Shipping & Delivery

​

At Mantis House, we understand the importance of timely and safe delivery.

We offer several postage options, including Royal Mail Special Delivery for live invertebrates.

Royal Mail Special Delivery is used primarily to protect the health and welfare of live livestock.

It is the safest and most reliable method of transportation for invertebrates, providing next working day delivery from the date of dispatch (not from the time of order).

​

All orders are carefully packaged to ensure they arrive in excellent condition.

We use high-quality, insulated materials and, where necessary, include heat packs during colder periods.

Wherever possible, our packaging materials are recyclable or biodegradable.

If you have any questions regarding shipping methods, please contact us via our website prior to placing your order.

​

Dispatch Days

Live livestock orders are dispatched Monday–Wednesday (occasionally Thursday where appropriate). We reserve the right to postpone shipping where extreme weather, bank holidays, or other conditions may compromise animal welfare.

Non-live items may be dispatched throughout the week.

You will receive confirmation once your dispatch date is assigned.

​

Shipping Methods

We use:

• Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed (Live Arrival Guarantee applies)

• Royal Mail Tracked 24 (No Live Arrival Guarantee)

Royal Mail Special Delivery is used primarily for the safety and welfare of livestock.

It is a next working day service from the date of dispatch, not from the time of order.

Delivery times are provided by Royal Mail and are not fully within our control once dispatched.

​

Postage Options

If incorrect postage is selected for live livestock (for example, selecting caster or non-live shipping for live invertebrates), we reserve the right to:

• Contact you to arrange the correct postage before dispatch; or

• Cancel and refund the order so that it may be reordered with the appropriate shipping option; or

• Dispatch via Royal Mail Tracked 24 without a Live Arrival Guarantee, where this has been clearly communicated.

It is the customer’s responsibility to select the correct shipping method at checkout.

If you wish to add items to an existing order prior to dispatch, please contact us via our website as soon as possible.

​

 Postage Costs

Postage charges are calculated at checkout using a weight-based system.

Costs include packaging materials, insulation, and heat packs where required.

Royal Mail postage rates are subject to change.

We review and adjust our pricing accordingly.

 

All shipping prices are subject to Royal Mail adjustments.

​​

Packaging

All parcels are marked “fragile” and with a label advising "LIVE INSECTS"

The postal charge for this UK orders is weight based. This covers the cost of delivery and the cost of the packing materials. In cold periods a heat pack will automatically be added.

​

Tracking Numbers

Tracking numbers are provided when parcels are sent for Special Delivery & Tracked 24.

You will receive your tracking number the day of packing 2 days before your parcel arrives. 

Occasionally your email will be sent the day of dispatch.

​

Delivery Responsibility

​

​We are responsible for ensuring your order reaches you safely.

Risk transfers to the customer once the goods have been delivered to the address provided at checkout.

Delivery is deemed complete when the parcel is delivered to the address provided and confirmation of delivery is recorded by the courier.

If a parcel is confirmed lost in transit, we will offer a replacement or refund in accordance with your statutory rights.

We may require written confirmation of non-receipt before processing a claim and may pursue compensation directly with Royal Mail where applicable.

​

Delays

Royal Mail Special Delivery aims for next working day delivery by 1pm. Occasional delays may occur.

Unless a specific delivery date has been agreed with us in writing as an essential term, minor delivery delays do not automatically entitle cancellation or refund.

Where Royal Mail confirms a service failure under their guarantee, we may review any applicable postage refund in line with their compensation policy.

This does not affect your statutory rights.

​

Damages

​If your order arrives damaged, please notify us as soon as possible and within 12 hours of confirmed delivery.

Failure to notify us within this timeframe may affect our ability to offer a resolution under our Live Arrival Guarantee.

To help us assess the issue, we request clear photographs and, where possible, a short video showing:

• The condition of the outer packaging

• The contents as received

• The damaged item(s)

This evidence allows us to investigate with Royal Mail and determine the appropriate resolution.

Please contact us via our website for return instructions where applicable.

This does not affect your statutory rights.

​

​

​

Substitutions

​Occasionally, a non-live decor item may become unavailable after your order has been placed. In such cases, we may substitute the item with a closely matched alternative of equal or greater value.

If no suitable alternative is available, we will refund the affected item.

Live livestock will never be substituted without prior agreement.

If you are unhappy with a substituted decor item, please contact us within 14 days of delivery to arrange a return in accordance with our Returns Policy.

​

Missing Items

All orders are packed using a double-check system to ensure accuracy before dispatch.

If you believe an item is missing, please contact us within 24 hours of delivery.

To allow us to investigate properly, we request clear photographs of the contents as received, including the outer packaging and all internal packaging.

Where possible, a short unboxing video is strongly recommended, as this provides the clearest evidence.

Claims will be assessed based on the evidence provided and our packing records. Where a genuine packing error has occurred, we will offer an appropriate resolution

​

​Incorrect Address Information

Customers are responsible for ensuring address details are correct at checkout.

