NEVER SHIP USPS!

[Sally]

Yes, I've only had a couple of USPS shipments to me. One arrived after hours, and the local post office called me to tell me that they had a package for me and to come to the back door to get it. When they brought the package out, they were almost as excited as I was! I'm sure it was the first time they had live birds in their post office!

[birdclaws]

It seems like a lot of it has to do with the particular employees and how well they pay attention and whether they care or not.

There is too much chaos in the city here for me to ever consider shipping birds to my address. If I were to risk the USPS route, I would have them shipped to my parents house and I would pick them up.

I would feel more comfortable using the airlines as they deal a lot more with live animal transport. But even so, a lot of it comes down to just a few people who may be having a bad day.

Even we mess up sometimes when we are delivering the birds ourselves.

[chirpy]

Thank goodness!!!

[finchfunaddict]

So happy for you...

[finchfunaddict]

I filed a report online for a delayed box. My birds made it except for 1. But they gave me all the money I had invested in them. I had the check within 3 wks. It's very important to file online. You do not need pics as I wasn't going to take one of a dead bird. Do not use your local post office in filing a report. File online.

[cindy]

Very good to know!!!

[30 Seconds to Bob]

I filed a report online for a delayed box. My birds made it except for 1. But they gave me all the money I had invested in them. I had the check within 3 wks. It's very important to file online. You do not need pics as I wasn't going to take one of a dead bird. Do not use your local post office in filing a report. File online.

Yes, good to know. Glad that you found a way to beat the system and get your money back for a dead bird that never should have been shipped in the first place. I guess it doesn't matter that a life was lost, as long as monetary investments are recovered. How can you lose? Thanks for sharing. Bob

[finchmix22]

I think Bob was being sarcastic, right? We all want our birds to travel and arrive safely. I've found the best way is to communicate with the staff at the departing and the arrival location, then they know to expect live birds and they are thoughtful about their safety. When people know something is alive and someone is expecting them, they are usually careful and communicate with the people involved to ensure a safe shipment.

[Angela&Shalamar]

CONGRATULATIONS!

[EyesofFreedom]

Honestly and not trying to offend anyone but I don't have a clue why anyone would ship a live animal other than air...

Now before you have a hissy fit listen... being in logistics I see a side of it a lot may not know or think about...

When you ship from the post office or fedex or ups their office may be air conditioned but it isn't always a comfortable temperature. Most sorting areas are large warehouses that may or may not have ac. Then there is the truck. Unless you are on a shuttle route (two major cities close like Indianapolis and Louisville) your package will go through a maze of conveyors to a staging area where it will be crated and then loaded onto a semi bound for a regional distribution center. These trailers are not climate controlled. It can easily be 30' hotter or more.

I remember once in Savannah it was 110' with a 120' heat index and the temp inside the trailer was 136'. That trailer had came down from Atlanta. That was normally a 4 1/2 hour trip but due to an accident the driver was delayed and it took him over 6 hours. Could a bird with limited resources survive in a 136' trailer for 6+ hours? I wouldn't want to find out. To make matters worse the driver came up on the accident and was surprised and had to hit his brakes hard which caused the whole load to shift... my crew had to hand unload the trailer and I had them on a 30 minute rotation so they wouldn't get heat exhaustion. All in all from his departure to unloaded was over 8 hours. I only remember all these details from years ago because I had to do an incident report due to one guy getting overheated near the end... and he was getting cold water ever 30 minutes! Poor birds will have to drink 136' water

So think about it next time you are driving down the road and its hot as you know what outside and you pass a semi... all wrapped in metal... most with clear plexiglass roofs to allow light in to see better during loading and unloading which just makes it a giant solar powered oven... would I want to be riding in that thing for 6 hours or more with little water, low light if any and bouncing around?

[30 Seconds to Bob]

People don't want to think about that , Will. They think their precious little babies are tarveling in first class, air conditioned cabins the whole trip. The reason the post office DOES NOT ACCEPT "pet birds" through the mail is that we cannot guarantee safe and living arrival. There are laws on the books to enable farmers to acquire chickens and other fowl for "business purposes", and these are regarded as farm commodities. Bob

[EyesofFreedom]

lol Bob

I was talking to someone the other day about this same subject and they actually thought that the birds would ride up front in the cab of the truck?

It really didnt pain me to tell them the truth... the birds would be shipped from south Cali to Florida... I-10 in the summer? Wow!

[asher78]

I'm a mail carrier and I will say that it totally depends on who your birds come in contact with. That shouldn't be the case, but it is. Some people will just treat them like any other package. Some treat them like precious cargo.

I will say that I've only personally shipped and received chickens via USPS (in the past), but have personally gotten quite a few other birds in the mail as a carrier. We LOVE getting them at our office...except the ones that got delayed and end up being a box full of dead or dying babies. *I* am the one that they call to come in (even on my days off!) to see if I can do anything for weak or dying chicks from the hatcheries. Wish we had a picture taken the day that we basically revived 10 out of 15 dibs by warming them in our shirts, with heaters all around the room, giving them electrolytes, etc. They were a Tractor Supply shipment. We tried to get them to sell them to us, but the refused even though they were putting them out for sale (the ones that became strong enough) or disposing of them (the ones that didn't get strong enough to put in the tub with the rest for sale).

[30 Seconds to Bob]

We LOVE getting them at our office...except the ones that got delayed and end up being a box full of dead or dying babies

...........and through the years I've seen that happen all too many times to consider it "acceptable", but thanks for reaffirming. I've actually intervened several times, prying open lid corners or slightly expanding an air hole to "funnel in" some water or a handful of seed - even though "regulations" would require me to just let them die. Thankfully, my supervisors have a lot of respect for me and can look the other way in such circumstances. Bob

[asher78]

Thankfully, we've only seen a couple like that and they are normally chicks shipped in the dead of Winter. (Which, IMO, REALLY shouldn't happen, anyway since they arrive frozen.) Sounds like we may just be lucky!