shipping
Shipping & Order Delivery Policies
At Reptile Harbour, we prioritize the safe, efficient, and humane delivery of your new exotic companions. Below are the details regarding our specialized shipping rates, packing schedules, and safety policies.
📦 Flat-Rate Overnight Shipping
- Live Animal Flat Rate: All reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, and scorpions ship for a flat fee of $54.99 per order.
- Unlimited Items: This rate remains exactly the same regardless of the quantity, weight, or species of animals in your order.
- Delivery Speed: All live animal orders are sent via specialized Priority Overnight Delivery directly to your destination.
- Dry Goods & Supplies: Standard ground shipping is free for all supply-only orders over $99.
📅 Shipping Schedule & Tracking
To protect the welfare of our animals and prevent packages from sitting in carrier sorting facilities over the weekend, we only ship live animals Monday through Wednesday.
| Order Placed On | Scheduled Ship Day | Estimated Arrival |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday | The Following Day | Next Morning (by 12:00 PM) |
| Wednesday through Saturday | The Following Monday | Tuesday Morning (by 12:00 PM) |
- Tracking Updates: We will email you a secure tracking number on the evening your order ships, typically by 8:00 PM EST.
- Expert Packaging: Every order is packaged securely by experts with over 15 years of experience. We utilize insulated shipping boxes and include specialized heat or cold packs at no extra charge depending on the weather.
🌡️ Weather & Temperature Holds
Because reptiles and amphibians are cold-blooded, we monitor the weather forecasts for both our facility and your delivery zip code daily.
- Safe Shipping Window: We will ship directly to your doorstep if daytime temperatures are between 40°F and 85°F.
- Weather Delays: If temperatures fall below 40°F or rise above 85°F along the transit route, we will place your order on a temporary Weather Hold for the animal’s safety. We will hold your animal at our facility at no extra charge and contact you to coordinate a ship date as soon as weather conditions stabilize.
🏠 Delivery Requirements & Restrictions
- Signature Required: All live animal deliveries require a physical signature at the destination address on the first delivery attempt.
- Hold for Pickup (Highly Recommended): If you cannot be home to sign, you may request to have the package held in a climate-controlled environment at your local FedEx Ship Center. Packages must be picked up within 3 hours of arrival for health guarantees to apply.
- No P.O. Boxes: We cannot deliver live animals to P.O. Boxes under any circumstances. P.O. Box shipping is strictly limited to dry supplies and feeder insects.
- No Future Holds: To ensure consistent facility workflow and animal health, we ship strictly according to the schedule above and cannot hold animals for custom future dates (except during weather delays).
- Holiday Closures: There are no live animal shipments or deliveries on major U.S. holidays.
🛡️ Live Arrival Guarantee
We guarantee that all animals will arrive alive, healthy, and in great condition, provided the following conditions are met:
- Accurate Shipping Info: You must provide a complete, 100% correct shipping address. We cannot guarantee live arrival if the carrier delays the package due to an incorrect address or missing apartment/suite number.
- First Delivery Attempt: Someone must be present to sign for the package on the very first delivery attempt. If the courier leaves the box on a porch or attempts a redelivery later, this guarantee is instantly voided.
- Report Issues Immediately: In the extremely rare event that an animal arrives deceased or severely injured, you must contact us at sales@reptilesharbour.com or call +1 (213)-282-6928 within 1 hour of delivery. You must provide clear, well-lit photographs or video evidence of the animal and the original packaging.
Once verified, we will issue a full refund or send a replacement animal if one is available.
🗺️ Service Area & Local Wildlife Laws
- Domestic Shipping Only: Reptile Harbour ships to the continental United States. We do not ship live animals to Hawaii or Alaska.
- No International Shipping: We do not ship to Canada, Mexico, or any international destinations outside of the USA.
- Legal Compliance: We strictly adhere to all federal, state, and local wildlife laws (including Lacey Act regulations). We will never knowingly ship an animal in violation of local restrictions. Please research your state and municipal laws before placing an order.
❌ Cancellations & Inventory
- Cancellations: You may cancel your order easily at any time prior to processing on your scheduled day of shipment. Once an animal is packed and processed, orders cannot be canceled and refunds will not be issued.
- Stock Adjustments: We strive to keep our online inventory updated in real-time. If a live tracking error causes a duplicate order for the same animal, we will prioritize the earliest order and contact you immediately to arrange a full refund or a substitute animal.