Shipping policy

We strive to ensure that your new tarantulas, reptiles, and amphibians arrive safe, healthy, and ready to thrive in their new homes. Please read our Shipping Policy in full before placing your order. By completing a purchase on our website, you agree to these terms.

Shipping Methods & Schedule

Shipping Days: We only ship on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to mitigate carrier delays and ensure the animals’ safety. We will contact you in advance to confirm a suitable shipping date.

Carrier & Service: All live tarantulas, reptiles, and amphibians are shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight and held for pickup at the nearest authorized FedEx Ship Center. This policy is in place to reduce transit stress and avoid extreme weather exposure.

Local Pickup & Expo Delivery: We offer local meetups in Houston, Texas and local expo show pickups as a convenient alternative to shipping. This way, you can save on shipping costs and ensure minimal travel stress for your animals. We will announce upcoming expo schedules on our website or social media pages.

What to Expect After Placing an Order

Order Confirmation: You will receive an automated email confirming your purchase.

Scheduling Shipment: Within 12 hours of placing your order (or by the next business day), we will contact you via email to coordinate a shipping date and confirm the FedEx Ship Center address for pickup. We will not ship until we have your confirmation.

Tracking Information: You will receive a tracking number on the morning of (or the evening before) your shipment day.

Carrier Delays: While we make every effort to ensure timely arrivals, carrier delays do happen. If your package arrives 1–3 days late due to FedEx issues, please still be ready to pick it up as soon as it arrives.

Potential Delays:

Shipping may be delayed due to severe weather (extreme heat or cold),

Molting or a tarantula appearing close to molting,

FedEx holiday schedules, or

Our own expo/meetup schedule.
We will inform you if a delay is necessary and work with you to find the next best shipping date.

Live Arrival Guarantee (LAG)

At Pokie Garden, we want you to receive healthy, thriving animals. We provide a Live Arrival Guarantee (LAG) under the following conditions:

FedEx Hold at Location:

  • All tarantulas, reptiles, and amphibians must be shipped to and held at a FedEx Ship Center for pickup.
  • You must pick up your package within 4 hours of its arrival at the FedEx hub to maintain LAG coverage.

Timely Notification:

  • For a DOA (Dead on Arrival) claim, contact us within 1 hour of pickup.
  • Provide clear photo or video evidence of the deceased specimen.

Invalidating Factors:

  • Freebies are not covered by LAG.
  • Home Delivery upon request may void or limit our LAG due to higher unpredictability in shipping conditions.
  • If you (a) fail to pick up within 4 hours, (b) reschedule or reroute the package mid-transit, or (c) do not follow our instructions for extreme weather precautions, LAG is void.

Refunds/Replacements:

  • If a DOA occurs and all LAG conditions are met, we will offer a replacement (if available) or a store credit for the animal’s value.
  • Shipping fees are non-refundable.
  • If your order included “freebie” animals, we cannot guarantee a replacement for those.

If the package is delayed by FedEx:

We will still honor LAG if the delay does not exceed three (3) days beyond the scheduled delivery date, provided you pick up promptly once it arrives.

Local Meetups & Expo Shows

Local Pickup: We are happy to arrange meetups in Houston, Texas for direct handoff. Once you receive the animal at our agreed meetup spot, LAG is considered fulfilled.

Expo Shows: If you’d like to pick up your order at a local expo, let us know beforehand. We will have your order ready at our booth. Again, once the animal is in your possession, LAG is fulfilled.

Shipping Fees

FedEx Priority Overnight: Shipping cost is determined at checkout (based on distance and weight). We currently only ship to the contiguous 48 states.

Multiple Orders: If you place additional orders to be shipped at the same time, we will combine them into one shipment. We only offer one freebie per shipment (if applicable).

Other Shipping Requests: At this time, we do not offer 2-day or ground shipping options for tarantulas, reptiles, or amphibians due to the animals’ sensitivity and potential shipping risks.

Weather & Temperature Guidelines

We generally do not ship when temperatures are below 40°F or above 90°F at any key point in transit (origin, hubs, destination).

We pack each shipment according to weather conditions, using appropriate insulation, heat packs, or cold packs when necessary.

Rescheduling & Cancellations

If you need to change or cancel your order, please email us at support@pokiegarden.com before your agreed shipping date.

We understand unexpected events happen, so we try to be flexible. However, once your package has been shipped, no refunds will be issued for cancellations.

In the Event of a DOA

Contact Us Immediately:

Email us at support@pokiegarden.com or call the number provided with your shipment info within 1 hour of pickup.

Evidence:

Provide photos/video of the animal, showing it clearly on a flat surface (e.g., coin or paper towel).

Return Requests:

In certain cases, we may ask for the return of the deceased animal (at our expense) to validate your claim.

Unclaimed Shipments

If your order is not picked up from the FedEx location within 24 hours of arrival (and you have not notified us of any emergency), we reserve the right to have it shipped back to us for the welfare of the animal.

In such cases, refunds are not provided since the animals can be severely stressed or harmed during unclaimed storage and return transit.

Home Delivery (By Request Only)

While we strongly recommend FedEx Hold at Location, special arrangements for home delivery can be made on a case-by-case basis.

Live Arrival Guarantee (LAG) may be limited or void with home deliveries due to the added risks. You must be available at the door for the first delivery attempt to qualify for any LAG coverage.

If a DOA arises from home delivery, the above conditions (timely notification, photo evidence, etc.) still apply, but compensation may be reduced or void based on circumstances (e.g., missing the first delivery attempt).

Contact & Customer Support

Email: support@pokiegarden.com

Location: Houston, Texas (local meetups available)

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns regarding your order. Our priority is to ensure a smooth, stress-free experience for you and a safe journey for our animals.

Thank you for choosing Pokie Garden—we appreciate your business and look forward to providing you with happy, healthy tarantulas, reptiles, and amphibians!

By placing an order with Pokie Garden, you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and agree to our Shipping Policy and Live Arrival Guarantee terms.