Too hot to ship a cham right now; any ideas?

colorchanger · Aug 13, 2014

I am close to having my enclosure set up and would like to get my first chameleon, a veiled, in the next week or two. I would like to get one from an online retailer (site sponsor) and have it shipped to me. However, I live in the Fort Worth area of Texas, and our forecasted highs for the next 10 days are all north of 95 degrees, which is too hot to ship a chameleon from what I've read (doesn't surprise me).

Any ideas on where to find a veiled in north Texas? I think there's a reptile show in mid-September, but I can't tell if they will have chams or just other reptiles, and I'd prefer not to wait that long.

I will wait until the weather cools down if I have to, of course, but I wanted to know if any site members had other ideas.

thanks

junglefries · Aug 13, 2014

I had to ship one to TX this week and saw that. I warned them that it was going to get hotter and hotter there. WAIT! Just hang in there until next week. Get the healthy one you want from someone you trust, is the best advice I can give you. There is no worse feeling than sitting there waiting on that chameleon to arrive. Just wait, your time is coming. Take it as a sign from the universe. Maybe you need something on your list you forgot or something. Maybe a power outage is coming. Something.... I just asked my psychic, and she said a Veil is definitely in your foreseable future.

KandyCoatedChams · Aug 13, 2014

Too hot to ship you say!

Wait for the reptile show to come to your town, trust me they'll have a pretty decent selection of some cool chams. I actually just bought my very first cham, a vailed myself, this past weekend at the reptile super show in California. Man oh man, they had some of the coolest chams I've ever seen and setups as well! Happy hunting!

laurie · Aug 13, 2014

I know there is someone out there that will ship in this weather, but I would not do business with them. Opening a box to a dead Cham is heartbreaking. I do not ever want to do it again. When the temps allow shipping, ask your shipper to include a cryropack, it is a special kind of cooling pack.

Baksmurf · Aug 13, 2014

Practise patience and wait til the time is right for you and your cham. I had to wait to get mine for a number of reasons after I purchased Fitz. Weather (and what comes with it) and family stuff. The time came that it was safe to ship him and I couldn't have been happier. He was healthy and safe after his 15 hour adventure. Definately worth the wait.

crazychamzoo · Aug 15, 2014

I'm in Fort Worth, we have received 5 chameleons this week, as long as you have a guaranteed delivery before 10:30 you should be fine, we are currently having high 70's mornings and it's not getting into the high 80's until around noon. You can also have your shipper deliver to the FedEx location at Alliance Airport and held for pick up, the Cham comes off the plane straight into the warehouse. The location is easy to get to and literal takes them 5 min to get the package everything's I go. We have another 5 Chams coming in early next week. We currently don't have any available Veiled's or we would help you out, all the Veiled's we have but one where rescues, we typically would re-home the rescues after rehabilitation, but it's hard when you invest so much into saving their lives to let them go.

crazychamzoo · Aug 15, 2014

Oh, and the reptile show is next month in Arlington, SWEET! Can't wait!

colorchanger · Aug 15, 2014

Thanks for all of the advice - I appreciate it!

jannb · Aug 15, 2014

When and if you do get a chameleon shipped to you I highly recommend picking up at the hub, your closest FedEx World Service Center. The most problems occur on the delivery out to your house.