Shipment was a big disapointment! (now with photos)

Hey all!

So recieved my package from germany today, excited like a child before christmas! I started to go through the small containers inside and apparently the weather HAS turned too cold, even with heatpack and styrofoam box!

I ordered 0.0.6 Androctonus Australis and 0.0.6 Parabuthus Transvaalicus and only 4 survived! It was 3 Androctonus Australis (all where lively enough) and 1 tiny Parabuthus Transvaalicus which where barily alive, so I guess that's gonna go too...

The dealer did what he could with the package and isolated the best, but still wasn't enough!

But live and learn, DON'T SHIP DURING WINTER, NO MATTER WHAT THE DEALER SAYS!!!

Still it's a ******* disappointment sitting here waiting for 12 scorps and only recieving 3½...

I'll post pics later when I have recovered a bit...

UPDATE:

First off, the live ones (so far):

This is my only survivor of the Parabuthus Transvaalicus! If it survives to adult, it's gonna be my first scorpion I'm gonna name!


One of the Androctonus Australis:


The second Androctonus Australis:


Both Androctonus Australis seems fine and with lots of energy! So my hopes lies with them!

And now the not so fortunate:

The Androctonus Australis in the top right corner is the one that died after I recieved them!


And the box which they came in! The more I think about it, I don't think it's properly packed! I payed 15€ ekstra for a styrofoam box and this is what I get? it's full of cracks and openings and he placed the containers against the "walls" of the box and then the isolation wont help! Kind of like putting your hand against the window: It's cold, but it isolates what is inside the room (if you get my point)! PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! SHOULD I GO FOR A REFUND OR NOT?

Anyway, here it is:


I hope you DON'T enjoy these pictures (most of them anyway)!

Sorry to hear that René

I hope the survivors turn out ok at least. Looking forward to the pictures.

Sry to hear that bro..
Glad that at least some make it though..
Look forward to see the survivor updates.

Aw man it's a terrible feeling isn't it? Hopefully you didn't throw out the ones that died, it's possible they just need a little heat and will come back to life. Just a thought!

Yea, I kept them so far, thought some might be molting or something, but sadly I think they are all dead! Had them for 5 hours now and none of them moved!

But! I'm happy for the ones I got and the little Parabuthus Transvaalicus has come back a little bit more and lived up a little after i put it on the heater for a while

Aw that sucks that they're actually dead

I'm glad the little P. trans has warmed up more!

How cold was it when the dealer shipped and how long were they in transit?

They where about 4 days on the way and he put a 40h heatpack in... But seriousely I payed for a styrofoam box and what he shipped in wasn't optimal (i'll post pics of it aswell) and instead of placing the scorpions in the center of the box, he placed some against the "walls" of the box and then the isolation wont really work! but we have had freezing degrees letely, so some was bound to die, just didn't expect it to be that many

im sorry for your losses...
after this experience you had, ill just get whatever scorps i want sent to the pet shop of my choice...
(im centrally located to 3)
unless its shipped from somewhere in south florida anyways...

but if you have any survivors, best of luck to you and them =)

wow, 4/12 ratio is terrible.
Hopefully those 4 will survive!

This just keeps getting worse and worse! Went to check on them and take some photos and one more Androctonus Australis has died! So that's down to 3/12 survivers! It's a ******* catastrophe and i kid you not, I'm close to crying! Well, not really but you get the point!

Man, that is very unfortunate.

What were the terms in the deal? If that were me, I'd definitely demand a refund of some sort. 3/12 is freaking ridiculous and you even paid extra for the styrofoam box. Imagine the death count if you didn't. At the very least, half should have survived. Even if the agreements don't allow you a refund, he should do a partial one since that's just good manners/customer service because that is one of the worst survival rates I've seen.
The styrofoam box looks very crude and the fact that the boxes were placed next to them is just plain stupid. What's the point of the styrofoam if he's just shoving the containers next to them. They should have been placed in the middle like you said and there should have been much more packaging to absorb impacts. You also made a good point about the heating--placing the containers next to the walls, closer to the cold, isn't going to help. What did the containers the scorpions were in look like and where did he place the heat pack?

