Personally I will not buy any livestock through personal shipping because I want to see what I am getting first. If I want something special, I will go to any LFS's that I semi-trust and have them get me the order and pick them up the day they are delivered. At least then I see what I am getting and they are shipped by professional's that cover their goods.
Not to say that anyone here cannot do the same and also at a better price but I can see them before buying them and dont have to worry about "rookie mistakes".
Plants are much easier to ship and I have seen this botched badly more times then I care to recall so I wont even bother with livestock.
