[D3monic]

While I have recieved several shipments of frogs in the past I have never shipped before. I just don't feel comfortable letting a 3rd person who could give a damn about my animals well being handle them.

But...I have been promising a good budy of mine for a while now that I would send him some varaderos. After he has waited paitently for damn near a year I grew a pair and shipped some out to him.

I may have gone overboard a bit with packaging but after reading so many bad transactions with shipping companies over the past few days I didn't want to take any chances (not with my precious babies)

Packing exterior 14x14x14 fedex box

Contents 10x10x14 3/4" styrofoam cooler

our weather on both ends will be fairly mild Lows around 50's highs mid 70's so I decided a heat or cold pack would be too extreme. Instead used two phase 22 panels. One taped to the bottom and one to the top.

Taped the one to the bottom and then placed two layers of bubble wrap. ontop.

Then the frogs packed in deli cups with just moist paper towel and pothos. I have read horror stories about frogs getting smashed with spagnum. Then with air pillows in between them

The precious contents of said cups

Then another layer of bubble wrap ontop of them.

Then I tossed in a few extra items just cause I like the guy. I wasn't too worried about the plants since they where being overnighted. I then filled the remaining space of the container with bubble wrap so there would be no movement.

Since the box was bigger than the cooler I wedged even more sytrofoam insulation to keep the box from being smashed and extra insulation.

and two layers of foam ontop to complete the packing job!

Should be able to stand on this box without denting it :mrgreen:

Now to sit around for the next 24 hours praying my little guys make it to their destination safely and in a timely mannor...c'mon fedex no wammie :roll:

 

[ExoticPocket]

Haha. Thats a lot of styrofoam!! I think it will get the job done though. What's the plant with the white spots on it?

 

[D3monic]

I don't remember the exact name but its a type of begonia. Gets pretty pink flowers.

 

[dmartin72]

You'll be fine!

 

[D3monic]

lol, I know. Just I cherish all of my frogs even the ones that go elsewhere. I feel like I just gave one of my kids up for adoption and just gave them a bus ticket and said "off you go" ...ok, well I might feel a little worse than that

 

[MichelleSG]

Overnight am arrival hub to hub, last moment drop off earliest pick up? Those are the only other things within your control so you might as well go all the way. Time in a delivery truck is bad, they have no climate control in those things.

 

[Pumilo]

That looks very nicely packed! My Vanzos were packed similarly and survived 10 DAYS being lost by USPS! I am quite certain your packing job could survive days. Am I correct in assuming that the destination would be Colorado? If so, we have a mutual friend and he will take very good care of them!
When you see this go off without a hitch, I'll bet you might consider shipping again!

 

[D3monic]

That looks very nicely packed! My Vanzos were packed similarly and survived 10 DAYS being lost by USPS! I am quite certain your packing job could survive days. Am I correct in assuming that the destination would be Colorado? If so, we have a mutual friend and he will take very good care of them!
When you see this go off without a hitch, I'll bet you might consider shipping again!

yea they are going to keith. ... we shall see I will have to start charging more if I start shipping.. lol

 

[illinoisfrogs]

I shipped two containers last week for the first time ever, and I was like you...nervous....but everything made it safely....

 

[Woodsman]

Hi D3monic,

The only advice I would give you for the future is that I wouldn't put the wet paper towel in the frog cups. Like the sphagnum moss, I can imagine that (when the box gets tipped upside down) the frogs could get trapped in the towel. I use a lot of plant cuttings in my cups, enough to cushion the frogs even if they turn upside down, spray the whole cup down with water mist, then drain off the extra water (I have received some frogs that ended-up drowing in too much water). My favorite plant to add are some different Selaginella species.

Other than that, everything looks good. Fingers crossed!

Take care, Richard.

 

[Pumilo]

yea they are going to keith. ... we shall see I will have to start charging more if I start shipping.. lol

I thought so! Keith is working a pair of Escudo he got from me. Yes, you'll have to up your rock bottom pricing if you start shipping. Materials and more than that, time and potential losses take a chunk out of your wallet!

 

[Ed]

Sphagnum can be used if you don't make it soaking wet (squeeze it out after fully rehydrating it) and then fluff it up. If it is just moist and fluffed up, it doesn't pack down and the frogs can navigate around if the box is rotated, spun or left upside down. You also don't need a lot of moss.. just enough to provide some security and moisture.

Ed

 

[Pumilo]

Sphagnum can be used if you don't make it soaking wet (squeeze it out after fully rehydrating it) and then fluff it up. If it is just moist and fluffed up, it doesn't pack down and the frogs can navigate around if the box is rotated, spun or left upside down. You also don't need a lot of moss.. just enough to provide some security and moisture.

