Refund Policy/Live Guarantee
LIVE GUARANTEE
THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES OFFERED FOR COLONIES KEPT IN GEL FARMS, ACRYLIC NESTS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT HYDRATION SYSTEMS, OR UNCLE MILTON-STYLE ANT FARMS. THIS ALSO INCLUDES NESTS THAT ARE TOO LARGE FOR THE COLONIES. WE RECOMMEND THE NESTS BE KEPT WHERE ANTS REGULARLY FILL AT LEAST 20% OF THE CHAMBERS OR NEST AREA, BUT THE THRESHOLD FOR THIS GUARANTEE WILL BE PLACED AT 10%.
*Exception for colonies in test tubes
If live insects arrive cold or flooded please handle with care. Many of these colonies typically pop back up within a few hours. All DOA claims must be made within 24 hours after receiving your insects. Any order with a unacceptable mortality rate, but with a viable colony (e.g. less workers than in the range advertised, less queens or workers than advertised) can be compensated with store credit equal to the loss of value in the shipment, including shipping and extra packaging. Any order with DOAs, but which do not fall out of the initially advertised/promised range of workers will NOT be compensated.
DOA claims which are a total loss will be re-shipped 1 more time FREE of charge with photographic evidence. Orders where shipping is more than 30% of the total value of the order will be refunded proportionally to the loss of value in the shipment, INCLUDING test tube inserts which are purchased with the colony.
We guarantee live arrival on Xpresspost and priority shipments, as well as pickup and local delivery. Only orders that are accepted on the first delivery attempt will be eligible for DOA credit, no exceptions.
Fertility guarantee claims or live guarantee claims made within the month after arrival must be made with a timestamped photo of BOTH the queen alive upon arrival AND a timestamped photo of the dead specimens.
Expedited shipping can be a budget friendly method but does not always have the best results. If your order is going to be in transit more than 3 business days please do not choose this method or choose at your own risk.
DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO HOLD BACK SHIPMENTS IF WE DECIDE ITS TOO COLD TO SHIP.
Please note that orders to outdoor community mail boxes, or other outdoor locations void our live guarantee. If your address consists of an outdoor mail box or location, please make arrangements to have the order delivered to a friends house, or to your place of employment.
WINTER LIVE GUARANTEE (Late-October- Late March)
To ensure the safe arrival of your ants during the colder months, please review our Winter Shipping Policy carefully. These guidelines are designed to protect live orders from extreme weather conditions:
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Winter Packing Fee: During the winter season, we offer additional packaging options for an extra fee of $12. This includes the use of heat packs and extra insulation to safeguard your ants during transit.
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Shipping Speed Requirement: For a live guarantee, you must select Xpresspost or a faster shipping option to minimize exposure to cold temperatures.
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Heat Pack Specifications:
- Orders within Ontario and Quebec will include 72-hour heat packs.
- Orders outside of these provinces will be shipped with 96-hour heat packs to ensure extended warmth during transit.
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Proof of Condition: If your ants arrive Dead on Arrival (DOA) or you suspect any issues, please provide photographic evidence within 24 hours of delivery. This evidence is necessary to process any claims for refunds or replacements.
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Extreme Cold Advisory: If temperatures fall below -17°C, we cannot guarantee safe arrival, even with heat packs. In such cases, you may request a Hold for Weather option, where we will delay shipping for up to two weeks while awaiting improved weather conditions. Guarantees for Orders without a Hold for Weather notice are VOID
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with these winter shipping guidelines to ensure your ants arrive safely.
- Ants which arrive alive, but die within 2 weeks will be refunded/reshipped at our discretion for deaths which cannot be attributed to the neglect of the receiver
- All orders can be cancelled/altered before they are packed and shipped (the following Monday)
- All supplies may be returned/refunded if a request for within 14 days of receipt. However, the recipient must resend the package and all shipping cost is paid by the recipient
FERTILITY GUARANTEE
We will guarantee fertility of all fully-claustral queens, and are willing too reship any queens which do not lay eggs under the following conditions
- Queen is kept above 25 degrees
- Queen has been fed at least once within the guarantee period
- Claim is made within reasonable time from which the queen will lay eggs.
Aphaenogaster are expected to lay eggs within 2 weeks of collection. The collection date is in the first 2 weeks of August.
Brachymyrmex are expected to lay eggs within 1 month of capture (August Capture) OR hibernation, in queens caught in September, but we offer this guarantee ONLY when they are provided substrate in their setups.
Camponotus are expected to lay eggs within 2 weeks during the Spring flight. Any queens collected/purchased in the fall will overwinter before laying eggs.
Crematogaster are expected to lay eggs within 2 weeks when overwintered.
Formica queens sometimes lay eggs after overwintering, and sometimes lay eggs before. This division is usually 20/80. We offer a guarantee that they will lay eggs within 2 weeks of being removed from hibernation. However, they will usually lay eggs before
Lasius americanus will lay eggs within 2 weeks of capture.
All other Lasius will usually lay eggs after hibernation.
Prenolepis queens are expected to lay eggs 2 weeks within collection in late May.
Temnothorax queens are expected to lay eggs within 2 weeks of collection, and are collected continuously throughout July and August.
Tetramorium queens are expected to lay eggs 2 weeks within collection in early July.
RETURN POLICY
- All orders can be cancelled/altered before they are packed and shipped (the following Monday )
- All supplies may be returned/refunded if a request for within 14 days of receipt. However, the recipient must resend the package and all shipping cost is paid by the recipient