# Snails in the mail



## LadySamsara (Aug 29, 2015)

I am looking to buy about 3 snails through the mail. Every time I look at Aquabid, which has been recommended here, they do not have freshwater snails. I like Live Aquaria - It's a subsidiary of Drs. Fosters and Smith - their prices are good and their policies regarding death are generous (14 days). I do not like their mailing charges - $29.99, which may be the norm - I have just started looking. I am very nervous to order through just any company and have it turn into a nightmare if I get dead or dying snails. I am forced to order through the mail as 3 snails I got from the LFS died pretty much right after I got them (separate batches - about 2 months apart) and my local Petsmart only has dead snails....literally.

Has anyone used an online vendor and had good luck? Maybe better mailing charges than $29.99? 

I'd appreciate any help or assistance - Thank you!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Check aquabid again in a month or two. Some people stop shipping when it gets cold.


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## EquineSoul7294 (Nov 2, 2015)

I've received several shipments of shrimp through Aquatic Arts aka Invert Obsession with no problems. Have not had a DOA yet, and their priority shipping is only $11.
I think their express shipping (overnight) is the same $26 or so as everyone else, though. 
They're on Amazon and also their own website @ aquaticarts.com
Might be worth a look if you haven't checked them already..?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

It has to be the cold. No one wants to ship them.
I wouldn't spend 30 bucks to have snails shipped in the cold, either.

There are some nerite snails on AB, but that's it. 5 pages of shrimp and only one listing of snails. Wow.


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## LadySamsara (Aug 29, 2015)

Thank you all for the input - I hadn't even thought about the cold! 

I think I got lucky - I found a seller on Amazon (Thanks Equine Soul!) and I got 3 Mystery Snails with shipping for $20.99! I went to email them to see if they had Ghost Shrimp to add and saw they had a contact number, wound up talking with the owner for quite some time, they've been on their land, which is a fish farm, for almost 100 years! Sounded like a really great guy. He said they take the shrimp inside before sale where as others bring them in directly from the pond before shipping, so they have a better chance of making it. I don't know if it's better or not but sounds as if it might be. They have 100% feedback and definitely come off as being honest - So I hope I got lucky. The reviews also say they throw in a Black Mystery Snail as a bonus  Who doesn't like an extra? 

Reviews say the heat pack is still warm when they get delivery and the farm is located in FL. so they must have their delivery down to a science. 

Again, I appreciate everyone's help!


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## LizStreithorst (Aug 5, 2015)

I wish I had seen your post earlier. I'd have sent you as many mystery snails you wanted for the price of shipping only. I use 72 hr. heat packs.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Aquabid has snails galore this week. Tons of 'em.


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## LadySamsara (Aug 29, 2015)

Hi Liz & thank you for your offer of the snails...When it rains it pours! Also, thank you TheOldSalt for the Aquabid information, Maybe I am looking in the wrong section but all I can see is several listings that say "Buy 100 - Get 100 Free" or "Buy 75 get 75 Free" - I didn't see any individual or bunched snails. 

The water was ice cold when I got the package - 2 day delivery from FL. I am not the packing expert but to me the packing system didn't make sense. They had the double bagged shrimp & snails in the bottom (styrofoam insert), then newspaper on top of them, then a very generous layer of shredded newspaper over that, THEN the heat pack and the styrofoam top over it. It was like insulating the area where the live fish were THEN putting the heat pack so high up over the insulation it did no good. I lost one Ghost Shrimp immediately and another was listing to the side when I unpacked them. About an hour later, after I acclimated them to the tank water they were going into, he was gone. They also sent me an extra snail...it looks like one of them is having a hard time so it seems to me I will wind up with the 3 snails I ordered. They seemed healthy but did have jagged edges where their shells are growing in - I cannot imagine experienced fishkeepers not taking care of snail health. I do have cuttlebone in the tank so I am sure their shell health will turn around.

Thank you both again...I always appreciate the help.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I see. Yeah, most snails breed like crazy, so selling hem by the dozens is commonplace. The big Apple snails are an exception, usually available in 3-6 packs. Rabbit snails and some other super expensive ones are often sold individually, too. Otherwise, most seller are up to their ears in snails and trying to get rid of them.

In fact.... just today I tore down a tank and discovered that about half the gravel was really just thousands of snails. EEEK!


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