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Shipping Information - Please read all of this before requesting birds.
Your shipping
questions can be answered by clicking the questions
below.
What
are my current choices for shipping
method?
My
shipping Philosophy
When
is shipping season?
Can
you ship to my town or city?
Will
you hold birds for me until I can accept them or get
them?
In
what type of container are they
shipped?
What
is the guarantee?
What
if a bird is dead on arrival?
About
how much is the total shipping cost?
What
is the minimum purchase for shipped
birds?
What
forms of payment are accepted?
Tracking
your package in transit
What
do I do when my birds arrive?
What are my current choices for shipping method? - You have two choices for shipping. The cheaper is USPS shipping which is no longer guaranteed for one day and if it takes 2 days no replacement guarantee from me if something goes wrong. The more expensive is Airport to Airport express service which costs much more. Use the link to the cost question above to find out about cost.Top of page
My
shipping Philosophy
- I would rather sell my birds locally to those who come and pick
out their own. If you pick them up yourself a 10% discount is given.
Driving to me is not always possible, so I do ship. It is important
that we are both sure what type of bird is desired, whether or not
the bird is available, what method of shipping is to be used, and
when the buyer will be available to accept the shipment. Since I am
not a large scale breeder, I may not have what you want today.
Email
me to be
put on a waiting list and I will contact you when I have what you
want. Top
of page
When is shipping season? -Massachusetts temperatures generally dictate the shipping season for my birds. No birds will be shipped when temperatures in shipping locations or the receiving location are forecasted to be below 50 F or above 95 F. Generally shipping season for me begins in May 15 and normally ends Sept 25 although with favorable weather I have shipped as late as November. If you choose airport to airport express I should be able to ship anytime (assuming snow storms and blizzards keep me from the airport). Top of page
Can
you ship to my town or city? -
The possibility
of shipping to a specific location is dependent on the location of
the city of origin and the city of receipt. Sometimes it is possible
to get one day service from point A to B, but the reverse is not true
because if the city of receipt is very rural the birds will sit at a
nearby major town or city for an extra day. It is frequently possible
for those living in more remote regions to receive birds at a post
office that is less than a day's drive from their house, offering one
alternative possibility. When you wish to order birds give me your
post office zip and I can let you know if USPS service is a viable
option. Top
of page
Will
you hold birds for me until I can accept them or get
them? - If
you are ordering birds to be shipped, I will hold them for a later
date only after receiving full payment. NOTE: I must receive some
form of payment 7 days after you choose a bird. If not, I will honor
the next person waiting for that bird. The full payment must be
made before the date of shipping. If the time between
reserving birds and shipping them exceeds three weeks (not because of
cold weather but because you are not ready to accept the birds) a
$5.00 per week charge for every 1-10 birds ($10.00 for 11-20 birds,
etc.) for space and feeding is added.
If birds are to be picked up at my house, I will hold them only after receiving a 50% deposit. The remainder can be paid at the time you come to get the birds. If the birds are to be held for more than three weeks a $5.00 per week charge for every 1-10 birds ($10.00 for 11-20 birds, etc.) for space and feeding is added.
I am sorry that I needed to institute this policy but in the past many people requesting birds never came to pick them up and, in the meantime, I had told other interested parties that no more birds were available. By taking a deposit I insure against this situation. Many times I have had people say "the check is in the mail" and it never comes. This is unfair to others. Top of page
In what type of container are they shipped? - The shipping box is made of rigid cardboard and is made by Horozin. It will contain at least one perch. Seed will be scattered on the floor and water provided in either a tube or a soak foam container. The delivery services are accustomed to these boxes and have no trouble handling them. Up to 8 finches can be shipped in one box usng USPS but with airline to airline the number can be up to 12. The boxing fee for a second box to the same address will cost less. Contact me for details. Top of page
What is the guarantee? - The U.S. Postal Service considers birds as perishable items. They DO NOT accept any responsibility if birds are dead on arrival. However, I DO guarantee live arrival of society finches using express mail service of the U.S. Postal Service (post office to addressee delivery) if they arrive in one day. With airline to airline shipping the airlines are responsible should tragedy strike so we should be covered. This has never happened to me. Top of page
What if a bird is dead on arrival? - I will replace dead birds on all NEXT DAY express mail if they are dead on arrival after travelling only one day. Under no circumstance will cash refund be given. If the type of bird that died is not available you have your choice to choose any bird of equal value or wait until I produce the kind you wanted. The buyer accepts the responsibility for 2nd day or later arrivals. If a bird is dead on arrival, the buyer must call me immediately upon receiving the box so that arrangements can be made to trace the cause and remedy the problem. A digital image of the dead bird showing his/her leg band is required. Under NO circumstances is the seller liable for birds that die after they have been introduced into the buyer's care. If a bird is to be replaced (d.o.a.), the buyer is responsible for paying the shipping fee again but the boxing/handling fee is waived. Lost shipments (this has only happened to me only once) are guaranteed by the post office for value up to $500.00. The procedure is cumbersome so call me to talk about what you need to do on your end to get the refund. Top of page
About how much is the total shipping cost? - For USPS Express Mail Postage fee, boxing fee, and bird costs must be prepaid. The boxing/handling fee is $10.00. In addition, shipping one box via US Postal Service is about $30.00 for a total of $40.00. If you choose Continental Airline Express Service the boxing fee is still $10.00 but the shipping fee is about $95.00 to $110.00. The birds simply are put on a plane by me and received by you. Very little stress. I do not go to the airport often so shipping may be delayed. My airport is a 2 hour round trip. We must also check to see if Continental or Delta has this service to your airport from mine. You must also pay for my gasoline which at present comes to about $7.50 per delivery. If I am shipping multiple orders this cost is divided by the number of buyers. Top of page
What is the minimum purchase if I choose to have the birds shipped rather than pick them up myself? - The minimum purchase of birds is $100.00 excluding shipping costs and postage fees. Top of page
What forms of payments are accepted? - Personal checks are accepted but the delivery may be delayed until the check clears (usually one week). Postal money order or Certified Bank Checks are preferred. NO CREDIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED. All payments should be made to: Michael Marcotrigiano. Top of page
Tracking the package in transit. -Note: It is now possible (but sometimes improbable) to track your package shipped via the US Postal Service Express Mail once you know the number. To link to the USPS Tracking site click here: US Postal Service Express Mail
I will confirm all shipments via telephone the day prior to the shipping. As soon as I know the tracking number of the box I will inform the buyer either by phone or by email. Top of page
What do I do when my birds arrive? - The post office will normally call you when your box of birds is in their possession. After picking up the box , bring it into a room where escaped birds are easily caught and transfer the birds to their cages. Notify me IMMEDIATELY if there are any dead birds in the box so we can deal with the situation right away. After the birds are in the care of the owner there can be no guarantee.
The cages should be set up prior to bird introduction. My birds are trained to drink from water tubes but will also drink from shallow dishes. My suggestion is to just use tubes and put water soluble vitamins in the water the first 6 hours. Repeat this for a few days but do not leave vitamin containing water in tubes for more than 6 hours as it may foul. This is especially true at high temperatures. I suggest the cage contains a good amount of finch seed mix, a millet spray or two, the water, and a clean cage bottom. After a day or two you should introduce some egg food or other food to the diet and supplement the birds with vitamins in their soft foods. While it is important to observe the birds carefully the first few days, try not to "over inspect" the birds. The will be rattled from their trip and would appreciate some peaceful moments as they adjust to their new surroundings. I would not clean the cage bottom for about a week. Top of page