Posting and Packing scorpions: How-to.

[G. Carnell]

Short Guide specific to packing scorpions:

Categories:
-Large sized scorpions (eg. Parabuthus, Pandinus etc)
-Medium sized scorpions (eg. Hottentotta, Mesobuthus, Centruroides)
-Small scorpions (eg. Euscorpius, and babies of other species)

(NB, baby emperors and other large babies can be classified as medium.)

More categories
-To a distant country
-close by


Can any USA members post a HOW-TO of posting in america, or does this already exist??

 

[G. Carnell]

Large Scorpions
Now you obviously cant pack emerors into film cups, so its up to you to find a container which is only about 3-4cm larger than your scorpion, you will need to use unbroken tissue paper (not the cheap sandpaper stuff) to acheieve something like this (aim for a little bit bigger):

REMEMBER TO ADD WATER: see pic 2
(about 1/5 of the paper is wet, 2/5 will be fine for a journey of more than one week


NB: you can use an extra piece to fill in the hole at the top, make sure there are at least 2-3 layers between your scorp and the container at any point, a few small gaps are fine, as long as the scorp cant burrow through them and then get crushed against the container when the postman steps on your parcel.

Once this is done, you need to wrap the entire container with tissue paper, and then wrap this with wrapping paper (newspaper) or bubble wrap
(this is best).
Also, make sure to insulate the package if you can, IE: with polystyrene or bubble wrap, or even many layers of newspaper/tissue

-->Large scorpions must be posted in BOXES whether you are sending it 15,000 miles or 150 miles.

In order to send to a foreign country, the best option is to register your mail, and send it "signed for". this way your package cant be lost, and the fact that it is registered makes it less suspicious, and it usually arrives faster than normal delivery.

 

[G. Carnell]

Medium Scorpions

These scorpions can be sent in a variety of containers, the following ones have served me very well:

For the larger tubes:
what you need to do is scrunch up 1-2 segments of tissue paper, and ram it down to the bottom of the tube. then log this with water so that there is no excess water (yet it is all soggy)

then using an unbroken piece of tissue paper, do this: (i hope its clear..)

(shows water logged tissue)

the main part, form a hollow where your scorpion can stay (add a few drops of water to the lower part of the hollow)

scrumple up a few segments of paper and form a loose plug at the top of the container.


REMEMBER to seal the lid shut with celotape/sticky tape
this way the scorpion cant dry out, but also, if you add too much water, you could risk killing your scorpion, so do not add more than 2-3 drops into the hollow.

If you are sending To a foreign country then you should use a jiffy, reinforced letter:

you wrap your container in 2-3 layers of paper or newspaper, and then stuff it in, making sure to make the packet look as thin/flat as possible.

PRINT your label on PC, and celotape it to the front of the jiffy bag, make sure to do this neartly, and your packet will not look dodgy!

you can also *neatly* celotape the bag shut.


for sending to your own country then you can use a box if you want

 

[G. Carnell]

Small scorpions

You can either send lots of babies in the medium style shown above, or individually (for rare species)

This involves using the Film pots shown in the above post, you need to do the same thing, just with less paper, it will take a while for you to get it right, but its worth it, as this is the most efficient way of sending scorplings.

if they will be in transit for more than 1 week, then add 1-2 air holes

and remember NOT to over-water them

you can send something like 10 individual scorps per large jiffy bag

 

[Murziukas]

Great thread George :clap:
I could add one more think to consider: if you don't know foreign post rules/laws/regulations: do not declare it as scorpions or invertebrates (do not mention live animals at all). If post office personel will insist you to declare package contence: use diplomacy. Scientific material of 0 Euro(USD or whatever) value works fine.

 

[Alakdan]

Nice!

Great! Exactly what I needed. I will be packing some millipedes, I guess I'll just follow the same instructions with some variation.

 

[moricollins]

Awesome George,

Mods: Can this be made into a sticky?????

 

[Curry]

Great post! I actually happened to be looking for something like this today and mori sent me the link. Thanks!

 

[Brian S]

Nice information George!!! Glad to see somebody has done this

 

[ScorpDude]

Go georgy! Go georgy! Go georgy! Go georgy! Go georgy!

....sorry...

 

[Normski2020uk]

Out standing, this definatly needs to be made into a sticky.

 

[Scorpfanatic]

hei geroge! way to go... hehe that second medium size looking bottle look like the one i sent you wasnt it hehehe, any way maybe i can do the pic demo for small size scorps when im packing your shipment next monday maybe? hehe.... i guess ill volenteer for that.. ~

OH YAH!!! please to all... declare as gifts.. and anything that you can thing of that equevelent to that thickness , size and weight of your package, something wooden is the best ,,,never declare that there are metal particles as they may think its bomb! :wall:

 

[Scolopendra55]

Sticky, sticky, sticky!!!

 

[PA7R1CK]

Sticky, sticky, sticky!!!

I agree! Sticky it!

 

[Empwrangler]

I vote for sticky!

 

[ScorpDude]

Sticky! go on

 

[Scorpfanatic]

first thing i wake up tomorrow i will be packing some scorps to ship out tomorrow so i will take pictures and simulate wat ever geroge has demo on a big scorpion ... but on medium/small scorpions ... watch out for this thread say... 12-16 hours from now.. hehehe see yah got to get busy!

 

[skinheaddave]

Sticky! go on

Ummmm .. this was added to the FAQ a couple days ago.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[ink_scorpion]

Great thread, George!

Does this mean you're that much closer to shipping off my box of Euscorpius? Great idea for a thread, all kidding aside.:clap:

 

[canadianscorp]

seems to be a safe way of transportation. does anybody have any scorps they would sell to me in canada. i wasnt clear on the shipping method, but now that i know it can be done, i would be very interested in getting some more rare scorpions. ive had many pandinus imperator, and hadrurus arizonsis, recently i aquired a babycurus jacksoni, easily the coolest one ive owned, but i would like to broaden my collection. anyone interested in selling them, or if anyone knows where to order from would be awesome.

thanks, steve