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Shipping Axolotls (USA)...

NotAFish

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Hi,
I'm curious if anybody has information on how to safely and economically ship axolotls.
I recently purchased a blue/purpleish lotl while in new york, and was supposed to have it shipped to me yesterday.
The USPS's website said they ship them, but when the seller brought him there, they said NO, that they didn't want to risk leaking or something like that...i was under the impression that thats mostly how they get around...I've been offered to ship via UPS for $140 but that seems absurd...
Does anybody have any advice as to how to do this? or should i just ask for my money back?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
 

Alkylhalide

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Hmmm. Mine were shipped for 56$ garanteed arival before noon(they were here in 17hours)
Im in canada however but still.
. It had two juveniles and eggs shipped to me and as far as i know there wasnt any problem. She got ups to pick the package from her place and it was here 17hours from the time they picked them up.no problems as far as i know.
I guess it makes sense that they may leak. Mine were packed pretty well in a big box.

If it really is 140$ for shipping that is pretty absurd.
I dont knowfor sure but im sure youd find somebody here willing to ship them for cheaper. Theres tons of people in the states that are selling axolotls.

I could not imagine 140$ for shipping :s on top of the price
Of the axies
 

elfelty

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I recently shipped two juvies across the US. They didn't question it when I walked in with a box already taped up labed *This side up* *Perishable* and mailed it Express with the USPS. I've had them shipped to me both express and priority through the postal service before. Maybe they frowned upon them walking in with a baggie of water and a little axie in there, but I think they'd accept it if it were already boxed up, even if you tell them what's inside is perishable.
 

NotAFish

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That is similar to what i read on the USPS's website, it was $45 for it...she had it in a styrofoam box inside of a box so i'm confused about the leaking concerns, but she said she spoke with the post office's manager....maybe it was just that particular branch that was being testy.

I'm just trying to figure out any possible alternatives to ups($140) or delta cargo(which i guess would be even more and i'd have to go to the airport to pick it up).:wacko::eek::(

*sigh*



Hmmm. Mine were shipped for 56$ garanteed arival before noon(they were here in 17hours)
Im in canada however but still.
. It had two juveniles and eggs shipped to me and as far as i know there wasnt any problem. She got ups to pick the package from her place and it was here 17hours from the time they picked them up.no problems as far as i know.
I guess it makes sense that they may leak. Mine were packed pretty well in a big box.

If it really is 140$ for shipping that is pretty absurd.
I dont knowfor sure but im sure youd find somebody here willing to ship them for cheaper. Theres tons of people in the states that are selling axolotls.

I could not imagine 140$ for shipping :s on top of the price
Of the axies
 

NotAFish

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i wonder if there were problems because it said live animal on it.... hmmmm.:rolleyes:


I recently shipped two juvies across the US. They didn't question it when I walked in with a box already taped up labed *This side up* *Perishable* and mailed it Express with the USPS. I've had them shipped to me both express and priority through the postal service before. Maybe they frowned upon them walking in with a baggie of water and a little axie in there, but I think they'd accept it if it were already boxed up, even if you tell them what's inside is perishable.
 

abbeh15

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I've had axies shipped to me from Pennsylvania to Alaska on two occasions. I think it was express for $50. The box was clearly marked "LIVE" "H2O" and I had no problems at all.
 

Alkylhalide

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Just out of curiousity, you went to new york and purchased an axolotl, paid for it and then came home to get it shipped.
Do you know the person with whom you made this transaction with? Im just wondering because it just seems a little odd to me. Like people said they have never had a problem. Even when it says "fragile, perishable" as long as it is packed before you go to send it out there shouldnt be a problem.

It just seems odd to me unless you know this person well. In my opinion id just ask for my money back and look elsewhere. But thats just me. If you can figure out a way to help this person get it in the mail without paying 140$ for shipping(again, ouch!) then that would be fine as well.
 

NotAFish

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Kinda interesting how that came to be, i was going to NY to visit family, and someone who i follow on Instagram, had a bunch of blueish/purpleish lotls hatch. They were pretty cool and i wanted one. So she offered to sell me one for $40 + shipping which seemed steep but reasonable enough (my folks didnt want the stress of packaging and shipping a lotl as they know nothing about aquatic pets).

From everything i read, and from all the breeders online, it seems like USPS is the way to go. So i dont really understand how this "breeder" had so much difficulty. She also said she called a bunch of USPS locations, all of which said no (still seems off).

"It just seems odd to me unless you know this person well. In my opinion id just ask for my money back and look elsewhere."
--I agree 100% and asked for my money back this weekend.

"If you can figure out a way to help this person get it in the mail without paying 140$ for shipping(again, ouch!) then that would be fine as well"
--She wanted me to ship delta cargo, but that would entail me driving out to the airport here and picking it up, and still cost another $58 on top of the $45 i already gave her for shipping...
It seemed like WAY too much work for an axolotl that was going to come without a live arrival guarantee, and was not going to for sure be purple/blue...

I'm not going to out this breeder....but after doing a little searching on here, i found her and discovered that 'breeder' is a bit of a stretch...its more like someone who has lotls that mated a second time and this time the babies lived....
:eek:

so now i begin my hunt for a Black/gold green/gold





Just out of curiousity, you went to new york and purchased an axolotl, paid for it and then came home to get it shipped.
Do you know the person with whom you made this transaction with? Im just wondering because it just seems a little odd to me. Like people said they have never had a problem. Even when it says "fragile, perishable" as long as it is packed before you go to send it out there shouldnt be a problem.

It just seems odd to me unless you know this person well. In my opinion id just ask for my money back and look elsewhere. But thats just me. If you can figure out a way to help this person get it in the mail without paying 140$ for shipping(again, ouch!) then that would be fine as well.
 

Alkylhalide

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just look at the "For sale or give away" section in the forums. There are tons of people selling juvenile axolotls this time of year. TONS I SAY! haha I am even selling some(though im in Canada and almost all of mine are taken for already) And for a lot cheaper of a price. Mine are 20$ each though most are going for 4+ so Im just selling them 10$ each if they get 2+
Good luck :)
 

JessKB

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When I ship axolotls I write LIVE FISH!!!! All over the box. People look at you funny while youre standing in line, and ask questions, but Ive never had a problem shipping them. One woman was very concerned about them dying until I asked her how she thought tropical fish get to the pet stores in Michigan....
 

michael

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According to postal regulations You have to label that their is water in the box. According to the Lacey act you have to label what live amphibian is in the box. I ship axolotls by usps all of the time. Tell the shipper if the shipment is refused at one post office just ship it at another post office. The post office is supposed to accept it but some of those postal workers are a little funny. It should cost 35.00 to 40.00 to ship an axolotl by express mail. I charge a little more to ship to Alaska and Hawaii.

If you mark the box "live fish" you are violating the Lacey act.
 

ZombieAxolotl

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The issue was the worker they spoke to.

If labeled properly "salamander" "perishable" "live harmless salamander"

There should have been no issue.

I've run into a similar issues myself. With usps and FedEx.

One FedEx location will not accept snakes, even though fedex does The manager is freaked by them lol

Also make sure it was an actual post office and not a secondary location.
Like Fedex Office will not accept live animals
 

59Yessenia09

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I know it has been 2 months since your question but...
I ordered 5 axolotls off a website and my total was $145 including shipping Shipping is $45 (or $40?) regardless of how many u buy =)
 
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