rules on shipping Black Widows?

[Widowman10]

i searced AB and could not find much at all on the rules of shipping black widows. does anyone know the specific rules? is it ok, or not ok to ship venomous insects such as these. i know T's are ok to ship, so why not b.w.'s? anyway, if anyone could help that would be great.

[Timmy]

Black widows are illegal to ship without an actual permit because they are not only venomous, but dangerous and actually deadly. Atleast that is what I think I heard.

[Widowman10]

do different states have different rules though?

[KUJordan]

definitely, if a state or city or county has venomous invertebrates restricted there, then you probably shouldn't ship them there. oh yeah, and spiders can be called "bugs" but they aren't insects.

[JPD]

I believe that USPS forbids it which leaves you to the various private carriers which probably have their own individual rules.
Delta-Air cargo accepts them if everything is appropriately labeled and packaged correctly.

[Cheshire]

venomous insects such as these

The genus latrodectus is located squarely in the class arachnida, as they have 8 legs and booklungs (as opposed to trachea)...along with other differences that seperate them from the class insecta.

Delta dash will accept them, but generally you have to be at the airport to pick them up (I could be wrong on this).

Generally, most people ship them through the USPS...not condoning it, just sharing what I know :)

Their venom is medically significant and the liability attatched to this is why most carriers won't knowingly ship them.

[cacoseraph]

USPS, FedEx, and UPS all specifically ban shipping anything venomous with a small exceptions list (bees are on there... what money can effect)

[JPD]

Delta dash will accept them, but generally you have to be at the airport to pick them up (I could be wrong on this).

Generally, most people ship them through the USPS...not condoning it, just sharing what I know :)

Their venom is medically significant and the liability attatched to this is why most carriers won't knowingly ship them.

The Delta Dash thing is correct. I had to physically go down to the airport to pick them up.


Chuck Kristensen at SpiderPharm is very knowledgable with regard to all thing widows. I believe he posted something on here not that long ago regarding this.

[Nerri1029]

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=923495&postcount=1

[Python]

I know two different postmasters and both of them say they will ship any spider or scorpion. They told me that as long as the package is sturdy and not likely to spill it's contents, they don't really care. They told me that local ordinances are the only barrier. I don't know whether that information is accurate or not but I figure if anybody would know it's a postmaster.

[buthus]

I know two different postmasters and both of them say they will ship any spider or scorpion. They told me that as long as the package is sturdy and not likely to spill it's contents, they don't really care. They told me that local ordinances are the only barrier. I don't know whether that information is accurate or not but I figure if anybody would know it's a postmaster.
Not accurate, but good enough. ;) :D Ive never had a USPS worker ask me whats in the box when shipping domestically ...because they dont and thats why they dont care.

[dangerprone69]

Isn't the general "nudge nudge wink wink" rule to label the box as christmas ornaments?

[buthus]

Isn't the general "nudge nudge wink wink" rule to label the box as christmas ornaments?
Thats a good rule for just about ANY box one tapes shut. My storage is FULL of Christmas ornaments! :D

Get this... I had one package sent to me with a big red sharpie written label .."DANGER! Venomous spiders. Package should only be opened by recipient." :clap: :rolleyes: If I was joking, the punchline would be that it actually contained Christmas ornaments! (drum role please) but Im not joking and thats how I found the package left at my front door. :D

[cacoseraph]

I know two different postmasters and both of them say they will ship any spider or scorpion. They told me that as long as the package is sturdy and not likely to spill it's contents, they don't really care. They told me that local ordinances are the only barrier. I don't know whether that information is accurate or not but I figure if anybody would know it's a postmaster.

negative. totally wrong. full stop. USPS rules and regs clearly bans shipping tarantulas, spiders, generally scorpions (ways around it if you are a scientist type).


there is no substitute for tracking rules down yourself. both those postmasters apparently don't know the USPS rules and regs... as most of the local dopes working the PO's don't know either.

you can search around the forums, as myself and others have linked to all the pertinent rules for USPS, UPS, FedEx, and maybe a couple others


long story short, with the *possible* exception of Delta Dash we don't know of any legal ways to ship widows, tarantulas, etc