# Shipping Tarantulas - Heat Packs or COLD Packs???



## Lover of 8 legs (Dec 3, 2005)

I was recently talking with an entomologist at a local Insectarium and I was inquiring about where they bought their tarantulas and how they were shipped. He informed me that all of their Ts are shipped with cold packs which slows the metabolism and reduces the need for water or food during shipment. All that I've purchased are shipped with heat packs but I've experienced a high mortality rate e.g. 4 Ts in the last 3 shipments were DOA. What's better, heat or cold packs?


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## Waryur (Dec 3, 2005)

if your recieving or sending a T overnight i would see no reason to "slow their metabolism" with cold packs?

Reactions: Disagree 1


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## The_Monk (Dec 3, 2005)

my t's were shipped royal mail special delivery (which is guaranteed before 1pm next day). I had them shipped without any kind of heat or cold source and all have arrived alive and well!


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## P. Novak (Dec 3, 2005)

although right now in the winter wouldnt it be better to ship with heat packs?


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## Bigboy (Dec 3, 2005)

You've got to take into account the outside temperature.  When you ship a package you can almost be guaranteed it's not going to be in a nice temp controlled T friendly environment.  If it's cold out use a heat pack but experiment first to find out how to keep the package from becomming too hot from said heat pack.  If it's too hot, which I don't ever think would be a problem as packages are never quite left in the sun unless they are left at your doorstep, then a cold pack may be beneficial.  Always experiment with how to maintain a healthy temp within the package before you send it and you can't go wrong.  That's my 2cents.  Now someone blast it and make this discussion thread even more helpful.


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## moricollins (Dec 3, 2005)

was it from the same dealer each time Lover of 8 legs ?


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## Tony (Dec 4, 2005)

Lover of 8 legs said:
			
		

> I was recently talking with an entomologist at a local Insectarium and I was inquiring about where they bought their tarantulas and how they were shipped. He informed me that all of their Ts are shipped with cold packs which slows the metabolism and reduces the need for water or food during shipment. All that I've purchased are shipped with heat packs but I've experienced a high mortality rate e.g. 4 Ts in the last 3 shipments were DOA. What's better, heat or cold packs?


When you got DOA'a, was the pack cold?  Even a T shipped in normal mail hasnt a need (IMHO) to 'slow it's metabolism'. I mean thats one of their best selling points...In ragin heat, some use cold packs...but NOT this time of year....T


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## KingJames (Dec 4, 2005)

Why not ship them in a Thermos? It would keep the hot T's hot and the cold T's cold.

Reactions: Like 1


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## moricollins (Dec 4, 2005)

tony said:
			
		

> When you got DOA'a, was the pack cold?  Even a T shipped in normal mail hasnt a need (IMHO) to 'slow it's metabolism'. I mean thats one of their best selling points...In ragin heat, some use cold packs...but NOT this time of year....T



Tony, I think he meant that when he got packages with HEAT packs there were DOA's.  i could be wrong though.


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## Lover of 8 legs (Dec 4, 2005)

moricollins said:
			
		

> was it from the same dealer each time Lover of 8 legs ?


 No- 2 different dealers. They replaced the DOAs but I'd like to avoid the death of any T if I can, even to the point of not ordering this time of the year when average daily temps are below freezing.


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## shogun804 (Dec 4, 2005)

it all depends on the weather. during fall and spring you usually will not need any type alternate heat or cooling source for shipping.


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## Lover of 8 legs (Dec 4, 2005)

moricollins said:
			
		

> Tony, I think he meant that when he got packages with HEAT packs there were DOA's.  i could be wrong though.


 That's right both had heat packs and the temps weren't low. I think the problem is more a result of lack of moisture rather than lack of heat. That's why I was wondering about the cold packs - slow the metabolism, decrease the moisture consumption. I'm an amateur so I'm just throwing my ideas out to you guys with more experience.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Windchaser (Dec 5, 2005)

I have sent and received a fair number of packages and haven't experienced any DOAs. If I ship during the winter, I will use a heat pack. I have never used a cold pack. During this time of year, even with a heat pack the package should not get too hot.


