Please Help - axolotls died in post

Can anyone tell me the best service/courier to send baby axolotls?

I sent 2 today using royal mail next day by 9:00am delivery, the box was battered and 1 was dead! I was being sent 4 in return but the package never made it to me, it was returned to sender bashed and leaking water and all 4 were dead. Is there a service good enough? How have other peoples experiences been? Any advice would be great!!!}} please reply to victoria_radford@hotmail.com thanks}

I'm sorry to hear this. It sounds to me like the fault could be partially with the service, but I think you'll find any post service will batter packages somewhat. The problem could have been the way they were packaged. They should be packed in a sturdy box with plenty of padding and leak-proof bags inside.

(Message edited by jennewt on March 08, 2007)

I put then inside 2 bags that i got from my local fishery, then surrounded them with bubble wrap and tissue so the bag couldn’t more anywhere then placed it in a sturdy box. The boxed was clearly marked allover it live fish, this way up, urgent live fish! DO you know a service that specializes in this kind of post or would take more care? Thanks

sorry about the mistakes in the message i meant put "them" and the bag couldnt "move"

I usually put the bag of axolotls inside a styrofoam box. I put an ice pack in the box with the axolotls. I put the styro in a cardboard box and overnite. For large axolotls you have to use lots of water. I like to ship them when they are small. You must pack them well enough so the post man can play football with them.

hi
when i send my fish, i always use apc overnight.
they are fast and reliable, and renound for their excellent survival rate with animals.
with regards to packaging, first, get some fish bags, you can probably get them from your local tropical fish shop. put in 30% water, 70% air, grab the bag at the top, to catch the air (do not blow, coz that has more CO2 than O2).then use an elastic band to secure it. then put another bag tightly around it, and make sure you tape up the sides of both bags so that they dont get stuck in the corners.
then put them in a bag, with 2 or 3 heat packs, to keep the temp up (only needed in winter though, and dont put them too close, you dont want to overheat them, the following link will take you to the best company http://www.heatpacksuk.co.uk/tropicalfishheatpack.htm )
once you have done that, put them inside a polybox, or fish box(ask about that at your local fish shop as well, coz they will usually have some spare from their shipments)
then fill in the gaps with styrofoam packaging, newspaper, shredded paper, or just about anything else that is a good insulater.
if you do all that then chances are you will have happy axies.

o yea, one other thing, remember to write all over it which way up it goes, and that there are live animals in it.

I'd only use heat packs for shipping axolotls if it was bitter cold and I was afraid the water would freeze.

Hey,
I'm also a junior member and I am going to get some axolotls.
Do you have any advice for me??

Yep,
read everything on www.axolotl.org before you buy any. Especially the part about the setup.
Another useful page is this one: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml

Also check out the axolotl part of this forum. Feel free to post more questions in "Beginners and Axie Newbies" (http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/793/23976.html?1174164891)

When asking a question there, start a new thread please. You can find a button for this at the bottom of the index page.

Thanks!!