New Postal Shipping Rules Proposed

[carla]

I ordered my RCCBs through the mail, from the Finch Farm. I was losing hope of ever getting my beautiful blue finches. I searched everywhere around here to find a pet store that would have them. Nobody, even 1 or 2 hours away. Then, I found this website that would ship them through USPS, I was very nervous for their wellbeing. As I knew they were delicate birds.
I called the postal office a day before their scheduled arrival to let them now I was expecting a live shipment, to please give me a call as soon as they arrive. Next day the lady at the post office called to tell me they have just arrived, I made it there in 10 minutes. The box was sitting in the front, on a table. They were perfect!, packed beautifully with plenty of food and water. Only a little water had spilled!
I would have never paid 150 dollars shipping for 2 birds, that is just ridiculous!
If it wasn't for this kind of shipping service I would have never gotten my beautiful little cordon bleus.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Wow! I hadn't heard this. 30 Seconds To Bob - Had you heard this at your P.O. yet?

I've been off from work this week, but the bulletin Mayble posted referencing the DMM looks legit. I can double check when I go back on Tuesday. Might make it "cool" for some (and fully legal), but seeing what I've seen over the years - I still wouldn't ship. If I can't find a bird close to me, I really don't need that bird that badly. JMO. Best of luck to those who do. Bob

[Ginene]

United Airline only charges $90 to ship. My finches were dropped off at the Texas airport @ 7:30 am and I picked them up from Newark airport @ 2:30 pm. I think the extra $25 for airline shipping was worth it. JMO

[Finnie]

It also might depend on how far you are from your closest airport. And the cheaper airline only services certain airports. If yours isn't one of them, then you are back to paying $150 for Delta.

[Sally]

For those who are not near any airport at all, this can give them the option of having birds shipped to them legally. Or for someone who just wants one bird, it makes it a little more affordable.

[Nerien]

Even tho I gave our carrier a basketball hoop, and she likes us now, when I went out the front door to meet my daughter's schoolbus, I found a package obviously thrown onto my front porch, based on awkward position and the labelled side being sideways. And there was absolutely no indication of what was inside this package. And it has been lightly raining on and off all day, unpredictably. And I was home, in the living room, if she had come up to the base of the porch, or stepped on it, I would have seen and heard her.

At least this box wasn't crushed, ripped open, and there were no footprints or tire tracks across it. (I kid you not, footprints and tire tracks are not uncommon marks on our packages.)

I guess you have to evaluate the mail service in your area to decide if the finches might stand a chance of surviving the trip.

Me? I just gave up even hope of being able to have my prescriptions delivered by mail. Better to pay full price each month at the pharmacy than risk even this new, friendly carrier, handling them. I would never consider birds, and I doubt that even eggs shipped in would be too shaken up to survive.

[DamonIRB]

Well it appears that it's now legal to send finches via USPS.

http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2 ... dt_001.htm

I recently bought some birds and the sender was really pushing for USPS over air, so I figured if he is more comfortable using USPS I'd rather go that route than insist he use a method where he isn't as familiar with the procedures and equipment.
The birds arrived fine, of course, and while I was concerned for their welfare, at least I wasn't worried about them being confiscated at the post office!

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't see anything in the article at the link that says finches are mailable. It says they are expanding the list of "disease-free adult birds that can be mailed domestically", but then provide a very specific list. Excerpt from the article below:

DMM Revision: Expansion of the Mailability of Live Adult Birds
Effective September 3, 2013, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 601.9.3.4 to expand the mailability of adult birds to include any disease-free live adult bird, weighing no more than 25 pounds, if the mailer and the mailing is compliant with all applicable governmental laws and regulations.

The DMM provides a list of the types of disease-free adult birds that can be mailed domestically. That list is currently restricted to adult chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, doves, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, quail, ducks, geese, and swans.


Again, perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't think it is legal to ship finches. Not yet, anyway.

Damon

[mayble]

" ..to include any disease-free live adult bird,.."

"..That list is currently restricted to adult chickens, .."
The list predates the changes.

