Shipping & Temps

So, as you may have noticed if you've talked with me recently, we're unable to ship at the moment.  It's too hot outside, and airline regulations prohibit us from shipping if the temps are over 80.  Just to give you a quick recap of Chicago temp, the high today is 86, Monday is 83, Tuesday 84, Wednesday 90, Thursday 85, and so on... all over 80.

This is for the safety of the chinchillas.  Even though the entire areas that the chins are in for shipping are temperature controlled, it's still hot outside and they still have to be transported to the plane.... and we don't want them developing heatstroke and dying.  So... they can't ship if it's over 80.

Now, in theory, I could sit and watch the temps every day and wait for that one day when the high is supposed to be 79, and pray that when I get to the airport, their temp doesn't read 81 instead of 79, and then get denied being able to ship... but to be honest, I don't have that kind of spare time, or the ability to drop everything I have going on, if one day did happen to be cool enough to ship.

Therefore, we are not shipping again until the fall, when the temperatures cool down.

What are your alternatives?  Driving here, in a vehicle with air conditioning.  Or, coming by in the evening when it is cooler, if you do not have AC in your vehicle.  Or, meet us at an expo, after having put down a deposit on the chinchilla (required for us to bring you the chin).

I had a kid call me the other day (and you all know how much I love that, lol), asking about having a chin shipped.  I explained how it's too hot this time of year, but that if they were really interested, to check back in the fall.  So, they asked how much shipping was, and I explained, and the kid innocently told me that they didn't want to pay $200 to ship a chin (right? it's expensive, I acknowledge that, but that's just what it costs)... and asked if I couldn't stick the chin in a box and mail it to him.  Sorry, no can do, if you want a live arrival (plus, the whole, illegal to ship live animals other than like reptiles though the mail).  This time of the year... you just have to pick up or meet us at an expo.  For the safety of the chins.