Review - Live Hermit Crabs.com
Review - Live Hermit Crabs.com
There's been lots of discussion about the merits of ordering from livehermitcrabs.com - here's my experience.
First, the reason I placed the order - very simple: I can't get anything but PPs locally, and I really wanted Es and/or Strawberries. Someone had started a thread in October or November about livehermitcrabs' winter sale, and I'd wanted to order then, but just couldn't spend the money before the holidays.
So, I spent all winter envying people whose Petcos GOT Straws in... and obsessing about how I could keep Es or Straws alive for a week on the road if I find some on vacation in April...and it finally occurred to me to check the website again... and the sale was still on! 6 packs of Es were $39.99 + $8 for winter packaging + shipping; 6 packs of Straws were $69.99 + $8 + shipping.
So, I emailed on January 31 and asked what shipping to my zip code would be.
Now, here's where my only issue is - I expect (and I think most people do) fast response from online sellers - these guys didn't get back to me until February 5. By which point I'd already decided I didn't CARE, I wanted them - and more importantly, I didn't want to ruin my vacation obsessing about crabs - and placed the order.
We had some email back and forth - I'd ordered 6 tiny Es and 6 large straws; straws are backordered, the only Es available were Medium/Small. I elected to take the Es now, shipping from Long Island to upstate NY was only $28, not worth delaying the Es in hand for a possible group of straws later.
Waited another week - they try to only ship Monday and Tuesday, to eliminate the risk of a package sitting in a warehouse over the weekend, and I had work commitments and appointments Wednesday and Thursday the 11th and 12th, so couldn't be available for delivery - and finally got notice that they were going out Wednesday the 18th, for delivery today. So, order placed late on 2/3, crabs in hand on 2/19, not bad considering the logistical challenges of shipping tropical critters in NYS in February!
Woke up early, feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. Sat here and twitched for hours, finally around 10:00, I saw what I was waiting for:
Signed for the box, and was THRILLED to hear scratching in the package - I was really worried about the shipping, scared I'd've condemned the poor things.
Needn't have worried - the packing is great! Outer carton with an inner styrofoam liner
Second box inside the styrofoam - at this point I quit worrying about heat and humidity, because the inside box was warm and moist.
Inside the box was paper wrapping around a HUGE mound of damp moss, with heat packs and crabbies - except for the two who were making a break for it:
The heat packs work - after I extracted the crabs I tossed a thermometer into the moss, and it was roughly 80 degrees in there. The crabs came out of the package super lively - I havn't got good pictures from their quick bath and portait session, because they wouldn't hold still long enough for the camera to focus! Here's one picture, though, to give you an idea of size:
You can see the crabbies pics here: viewtopic.php?t=67295
So, while I'm still waiting on my Strawbabies, at present I'm extremely pleased. The sale price was great - I probably wouldn't be able to talk myself into ordering them at full price - and they arrived in wonderful condition. The only thing I'd caution you about is patience is required, because communication is slow, and apparently you can't pay attention to the website in terms of what's available, so you may end up waiting for shipping.
But I'm a very happy hermiE MommiE at the moment.
First, the reason I placed the order - very simple: I can't get anything but PPs locally, and I really wanted Es and/or Strawberries. Someone had started a thread in October or November about livehermitcrabs' winter sale, and I'd wanted to order then, but just couldn't spend the money before the holidays.
So, I spent all winter envying people whose Petcos GOT Straws in... and obsessing about how I could keep Es or Straws alive for a week on the road if I find some on vacation in April...and it finally occurred to me to check the website again... and the sale was still on! 6 packs of Es were $39.99 + $8 for winter packaging + shipping; 6 packs of Straws were $69.99 + $8 + shipping.
So, I emailed on January 31 and asked what shipping to my zip code would be.
Now, here's where my only issue is - I expect (and I think most people do) fast response from online sellers - these guys didn't get back to me until February 5. By which point I'd already decided I didn't CARE, I wanted them - and more importantly, I didn't want to ruin my vacation obsessing about crabs - and placed the order.
We had some email back and forth - I'd ordered 6 tiny Es and 6 large straws; straws are backordered, the only Es available were Medium/Small. I elected to take the Es now, shipping from Long Island to upstate NY was only $28, not worth delaying the Es in hand for a possible group of straws later.
Waited another week - they try to only ship Monday and Tuesday, to eliminate the risk of a package sitting in a warehouse over the weekend, and I had work commitments and appointments Wednesday and Thursday the 11th and 12th, so couldn't be available for delivery - and finally got notice that they were going out Wednesday the 18th, for delivery today. So, order placed late on 2/3, crabs in hand on 2/19, not bad considering the logistical challenges of shipping tropical critters in NYS in February!
Woke up early, feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. Sat here and twitched for hours, finally around 10:00, I saw what I was waiting for:
Signed for the box, and was THRILLED to hear scratching in the package - I was really worried about the shipping, scared I'd've condemned the poor things.
Needn't have worried - the packing is great! Outer carton with an inner styrofoam liner
Second box inside the styrofoam - at this point I quit worrying about heat and humidity, because the inside box was warm and moist.
