# How NOT to post a tarantula



## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

I recently received a medium sized tarantula through the post. 
When I opened the box I was extremely surprised to see the total lack of packing in the box and around the spider itself. 
I fully expected to see a dead spider with a ruptured abdomen considering the lack of padding.
Luckily the spider was OK and is now settling into its new home.

Everyone has their own methods and ideas on how to pack a tarantula (or any other invert) so I though that I would post a few photos showing how *NOT* to do it and then a few photo's showing how I do it.


*I have removed any identifying markings off the packing box and changed the species of spider for one of my own to stop any amateur Sherlock Holmes wannabe's' trying to ID the sender. *





















This is the first view of the lack of packing in the box

Covering the cricket box was several layers of neatly folded toilet tissue



















No packing around the edges of the cricket box. 
There was a few inches of open space surrounding the cricket box, there was nothing to cushion the spider against any knocks or bangs. 



















Showing the several layers of neatly folded toilet tissue that was on top of the cricket box










The same amount of tissue under the cricket box











Underneath the tissue was a slightly screwed up and folded carrier bag as added padding !!











Inside the cricket box was a cardboard tube from a toilet roll with a few sheets of tissue underneath it.





































*I have replaced the new posted spider with one of my own that is only slightly smaller that the spider that I received as mine is easier to handle while taking these photo's*.

Showing how much space the spider had to rattle about in while in the gentle hands of the post office.






























As I have used so many photos, I will have to make a part 2 showing how I pack my spiders for posting.


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## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

This is how I pack my Tarantulas when i post them out.

What I aim for is a space slightly larger than the spiders body so that it can crouch in the space provided with its legs close to its body



A 2-3ft length of toilet tissue is wrapped around 3 of my fingers. 


__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
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Hoop of tissue in cricket box where the spider will eventually go.











A handful of screwed up tissue jammed in either end of the cricket box so that the 'hoop' is cushioned from any knocks or bangs











The tissue is sprayed so that it compacts slightly











Another 'hoop' of tissue is added because the space is too big for the spider.











A few sheets of screwed up tissue that will be used a 'lid' once the spider is inside the 'hoop'











Showing the size of the 'hoop' and the spider, a nice snug fit for the spiders size.











The spider is in the 'hoop' covered by a small lid just to show the amount of space that is needed.










The tissue 'lid' is placed over the spider, which is now crouched at the bottom of the 'hoop'




















The cardboard box shown is too small to use with a cricket tub so I've swapped it for a more suitable sized tub
(I did take photos with the original cardboard box and cricket tub but accidently deleted them while on the camera)

Screwed up newspapers first










Folded newspaper next










Tub added then screwed up newspaper is placed around the tub










A few inches left for more screwed up newspaper to be added on top of the spider tub




















and done !!

The spider cannot be bounced around because there is no extra space for it to happen, the tub cannot be moved about because there is screwed up newspaper tightly wedged around it.
The spider is now ready for posting. : victory:


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## connor 1213 (Apr 6, 2009)

:gasp: poor spider...


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## dragon's den (Oct 6, 2010)

i tend to avoid the bog roll innards anyhow, i much prefer to wind damp, snaked up tissue in a coil (like you did in the pic) inside a tall deli until its padded out, then in goes the spider, a pad of tissue on top, on goes the lid. 
then wrap around 2 foot of bubble wrap around it.
in the box it goes, padded and packed out accordingly with screwed up newspaper etc.


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## kris74 (May 10, 2011)

would you tell us by pm so we can avoid the seller? even plugging the tube with toilet roll would've taken a minute and made a more secure job. pretty poor really. That big parahybana I got from you was one of the best packed spiders I've received. definitely the way to do it


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## PrincessStegosaurus (May 27, 2012)

Poor little guy  reminds me of a bunch of slings I received from Europe... a folded 1cm bit of kitchen paper inside one of these ( http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/large/prodimages/z/z334006.jpg ) microcentrifuge tubes. Then they were taped on to a postcard and shoved in a regular paper envelope. Then disappeared into the EU post system during not awful cold weather, but not summer time either. Turned up over a week late, and half the slings were dead, and ultimately none of the rest survived. Dumb people shouldn't post inverts if they don't know how to do it safely.


