Shipping, Returns & Live Arrival Policy

We want every order from Pritchett's Small Pets to arrive in good condition. Because many of our products are live, perishable, made to order, or affected by weather, please review the policies below before ordering.

Live Arrival Guarantee

When destination temperatures or wind-chill lows are below 40°F, a 72-hour heat pack is required for the Live Arrival Guarantee on live products that require supplemental warmth. Mealworms are excluded from this requirement because of the way we package them.

One 72-hour heat pack is generally sufficient for an order. If a required heat pack is not ordered when the destination low is below 40°F, the Live Arrival Guarantee is void for affected live items.

Our live products are freshly packed for shipment. Where applicable, we include an approximately 10% over-count to help account for normal losses that can occur during transit.

If an eligible live order arrives in poor condition, contact us within 24 hours of delivery. Under the policy contained in this store data, eligible losses are replaced with the customer paying the replacement shipping charge. The existing exception for crickets remains: this replacement policy does not apply to crickets shipped by USPS.

Weather, Holidays & Carrier Delays

Live shipments are affected by extreme heat, cold, storms, holidays, and carrier delays. We may postpone a shipment when sending it immediately would create an unnecessary risk to the animals or increase the chance that a package will sit in a carrier facility over a weekend or holiday.

Pritchett's Small Pets is not responsible for delays or service problems caused by the shipping carrier. Carrier-related claims may need to be handled directly with the carrier.

Custom & Made-to-Order Products

Products made or modified specifically for a customer's order are generally not returnable. This includes products for which materials are purchased or altered specifically to complete the order, such as customized breeding kits or modified organizers.

Returns

• Return requests must be submitted through the store's return process.
• Approved refunds cover the eligible item cost and do not include original shipping and handling charges unless otherwise required.
• Return shipping is the buyer's responsibility.
• Returned merchandise must be properly packaged and returned without additional damage.
• Returns are subject to the existing 25% restocking fee.

To request a return, sign in to your account, open your completed orders, select the appropriate order, and use the Return Item(s) option. After an approved return reaches us, processing time may vary, and your bank or card provider may require additional time before the credit appears.

USPS Priority Mail

Delivery days: Monday through Saturday. USPS Priority Mail does not provide a guaranteed delivery time. Transit is commonly a few days but can take longer, particularly during busy holiday periods or severe weather.

Normal shipping days: Monday through Thursday by approximately 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, subject to order volume, product availability, weather, and live-shipping conditions.

UPS

UPS Ground, Next Day, and 2nd Day services may be available depending on the order. To reduce the chance of live orders sitting in a facility over a weekend, 2nd Day orders are normally shipped Monday through Wednesday. Next Day orders are normally shipped Monday through Thursday, with Thursday shipment dependent on the order being placed early enough for processing.

FedEx

FedEx Ground, Next Day, and 2nd Day services may be available depending on the order. To reduce weekend delays, 2nd Day orders are normally shipped Monday through Wednesday. Next Day orders are normally shipped Monday through Thursday, subject to processing time and service availability.

South Carolina Orders

Ground shipments within South Carolina may arrive quickly because of our location in the Upstate, but carrier delivery times are estimates rather than guarantees.

Questions before ordering? Please contact us if you are unsure whether your order needs a heat pack or whether weather conditions may affect shipping.