I was curious to know how members here ship corals. I have some methods that I have learned after shipping live harmless reptiles for the past 12 years. Lately, I have been shipping quite a few corals as well and have had some challenges with the super cold weather the country has had. Many of you probably Buy, Sell, and Trade to friends on FB or in other reef related groups online. I would like to know any of your tips and tricks and I will show you some of the methods that I have learned.
The most important thing during these cold winter months is heat. Since corals are in water, it is probably hard to bake them, unlike reptiles. Therefore, I use 2- 40 hour heat packs and they get the job done. Attached you can see detailed pics of the packaging.
First, I place a leak proof bag, inside a deli cup, fill the cup with tank water and add the coral. I rubberband the bag and move to the next step:
Second, I cap the cup and seal the lid. I tape it shut with packing tape and verify that there are no leaks:
Third, I place the cup in a second leak proof bag and rubberband it shut. Then I place the cup in an insulated box and secure it, so that it doesn't move or shift during shipping.
Last, I secure the box. I use insulated boxes that say "Live Harmless Reptiles or Animals, Perishable, Handle with Care, Keep upright". Then I write in hot pink, "avoid extreme temps", "avoid extreme cold or heat"
On a final note, because our weather is so cold this time of year, I used 2 - 40 hour heat packs and I try to have them directly over the cup. In the summer, I would likely use cool packs. I wrap the packs in news paper, paper towles, etc. and then tape them to the inside of the insulated lid. (Note: only 1 heat pack is on this lid. This specific lid was going in a chameleon's box that were headed to LA. Two heat packs would roast a chameleon. lol
Hope this helps anyone who plans on shipping corals in the future. I have made mistakes in the past and hopefully my mistakes can help you avoid them. If anyone has any tips for me or others feel free to post them here. On a second note, I always pay to require a signature. I have had reptile buyers file paypal claims and stated they never even received the items. Luckily, I always require a signature, So all I had to do was provide the tracking info that showed the buyer signed for the package and they lost the claim. Another good practice, is to snap a photo of the coral right before you pull it, then snap pics of the shipment. There are a lot of scammers out there today, no need losing unnecessary $!
Thanks and Enjoy!
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