NEVER SHIP USPS!

[Rue]

I'm glad to read a happy ending!

[fairestfinches]

Glad to hear the birds arrived alive.

Little known fact:

The USPS has a contract with FED EX to handle live animal shipping. That is part of the reason it is so difficult to track the shipment, and to get any answers out of USPS when something does not arrive on time.

[kenny]

i am so glad the birds arrived safely!in the uk we are not allowed to ship any animals or birds at all.apart from teh stuff that goes through the airports from country to country we cannot ship livestock any where in the uk even though we are one of the smallest countries.because of the rspca.after reading that story i dont think i would want to now i really dont think i could stand the wait

ken

[JohnBoy]

I am so thrilled you received your birds in good condition. I have been receiving birds and dart frogs through USPS for 15 years without an incident. Overnighting is not guaranteed in all area. Most areas will take 2 days. My birds are always shipped to me on a Wednesday and I receive them on Friday, religiously! I live in a somewhat rural area and my birds go to New Orleans first. They come to Kentwood on the next morning truck. I have received birds in freezing weather and just recently during a heatwave and the temps rose to over a hundred degrees. All birds arrived in great condition under extreme condition. Which naturally led me to believe that the birds were really being taken care of. Just my experience.

[Total Finch]

Nice to hear that they arrived but I only buy birds from this ausome petshop in my island (Malta) and the owner gets them from this guy so i dont have and problems XD

[jimlas43]

Isn't it illegal to ship via USPS in the states as well??

[cindy]

No, I and other members have shipped recently through USPS.

[debbie276]

According to USPS regulations:

525 Nonmailable Live Animals
Nonmailable types of animals discovered in the mailstream must be reported to the PCSC in accordance with the instructions in POM 139.118. Additionally, the mailer and the post office of mailing must be notified to prevent future shipments from being incorrectly accepted for mailing.

525.1 Live Birds
Live birds, other than the type of day–old poultry specified in 526.31, are nonmailable. In addition, day–old poultry vaccinated with Newcastle disease (live virus) is nonmailable. The following are some examples of nonmailable birds:

Canaries.
Cockatiels.
Finches.
Parakeets.
Parrots.
Adult birds, except those specifically permitted under the conditions in DMM 601.9.3.4 and 601.9.3.5.
Be aware that the preceding list is not all–inclusive. Generally, all types of birds not listed in DMM 601.9 are nonmailable.

[Hilary]

Debbie's right - it's not legal. That's not to say that folks don't do it, but if a knowledgeable USPS employee figures out what's in the box then there will be consequences (don't ask me what, though ). I stick with Delta nowadays. It's more expensive but more reliable and I don't have to worry about getting caught and the birds confiscated or lost. The point of this thread was that Crystal's birds DID get lost, and she was very, very, VERY lucky that they were okay once found.

[cindy]

Hilary, I sent birds and John has sent birds to me through USPS Post Office in a red container clearly marked in big red letters LIVE BIRDS...they even had a form for me to fill out just for live animals.

I'm not saying I will do this again anytime soon, it is nerv racking hoping all goes well. I got Red Headed finches for John from the Plant city show and shipped them to him. I was sick to my stomach leaving them at the PO but it went well despite my worrying about them and 10 hours later they arrived at John's post office. That is luck, others here on the forum have not been so lucky.

Heck...I was sick to my stomach shipping Domenic's egg from Florida to Las Vegas.

[debbie276]

Some live birds are mailable through USPS but not all
Regulation 526.3:

526.3 Live, Day–Old Poultry
526.31 General
The following live, day–old animals are acceptable for mailing when properly packaged: chickens, ducks, emus, geese, guinea fowl, partridges, pheasants (only during April through August), quail, and turkeys. All other types of live, day–old poultry are nonmailable. Day–old poultry vaccinated with Newcastle disease (live virus) also is nonmailable.

[debbie276]

I'm sorry forgot to include the regulation for adult mailable birds:

526.41 General
Disease-free adult fowl may be mailed domestically when shipped under applicable law in accordance with DMM 601.1.7. Adult chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, doves, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, quail, ducks, geese, and swans are mailable when properly packaged. Adult fowl must be packaged without food or water because liquids, moisture, and loose foodstuffs can cause damage to the shipping container, other mail, and Postal Service equipment during transport.

[Hilary]

I'm sorry forgot to include the regulation for adult mailable birds:

526.41 General
Disease-free adult fowl may be mailed domestically when shipped under applicable law in accordance with DMM 601.1.7. Adult chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, doves, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, quail, ducks, geese, and swans are mailable when properly packaged. Adult fowl must be packaged without food or water because liquids, moisture, and loose foodstuffs can cause damage to the shipping container, other mail, and Postal Service equipment during transport.

Hard to argue against the actual regulation! It's illegal. Period. (Unless "finches" are included in the regulation and somehow I missed it.) People do it anyway. Period. Is it a chance you want to take? That's each person's individual decision.

[nixity]

Debbie's right - it's not legal. That's not to say that folks don't do it, but if a knowledgeable USPS employee figures out what's in the box then there will be consequences (don't ask me what, though ). I stick with Delta nowadays. It's more expensive but more reliable and I don't have to worry about getting caught and the birds confiscated or lost. The point of this thread was that Crystal's birds DID get lost, and she was very, very, VERY lucky that they were okay once found.

The shipper will either get slapped with a fine or the birds will be confiscated, or both.
If it happens on the other end (the recipients, meaning, the USPS receiver is knowledgeable and realizes what's up), the birds will likely be confiscated and given to animal services.
I have heard that sometimes they negotiate and give the birds back, especially if they can't find someone to take them - but it is a messy affair.

I am told most people fib and say they are quail, or just do not provide details as to what type of birds are in the box.
I don't think most USPS workers care or know enough, it's the ones that do that could cause headaches for those who continue to do it.
Considering Singing Wings openly advertises shipping through USPS and it's illegal, they are obviously not really enforcing the regulations.

[cindy]

Funny...I called them to see if I could ship John's birds I got him from my branch, I told them they are finches. They took my informtion and called the Tampa main office, got the ok, called me back. I got to the post office, they pulled a special slip for live birds, I wrote finches....it went. It was approved by the main Tampa office to ship out so perhaps it has to be ok'd by a supervisor.

The only way to really know for sure since their printed word is either not updated or they make exceptions is to call the main office and find out what is what. All I know is it is done often from the branch I use and John uses.