Hi Everyone,
We want to publish images of your beautiful animals on our social media accounts and in this newsletter.
Reptiles, amphibians, fish, corals, invertebrates, axolotls ... glamor shots, packing photos, images of boxes ready to be shipped, customers unpacking ... let's see them all!
If you want to share, please send images to Amanda at amanda@allproshipping.com. Be sure to include your social media ID so we can tag you.
Only you can prevent leaky boxes
When you ship anything that travels in a bag of water, such as fish, corals, aquatic invertebrates, aquatic plants or axolotls, you MUST make sure your containers remain water tight.
If FedEx sees that a box is leaking, they will most likely throw the box in the trash. They will not test the liquid to see if it's safe. They will not open the box or notify us or you — they'll simply discard your valuable shipment. And let's not forget: A leaky container can kill your animal(s).
Tips to minimize leaks:
1) Triple-bag your aquatics. Double-bagging is required by FedEx and ShipYourAquatics shipping standards, but triple bags are safer. Another bag costs a few cents. Why not? After you close the first bag, put it upside down inside the second bag. This eliminates any corners that your creatures could get stuck in.
2) Use fish bag inserts. This extra thick layer of black plastic goes inside the triple fish bags. It's mandatory for sharp corals, fish with spiny fins and aggressive fish that might bite the bags. An insert costs less than 10 cents. Again, why not?
3) Use portion cups for hard coral frags. These too cost a few cents each.
4) Use shipping box liners. This plastic bag lines the inside of the entire shipping box and retains water in case the fish bags or portion cups spring a leak. This is a lot of confidence for about a dollar.
Be sure to use the above tips. They aren't just best packaging practices. They help ensure the safe arrival of your creatures — and keep them out of the FedEx leaky-box black hole. Feel free to contact us with any questions about properly packing your aquatics shipment.
Please send your photos. And have fun out there. :)
Chad Brown
Founder of AllProShipping, ShipYourReptiles and ShipYourAquatics