions (typically 40 hr is considered “regular”, and 60 or 72 hours is “extended (what we offer can change based on availability)).  Reptiles and amphibians should always be shipped Priority Overnight (next MORNING delivery), so a 40-hour heat pack is normally adequate. Do NOT use the “hand warmers” typically found at outdoor stores – they get too hot too fast and don’t last very long (usually 12 hours or less). 
  2. Heat packs consume oxygen to generate their heat. Most packs have a red line on one side that is slightly perforated to provide the appropriate amount of oxygen for the pack to work. Be sure this red line faces the open area of your box, and don’t cover it up with tape!
  3. Activate your heat pack – remove it from the plastic bag, shake it vigorously for 20-30 seconds, wrap it in a towel, and let it sit for an hour or so before you place it in the box.
  4. The heat pack can be taped to the underside of the top insulation panel (tape it at the edges – don’t tape over that red line), or wrapped in a paper towel loosely (remember it needs oxygen!) and nestled beside the deli cup or bag that contains your animal – either method typically works OK. If you choose to nestle the heat pack beside the deli cup or cotton bag containing your animal, be sure to place some cushioning material between the heat pack and the container so the hot surface of the pack doesn’t contact the container directly – it could get too hot for your animal.
  5. Do not use more than one heat pack unless you are shipping in a very large box (like our 30″x16″x10″). Two heat packs in smaller boxes can harm or even kill your animal from either too much heat or oxygen deprivation if the box is tightly sealed (remember heat packs consume oxygen as they generate heat!).

Cold Packs

  1. Smart Logistics offers cold packs in two versions: Cryopak Phase 22 Cold Packs, and Thermafreeze Cold Cells.  The Thermafreeze Cold Cells are fine when minimal risk is involved, the Cryopak Phase 22 is preferred when temps are higher and greater protection is required. It’s a much better pack – stays colder longer, and can be reused more times.
  2. Cold packs must be frozen overnight before use for proper performance.
  3. The cold pack can be taped to the underside of the top insulation panel, wrapped in a paper towel, and taped to the top of the deli cup, or simply nestled beside the deli cup or bag that contains your animal – either method typically works OK. If using a cotton bag rather than a deli cup to contain your animal, be sure to place some cushioning material between the cold pack and the bag so the cold surface of the pack doesn’t contact the bag directly and possibly harm your animal.
  4. Typically only one Cryopak Phase 22 is needed, if you are using Thermafreeze Cold Cells use two or three square cells for adequate protection.

Final Steps!

  1. After inserting the animal in its container (deli cup or cotton bag) and placing the heat or cold pack in its proper position, loosely fill the void around your deli cup or bag with some cushioning material (shredded paper, foam peanuts, etc). Don’t pack it TIGHTLY, just fill the space so that the animal’s container doesn’t bounce around loosely in the box.
  2. Place the top styrofoam panel into the box, then on top of that put in any care sheets, invoices, instructions, etc – anything you want the recipient to see before they see the animals inside), then close the top box flaps and tape all edges in a “H” pattern.
  3. Secure your Reptiles2You shipping label on the top of the box.
  4. Label the outside of box with the information that is required per The Lacey Act:

 

  1. Common names of animal(s) inside
  2. Scientific of animal(s) inside
  3. Quantities of each animal contained in the box  To make this easy, we have provided a 4-per-page form you can download (designed on Avery peel & stick label format #6878, or you can simply print it on plain paper, cut one out & tape to any open space on your box).  BOXES THAT ARE NOT LABELED APPROPRIATELY ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE OPENED FOR INSPECTION!
    1. Drop off your package at one of our shipping centers or wait for your scheduled Pickup, and RELAX!
     
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