When you received the DOAs, how were they packed? Were they packed well? If they weren't and the containers were able to bounce around, that could explain the deaths. Remember, tarantulas can go quite a long time without food or water, so that is rarely the reason they have problems during shipping. The most common reason is injury due to improper packing and handling. Temperature can play a roll when they are shipped during either extreme hot or cold temperatures.


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## Lover of 8 legs (Dec 6, 2005)

Windchaser said:
			
		

> When you received the DOAs, how were they packed? Were they packed well? If they weren't and the containers were able to bounce around, that could explain the deaths.


The first supplier had them well packed in vials where the Ts could not move at all. The vials were in a styrofoam box with a heat pack. The shipment took 5 days. A  B vagans sling & a 2.5" B albopilosum survived. A B smithi sling, a 2" B albopilosum & a 2.5" A seemani were DOA.

The second supplier had them in deli cups with some soil. The Ts could easily move around inside the cup as could the soil. The cups were packed in a styrofoam box with a heat pack. The shipment took 4 days. A 1.75" B smithi & a 4" A seemani survived (Perfect condition) an A avicularia sling was DOA.


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## Windchaser (Dec 6, 2005)

Lover of 8 legs said:
			
		

> The first supplier had them well packed in vials where the Ts could not move at all. The vials were in a styrofoam box with a heat pack. The shipment took 5 days. A  B vagans sling & a 2.5" B albopilosum survived. A B smithi sling, a 2" B albopilosum & a 2.5" A seemani were DOA.


Even if the tarantulas are secure within the vial/deli cup, if the containers themselves are not very secure, the tarantula can still get fairly abuse if the box is handled roughly. When I pack anything, I make nothing on the inside of the box can move and is well protected. I pack them expecting the box to be used as a football by the folks working the docks handling the packages. If you can hear stuff moving around and shifting inside the box if it is shaken it is not packed well enough.



			
				Lover of 8 legs said:
			
		

> The second supplier had them in deli cups with some soil. The Ts could easily move around inside the cup as could the soil. The cups were packed in a styrofoam box with a heat pack. The shipment took 4 days. A 1.75" B smithi & a 4" A seemani survived (Perfect condition) an A avicularia sling was DOA.


Under these conditions, I am surprised that any of the tarantulas survived.


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## Tony (Dec 6, 2005)

moricollins said:
			
		

> Tony, I think he meant that when he got packages with HEAT packs there were DOA's.  i could be wrong though.


Um YEA...Was the Heat Pack cold, better ? 

I just shipped off a versi last night...Got two emails, first was dreadful, but she second stated she was finally up and about... Odd, I literally put the heat pack in the box at 8:30 PM right in the lot at DHL and I assume it was delivered before 10:30...Perhaps the packs are getting old, though what is the shelf life of these things....

As far as 4 and 5 day shipping goes, if it was cold out, be glad something made it alive!
T


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## syndicate (Dec 6, 2005)

5 days is a long time for t's to be in tha mail


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## fscorpion (Dec 7, 2005)

Now, i don't know how many times I wrote this, but I got all my tarantulas by post and NONE has travelled less that a WEEK! Not a single one died  
I didn't use heat nor cold (?) packs, like windchaser pointed out they have to be packed well and the job is done. Don't order them when it is to hot or too cold and you will have no problems. I don't understand why people make overnight orders   i hear they still get their parcels after a few days and I guess using ur normal US post it wouldn't take much longer. As I didn't have this overnight option I had to use normal post and the first few times that I ordered my tarantulas I was very scared, but after 5-6 orders and no loss I got much more confident and I ordered both slings and adults, they all take the trip incredibly good...how do you say-my 2 cents (or dinars)


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## Nerri1029 (Dec 7, 2005)

OK OK 

Here's my 2 cents.. sorry no refunds..

