When shipping animals to a taxidermist, how do you pack them so
they will not thaw? Do you ship by regular mail? I'm talking small
furbearers, the size of raccoon or smaller. Thanks!
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never ship a frozen item by regular mail. It will go bad before it arrives. If you use the postal service use express mail which will have guanranteed next day delivery. If you use UPS use next day or if the weather is cold enough 2 day delivery. I always wrap my frozen mammals I send in housing insulation and then add styrofoam peanuts to it.
Before refridgerators were here, sawdust was used to keep ice. If you pack a frozen animal in sawdust, and then put the box back in the freezer for a while just before shipping. It will stay froze, also the sawdust will absorb any moisture from the frozen animal, if it should start to thaw. Plus, if it's some one who does'nt really know taxidermy yet. Tell them to use the sawdust to stuff the animal, and it is on you. Just kidding, maybe in my grandpa's day, but you can use it for lots of things.rw
You can save some money with postal priority mail BUT you can lose it all that way too. I sent a frozen beaver by priority mail which took about a month to arrive in NASTY condition. Also got a rattlesnake sent to me-took 4 days which also was ruined. Now if I send frozen items I use UPS and have not lost anything. USPS has target dates for delivery and UPS has guarantees. The only thing that is guaranteed with the postal service is the express mail. I guess you just have to evaluate each shipment as to how difficult it is to replace if it is ruined. Enjoy, Aaron H.
If you are talking snakes , always ship frozen in a cloth bag. this is pretty standard with all reptiles. Put in cloth bag, then wrap in many layers of newsprint. Send it next or second dayair.