Aust. Air Express

[snakesrule]

Hi Guys,
Earlier today I sent 4 baby tigersnakes from Melb to Adelaide. They were packaged the usual way I generall y send them inside little calico bags individually & then inside little plastic tubs and then in a click clack container with the fasteners secured by little screws so they cant come undone.
I was told by the dispatch person in a friendly attitude while she would send it this time.
In future all reptiles (not just venomous) all reptiles must be contained in bags and then inside weather resistant wooden containers. I said the click clack is weather resistant.
She then showed me the memo which was secured to the counter. that this is the normal practice of sending reptiles now.
I personally dont know how flexible they will be on this new guideline but it is definitely something we need to consider when we send reptiles interstate in the future as it will probably put the weight of the package up by at least 1 kg depending on how big the reptile is and then the size of the package on top. The price to send the package today was $51.00 but if I had sent it the way they said it has to be done in future It would have been at least $62.00 with the wooden box. Thats $11.00 difference to the next kilo.
Just something to consider in extra freight cost especially with bigger reptiles and besides getting to the airport& finding out you havent packed them to the new freight standard and they reject them.
That can be very frustrating when you are at least an hours drive to the airport.

[Magpie]

Yup, wooden boxes.
I make my own and for hatchies they come in under 1kg.

[snakesrule]

Thank s magpie.
What sort of wood for future reference.

[MoreliaMatt]

can u still use the plastic click clacks and make a small balsa wood frame?

that would weigh nothing.... ????

[Magpie]

7mm ply. 150x150x200 or 100x100x150 depending on what I'm sending.

[snakesrule]

No the lady that served me said it had to be a minimum 3ply but I guess if it is sealed they wouldnt know.

[snakesrule]

Thanks magpie.

[Gut-Axe]

Yeah I received my little Jungle this time last week and she was packed very well in a wood box etc so yeah, I wasn’t aware of the rules being enforced now but maybe it’s a good thing? (I thought the regulations were more just a suggestion of how animals should be sent) I mean if it costs a little extra but the snakes are packed a lot better then maybe we just have to cop it on the chin. I’m not the sender though so I don’t know how much of a hassle it is to make the boxes for maybe 30 hatchies? (probably heaps meaning even less people now will be willing to freight)

Saying all that though all the other snakes I have received via AAE were packed very well inside small bags inside a container of some sort packed with shredded paper with this container inside more shredded paper inside either a normal box or an esky.

http://www.aussiepythons.com/showthread.php?t=48223 This thread has the AAE’s packing regulations so hopefully now the word gets around that they must be sent this way now and no one runs into any dramas down the line.

Thanks for sharing snakesrule and thanks once again nvenm8 for taking a whole bunch of time to type up the regulations for us – really appreciated.

[ari]

Strange they must have rules for different despatch points. I still send in 6 can foam boxes & the reptiles inside that in plastic containers. Never be questioned & send off 4 x 2 days ago.
Is it only for snakes this new ruling?

[snakesrule]

Originally Posted by ari

Strange they must have rules for different despatch points. I still send in 6 can foam boxes & the reptiles inside that in plastic containers. Never be questioned & send off 4 x 2 days ago.
Is it only for snakes this new ruling?

The lady at Melbourne Airport did tell me it is for all reptiles not just snakes and it was part of their Oc. Health & Safety Procedures that has to be enforced.
Whether any individuals from AAE are flexible about it is up to them when your dropping them off but this may pose a problem at the destination airport if they are not so flexible and refuse to process or handle the reptiles.
This in turn may jeopardise your reptiles wellbeing.
So it is probably advisable if you send reptiles via AAE to follow the new guidelines to avoid any hassles.

Nvenom8 has kindly placed a link to the new AAE guidelines in aprevious post.