How to ship hermit crabs

[Guest]

Hello there,I've received a few requests for instructions on how to ship land hermies. So here is how I do it. I used to ship them via Post Office express mail, but they do not always guarantee next-day delivery. So I ship via Fedex. Or I used to, when I still shipped crabbies, I am not selling them or shipping them.HOW TO SHIP LAND HERMIT CRABS SO THEY "ARRIVE ALIVE"Take a box about large enough to fit all the crabs and punch two holes in it. Write the word "FRAGILE" all over the box. Line the inside with bubble-wrap or some other waterproof material. Put the waterproof material loosely in the box so some air gets through to the crabs. Take each crab and wrap it in some sort of cloth. You'll want to use something that hasn't been bleached, of course. I use cheesecloth because it is absorbent. You can buy cheesecloth at the grocery store inthe area where they sell rubber gloves, vacuum bags and canning supplies. Make a little circle of material and put the crab on it, and gather the material at the top and make a little bundle. Put a twistie-tie around the top so he can't escape. Take the crab in his little bundle and submerge him in some lukewarm dechlorinated water. Then place him in the box with a lot of shredded paper or some other sound-insulating but air-holding material. Do NOT use newspaper, because the newsprint fumes will kill the crab. Place a damp (nearly sopping but not quite) sponge next to him in the space and a damp paper towel overhim. Cover everything with more shredded paper. One word of caution: do *not* tell Fedex what is in the box. If the crab is properly wrapped, he won't make any noise and he will be snug and secure and won't suffer any needless stress. If they find out you are shipping a live animal they will get all excited and will refuse to mail him. DON'T let them open the box. If they get suspicious of you, take the box and leave. Try another Fedex office. You don't want them to take the box if they are suspicious of you, or they might open it and you don't know what they'll do with the crab. Keep a low profile at all times. If you have to ship at the post office, be especially calm and routine. If you are nervous or excited the postal employees will be curious about you and you do not want to raise any alarms.It is not against the law to ship hermit crabs via the mail. However the regulations permitting it are newer (2001) and not very well known. I tried telling the post office that I was shipping hermit crabs and first they wanted me to explain what a hermit crab was. Then they told me that a crab should be packed in ice so it would not spoil (like I'm going to eat them, LOL). Then they hauled out their foot-thick regulation book, which did not have the update in it. Then they yelled at me for trying to ship something illegally (which I was not). Oh and also they called their manager and everything, and I ended up wasting two hours there. Do yourself a favor and don't try to explain anything to anyone. Just mail the box and leave. If you are sure it will be warm enough for the crabs (60 degrees and up) and they are securly wrapped, you're good to go.Also one word of caution, do NOT sign for the box to be left without a signature.hc!Christa

[Guest]

Sure, here you go:Pub. 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail526.6 Small, Harmless, Cold-Blooded AnimalsSmall, harmless, cold-blooded animals, except for snakes, turtles, and turtle eggs, are mailable only when they meet certain requirements. For some examples, see Exhibit 526.6.Exhibit 526.6Requirements for Mailing Small, Harmless, Cold-Blooded Animals(Except Snakes, Turtles, and Turtle Eggs)General Requirements: All animals in this group:* Must be able to reach their destination in good condition in the normal transit time between the mailing and address points.* Must not require any food, water, or attention during transport.* Must not create sanitary problems.Go to the post office's web site http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub52.htm and do a CNTRL-F search for cold-blooded and you'll come up with a list. As you can see, hermies are neither specifically included nor excluded, it is at the individual post office's discretion. hc!Christa

[Guest]

Since I have been shipping crabs out to you all for a while now, (e's ) I will add my little bit on how I have been shipping. I always use USPS because they are cheaper than anywhere else to ship overnight, and I have also looked up their regulations and know for sure its legal to ship crabs with them. Like Christa said, NEVER EVER tell them you are shipping crabs. I have not once told anyone at the postal and no one has given me any trouble. I act like its routine and just matter of factly go about my business whenever I go in. Another thing that I try to do is since there are several different postal locations in my area I try to vary which ones I go to if I have several boxes within the same week to ship out overnight. I don't want any postal location to get too suspicious and start asking nosy questions. I may send out 1 or 2 boxes at one place, then 2 days later or a week later ship some boxes at another location. There is one location where a couple of particularly nosy guys work, and have asked me what I am shipping. I never tell them what is really in the box. I have lied and told them that they were sea shells. (that warrants some truth in the fact they are fragile and the crabs are in sea shells, I just don't tell them whats LIVING in those shells lol) One guy was particularly nosy and asked why in the world anyone in Washington would want sea shells shipped to them overnight when they could just go to the beach and pick some up. I told him, that I didn't know, but they were specially cleaned sea shells and the customers wanted express so thats what they got. (leaving him to think that I let my customers decide how they want things shipped. ) That is the worst questioning I have had, and I try not to frequent that location as much. As far as packing goes, I use a cool whip dish, poke lots of holes in the lid and sides of the dish, and fill it half way with shredded white paper, then I put some shredded dampened paper towels (white also) on top of the layer of paper, then I place the crabs on the wet towels. I put more wet towel ontop of them. Then I fill the rest of the dish with more shredded plain paper and put the lid on. I don't wrap each crab but let them crawl through the shredded paper, in the enclosed container with damp towels, and holes for air. I also mist the them and the shredded paper a bit. They crawl through as if its sand or wet leaves and usualy huddle together if I am shipping more than one. Then I put this container in a bigger box of shredded paper, making sure the shredded paper is all around the plastic container for support. I do this double packing thing because they won't jostle as much and I don't wrap each individual crab in cloth. So far, ALL the crabs I have shipped have arrived alive, happy and healthy. The first time I shipped, I did not use this method and only put them in a small box with shredded paper but no container and by the time I got to the PO, they had made their way out of the middle of the shredded paper and I could hear them walking around on the cardboard box inside, then they started chirping... I got really worried. They did arrive fine too, but after that I started puting them in a container with wet towels, and shredded paper, then packing the container in a box with more shredded paper. This way, no one can hear them walking, chirping or making any sort of noise, plus there is more cushion and less jostling. Also I just about always give my crabs a bath before shipping, this way they have more moisture in their shells, as drying out is a big concern. It is usually warm while being shipped but you don't want them getting dried up. Thats my shipping method of anyone is interested.

[Guest]

OH, I forgot to mention, Yes, i have used UPS a couple of times and all went well. The only time I use UPS if the postal service won't/cant deliver to an area overnight. There were a few places they wouldn't, they would still ship express but they said it would take 2 days instead of overnight. I can't understand that really because if UPS can they the post office should be able to also. I think New Jersey and one other area had that problem. When that happens I go with UPS , it costs more about 26-28$ but it does get there. I always worry that they toss and throw their boxes because I have shipped with UPS a couple of times and had things broken even though packed exactly the way they told me. So I worry more with them than with the postal.