Deli cup packing material preference ?

[Philsuma]

From talking to many shippers, it seems that medium or large amounts of Spaghnum are to be avoided as they can crush or asphyxiate a frog or even become dry and possibly dessicate the frog.

Pothos leaves forming a "tangle" within the del cup provide structure, stability, don't weigh much and can actually hold a little water.When used with some very moist paper towel in the cup bottom, I believe that it's fairly excellent.

[JuBJuB]

From talking to many shippers, it seems that medium or large amounts of Spaghnum are to be avoided as they can crush or asphyxiate a frog or even become dry and possibly dessicate the frog.

Pothos leaves forming a "tangle" within the del cup provide structure, stability, don't weigh much and can actually hold a little water.When used with some very moist paper towel in the cup bottom, I believe that it's fairly excellent.

In my experiences, just a pothos leaf or 2 is all thats needed for safe arrival. If you think about it, there's not gonna be much difference between sphagnum and a paper towel. In fact, the paper towel worries me more since it's a weaved material it actually would act more like a net and trap the frogs underneath.

[Philsuma]

Youre going to see a bunch of my posts quoting Sean Stewart, as I've just spent about 4 straight hours "machine gunning" questions about every possible topic and aspect of this hobby, so forgive me if anyone out there is "not a fan". A lot of the discussion was conducted in actual interview format and is expressly permited for me to quote.

Sean has shipped frogs for over 15 years, to a lot of other countries- some on the other side of the globe. He swears by using Plant packing, like Pothos and and nothing else. The bottom of the deli cups contain sprayed water but not "standing" water, only. No spaghnum and no paper towel.

I asked him directly, if during all those years and shipments, if he's ever lost a frog enroute (or on arrival) and he said, never. Not even one. And not a single snake either. Impressive.

I agree on the paper towel amount Tim. Until yesterday, I would have only recommended a small, very thin, perfectly cut square of paper towel, moistened so as to "stick" to the bottom of the deli cup and not come off or otherwise entrap the frog.

[Michael Lawrence]

Container size is also an issue. I would suggest that the smaller the better so long as your not endangering your frogs, I pack with the smaller marbled pothos leaves by clicking a vine and working it in the cup. This keeps the leaves from just stacking up on one another when they are still on the vine. It also creates more padding all around so it the box is flipped they are still in a mesh of leaves.

I know Richard has been shipping frogs in vials for at least 10 years. They do well with damp sphagnum so long as the excess water and weight is squeezed out of it.

Michael

[EntoCraig]

This answered a question I posted in another thread. Thanks!

[Philsuma]

Sphagnum can shift during shipping and trap and bury a frog. You wouldn't think that would suffocate or otherwise injure them, but more than a few people have reported this - sphagnum being bad for shipping.

[Philsuma]

Pothos....pothos in shipping containers seems very good to me.