If an incorrect address is provided and a label has already been generated, additional postage costs may apply.

​

Address amendments must be requested via our website contact form or by replying directly to your order confirmation email. We are unable to guarantee monitoring of social media messages for urgent order changes.

​

 If the delivery address is altered, redirected, or delivery instructions are changed after dispatch, the Live Arrival Guarantee may be void where this results in delay or disruption to transit.

​

 Livestock Health

All livestock are visually inspected prior to dispatch and confirmed to be healthy and free from observable parasites or illness at the time of shipping.

Upon successful delivery, responsibility for ongoing care, environment, and husbandry transfers to the customer.

Due to the nature of live animals and variables outside our control (including enclosure setup, temperature, humidity, and feeding practices), we cannot accept responsibility for illness, injury, or death occurring after delivery unless it can be demonstrated that the issue was present at the time of dispatch.

This does not affect your statutory rights.

​

​

Stock arriving immobile and cold

If this is the case, please follow the instructions below:

​

Unpack the box carefully.

Lay out the livestock carefully so that air can circulate around them.

Place the animals in a warm room 15 to 25 degrees C.

Do not place on radiators or heat pads ect.

Allow up to 4 hours for full recovery of the animal.

Most animals will recover fully if they are treated correctly on arrival.

​

12-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee

(Special Delivery Only)

The Live Arrival Guarantee applies only to livestock sent via Royal Mail Special Delivery and successfully delivered on the first delivery attempt.

If livestock arrive dead or critically damaged, you must:

• Notify us within 12 hours of confirmed delivery

• Provide clear photo and, where possible, video evidence

• Retain the livestock until we advise otherwise

​

If the claim is valid, we will offer either:

• A refund for the value of the livestock (excluding postage), or

• A replacement where stock allows

The Live Arrival Guarantee will be void where delivery is delayed or transit time is extended due to:

• No one being available to receive and sign for the parcel

• Missed delivery attempts

• The parcel being redirected or rearranged after dispatch

• Delivery instructions being changed after dispatch

• Delivery scheduled for a Saturday against our advice

It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure someone is available to receive and promptly unbox live livestock.

This guarantee does not affect your statutory rights.

​​​

Casters (Live Feed)

Casters are live biological products.

Hatch rates and development can be affected by storage conditions, ventilation, and temperature after delivery.

We dispatch only fresh stock. Once delivered, responsibility for correct storage and care passes to the customer.

Due to the nature of live feed, we cannot guarantee hatch rates.

Refunds will only be considered where goods are proven to be faulty or not as described at the time of delivery.

​

​Subscriptions

Subscription cancellations must be requested via our website contact form, as the Wix platform requires manual cancellation assistance.

​

​

Returns

We do not accept returns of live livestock for welfare and biosecurity reasons. Live livestock are exempt from the 14-day cancellation period under UK consumer law.

For non-live items, you have the right to cancel your order within 14 days of receiving the goods.

Items must be returned unused, in their original condition and packaging. You must notify us of your intention to cancel within 14 days of delivery.

Return postage costs are the responsibility of the customer unless the item is faulty, misdescribed, or not as agreed.

Any refunds from bundle purchases will be calculated at unit price, not bundle RRP.

This does not affect your statutory rights.

 

​Shipping to Northern Ireland

We do not ship live livestock to Northern Ireland.

From 1 May 2025, the sending of live creatures from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is prohibited.

​

​

Cancellation Rights

Live Livestock

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, the right to cancel within 14 days does not apply to goods which are liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly.

Live invertebrates fall within this category. For welfare and biosecurity reasons, we do not accept cancellations or returns of live livestock once dispatched.

This does not affect your rights where goods are faulty, misdescribed, or not as agreed.

Non-Live Items

For non-live items, you have the right to cancel your order within 14 days of receiving the goods.

To exercise your right to cancel, you must notify us in writing via our website contact form or by email within 14 days of delivery.

Items must be returned unused, in original condition and packaging, within 14 days of cancellation.

Return postage costs are the responsibility of the customer unless the item is faulty or not as described.

Refunds will be processed within 14 days of receiving the returned goods.

 

General Terms

You must be at least 18 years old to place an order.

If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must place the order on your behalf.

All prices are subject to change without notice.

We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any order at our discretion prior to dispatch.

Payment is required in advance unless otherwise agreed in writing.

By placing an order, you confirm that you have read and agree to these Terms & Conditions.

​

All sizes stated are approximate and reflect the specimens currently in stock at the time of listing.

Unless explicitly stated in the product title or description, we do not guarantee the sex of any specimen.

Where sex is stated or provided upon request, this represents our best professional assessment at the time.

However, due to the nature of invertebrates and developmental stages, sexing cannot be guaranteed.

​

This does not affect your statutory rights.