Inside the box was paper wrapping around a HUGE mound of damp moss, with heat packs and crabbies - except for the two who were making a break for it:
The heat packs work - after I extracted the crabs I tossed a thermometer into the moss, and it was roughly 80 degrees in there. The crabs came out of the package super lively - I havn't got good pictures from their quick bath and portait session, because they wouldn't hold still long enough for the camera to focus! Here's one picture, though, to give you an idea of size:
You can see the crabbies pics here: viewtopic.php?t=67295
So, while I'm still waiting on my Strawbabies, at present I'm extremely pleased. The sale price was great - I probably wouldn't be able to talk myself into ordering them at full price - and they arrived in wonderful condition. The only thing I'd caution you about is patience is required, because communication is slow, and apparently you can't pay attention to the website in terms of what's available, so you may end up waiting for shipping.
But I'm a very happy hermiE MommiE at the moment.
Sweet I am glad they you finally got them and they are ok. Thanks for the info about Live Hermit Crabs too and how they managed to get them to you still warm and moist. That is amazing. I would have never tempted ordering them this time of year as it is cold here in MI too. It is nice to know it is possible.
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I don't think the FedEx guy noticed me taking the picture - it was just a quick snap out the living room window, he was busy watching the traffic.
I wouldn't try to order them this time of year if I didn't live close enough that I was confident it would only be an overnight - they're in Long Island, I'm in upstate NY, no more than 200 miles.
I've been just giddy all day. Kind've silly, I mean in the grand scheme of things having a flock of Es isn't going to revolutionize my life, but I'm still glad they're here.
Though at the moment you wouldn't know it... I think it's nap time. They're all out of sight.
I wouldn't try to order them this time of year if I didn't live close enough that I was confident it would only be an overnight - they're in Long Island, I'm in upstate NY, no more than 200 miles.
I've been just giddy all day. Kind've silly, I mean in the grand scheme of things having a flock of Es isn't going to revolutionize my life, but I'm still glad they're here.
Though at the moment you wouldn't know it... I think it's nap time. They're all out of sight.
Isn't it funny how we can get so giddy about these guys?! About 6 weeks ago I found 5 E's at a small rinky dink pet store in MO, about two hours from here. We were in that town for another reason, but me, always prepared... I had my transport cage with EE in the car, ready to be used. So after we got done with everything else there, I made my husband drive me to three different pet stores. The last one came through. The whole way back I was more excited than a kid at Christmas, in fact, I almost cried when I saw those little guys in that tank at the store...crazy, I guess we are geeks, hermit geeks. And proud of it!!!
Congrats on your new additions!!!
Congrats on your new additions!!!
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I'm so glad you're experience with livehermitcrab.com was so good...I was curious about them myself. I can't find Es in my area either, except for the one I found in a mom and pop shop. I have to go to the other coast for them. Congrats on your new additions!
12PPs ~ J.D., Oscar, Shelby, Pixie, Strawberry, Gilligan, Killian,Diesel, Dottie, Tink, Felicity and Kramer
1 E ~ Poppy
4 Dachshunds ~ Bella, Max, Maggie, and Gracie
1 E ~ Poppy
4 Dachshunds ~ Bella, Max, Maggie, and Gracie
Oh!Makes me wanna order!To bad i live like 1,000 miles from them.I think i might do it later in the summer-late spring time...I still have lots of space ever since pan left us.
“If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to
the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago.
If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into Chaos"
-E.O. Wilson
the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago.
If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into Chaos"
-E.O. Wilson
The problem is, the Es that I bought for $39.99 a 6-pack in their holiday sale are $119.94 a 6-pack regularly. That's why I decided to risk having them shipped in upstate NY February conditions. (All that white stuff in the picture of the FedEx delivery is SNOW. It was almost all gone after a couple of warmer days last week, but we're back to single-digit wind chills and more snow expected over the weekend.)
I have a 6-pack of Straws on order, at $69.99 sale price - they're regularly $179.94 a six pack - there's simply no way I could justify that.
I'd LOVE ruggies, but I simply couldn't spend that much money on a crab, not knowing how touchy their lifespans can be.
I have a 6-pack of Straws on order, at $69.99 sale price - they're regularly $179.94 a six pack - there's simply no way I could justify that.
I'd LOVE ruggies, but I simply couldn't spend that much money on a crab, not knowing how touchy their lifespans can be.
Cool
Last edited by limeslide on Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to
the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago.
If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into Chaos"
-E.O. Wilson
the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago.
If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into Chaos"
-E.O. Wilson
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- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:39 pm
- Location: Indiana
You inspired me to ask the folks at Live Hermit Crabs some questions and place an order. :Deregel wrote:The problem is, the Es that I bought for $39.99 a 6-pack in their holiday sale are $119.94 a 6-pack regularly.
The customer service representative that I was corresponding with said that the sale would last for a couple more months still, so I held off my order of strawberries. (Plus, Petco is supposed to be ordering them in for me, $10 a crab with no shipping. CROSSING MY FINGERS.)
(Has spent the entire week preparing her Iso tank.)
Well I am glad it worked out for you, but for me I will wait until it is warmer to order anything. I do like how they packed them and that everyone is doing good but I still have my reservations about a company willing to ship delicate tropical creatures like these in the dead of winter, it just doesn't seem right to me. I am glad it worked out for you and the crabs though.
1 Rugs 2 Indo's, 2 Viola's, 4 Straws, 11 PP's, and 10 E's= 1 Very happy owner