Shipping Information
Shipping Fees
We ship through UPS or FedEx Ground. All prices are quoted in real-time. We do not add any handling charges.
Any vivariums that cannot ship via ground require a custom quote for freight shipping.
How we keep your vivarium safe
- Vivariums are wrapped in bubble wrap
- Then double-boxed with double or triple wall cardboard
- A layer of high impact Styrofoam is packed between the inner and outer box
- Larger vivariums (generally 20” and up) will also be packed with a droptag meter, which will indicate if the box received improper handling in shipment
How we try to minimize our carbon footprint with packaging
- We do not use retail packaging for our vivariums.
- We combine as much as is reasonable and safe into one package. So, be sure to check your packing slips so you don’t accidentally throw away important components.
- We use only as much packaging as is necessary to keep waste to a minimum while ensuring your order arrives safely.
- When available, we use recycled cardboard for the inner box around the vivarium. This is cardboard sourced from local warehouses that is in perfectly good condition but would normally be trashed.
- We look forward to when we are able to use an alternative to the Styrofoam packaging. In the meantime, we encourage you to reuse, donate, or otherwise recycle the Styrofoam sheets.
Ship Dates
- We ship in-stock products on Mondays and Thursdays. For in-stock products being shipped by Ground, orders placed by 3 pm EST on Friday will ship the following Monday. Orders placed by Tuesday at 3 pm EST will ship on Thursday.
- Custom orders usually ship in 2-3 weeks. Very large orders or orders with a significant amount of customization may take a little longer. Custom orders will receive a shipping estimate and periodic updates via e-mail.
- Once your order has shipped, you will receive a shipping confirmation and tracking number via e-mail.
Post-Ship Instructions:
When your package(s) arrive, be sure to open them immediately to make sure there is no damage. We go to great lengths to keep the vivariums safe, but the handlers are rough. Breakages don't happen often, but if the box looks rough on the outside, be sure to open it and to check for damage. Also, there is a drop meter inside that will tell you whether or not the shipment has sustained unacceptable drop force in shipment. The drop meter is located on the interior box, just under the packaging. If this meter has turned black, please take a photo and send that photo to us.
Also, it is important to check the seal on the vivarium after unpacking it. Your vivarium passed all of our quality control procedures, so there should be absolutely no leaks. But, we always tell clients to add a couple inches of water to the vivarium and let it sit somewhere for a few hours or overnight to make sure the seals were not broken through rough handling in shipment. If they were, we need to file a damage report with FedEx. Be sure to save all packing materials until you have verified there are no damages, including a broken seal.
If there are any issues or concerns, whatsoever, don't hesitate to contact us. Or, an e-mail letting us know everything arrived safely is always awesome, too. There is something about building these vivariums that make us feel like we are shipping off a part of ourselves and we like to know they are safe and sound on arrival.