The Puffer Forum

Hello,
I'm moving to Hawaii in a few weeks and I can't take my Figure 8 with me; so I've had to put him up for adoption in the classifieds section.
Luckily, I found someone willing who lives in Chicago, which is fairly close to me (~5-6 hour drive).
My question is, could I safely ship him by mail to Chicago? Keep in mind that it's December and about 20 degree F outside.
If so, how would I do it? Just a bit of water, insulate the box as well as possible and send him out express?
Could I pack one of those chemical hand-warmer thingies in with him to keep him warm?

Any info is appreciated,
Thanks.

Corey

Thing is, this time of year, those warmer pads aren't going to last more than a few hours, and I would think your puffer would be in the mail system at least over night and part of the next day. Even when I had a professional delivery company deliver some fish to me last year at this time, a good portion of them were dead, and the water temperature was nearly ice cold. So I think you should keep that in mind. It's not a very nice way to treat a fish (not being nasty to you, just saying the facts), and I know you need to find a new home for him, but you don't want him to die in the process, do you?

What you need to do is insulate the box, all six sides, with at least half an inch of foam, and wrap up a sixty-hour heat pack in newspaper and add that to the box. Then double-bag the fish (for a puffer, you might want to add an oxygen tab instead of air) and pack it in with newspaper on the opposite side of the box from the heat. I got my shipping supplies from Ken's Fish. Express/overnight shipping will ensure its safety.

You might want to look up some step-by-step shipping directions with photo illustrations. This version is for bettas, but it holds true for most fish, except possibly the air thing.
http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php ... =7573&st=0

Where are you?

Didn't Dad say he'd take it? He's in WI.

I could take him but Chicago will be a shorter trip with less time spent in the mail. I have shipped fish this time of year and not had problems. Just make sure you get the 60 hour heat packs and ship in a styrofoam box like LGP said. The smaller the quantity of water the better (less to heat) with oxygen tabs added, also I would add a piece of filter sponge to help keep the ammonia down in transit. When you mail you can set it up so the post office calls the recipient when the package arrives so he can go pick it up and save it from further sitting in a cold truck.

I would get a bunch of the heat packs and do a few tests with the box outside to see how it will work for you prior to shipping.

If he really has to travel quickly I'm in mi and have a 30 long with one f8.

Thanks for all the replies and offers to adopt!
I'd love to have any one of you take him, but shipping is inherently complicated/risky, and I'd be heartbroken if anything happened to him, especially like that; all by himself in a cold box far from home
Willing to do it, but would prefer a local option.

Therefore I'm sending you a PM mrgreen! I promise he wouldn't be any trouble!

I think that is the best for the puffer.

Glad you found a home for him.

Good luck little puffer!
Enjoy the warm weather in Hawaii as well!

I think you've made the right choice CoreyK, as I would be afraid something would happen to him during the shipping process. Glad he's going to a good home.

He has arrived!

He is yet to be named- Escalator would go with Elevator but there already is one of those!- but swimming about happily. Corey brought lots of plastic plants and boy oh boy does it look like a jungle in there!

He and Elevator are getting along just great so far- in part because of new plants/environment/breaking the lines of sight. I will put up a pic in a few minutes.

Gonna be feeding time in a few minutes, too.

Great, I'm happy that you could help Corey out. I was gone home it but oooohhh well.

How much did she paid for shipping?

Good for you mrgreen for taking the little puffer from Corey. Glad to hear it all worked out all right and that your new little puff is swimming happily!