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## gambitgareth (Sep 18, 2011)

princess - i know who your talking about - NEVER AGAIN, from me. I paid a deposit for a t and they then sold out of that t and i never got my deposit back :/ i have had a doa in similar circs too..


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## Tarantulaguy01 (Mar 31, 2012)

*name the seller*

we need to know the seller as the t we might buy of him/her might not be so lucky


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## MrFerretman6 (Sep 1, 2011)

This is an excellent and well needed thread. When things lives are at stake due to human error or neglect it is upsetting. 

If I may be so bold as to add my method for tubing up larger arboreals for posting:

First off you will need a tall deli/yogurt pot with lid (pierce a few holes in lid and a few in container), toilet roll tube, kitchen paper and a poking thing
!









Fold a small square of kitchen paper and place on bottom of the deli pot.









Set the toilet roll tube in the centre of the deli pot.









Coil the kitchen roll around the toilet roll tube, pushing it down tight as you go.









Continue to this nearly to the top.









Then carefully pull out the toilet roll tube. You are then left with a perfect padded cell for your beloved arboreal to sit in. Give it a little spray with some water before inserting tarantula.









Fold up another small square of kitchen roll, fold in the corners slightly and place this on top of tarantula.









Lid on and there you go.









Pack in box much the same way PeterUK has shown you but perhaps use a taller box. I hope this helps a few of you who choose to pack in an inadequate way.


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## 34531 (May 27, 2009)

MrFerretman6 said:


> This is an excellent and well needed thread. When things lives are at stake due to human error or neglect it is upsetting.
> 
> If I may be so bold as to add my method for tubing up larger arboreals for posting:
> 
> ...



Very helpful. It's just the getting the large nasty arboreal _into_ the packaging that worries me....


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

The poor spider sent out like that, I'm glad tho that it's alive and ok! This is a really good thread to show exactly how to package spiders when sending them through the post, if I ever did send out a spider I'd use this thread or go with how TSS package their spiders, small box, squillions of those polystyrene packing peanut shaped things, like the whole box is filled with them with the spider in the middle in a small tub wrapped in tissue.


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## Mutley.100 (Nov 3, 2008)

There is in fact a sticky about posting T's , showing a similar way to how I post 
mine out . 

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/spiders-inverts/478633-sending-tarantulas-through-post-how.html

Anyway , I'm glad you bought this topic up Peter , it seems it's needed to be done on a fairly regular basis . It's just a shame that all the sticky's are hidden behind one title so people don't see them .


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## MrFerretman6 (Sep 1, 2011)

forever_20one said:


> Very helpful. It's just the getting the large nasty arboreal _into_ the packaging that worries me....


I should have posted a picture of this too. However, I use a long paper funnel with the narrow end in the top of the 'cell'. Encourage the beast into the funnel and they usually find their way into the bottom as it is nice and dark in there.

Sometimes they turn and fight but that's why you gotta love them!!


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## gambitgareth (Sep 18, 2011)

forever 21 - get the card at the end of the loo roll - use a valley fold to make it conical then place the thin end into the package then the fat end over the t- use a clear sheet to slide under, move it gently so that the t walks onto the card, then get a tissue 'blocker' - this must be able to fit comfortably in travel pot leaving enough space for t to be comfortable. then put blocer into the large hole and slowly push down, but make a small gap to look into the hole to make sure t has moved into container throughout push blocker all the way into container.... + done!


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Or take the hide out of the arboreals tank a couple of days before and put a loo tube in there. It should take residence so all you need to do is block off both ends making sure its secure and put the tub in a padded cricket tub


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## gambitgareth (Sep 18, 2011)

or that lol - i guess its always a slight risk but ive not been had yet XD


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## gambitgareth (Sep 18, 2011)

sel -do you think we should name and shame bad packers? but you cant name me i pack like a champion :no1:


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Naming and shaming isnt necessary. It just causes a witch hunt.
Education is the way forward, and hopefully PeterUK has provided a link to the seller to help educate.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

I bought an adult female a short while ago that arrived with terrible packaging, I was surprised to find it uninjured tbh.
I sent the seller a PM and he was really apologetic, he said he'd never packed spiders before and just hadn't thought. Normally if the seller doesn't have positive feedback on here I PM them beforehand and politely ask if they have posted spiders before and link them to one of the posts explaining how. But in this instance I'd bought from somebody on a facebook group.

