What's the best way to ship a pony from Venezuela?

[kellyponyfeathers]

So I may be taking the plunge and getting my first Venezuela pony.  But with all the horror stories of ponies lost by the post office and mangled by customs officials, naturally I'm worried about receiving a damaged pony (or never getting one at all).

So what lessons have we learned about importing ponies from Venezuela?  What's the best and safest way to do it?

[kitkatvintage]

I had my yellow Cherries Jubilee sent via an express shipping service that partnered with FedEx once it reached the US. She arrived from Venezuela to the US in 3 days. She was loose (never in a box), but they did open her head.

[Glacia471]

The Venny I bought from Figuras was sent by FedEX and arrived within a few days. She wasn't opened but Figuras did send her outside of her box.

And my Cherries... well, there's a whole thread about that one Mitchell-mugno had the foresight to take pictures of how he packed the pony and of the box before he mailed them, which I'm pretty sure helped the people at the Mail Recovery Center find her. I've never bought anything else from Venezuela, so I don't know if this case was just a fluke with EMS or what.

[Endocat]

Mine was sent via fedex, reached me within the week (I'm in New Zealand).  Parcel was opened by NZ customs (I brought loose pony tho, so no worrying about the box for me) -  I suspect NZ customs would open anything and everything from Venezuela...

[NovelNerd]

They open the head?

[kellyponyfeathers]

Oh, that reminds me of another question:  Are Vennie pony heads glued on, or are they loose just like Greeks and some others?

If they were never glued on to begin with, then I don't really care if the head is popped off for shipping, if it means that careless customs people won't needlessly mangle them with knives.  But if they're factory glued on, then I'd prefer to keep them that way.  But I guess removing a glued-on head carefully and properly is still better than getting them mangled.

[Endocat]

I was told the heads are 'factory sealed' so I'm assuming that they were glued on.  Mine had its head taken off, (I've complained to customs about this) so I never saw just how it was 'sealed' but it was obviously easy to pop off though.  Wish they'd just xrayed her then they would have seen she was empty.  But the vennies are stunning!  I'm so happy with my Starshine she is just divine! 

[kitkatvintage]

All 3 of mine have loose heads. One of those 3 had been in the hands of a US collectors for years before all of these popped up, one arrived with her head off as mentioned above, and the third came from angelponies big group of Venezuelans. I don't think there is a such thing as "factory sealed" since all 3 of mine came from different places & none have a glued head.

[Glacia471]

I dunno about my Cherries, but my other 2 Vennies (green Posey and my Lickety) actually have some sort of glue sealing their neck shut

[pinkkittywinks]

Oh, that reminds me of another question:  Are Vennie pony heads glued on, or are they loose just like Greeks and some others?

If they were never glued on to begin with, then I don't really care if the head is popped off for shipping, if it means that careless customs people won't needlessly mangle them with knives.  But if they're factory glued on, then I'd prefer to keep them that way.  But I guess removing a glued-on head carefully and properly is still better than getting them mangled.

the heads are loose on them thankfully! i understand your worry though

love pkw xxx

[Dusky]

Out of idle, how much are the Venny ponies actually worth? I have kittens every time I see a sale post in here already!

[kitkatvintage]

Out of idle, how much are the Venny ponies actually worth? I have kittens every time I see a sale post in here already!

Prices have settled into the $200-350 range with some going lower & others higher. When they first turned up, loose were $500-ish & MIB $800-1,200.

[Dusky]

Gooood crikey! D: I would not be able to own that. I'd be paranoid the entire time! But if they get lost and opened in shipping, doesn't that sort of ruin them?