Shipping Information & FAQs

Every order matters.

Whether you are ordering your very first culture of springtails, upgrading your bioactive enclosure with premium supplies or adding another species to your growing collection, we are so grateful you have chosen Rubber Ducky Isopods.

We know how exciting it is to receive that shipping notification.

That's why every order is treated with the same care and attention we would expect if it were arriving at our own doorstep.

Below, you will find everything you need to know about our shipping schedule, processing times, weather delays, carriers, tracking information and what to expect after placing your order.

What Happens After You Place Your Order?

🛒 Order Placed

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📧 Order Confirmation Sent

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👀 We Review Your Order

Every live order is individually reviewed for weather, transit times, shipping routes and the safest shipping method available. If additional care is needed, please keep an eye on your email for communication from us!

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📦 Your Order is Carefully Packed by Hand

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🚚 Dropped off at FedEx

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📱 Tracking Information Sent

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🏡 Delivered

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❤️ We're Still Here if You Need Us

Our support doesn't stop once your package arrives.

Why We Ship Differently

Whether you are ordering isopods, springtails, bioactive soil, cork bark, leaf litter, food or a complete habitat kit, we believe every order deserves the same level of care and attention.

Some products may be living while others aren't, but every package represents someone's excitement, project or their growing collection.

Every shipment is thoughtfully prepared, carefully packed and reviewed before it ever leaves our hands.

Our goal is always to make sure every order arrives safely, in excellent condition and exactly as we'd hope to receive it ourselves.

Our Shipping Schedule

Our shipping schedule is intentionally designed around carrier performance, transit times and the safety of your order.

As a small family business, we do not ship every day of the week. Instead, we have chosen shipping days that help reduce weekend delays to ensure that your order arrives safely and on time.

Monday

✅ Live Orders (Standard & Express)

✅ Dry Goods

Tuesday

✅ Live Orders (Standard & Express)

✅ Dry Goods

Wednesday

✅ Live Orders (Express Shipping Only, as needed)

Thursday

✅ Dry Goods Only

Friday, Saturday & Sunday

No shipments.

We intentionally avoid shipping live animals late in the week to prevent unnecessary weekend delays inside carrier facilities or delivery vehicles.

Processing Times

Dry Goods

Orders containing only dry goods typically ship on the next available Monday, Tuesday or Thursday.

Live Orders

Orders containing isopods and/or springtails require additional planning and coordination. They are worth it, we promise!

Live orders typically ship on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Occasionally, we will ship a live order on Wednesday using Express Shipping only.

If weather conditions are not within our safe shipping guidelines, we will simply wait until they are (and communicate with you every step of the way). 

Every Live Shipment is Clearly Marked

Every live order is clearly labeled as containing live, temperature-sensitive animals so FedEx personnel understand the importance of careful handling.

Every live shipment also includes:

• Insulated shipping boxes

• Premium insulation with high R-Values (this is what helps keep your packages cool in the heat, and warm in the cold). 

• Heat packs, Cold packs and Phase Change packs as needed

• H-sealed boxes for additional strength during transit

These protective materials are selected based on current weather conditions and are included whenever needed at no additional charge.

Why We Ship with FedEx

Since 2020, we have continuously refined our shipping process to provide the safest and most reliable experience possible.

After years of shipping both live animals and dry goods across all 50 states, we have found FedEx consistently provides the most reliable transit times and handling for temperature-sensitive shipments.

For that reason, nearly all orders are shipped through FedEx and have been since Spring 2025.

The only exceptions are certain PO Box addresses, Alaska, and Hawaii, where USPS may occasionally be the only practical shipping option.

Weather Delays

Weather is one of the most important factors we consider before shipping live animals.

If extreme heat, extreme cold, severe storms, natural disasters or other unsafe conditions are expected, we will contact you by email before shipping.

If we don't hear back after our second attempt to reach you, we will simply continue holding your package until we receive confirmation.

We would MUCH rather wait than risk your shipment!

Dry goods, including bioactive soil and other non-live products, will continue shipping as normal unless carrier conditions make it unsafe to do so.

Need Your Order by a Certain Date?

If you need your order for a birthday, reptile expo, classroom project, vacation, new enclosure setup or another special occasion, please reach out before or immediately after placing your order.

We will do everything we reasonably can to expedite your shipment whenever possible.

Placing Additional Orders

Already placed an order but realized you forgot the springtails, bioactive soil or isopod food to go with it? No problem!

If you have already paid for shipping and would like us to combine multiple orders into one shipment, please send us an email.

Whenever possible, we are happy to combine orders so you do not have to pay for shipping twice.

Address Changes

Need to update your shipping address? Please email us as soon as possible.

If your order has not shipped yet, we will gladly update your address at no charge.

Once a package has been accepted by FedEx, address changes become significantly more difficult and FedEx may charge an address correction or rerouting fee.

We will always help however we can, but those fees are determined by the carrier rather than Rubber Ducky Isopods.

Tracking Your Order

Once your order ships, you will automatically receive tracking information to the email provided at checkout.

You will also receive delivery updates throughout your shipment's journey from the  Colorado mountains to your doorstep.

For the best tracking experience, we recommend using the Shop App.

If you don't see your shipping emails, please check your spam or junk folder first.

Still can't find them? Just send us an email and we will get you your tracking information.

Holiday Shipping

We proudly ship successfully year-round.

However, major holidays can significantly increase shipping delays throughout the FedEx network.

During periods such as:

• 4th of July

• Thanksgiving

• Black Friday

• Cyber Monday

• Christmas

• New Year's

• Other major federal holidays

we may temporarily adjust or delay live shipments.

A short delay is always preferable to risking lost packages or extended transit times.

Local Pickup

Live nearby to Parker, Colorado? We're always happy to arrange local pickup for our Colorado customers whenever possible.

We also attend reptile expos throughout Colorado and other states.

If you are planning to attend an event where we will be vending, we are happy to bring your order with us.

Simply reach out before placing your order and we will coordinate the details.

International Shipping

At this time, we only ship within the United States. 

Once Your Package Ships

Once your package has been accepted by FedEx, it begins its journey through their transportation network.

While we no longer have direct control over the shipment, we'll always do everything we reasonably can to help if delays or issues arise.

If your shipment experiences an unexpected delay, please contact us so we can work on getting your package back on track as soon as possible.

Please Reuse or Recycle

Whenever possible, we encourage reusing or recycling your shipping materials.

Many customers repurpose insulated boxes, deli cups, packing materials and insulation for future bioactive projects, isopod cultures and enclosure builds. Let's keep Mother Earth beautiful!

Thank You

Thank you for trusting Rubber Ducky Isopods.

Every order that leaves our facility represents our family, our reputation and the passion we've poured into this hobby since 2020.

Whether your package contains a single culture of springtails or everything needed to build a thriving bioactive ecosystem, we're committed to making sure it arrives safely and that you're supported every step of the way.

If you ever have a question, we're only an email away!