Urgent Packing Query!

BloopFish · Jan 1, 2020

I am aware that some shipper ship certain hermit crabs with no water, just damp paper towels. I was wondering if the same would be okay for non-hermit crabs like decorator crabs, xanthid crabs, etc. I figured it would be okay since even blue crabs at fish markets live for a long time without any water, but I want a second opinion about this matter before I attempt it - I don't have much time before deciding!

jsvand5 · Jan 1, 2020

Many things would probably do ok. My question is what is the benefit of not sending them in water? Shipping companies will charge you a minimum weight based on the dimensions of the box regardless so it likely won’t save you any money.

TheShrimpNibbler · Jan 1, 2020

jsvand5 said:
Many things would probably do ok. My question is what is the benefit of not sending them in water? Shipping companies will charge you a minimum weight based on the dimensions of the box regardless so it likely won’t save you any money.

I believe that they can produce deadly amounts of ammonia in the small volumes of water without any filtration, so they ship with no water.

vetteguy53081 · Jan 1, 2020

If the water gets too cold, can cause shock which is why many do not include water.

TheShrimpNibbler · Jan 1, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
If the water gets too cold, can cause shock which is why many do not include water.

That makes a lot more sense than my idea. Perhaps it was snails I was thinking of.

Krillin it · Jan 1, 2020

Depends on the species really the decorator is it a hermit or the spider type?

Krillin it · Jan 1, 2020

I used to work for a distributer for tropical fish and we would put brown paper towel and a small amount of water and a heat/ ice pack if it’s going to be in cold areas

BloopFish · Jan 1, 2020

Spider type. I'm also wondering for crabs that would look more like a gorilla crab or mithrax crab or xanthid crab or even a box crab. Reason I ask this is that it would be easier to convince security to let these through.