Policies
We ship live animals. That means packaging, timing, and communication matter. Here's exactly how it works.
We ship Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday only via FedEx Priority Overnight or UPS Next Day Air. This ensures your livestock arrives Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday — never over a weekend when carrier facilities are unstaffed and delays are more likely.
Orders placed after Wednesday cutoff will be held and shipped the following Monday.
Carrier
FedEx Priority Overnight / UPS Next Day Air
Ships
Mon, Tue, or Wed
Arrives
Next business morning
Free shipping threshold
Orders over $300
All livestock ships in sealed, oxygen-supplemented bags inside insulated boxes. We use heat packs or cold packs depending on the season and destination temperature. Our packaging is designed to keep livestock alive for up to 48 hours in transit — well beyond overnight shipping windows.
We guarantee live arrival on all livestock we ship. In the rare event that an animal arrives dead, we will issue a full store credit or replacement — your choice. No games, no fine print.
The DOA policy applies when:
Do not open the bag
Keep everything sealed exactly as it arrived. Do not add it to your tank.
Film a clear video
Record a short video showing the sealed bag and the condition of the animal. Include your order number if possible.
Contact us within 1 hour
Send the video and your order number to us via the contact form, email, or Instagram DM. The 1-hour window begins at your delivery confirmation timestamp.
Receive credit or replacement
Once confirmed, we issue full store credit or ship a replacement on the next available ship day. No restocking fees, no delays.
All 48 contiguous US states. We cannot ship to Hawaii or Alaska due to overnight transit limitations.
Carrier delays outside our control (weather holds, missed scans) do not automatically void the DOA guarantee. Contact us immediately if your package is delayed — we'll work with you on a case by case basis.
Yes. We strongly recommend being home for delivery. Live animals should not sit in a box on a doorstep in heat or cold. Most of our shipments require signature on delivery.
Stress is not covered under DOA — only confirmed death. Most stressed animals recover with proper acclimation. We're happy to walk you through the process if you're unsure.
We recommend drip acclimation for fish and coral. Float the sealed bag in your sump or display tank for 15 minutes to equalize temperature, then slowly drip tank water into the bag over 30–45 minutes before introducing the animal.