There's usually no need to get nasty or start naming and shaming as most of it is done out of ignorance rather than malice.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

I lost one of my MMs in a bad packaging incident. In that case though the loaner couldnt be bothered and should of known better


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## gambitgareth (Sep 18, 2011)

i take on board your views and certainly believe that there are extentuating circumstances that might make naming the seller unethical - such as first attempt, new to ts etc.. but for people who regularly sell or who have lots of experience or claim as such - (these people are out there) i think there is a strong case where the seller does not offer to learn after speaking to them... 

I feel that whistleblowers are currently punished under the current feedback rules - which allow the seller to give -1 point for 'causing trouble or being difficult' or which ever takes their fancy for simple remonstrating. if this was appealable to admin - i would be more proactive.


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## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

i bought 2 tarantulas off peteruk a few months ago. they were packed superbly well.


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Its in nobody's interest to repeatedly send out Ts that are not packaged properly. For a start they are likely to experience lots of compaints, refunds and a reduction in further deals/exchanges.
If people believe members are repeatedly sending out inverts that are not well packaged they should contact the mods, report the thread. We can then contact them and make sure they are aware of how to package properly.*
Naming and shaming isnt going to educate them, its just going to be a queue of people throwing accusations and various other spears at what might be a young ill-informed members. That's quite an unsavoury side of human nature that we prefer to quell.

*A build up of complaints might result in removal of their classified access.


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## PAB (Aug 4, 2010)

garlicpickle said:


> I bought an adult female a short while ago that arrived with terrible packaging, I was surprised to find it uninjured tbh.
> I sent the seller a PM and he was really apologetic, he said he'd never packed spiders before and just hadn't thought. Normally if the seller doesn't have positive feedback on here I PM them beforehand and politely ask if they have posted spiders before and link them to one of the posts explaining how. But in this instance I'd bought from somebody on a facebook group.
> 
> There's usually no need to get nasty or start naming and shaming as most of it is done out of ignorance rather than malice.


I to bought an adult female which was left to be packed by the sellers son. Sadly it was DOA. :devil: the poor thing must have been rattling about like a bean in a tin can. 
Re: the previous post by Selina20. Thats what happens when you put it in a loo rooll tube. Granted an Aboreal might have a chance holding on to the inside but a terrestrial never. Not worth the risk imo.


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## gambitgareth (Sep 18, 2011)

pete - you see my point tho... I personally try my best as a seller I go to town to pack ts right - but if i complained to a seller about their bad packing they would then give me a bad buyers rating meaning i loose my 100% for simply doing the right thing and 'educating' them.


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## MrFerretman6 (Sep 1, 2011)

PAB said:


> I to bought an adult female which was left to be packed by the sellers son. Sadly it was DOA. :devil: the poor thing must have been rattling about like a bean in a tin can.
> Re: the previous post by Selina20. Thats what happens when you put it in a loo rooll tube. Granted an Aboreal might have a chance holding on to the inside but a terrestrial never. Not worth the risk imo.


This is so horrid! 

Maybe there should be rules set in place that if a member sends out badly packed tarantulas on more then one occasion, after being warned, they should be banned from advertising in the classified section. 

The more popular this great hobby gets, the more I fear this will happen. There is no excuse for badly packed tarantulas, only ignorance.


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## Colosseum (Aug 8, 2008)

The only T I had that was badly packed was a H Cameroon sp, which was packed in a lunch box with just a small amount of dirt in, when I unpacked it the Tarantulas abdomen was burst and all of its contents was splattered around this tub including 6 of its legs that had detached from the body.

To say I was livid was an understatement contacted the seller and he/she didn't seem to care and was very slow at replying and was refusing a refund, well just up to the point when I said I knew where he/she lived and was going to come up and burn them out, a refund was issued within a hour.

I don't condone my behaviour btw.


