Reptile freight can vary depending on what you are sending. We have broken down the requirements in several easy-to-follow sections.

Snakes:

Both Venomous and pythons can be packed the same.

They are both required to be placed into a bag within a secured box.

Bags are generally hessian or cotton which allows for the animal to breath through the bag. For larger snakes pillow cases can be used. The bag must be secured for larger snake’s zip ties or tying a knot in the open end of the bag will suffice. For smaller snakes an elastic band will be sufficient to keep the snake within the bag. Place the bag into a container such as a plastic kitchen container. Sistema containers are popular choice due to their clip seal container range which adds another layer of security as they can’t be accidently opened and they are easily obtained from the majority of super markets.

Make sure the container has airholes to allow for air flow as the snake might be in the container for extended periods.

For an extra layer of security, a lot of reptile freighters also use zip ties to secure the lid through holes burnt or drilled. See attached photo.

The only difference is that all venomous snakes need to be clearly labelled “Venomous”

Qantas Staff will usually add a sticker to the package showing what animals are within the container.

Lizards

Again, you can freight lizards the same as snakes which works well for larger lizard species such as Blue Tongue Lizards. For smaller lizards such as geckos and smaller skinks a lot of freighters place a piece of damp tissue paper of paper towel down in a smaller tub. The lizard is placed on the top of the towel and sealed into the container with the lid. This container is then placed into the larger plastic container and packed in with packing or paper to stop it from moving around during transport.