Is this normal behavior?

[kormath]

hi C...Tom's Big Spiders has a list of vendors he recommends...I have ordered from Jamie(2x and packed well both times - the roaches died and she replaced them FOC; sad to hear others have had problems - maybe it is certain employees)) ; from Swifts Invertebrates (Kelly is in Mississippi) and from Fear Not(but they are in Virginia so you probably dont want to ship that far)...all that being said I am in South Carolina and my Ts from Jamie were fine cross country - have not had any problems with any of those three...however, and one of my herp friends said this, be patient, wait for a show...no shipping and meet the vendor, and on Sunday(or last day) supply vendors reduce prices to unload stock before transporting home...I know I got a good deal on my GBB at the last show when I talked to the vendor...and so much fun to meet all those people. We are not alone crazy!
My B albipilosum is very much a display spider ... but which one I find most fascinating changes from day to day...and they do have personalities - wait until you have more than one to compare!

I live in Idaho i've ordered a number of times from Fear Not and Net-bug without any issue in the summer and dead of winter both. Haven't tried Swifts yet, they don't have what i'm looking for or are higher priced if they did.

Unfortunately i'd have to drive 4 hours + one way to the closest invert show that would be worth a crap, so that's not an option for me, costs me less to pay shipping than put gas in my Jeep for that trip.

 

[WolfSpider]

Do they have online ordering? I'm in California and don't have any trips planned for Massachesetts

Yes. Google them. Also, check on our for sale. There is a 2 inch specimen on TF.

 

[jackys]

i've only had 3 bad experiences out of about 30 orders. There are vendors you can trust and some you can't. I think it's safe to say anyone that ships USPS should be avoided (not just because it's a felony), all 3 of those bad experiences came from 2 vendors, both used USPS

That's the first I've heard it's a felony to ship tarantulas through USPS. This publication makes me think otherwise, assuming tarantulas can be considered "harmless cold-blooded animals": https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_008.htm#ep184096

But I would agree USPS is... questionable at best. I've ordered one spider from Jamie's and was satisfied with the whole shopping experience. But then my package was delayed by USPS, and 1-3 day shipping turned into 5 days. Could be partly my fault, because I ordered right before a federal holiday, but still. Then my mail carrier fumbled with my package and dropped it from a height of like 3-4", right in front of me. It was an accident, although I wonder if labeling the box "live animal" or something would have made them handle it more carefully. I was impressed the packaging survived the summer heat, a delay, and a fall, so I'd most likely order from Jamie again... I would have said "definitely" before, but some of these stories about bad packaging make me think twice My order was pretty recent, so maybe they've made some positive changes to packaging?

I have been wanting to try Fear Not, based on all the positive reviews and an IRL friend's recommendation. She had a great experience, and one of her T's was half price thanks to their rewards system.

 

[kormath]

That's the first I've heard it's a felony to ship tarantulas through USPS. This publication makes me think otherwise, assuming tarantulas can be considered "harmless cold-blooded animals": https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_008.htm#ep184096

USPS considers all spiders (T's and true) "poisonous insects" -

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_007.htm

525.4 Poisonous Insects and Spiders

All poisonous insects and all spiders, except scorpions under limited circumstances (see 526.5), are nonmailable. Other nonpoisonous and non-disease-conveying insects are permitted as stated in Exhibit 526.6.

But I would agree USPS is... questionable at best. I've ordered one spider from Jamie's and was satisfied with the whole shopping experience. But then my package was delayed by USPS, and 1-3 day shipping turned into 5 days. Could be partly my fault, because I ordered right before a federal holiday, but still. Then my mail carrier fumbled with my package and dropped it from a height of like 3-4", right in front of me. It was an accident, although I wonder if labeling the box "live animal" or something would have made them handle it more carefully. I was impressed the packaging survived the summer heat, a delay, and a fall, so I'd most likely order from Jamie again... I would have said "definitely" before, but some of these stories about bad packaging make me think twice My order was pretty recent, so maybe they've made some positive changes to packaging?

Possible, my final order with her was in June. Maybe my complaints had an effect after all

I have been wanting to try Fear Not, based on all the positive reviews and an IRL friend's recommendation. She had a great experience, and one of her T's was half price thanks to their rewards system.

Tanya is amazing. My last order with her, she sent me daily emails on the status. We had to wait for one of them to molt so she could ship it. That right there bumped her up ahead of the other vendor's i've used as i've received a few in premolt before. Only reason i haven't ordered more from her (other than the space and funds issues) is the minimum order amount. Once things settle down after labor day and school starts again, i'll be picking up a couple more to replace some of my losses.

She also seems to care about where her "merchandise" is going. In the exchange of emails we had, she seemed to be genuinely interested in my son and I's collection, even offered advice on the quirks she'd seen with the ones we were waiting on shipping. And to top it off, she tossed a freebee in for my son after she found out the order was an early birthday present.

Just realized it's been a year now, seems like it was just a couple months ago lol. wow.

 

[jackys]

USPS considers all spiders (T's and true) "poisonous insects" -

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_007.htm

525.4 Poisonous Insects and Spiders

All poisonous insects and all spiders, except scorpions under limited circumstances (see 526.5), are nonmailable. Other nonpoisonous and non-disease-conveying insects are permitted as stated in Exhibit 526.6.

Hmmm.... Seems like a pretty high risk for a mail-order business to take on, but maybe that's just me lol

I just went to the Fear Not website and saw she has both A. geniculata and N. chromatus for sale right now. Both at the top of my wish list! A bit smaller than I was looking for, but still very tempting.

 

[Turtlynne]

I live in Idaho i've ordered a number of times from Fear Not and Net-bug without any issue in the summer and dead of winter both. Haven't tried Swifts yet, they don't have what i'm looking for or are higher priced if they did.

Unfortunately i'd have to drive 4 hours + one way to the closest invert show that would be worth a crap, so that's not an option for me, costs me less to pay shipping than put gas in my Jeep for that trip.

Kormath - just curious - where in Idaho? I lived in Rupert once upon a time for 3 yrs and have a son currently in Paul....

and to the general discussion I have been having my spiders delivered to a local' Goin Postal(kind of a combined usps fedX etc drop) then Jerry calls me and I can pick them up...that works really well for handling at this end - and I have to say when I got spiders from Jamie my mailman delivered them to the door first thing in AM at beginning of route which was nice( leave him cookies at Christmas)...and we can always remind the post office that Ts really arent poisonous to us...

 

[kormath]

Kormath - just curious - where in Idaho? I lived in Rupert once upon a time for 3 yrs and have a son currently in Paul....

and to the general discussion I have been having my spiders delivered to a local' Goin Postal(kind of a combined usps fedX etc drop) then Jerry calls me and I can pick them up...that works really well for handling at this end - and I have to say when I got spiders from Jamie my mailman delivered them to the door first thing in AM at beginning of route which was nice( leave him cookies at Christmas)...and we can always remind the post office that Ts really arent poisonous to us...

Currently in Hailey, spent 17 years or so in Twin Falls before this, have an aunt and uncle in Paul. the Monson's. Small world