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## Mutley.100 (Nov 3, 2008)

I've only had one T that arrived DOA and that wasn't due to unnecessary care being used by the person sending it as it had been packed quite well . In fact they'd put too much care into packing in . 

What they'd done was to attach a heat pad on to the inner tub over the air holes . I believe it either suffocated or it'd died due to the heat . So don't forget peeps , it's not just about chucking in more packing paper .


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

Mutley.100 said:


> I've only had one T that arrived DOA and that wasn't due to unnecessary care being used by the person sending it as it had been packed quite well . In fact they'd put too much care into packing in .
> 
> What they'd done was to attach a heat pad on to the inner tub over the air holes . I believe it either suffocated or it'd died due to the heat . So don't forget peeps , it's not just about chucking in more packing paper .


I had a cooked huntsman arrive once, the guy had taped the heatpack to the otherwise well packed tub containing the spider.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

PAB said:


> I to bought an adult female which was left to be packed by the sellers son. Sadly it was DOA. :devil: the poor thing must have been rattling about like a bean in a tin can.
> Re: the previous post by Selina20. Thats what happens when you put it in a loo rooll tube. Granted an Aboreal might have a chance holding on to the inside but a terrestrial never. Not worth the risk imo.


I would never ever put a terrestrial in a loo tube at all i would use the method Peter has stated. Iv had spiders delivered in loo tubes (arboreals) and all have been fine. Also they were packed into padded cricket tubs so couldnt move around


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## Oderus (Nov 24, 2009)

Mutley.100 said:


> I've only had one T that arrived DOA and that wasn't due to unnecessary care being used by the person sending it as it had been packed quite well . In fact they'd put too much care into packing in .
> 
> What they'd done was to attach a heat pad on to the inner tub over the air holes . I believe it either suffocated or it'd died due to the heat . So don't forget peeps , it's not just about chucking in more packing paper .





garlicpickle said:


> I had a cooked huntsman arrive once, the guy had taped the heatpack to the otherwise well packed tub containing the spider.


Yes used incorrectly they are killers. In addition to cooking things, I believe they also burn oxygen as part of their reaction, even with the very low O2 needs of inverts, some people pack in as small a space as possible. I'm sure hypoxia is also a risk if the close contact doesn't cook them. I've animals that were still warm, but appeared "drunk" before now, and in those cases they were packed with a pad and a very small air space.

I know of at least one dealer whos packaging seems to vary from year to year, and how nasty the spider in question is. I guess in quite a few cases it depends who's employed to do the order packing.


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## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

kris74 said:


> would you tell us by pm so we can avoid the seller?


 
No I will not. 
I have PM'ed the sender and they have admitted their mistake in sending the T as they did and said that they have taken my advice in how to send any further spiders via the post. 
If however, I hear of them sending any other spiders in such a bad method again I will name them.




Tarantulaguy01 said:


> we need to know the seller as the t we might buy of him/her might not be so lucky


 See the reply above.


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## kris74 (May 10, 2011)

PeterUK said:


> No I will not.
> I have PM'ed the sender and they have admitted their mistake in sending the T as they did and said that they have taken my advice in how to send any further spiders via the post.
> If however, I hear of them sending any other spiders in such a bad method again I will name them.
> 
> ...


That's fair enough. I wouldn't advocate naming in a public forum but sometimes some people need to be avoided. If they heed your advice then that's a win.


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## Oderus (Nov 24, 2009)

You could also try these two methods, employed by my old mucker Tescos.
The Tarantula Store -> Tips for packaging a rather feisty lady?
The Tarantula Store -> Packing made easy.


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## Baldpoodle (Apr 18, 2007)

PeterUK said:


> No I will not.
> I have PM'ed the sender and they have admitted their mistake in sending the T as they did and said that they have taken my advice in how to send any further spiders via the post.
> If however, I hear of them sending any other spiders in such a bad method again I will name them.


consider yourself (the packer) warned by the tarantula packing police!:lol2:


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## PrincessStegosaurus (May 27, 2012)

gambitgareth said:


> princess - i know who your talking about - NEVER AGAIN, from me. I paid a deposit for a t and they then sold out of that t and i never got my deposit back :/ i have had a doa in similar circs too..


