Shipping and the fun of live insects

[Andee]

So has anyone else had problems with USPS and shipping live insects? Are there special boxes you have to buy in order to ship them in that USPS will take without issues? If so where do you buy said boxes? Or do you just mention you are shipping insects in anyway? If so do you do anything to make sure harsh handling doesn't cause a problem?

 

[theintouchable88]

I've never shipped insects but from one of the places I ordered they used a regular small box with a live animal label. The dubias were in a little sack with a heat pack. When I ordered hornworms they did use a box with 2 small screen sides that were made by the USPS from what it looked like. Have you tried checking their website?

 

[Solid Snake]

Theyve arrived to me completely sealed without labeling stating contents, and in open sided boxes that only have screen mesh keeping 5000 crickets in, and everything in between.

Word on the street is, the more "fragile" "live animal" and such type markings a box has, the more prone that sadistic dude that didnt have a proper childhood(not that its his fault, poor fellow) will slam the box around...just saying.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

I just package them well! I am also at a place where I am just about ready to walk from house to house geting everyone to sign a petition to get rid of the delivery monster! Leaving the poor crickets outside when I have a ice chest sitting right there with handwrmers in it! -8 degrees Farenheit and $50 worth of crickets dead! And we were home! Never a knock, did not ring the door bell! Just dump and run!

 

[Andee]

I just package them well! I am also at a place where I am just about ready to walk from house to house geting everyone to sign a petition to get rid of the delivery monster! Leaving the poor crickets outside when I have a ice chest sitting right there with handwrmers in it! -8 degrees Farenheit and $50 worth of crickets dead! And we were home! Never a knock, did not ring the door bell! Just dump and run!

He sounds absolutely horrible D8. The only reason I know half the time I have packages is because I have a dog who thinks the postman is the bane of his existence. But if they leave it outside here for an hour or so, at this time of year I don't have to worry about much.

I did check the website. It says shipping insects is fine and doesn't actually say anything specific about packaging from what I know. But they printed out this paper that says they have to have special boxes. Even though the insects were packed well and uncrowded in 4 separate deli cups with paper in between to stop movement and their uniheat. I was just frustrated that I then had to go to UPS.

 

[AaronK]

My postal carrier can't understand hold for pickup. Every insect package I specifically request hold for pick up, it states it all over the box and shipping label and even has my phone number on it to contact me. Every time my insects are out for delivery and I have to have the post master GPS track where my insects are so I can meet and pick them up before they perish. Always a real pain and it gets annoying having to use vacation time every time I order insects. If they were actually held for pickup I would get out of work on time to pick them up before the post office closes.