Can maniids survive slow shipping?

[cwebster]

Ordered 3 ghost mantises and shipper mistakenly sent them usps priority not express. Will not arrive for five days. Am very worried. Is there any possibility they can arrive alive? Very disappointing. Cannot pick them up from the p.o. Because it has been three days and they arent there yet.  

 

[Mantis Lady]

I had 3 L2  nymphs that were in a box for a week and they arrived safely (something went wrong during shipping i think)

I think breeders add some food for during the journey in their enclosures. I hope they added some flies with your ghosts.

 

[River Dane]

I’ve used Priority multiple times and they arrived just fine, although it depends greatly on how well the seller packaged them. Did you get refunded the shipping money?

 

[cwebster]

Seller is not responding to emails. Post office said they wont arrive locally for three more days. They also said shipping them priority is breaking rules. ?

 

[cwebster]

Just raced to the post office in the nick of time because the box just arrived there. They were closed but i called the post office three times today and they gave me the mantids. They look ok but were very hungry. Not sure they would have been ok in 48 hours. 

 

[mantidmomma]

So glad they were okay!  As odd as it  sounds, we have had better luck with priority than with express.  

 

[MantisGirl13]

@cwebster I have always used Priority, as Express is too expensive for me. I am glad your mantids were ok! Ghosts are pretty hardy mantids, too. Good luck with raising them!

- MantisGirl13

 

[cwebster]

Alls well that ends well. Thank you to all who responded. Because where i live is kind of remote, i always use overnight shipping. the tiny ghosts have fruit flies and a little mist and hopefully will grow up happy and healthy. It is very hot here, close to 100 degrees, another reason i go for express and overnight shipping. 

 

[Mantis Lady]

Good to hear your tiny ghosts arrived safe and alive. Goof luck with rasing them.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

So glad they were okay!  As odd as it  sounds, we have had better luck with priority than with express.  

Me too actually. Nearly every single time I've sprung for Express the box has arrived crushed or seriously damaged in some way while Priority boxes are always perfect. Most the the time the mantises were okay because they had been so well packed but I did lose a couple of nymphs when the Express box was really badly crushed right where they were. I also had an Express box get lost for 3 days but the mantises were just fine. It seems like anytime an Express box is labeled 'Fragile' or 'Live Insects' the post office goes out of their way to try to kill them.

 

[mantidmomma]

Me too actually. Nearly every single time I've sprung for Express the box has arrived crushed or seriously damaged in some way while Priority boxes are always perfect. Most the the time the mantises were okay because they had been so well packed but I did loose a couple of nymphs when the Express box was really badly crushed right where they were. I also had an Express box get lost for 3 days but the mantises were just fine

So glad to know I am not the only one!  I know many won't ship unless Express. And I don't ever want a mantid to die while in transit. But I have been taking the distance, temp and such into factor and have been very fortunate so far as well! 

 

[Predatorhousepet]

I feel pretty safe with only Priority as long as the box is scheduled to arrive in 2 days. If it's 3 days I seriously consider upgrading to Express, especially if the temps along the way are bad.

 

[cwebster]

Lost two of the four poor little guys two days after they arrived. ;(

 

[MantisGirl13]

I am so sorry! Where did you get them from? How many days did shipping take? I am so sorry for your loss.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

sorry about your loss.?