1.  Realize that one is dealing with other PEOPLE.   Please try to be PATIENT  & UNDERSTANDING.  It isn't realistic to expect emails to be answered immediately.  Not everyone "lives online"; some people aren't even able to get online at work & work long hours.  So don't panic if a few days pass before email is answered.  Some people are only able to get online once a week.  When in doubt TELEPHONE.

2.  Whenever emailing also use your alias, item ordered/won & brief description.  It saves time having to email back about what is being discussed/won or having to look it up on previous emails.  Often people have more than one order/auction going at any time.

3.  Give the other party your phone number.  This is an EXCELLENT way to contact someone, especially if something comes up & details need to be discussed ASAP.  It's also VERY important for the shipping label.  If one doesn't want to give out there phone number then we suggest they do not bid/order.  Often many "miscommunications" can be resolved quickly by talking, as it's difficult to ascertain the tone & meaning of characters on a screen compared to speaking with a "real" person.

4.  Use COMMON SENSE.

5.  Treat others as you wish to be treated.

6.  Ship early in the week to provide your animals or eggs with the best shipping opportunities. 

7.  Do NOT ship near the end of the week or around holidays.  No one wants a package to be "misplaced" or "held over" during a weekend.  It could be deathly.

8.   Act RESPONSIBLY!!  You are/should be dedicated to your animals.  Do NOT ship under adverse conditions such as, temperatures too hot or too cold, storms or etc.  Check the weather at both the shippers' & purchasers' end as well the in between areas.

9.  Ship in ONLY USPS approved shipping containers!!  We are currently being scrutinized for this privilege & there are several people out there that would like to see an end to all shipment of live animals.  PLEASE do NOT fuel this fight.  Those of us that can remember when EXPRESS MAIL wasn't available know how costly it was to drive across country to pick up animals.  Not to mention gene pools being smaller, less diseases resistance & lower fertility & hatchability.

10.  Here's a "red flag".  If someone posts or says "no box charge" you need to ask yourself WHY NOT?   As we all know.... not much in life is "free".

A.  Is it USPS approved?    B.  New & clean?  C.  Is the box charge figured in with the animal price? 

Believe us, USPS approved shipping boxes are not free, they do cost someone money.  Just check out Horizon's prices to see for oneself. If the supplier answers NO to any question A-C we suggest you avoid doing business with them for your own sake as well as the hobby's.

11.  If someone wants you ship irresponsibly either by trying to "save a few bucks" on a shipping container by not using a USPS approved container or using a "lower priced" delivery method (I.e. PRIORITY MAIL OR STANDARD MAIL on anything older than day-olds) we suggest you do NOT do business with them.  Not only is it illegal it's also, in our opinion, immoral & unethical.  If someone is willing to risk the life of an animal over a few dollars they are not the "proper home" for our animals & they shouldn't be for yours either.  Besides, it could come back to "haunt" you.

12.  REALIZE that a supplier CANNOT & WILL NOT guarantee hatchability, as it involves too many aspects that are OUT of a breeders control!  I.e. handling, incubation, humidity, temperature, human error & etc.   They do & should "stack the odds" to offer the best fertility.

We are all in this wonderful hobby together & we would love to be able to see it all passed on to our children, grandchildren & even great grandchildren.  Let's please try to do what's best for our animals, the hobby & others.  If we allow people to act irresponsibly & selfishly we are being part of the problem & not the solution!  If we all stick together and act responsibly we can keep the privileges we have & make tomorrow a BETTER place by not allowing anything less than first rate.