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Mailable Live Animals

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Re: Mailable Live Animals

#161

Post by raxxorrax »

bonnie76 wrote: post #100
btilly wrote: post #72

One important restriction on mailing is that you CANNOT mail fertile ants through USPS. Which means that all of those ant farms you see being sold to kids? You pay money, and get some sterile workers who are guaranteed to die pretty fast, leaving an unhappy kid. If you want a real ant farm, you need to either collect ants locally, or buy ants in person from someone who did themselves. And you'd better known the rules…

Tell your teenager the world needs more people like him if we’re going to save the worlds insects. We need more entomologist.

The ants in my garden can probably repopulate the whole world. At least it feels that way.

Re: Mailable Live Animals

#162

Post by raxxorrax »

np- wrote: post #77
Turing_Machine wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was an incident maybe 30 years ago where a medical school employee went into New York (I think it was) to pick up a batch of human heads to be used for teaching purposes. He left the box in his car while taking care of another errand, and it was stolen. The box was found sitting on the sidewalk a few blocks away, with the heads still in it. One can only imagine what went through the thief's mind when he opened…

Regardless of the thief, it does seem a little concerning that the chain of custody for actual human heads involves being left unattended in a random employee's car.

I don't know, I wouldn't expect heads to be a popular target of thievery.

Re: Mailable Live Animals

#163

Post by Abishek_Muthian »

bonnie76 wrote: post #100
btilly wrote: post #72

One important restriction on mailing is that you CANNOT mail fertile ants through USPS. Which means that all of those ant farms you see being sold to kids? You pay money, and get some sterile workers who are guaranteed to die pretty fast, leaving an unhappy kid. If you want a real ant farm, you need to either collect ants locally, or buy ants in person from someone who did themselves. And you'd better known the rules…

Tell your teenager the world needs more people like him if we’re going to save the worlds insects. We need more entomologist.

And I appreciated the parent (pun not intended) for being interested in kid's uncommon hobby.

Re: Mailable Live Animals

#165

Post by btilly »

raxxorrax wrote: post #160
btilly wrote: post #72

One important restriction on mailing is that you CANNOT mail fertile ants through USPS. Which means that all of those ant farms you see being sold to kids? You pay money, and get some sterile workers who are guaranteed to die pretty fast, leaving an unhappy kid. If you want a real ant farm, you need to either collect ants locally, or buy ants in person from someone who did themselves. And you'd better known the rules…

Huh, this is certainly legal in Europe. You get colonies with a queen and some workers, even non-native species. Always asked myself if that wouldn't facilitate invasions of foreign species into the eco system because ants are pretty apt at escaping.

That probably varies by country.

I'm familiar with US laws because I live under them.

Re: Mailable Live Animals

#166

Post by dexterdog »

dharmab wrote: post #154
dexterdog wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Once they've been relegated to the heap of experimentation they really don't need to be controlled that much. Oddly I would feel in some way violated if a loved one of mine had died and his/her head were in that box, but if it happened to my own head I would pay it no mind.

There was a news splash several years ago about a body donation intended for Alzheimer's research which was used for military explosives testing: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-body...

Now that is something I would sign on for

Re: Mailable Live Animals

#167

Post by Breza »

jacurtis wrote: post #115
code4money wrote: post #83

What happens when a package gets lost that contains an animal?

So I actually used to work at the Post Office (when I was in my early 20s) and I was an express mail case worker. Essentially what that means is that whenever people had a problem with express mail (overnight and 2nd day mail, depending on origin/destination), someone would file a case and it was my problem to research it, solve it, or to conclude it lost, etc. Anyway, virtually all animal shipping happens via Expres…

Fascinating! Thank you for sharing your experiences. This is exactly what keeps me reading HN.
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