[Ginene]

Finnie@Sally
Yes...You both make an excellent point. I am very lucky to be 15 minutes from Newark, which has United. I cant imagine having to spend $150 to ship even 10 birds...that's a lot of money . I used USPS in January without any problems...I think Chelsea (WFA) uses USPS as well. She is sending me Penguin Zebras soon...

[cindy]

I have shipped USPS before, never had any issue when John and I shipped birds back and forth to each other. Florida to Louisiana

[Sally]

That bulletin appears to be dated 7-25-13, so when it says the current list of birds allowed, I believe they are referring to prior to September 3, 2013. Effective September 3, 2013, any adult bird weighing less than 25 lb. is legal to be shipped USPS (in the proper container, etc.).

[CindyOH]

Sally,
Very informative thanks for doing all that leg work. That would be great for some folks! They would certainly have to go back to OVER NIGHT or NEXT DAY because I hear now they are taking 3 days to deliver birds. Not a very good thing for most finches. There's plenty questions to ask when you drop off birds at the post office. For me shipping out of my post office,they are being driven in the back of a mail truck to Cleveland Hopkins post office(shipped out from there) 1 hr. away in the back of a truck no heat or no ac. That alone frightens me. They have so many issues to correct before I'd consider sending birds in the mail.


I ship United Airlines (and drive to Cleveland Hopkins 1 hr.) away now and so far have not had any trouble and they are much cheaper $75 plus tax and fuel charge. United tells me to with those fee's it's about $100 for a small crate to be shipped with them. I do have Akron-Canton Airport in my backyard and only Delta is here but unless it's a straight flight 9 times out of 10 they are loosing my shipments or they are going to different locations.
Either way if your going to ship you have to be a really good shipper and have the birds best interest at heart.

Very interesting topic Sally.

Cindy

[DamonIRB]

" ..to include any disease-free live adult bird,.."

"..That list is currently restricted to adult chickens, .."
The list predates the changes.

The text I highlighted in red is part of the current DMM, not the previous manual. The expansion includes any disease free adult bird on the list. The prior rule restricted shipping to one-day old chickens, ducks and other livestock type birds.

I'm not trying to be a jerk, but the way I read this, the change is opening the list to adult birds, but it is still limited to the type of birds listed. Finches, parrots, cockatiels, etc. still cannot be shipped legally via the USPS.

I would highly advise anyone considering USPS shipping to check with their local Postmaster to confirm this new rule. Just my two cents...

Damon

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Adult fowl and waterfowl (ducks, chickens, pigeons, pheasants, quail, etc.) have always been acceptable through the US mail, provided they are sent Express (guaranteed overnight) Mail in USPS approved bird shipping containers. Day old chicks can be sent two day Priority Mail with special handling. Some small satellite offices are not allowed accept them - they have to be taken to an airport facility.
A couple of months back, there was word of new proposals to reconsider the shipping of pet birds such as parakeets and finches with links to the Postmaster General's office inviting customer feedback. My interpretation of the new rules is that they will allow this to happen. Like I said earlier, I will check when I go back to work on Tuesday. Again, overnight mail is only about 92% successful for ontime delivery. (flight delays, missed connections, inclement weather, terrorism, etc.) Translation: There is an 8% chance that your birds will spend an extra day in a dark box handled by God knows who and in God knows what temperatures and conditions. Is it worth it? Bob

[kcdozy]

I have shipped about 50 order's with the Post Office in Carlsbad CA over the last 3+ years and have never lost a bird (knock on wood). This last Christmas I had 2 shipments rejected when they arrived at the main PO facility in San Diego and were sent back to my local PO as non mail-able type of birds. My local supervisor knew for years that I was shipping finches and appreciated the business. When they were rejected she said that there must be someone new at the main plant who is a stickler for the rules, she advised me at that time that I should probably stop shipping with them for awhile. I plan on going in to talk to her next week about the new regulations my guess is she has not even heard of it yet.

I would only ship small orders of 2-6 birds and orders of $400 or more I will only ship airlines. I had so many people who only want 2 owls or a pair of parrot finches and would only be interested if I shipped USPS.
As far as shipping with them I used the horizon nest boxes-add a perch-cup of water with sponge-seed-spray millet and bermuda grass.