Shipping Costs

Ryan · #1 10-25-2009, 03:38 AM

Hello everyone,

I am looking to have some fish shipped her from a private party and was wondering if anyone here has ever shipped fish from Ontario. I looked it up and the closest airport to the town is Toronto.

Unsure of box dimensions but there is going to be 20 1"-1.5" shipped from Toronto to Lethbridge. If I cannot get Lethbridge then Calgary.

I have shipped reptiles before but never that far and costs were around $100.

So like above the question is can anyone give me a ball park price? Hopefully some vendors can pipe in here.

OceanicCorals-Ian- · #2 10-25-2009, 03:55 AM

I use West Jet for the majority of my shipments.

You will need to establish an account with them in order to ship. This is usually done by calling the West Jet booking centre and providing them with some personal details.

The shipment would then have to be tendered prepaid on a credit card and the cost is usually around $75-$80 depending on the size and weight of the box.

Make sure you get the person to use a styrofoam insulated box, and usually if he goes to a LFS that sells saltwater fish, he can purchase the styro boxes that the international marine fish suppliers use.

Make sure that it is packed heavily with newspaper and not foam peanuts as the bags can get joustled using the latter.

At this time of year, I would recommend using heat packs. The flight time from Pearson International to Calgary will vary depending on connection or not so it is best to use the longes heat packs available. Always try for "Non-stops" and never ship a day or two before the weekend. Murphy's Law is alway lurking around when it comes to shipping livestock. Prepare to pack the shipment for the worst outcome because you just never now if the flight is cancelled or delayed or rerouted.

Typically, the corals can remain safe in a properly packed box for over 3 days. Temperature is the most dangerous enemy at this stage. So use the longest Heat Packs availalbe. I incorporate 40 hours ones.

Maybe you can purchase one or two from an LFS as the one's in Canadian Tire and Walmart are only good for 8 hours. Not long enough to sustain constant heat for that long of a flight.

Tape the Heat Pack to the top lid of the styro. Make sure it is secure so that it doesn't fall in between the bags of corals and end up overheating one and not the others. The box needs to be taped up but not air tight as the Heat Pack do require some 02 to properly work.

Also, using bottled oxygen to bag is beneficial as well but not mandatory as coral do not consume that much 02. Fish is another story and 02 is a must when shipping fish.

Make sure that you DO NOT tie off the bags tightly. Leave room for air expansion as the bags will inflate and deflate according to air pressure. Most cargo cabins in airplanes are not pressure balanced.

The cargo would need to be tendered 2 hours prior to flight departure and West Jet WILL inspect the cargo as you would be considered "unknown shipper" and they are mandated to check your cargo for illegal/dangerous goods.

You will be given an Air Way Bill which is your tracking number and it is required to pick up the cargo at the West Jet receiving facility.

HTH.

:P

Interior_Reef · #3 10-25-2009, 03:13 PM

+1 for Pauls Advice

You can use Air Canada Cargo, however, if you do, i reccomend putting a GPS Locator in the box, as my last experience with Air Canada, left me 3 days before getting my shipment, as they forgot to load it on the flight from YVR, then missed the next 2, then sent it to Toronto, then back to vancouver, then they got it right. Nothin like a box of DOA :@

go with westjet, they seem to care also!

mr.wilson · #4 10-25-2009, 04:27 PM

What kind of fish are you shipping? What kind of party

The shipping cost may make a local supplier more competitive.

Ryan · #5 10-25-2009, 06:09 PM

Thanks guys I am still looking into this and was going to call air canada today but will also include west jet. I am not the one shipping fish I am getting them shipped here to me.

Mr.Wilson its not worthwhile for me to shop local with the price I am getting them for.

OceanicCorals-Ian- · #6 10-25-2009, 06:27 PM

Good luck with AC. Make sure that you clarify with AC that the shipment is live tropical fish. Their policy for livestock is arrival within 3 days before they will even consider offering you compensation should a shipment go bad and only then they will compensate the freight and not the contents.

I have had bad experiences using AC and have lost thousands of dollars in one particular order.

I don't deal with them unless I have to.

:P