Yea, I did write him to refund my money, but I don't think he'll answer

The terms was that it was on my own rish, BUT he told me he would give me a styrofoam box! Seriousely, it's kind of like a house! If the walls is missing isolation in the corners it won't keep the heat! For the isolation to work in the box the styrofoam has to be everywhere, not just in places where the stuff he had laying around fitted in!

The containers for the animals was fine, but I told him EXACTLY how I wanted those, as I didn't want the animals to be trhown around! Didn't calculate with the guy not being able to know the difference between a styrofoambox and "a-box-made-out-of-stuff-i-had-laying-around"!

not to self : dont get scorpions from germany

I could blame germany for a lot of things, but for one louser dealer, that might be taking it a bit far

It's not my last time shipping from germany, but it will be the last time getting them from that guy!

lol...
which country are you located in?

and very true, i cant blame them all for that...
but as you said id never go through that guy again without putting a foot in his backside

Yea! Just hopes he will refund my money! I really believe they would have made it if he had packed them properly!

This looks like a shabby packing job to me.. Considering the harsh low temperature at the time of shipping, it should be a complete Styrofoam container with the lid securely taped to it.

Though i've never done any overseas shipping of scorps before, my idea of a more decent packing would be:

The scorps in their individual container should be further box up with styrofoam beads within to cushion any impact. Now, for the main styrofoam container, a heatpack should be placed on the bottom center area and spreading around it could be the newspaper shreddings (or any better insulator), so that a base layer is formed. Next up, the box containing the scorps should be place on this first layer, right on top of the heatpack and the spaces around this internal box(containing the scorps) and the main container should be filled up with more insulators, probably with heatpacks at the four sides. Finally do the top layer like the bottom before securing the lid on. With this, the scorps survival rate could very well be raised..

Man.. what is he thinking ?? ^%*&*^%...

Such a pity to see healthy scorps died due to carelessness rather then natural death from old age..

Thanks GS! Your view of correct packing is how I see it too!

And YES! The money isn't even a consideration really (ofcurse a refund would be nice) but to see 9 scorpions die for no reason is just really sad to me! it's just like, what a waste!

That seriously blows, man. I'm happy at least that the one little P. transvallicus is looking lively, but . . . wow. That's just awful.

And looking at the pictures, that is NOT a "styrofoam box." I don't know about a complete refund, but you should at least get a partial refund or some free replacement scorps.

Best of luck getting things worked out with the dealer. After this is all finished maybe you can post a review detailing the experience.

yeah, I was thinking of a medical styrofoam box, actually. One that is completely sealed with a styrofoam lid!

You are right!

Anyway, checked on them again this morning and ANOTHER Androctonus Australis had died! This is slowly turning in to a nightmare!

Now I only have one of each and my minimum goal was to keep a pair of each and sell the rest, but now I got less then I needed! This has went from 7,5€ each to 45€ each!

sorry to hear this Rene, i def think you should contact them (dont you have a phone number rather as well as writing?) as our scorps we got from within the uk the other week was packed better so much better than that! in a proper sealed styrofoam box with heat pack, this is so unfortunate and really did not need to happen..... poor scorps

Yea, poor scorps

No, it's a private breeder, so only have email, and pm on the forum I found him... He has replied now and offeed me half of the value of the dead animals (the ones that died before I got them) but I don't think it's good enough to wrote him to refund me all the money of the animals that died before I recieved them (even though the two that died after, clearly is a result of the unsufficient box)!

i think he should give you a full refund, that was extremely poor packaging that would not of held any heat in at all really, not with gaps rouns all corners! they should have been in a one piece box base with an air tight, tight fitting lid, and if he couldnt provide adequete packaging he should not have shipped them

Damn that's unfortunate mate. I completely agree that its not your fault, that is very shoddy packaging. Hope you get the refund and the remaining scorps do well.