Ed

That's how I did my 10 day Vanzos, Ed.

 

[Tadbit]

Like Woodsman said I remember seeing a post about a year ago where someone commented their frog got trapped under a wet paper towel in transit. It didn't end well.

Here's a link I bookmarked from early last month where people were talking about shipping with phase panels. At the bottom of page 1 Pumilo has some pics how he ships his frogs with plants for cushioning, similar to what Woodsman was talking about.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-discussion/66509-shipping-phase-panels-example.html

BTW, I hope this isn't your last shipment of frogs. I've had you marked down for a while as a proud keeper of Varaderos. Those are certainly on my "when I'm ready" list. Of course that wont be for a few years yet.

 

[skylsdale]

Sphagnum can be used if you don't make it soaking wet (squeeze it out after fully rehydrating it) and then fluff it up. If it is just moist and fluffed up, it doesn't pack down and the frogs can navigate around if the box is rotated, spun or left upside down. You also don't need a lot of moss.. just enough to provide some security and moisture.

This is what I do, as well as a large cutting of Philodendron with a few leaves. This provides gaps and spaces from the moss even if they do get flipped/spun around.

 

[D3monic]

I might just try stuffing with plants next time. I would of done it this time but all my pothos died. I had two pots hanging in the window and they got too much sun. I borrowed as much as I could from my froglet growout bins.

Just like everyone has a favorite shipping vendor people have favorite shipping methods.

I just remembered a long thread a few months ago about shipping with spagnum and the horror stories. I have received frog orders with both paper towel and spagnum successfully so i wasn't really sure which way to go.

For what its worth after I packed the single towel square into the cups I turned it upside down and shook the crap out of it to make sure it wouldn't just fall over.

I never seen the packing full of plants but makes sense. Most shipments I have seen only had a clipping or two.

thanks guys for the future tips.

 

[Pumilo]

Like Woodsman said I remember seeing a post about a year ago where someone commented their frog got trapped under a wet paper towel in transit. It didn't end well.

Here's a link I bookmarked from early last month where people were talking about shipping with phase panels. At the bottom of page 1 Pumilo has some pics how he ships his frogs with plants for cushioning, similar to what Woodsman was talking about.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-discussion/66509-shipping-phase-panels-example.html

BTW, I hope this isn't your last shipment of frogs. I've had you marked down for a while as a proud keeper of Varaderos. Those are certainly on my "when I'm ready" list. Of course that wont be for a few years yet.

Hey Tadbit, just a reminder on that thread you linked. While I do ship similarly to that, I just took the photos for you guys. That was Stemcellular's awesome packing job.

 

[Tadbit]

Ahhh that's right! Sorry I knew I had that bookmarked and it was a great illustration. A picture is worth a thousand words, and all that.

I just knew approximately where it was and I knew you posted it. Kudos to Stemcellular for doing it and you for posting it then!

 

[Crazy frog]

Interesting way to pack and ship frogs, Anyway i do have questions, for the container that u guys pack the frogs in with leaves or moist dead sphagnum moss does it have any small holes for breathing?

For an example how many frogs can you put in a 6x6x3(h) inch plastic container(no breathing holes) with moist sphagnum moss in a styrofoam container with 2 panel 22 to ship for like 36hours by Fedex cargo? The reason i am asking this is because i am worried about the oxgen level in the plastic container would it be enough for the frogs during the shipping ??

thks

 

[Pumilo]

Interesting way to pack and ship frogs, Anyway i do have questions, for the container that u guys pack the frogs in with leaves or moist dead sphagnum moss does it have any small holes for breathing?

For an example how many frogs can you put in a 6x6x3(h) inch plastic container(no breathing holes) with moist sphagnum moss in a styrofoam container with 2 panel 22 to ship for like 36hours by Fedex cargo? The reason i am asking this is because i am worried about the oxgen level in the plastic container would it be enough for the frogs during the shipping ??

thks

I use 2 or 4 oz (very small) deli cups and only put one frog per cup in. The bigger the container, the harder the frogs can bounce from wall to wall when the box bounces around. I use a large safety pin and punch a dozen or so holes around the sides of the cup, up high near the lid. I don't like bigger holes as I'm afraid a frog could possibly get his leg stuck through it. It may not sound like much for airflow, but it gave my Vanzo's 10 days worth. On a bigger frog I would go with bigger holes but still smaller than your frogs toe. You can always add more holes instead of bigger holes.
One more thing concerning oxygen. Traditional heat packs are using oxygen to create the heat. Phase 22 packs use NO oxygen.