Shipping

When will my order ship?

We ship Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday each week.  If your order is placed before 10:00 a.m. EST those days, your order will ship the same day.  If your order is placed after 10:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, your order will ship on Monday.

Orders that do not contain any live organisms ship Monday through Friday through USPS Ground Advantage.

How much does it cost to ship live isopods and springtails, and which carrier do

you use?

We offer flat-rate USPS Priority shipping of $18 for all isopods and springtails.   

Most lightweight dry goods, such as leaves and seed pods, ship for free with

Isopod and springtail purchases.  

Why does it cost so much to ship live insects?

We ship all living organisms in an insulated box with a Cryopak for temperature control, and we ship USPS 2-3 Day Priority Mail for the health and safety of the isopods and springtails.

What if I prefer Overnight shipping?  It’s not listed at checkout.

We are happy to ship your order UPS Overnight, if you choose.  Please send us a chat message or email, and we can upgrade your shipping by simply sending you an invoice.  On average, it typically costs an extra $30-$45 to upgrade to UPS Overnight shipping.

Do you ship isopods and springtails to all 50 states and internationally?

We ship live isopods and springtails to the 48 contiguous states.  We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or any U.S. territories.  We do not ship internationally.

Do you guarantee live arrival on isopods and springtails?

Yes, we do!  Live arrival is guaranteed if your temperature is between 40F and 80F.  If your temperature is below 40F or above 80F, live arrival is only guaranteed if your order is held at your local post office for you to pick up.  Unfortunately, riding around in a very cold or hot delivery vehicle is what often leads to DOA.

What is your shipping policy?

Live arrival is guaranteed if your temperature is between 40F and 80F.  If your temperature is below 40F or above 80F, live arrival is only guaranteed if your order is held at your local post office for you to pick up.  If there’s any type of problem with your order, contact us within one hour of the USPS delivery timestamp, and we will assist you.

My order is delayed in transit.  Are the isopods and springtails going to be okay?

The isopods and springtails are packed on a soil substrate which is suitable for them to live on for several weeks and they are shipped in an insulated box with a Cryopak, so they should arrive happy and healthy even in the event of a delay.  If there is a problem with your order once you do receive it, please send us a chat message or an email, and we will be happy to assist you.

My order is being held at my local post office for pick up, can you walk me through the pick-up process?

When you receive your tracking number for your order, it’s best to go to www.ups.com, enter the tracking number, and then sign up for text or email tracking notifications.  The box will be held at the post office that services your address, which typically is the post office closest to you.

When the box is ready for you to pick up, a text/email is sent saying the package is held at the post office for pick up. (it could say other strange tracking such as “unable to be delivered”)  Most of the time, the address of the post office is sent in the notification, but sometimes it only lists the post office ZIP code.  A quick google search of post offices in a particular ZIP code will provide the address.

Be sure to bring a government issued photo ID when going to the post office.  Tell the postal worker you are picking up a box of live insects that is being held for pick up, and provide the worker with the tracking number.  Always specify that it is not registered mail and you did not have all of your mail held.  Usually it’s an easy process, but sometimes there can be confusion.  In the event of confusion, provide them the tracking number again, and ask them to track the package.  This will help them understand, and they can locate the box.  You can tell them it is a white box to help them find it.  If they are still having problems locating the box, ask them to look on the supervisor’s desk.  For some reason, it gets placed there on occasion.  On the rare instance we have experienced confusion when we pick up packages from our post office, we keep politely insisting the box is in the post office somewhere, and ask them to check again.  Kindness will help greatly when interacting with the postal employees who are assisting you.  If you still encounter difficulties, please send us an email or a chat message.

What if my order of isopods and springtails is DOA?

In the rare instance that your live organisms did not survive their journey, please contact us within one hour of the carrier’s delivery timestamp, and if all of the qualifications have been met, we will process a refund or reshipment on the next shipping day.  Videos and/or photographs may be requested.

I am local; can I pick up my order of isopods and springtails?

Absolutely!  We are an online-only store located in Venice, FL, and arrangements can be made to pick up your order.  Please send us a chat message or an email.

Do you accept returns or exchanges?

No, we do not.  Due to the stress shipping can cause live organisms, we do not accept any returns or exchanges.  If there is a problem with your order, please contact us.

ISOPOD, SPRINGTAIL, AND PRODUCTS

What if a product is out of stock?

Please send us a chat message or an email, and we can check to see if the product is available.

Do you do wholesale orders or supply pet stores?

Yes, we do!  Please email us at iheartbugsonline@gmail.com to inquire.

Do you have USDA APHIS permits?

Yes, we do.  We have had APHIS permits since 2019, and we also have FLDACS permits for the state of Florida.  We also have a Florida Class III permit for our dart frogs.

Have your isopods and springtails been professionally identified by taxonomists?

Yes!!  We are glad you asked.  All of our isopods and springtails have been identified by the taxonomists at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  You can buy from us with confidence knowing our arthropods have been professionally identified by scientists.

Where can I leave a review?

Several days after you receive your order, you will receive an email with an invitation to leave a review.  Reviews can also be left on our Facebook page.  We are honored and thankful for your review.

Where can I find more reviews of iheartbugs?

Please check out our Facebook page, Morph Market store, and dendroboard.com (user: sarasmiles) for more reviews.

How much experience do you have with isopods and springtails and bioactive habitats?

Let me introduce myself!  I’m Sara Kemp, and I’m the owner of iheartbugs.com.  I bought my first isopods and springtails in 2010 when I was building my first vivarium for my dart frogs.  I have been consistently breeding isopods and springtails and building and maintaining bioactive enclosures since 2012.  I am a bug nerd, and I love to learn and help others with their bioactive habitats.  I’ve done a lot of home “experiments” and gone through a lot of trial and error over the years with isopods, springtails, and bioactive terrariums.  Please don’t hesitate to send a chat message or email if you have any questions.

Help!  I’m completely new to bioactive enclosures and isopods and springtails.  Where can I learn more?

Check out our blog and YouTube channel.  Our YouTube channel has a lot of short videos on isopods and springtails.  You can also reach out via chat or email with any questions.  We are happy to help!

What type of substrate or material are your springtails and isopods packed on for shipping?

All of our springtails are shipped on a soil substrate.  All isopods are shipped on a soil substrate with leaves and damp moss.  Shipping on a soil substrate provides cover for isopods and springtails in the event of extreme temperatures.  Shipping on solely moss or other media can easily freeze or steam the isopods and springtails due to the water content.

 

Can I make a request or a suggestion for a product that is not in your store?

 

Yes!  We are very receptive to product suggestions.  Please send us a chat or an email.