Yeah, refused to refund the DOA due to it 'being the postal systems fault for loosing it'. The others died any way, but bleh. Waste of poor little spiderlives. Thankfully it was only 3 little slings, but still. I've had spiders from the UK arrive better packaged than that.


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## XMoniqueAmyX (Jun 3, 2012)

PeterUK said:


> No I will not.
> I have PM'ed the sender and they have admitted their mistake in sending the T as they did and said that they have taken my advice in how to send any further spiders via the post.
> If however, I hear of them sending any other spiders in such a bad method again I will name them.
> 
> ...


Really useful thread thanks for posting! On the same topic is it normal to post a T with a heat Pad?? I just got a PM from a new member on here offering me a curly hair but said depending on the weather will pack with heat pad but is this bad practice and will damage my T by the time it arrives?


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## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

XMoniqueAmyX said:


> Really useful thread thanks for posting! On the same topic is it normal to post a T with a heat Pad?? I just got a PM from a new member on here offering me a curly hair but said depending on the weather will pack with heat pad but is this bad practice and will damage my T by the time it arrives?


Much depends on how the sender arranges and packs the T and the heatpack but IMHO* no* heat pack is necessary this time of year.
I posted 100 genic slings this week without a heat pack, all arrived safely. I also posted 4 curlys last week without a heat pack. No problems reported.
More spiders die through excess heat than cold during posting.


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## XMoniqueAmyX (Jun 3, 2012)

PeterUK said:


> Much depends on how the sender arranges and packs the T and the heatpack but IMHO* no* heat pack is necessary this time of year.
> I posted 100 genic slings this week without a heat pack, all arrived safely. I also posted 4 curlys last week without a heat pack. No problems reported.
> More spiders die through excess heat than cold during posting.


Thanks for the info, will pass this on to sender ... Btw do you have any more curlys for sale :flrt:


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## **louise** (Nov 10, 2010)

Interesting thread. (well, most of it!).

The ones I have had delivered to me have all been really well packed and I've not had any problems. 

Luckily, I have been able to go an collect a lot of mine which has made things easier. I just had to make sure they were safely packed up for the train journey back home.


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## gambitgareth (Sep 18, 2011)

PrincessStegosaurus said:


> Yeah, refused to refund the DOA due to it 'being the postal systems fault for loosing it'. The others died any way, but bleh. Waste of poor little spiderlives. Thankfully it was only 3 little slings, but still. I've had spiders from the UK arrive better packaged than that.


hi again - if you organised this sale through rfuk please report them to admin - poxicator suggested that it is possible to ban bad sellers from using classifieds - iwould be mortified if one of my sellers had a doa


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

gambitgareth said:


> pete - you see my point tho... I personally try my best as a seller I go to town to pack ts right - but if i complained to a seller about their bad packing they would then give me a bad buyers rating meaning i loose my 100% for simply doing the right thing and 'educating' them.


As I've suggested, educate the seller so that they're less likely to make the same mistakes. Consider reporting it to the mods so that a record of the transactions that person undertakes is visible for all the mods to see. Where we see a pattern of bad selling or packaging, or indeed other issues, we will consider a classifieds ban.
When a report is made you have the opportunity to provide information and can suggest action. If we see fit we will take action, especially if there is a history of issues.


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Lets stay on topic folks, makes it interesting for everyone


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## Sylvi (Dec 30, 2008)

gambitgareth said:


> ....... iwould be mortified if one of my sellers had a doa


I'd be mortified if one of my buyers had a doa. I've posted out hundreds and only lost one so far which was a mm past his sell by date.


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## gambitgareth (Sep 18, 2011)

that is of course what i meant :blush:


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

Can this be made a sticky? It would help many who like me are just starting out keeping T's & who later on may breed & will need to post out slings :2thumb:.


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## mcluskyisms (Jan 24, 2010)

corny girl said:


> Can this be made a sticky? It would help many who like me are just starting out keeping T's & who later on may breed & will need to post out slings :2thumb:.


There already is a sticky on packing in the FAQ section. 

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/spiders-inverts/478633-sending-tarantulas-through-post-how.html


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