I propose the following for shipping under extreme conditions.
I buy and receive temperature sensitive items all the time.. and I've seen MANY different ways that people treat packing these things


I've attached a pic that shows a technique that would be useful in extreme shipping conditions.. e.g. shipping to me now.. It will reach single digits tonight.

I'll talk about shipping in cold weather using a heat pack but it will work well with a cold pack in extreme heat too.
The spider ( other organism if you like ) is separated from the heat source by a _heat sink_. That is a large mass (yes it will increase postage) like a large hot/cold pack. This heat sink will absorb the heat from the heat source  and transfer it slowly (making the pack last longer ) and store it up some.  It will also SLOW down any changes in temp considerably ( the back of a truck for 6 hours at night, your stoop until you get home, etc.)

again this is only an idea, let me know


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## fleshstain (Dec 7, 2005)

Waryur said:
			
		

> if your recieving or sending a T overnight i would see no reason to "slow their metabolism" with cold packs?


agree 100%


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## cacoseraph (Dec 7, 2005)

Windchaser said:
			
		

> The most common reason is injury due to improper packing and handling.


agree 100%

the ONLY shipping deaths i've had were from packaging errors


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## cacoseraph (Dec 7, 2005)

Nerri1029 said:
			
		

> OK OK
> 
> Here's my 2 cents.. sorry no refunds..
> 
> ...


wow, it's like you know about physics or something 

the heatsink is a great idea!


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## cacoseraph (Dec 7, 2005)

Lover of 8 legs said:
			
		

> The second supplier had them in deli cups with some soil. The Ts could easily move around inside the cup as could the soil. The cups were packed in a styrofoam box with a heat pack. The shipment took 4 days. A 1.75" B smithi & a 4" A seemani survived (Perfect condition) an A avicularia sling was DOA.


i HATE shipping with soil!

especially moist soil!
it is so heavy/dense and clumps funny that it makes containers shift around

i would have to say most of the problems i've had recieving shipments were dirt related. sometimes spiderlings arrive in a form fitting bubble in the soil... they look well and truly miserable

my personal favorite shipping medium is paper towels
sometimes i will use strips of compressed coconut fiber and wet them just after i put the bug in to be packaged.. but that's more something i do for scorps and centipedes... tarantulas just get multiple multiple layers paper towels, to the point the really can't move around much at all. it makes packing a little more diffifult, but i think it's better for the tarantula


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## Tony (Dec 7, 2005)

Um what would this heat sink wiegh, and what then would it cost to overnight it? You still would want to over night it right?
At that level of paranoia (I can relate) you might as well look into delta dash type shipping where you drop it off at the counter and they pick it up on the other end when it lands.....HEY I am shipping $1000 order soon, I better look into this!
D'oh
Tony

EDIT I called, and at first it Was cut and dried...They go as air cargo, for about $75..Then came the "someone informed me tarantulas will not be accepted as air cargo unless your a verified shipper AS PER TSA. Fill out a form , TSA will come evaluate your "facility", also you need to ship 6 times a year or we drop your verification. Perhaps try shipping them as pets . Website though mentions inverts go as air cargo NOT pets...The pet guy was much easier to deal with...They wanted a container constructed of wood or something, LINED with fine mesh (per insect regs) or be made out of molded plastic. I said like a medium Tupperware container?....He thought so...And it was $75 or so too....That will be my route, but I will probably go there in advance with everything I plan on using to Ok it before I nail down a date and flight... But $75 is great insurance on a $1000 box, esp if I were to go DHL and double box etc..It would go over $50 quick I think
  Box must be less than 90 Total linear inches (IE 12x12x12...=36 inches, add dont multiply) under 50Lbs. and must be CHECKED in minimum one hour before flight leaves and it will be ready for pickup no more than one hour after landing

Hope this helps Someone...whew


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