Ordering during COVID-19
Thursday, 23rd July 2020
The latest information regarding the couriers we use and the services we can offer during COVID-19.
Is your reptile courier delivering?
Our courier has contacted us and advised they have received DEFRA approval and have been told to continue to trade during COVID-19. They have also recruited additional drivers to cover any staff absences. Deliveries to England, Wales, Scotland, Scottish Highlands and Northern Ireland are operating as normal.
If you would like to use this service during this time, it is subject to the following conditions:
- This service could be withdrawn at any point if further lock down measures are implemented by the UK government.
- Orders could be held by Exotic-Pets.co.uk if our reptile courier is unable to deliver to your area for any reason (we will inform you immediately).
- Please ensure that when we call you regarding your delivery that you answer your phone or return our call as soon as possible. Failure to do so could result in your order being held for a significant period of time or worse still, cancelled and refunded.
- Order cut off time with our reptile courier is on a Monday at 6pm (for same week delivery) until further notice.
What about invertebrate orders?
Invertebrate order shipping has now resumed and all orders will be sent via Royal Mail Special Delivery or larger orders via APC Next Day.
Are you still delivering essential foods and supplies?
Yes. All livefood, frozen food, housing, equipment, decor, and substrates are available for purchase and delivery.
How far in advance should I order?
During this crisis, we would recommend ordering as early as possible. Please do not leave it until the last minute and run out of essential items such as foods for your animals.
For orders with items that are On Site only, orders are often processed the same or next working day, if your order contains Off Site items (e.g. bulk bags of livefoods) then these items need to be ordered in from our suppliers and then dispatched. This can take 1-3 working days depending on when you place your order.
We are having frequent large deliveries of food and supplies from all our wholesale partners and we are processing and dispatching all orders as fast as we possibly can, and in the order that we receive them.
The faster you order, the qucker you will receive your delivery.
How can I guarantee faster delivery on livefoods?
We understand from speaking to our Royal Mail account manager that Tracked Services are being given priority over standard parcels.
Having seen almost all standard parcels delayed in the past week, we would strongly recommend anyone ordering livefood to upgrade their order to Royal Mail Tracked 24 or a Courier option at the checkout.
Royal Mail have stated Tracked Services are being delivered next day with a 95% success rate. Based on the evidence we've seen so far, we can clearly see these services are being delivered much faster.
My order has been dispatched today, when will it arrive?
Based on customer feedback during COVID-19, standard parcels via Royal Mail are taking longer to arrive than usual. Royal Mail Tracked services and Courier deliveries are currently on schedule and often being delivered the next working day.
Please login to my account for parcel tracking information.
What do I do if my parcel does not arrive?
During the COVID-19 crisis, please allow at least five working days for delivery. If your parcel hasn't been delivered after this time, please contact us.
Can I click and collect?
Yes but we strongly advise following all government guidelines, this is for your safety and ours.
Our commitment
Our team is working extremely hard during this exceedingly difficult time and remain committed to offering the best possible service.
We have recruited and trained more team members to help with the demand of packing and dispatching all the extra orders we are receiving. We apologise if we are taking a little longer than usual to answer all your emails and phone calls during this time, we are simply prioritising orders during the working day. Any messages left will be replied to as quickly as possible (even outside of hours).
We are extremely grateful to all customers for supporting our business during COVID-19.