Online is definitely easier and cheaper. The vendor really depends on the bug you're after. I got my roach colony started with an order from ABDragons. I get my silkworms and hornworms from Coastal Silkworms although they were out of Hornworms today so I got them from Great Lakes Hornworm. I get black soldier fly larvae from Symton BSF. I used to order crickets from Georgia Crickets.
I quite like Josh's Frogs myself. Got a good price for the starter Dubia colony, and as far as I could tell the entire colony arrived in perfect health.
I quite like Josh's Frogs myself. Got a good price for the starter Dubia colony, and as far as I could tell the entire colony arrived in perfect health.
I quite like Josh's Frogs myself. Got a good price for the starter Dubia colony, and as far as I could tell the entire colony arrived in perfect health.
It took a few days, I know that much. Perhaps three to four? I didn't really keep track. First time it arrived earlier than I expected, the refill arrived a little later than I expected.
I think any good company should include good customer service and send an email + info immediately after they receive your payment with details on shipping. That's part of being a reliable company, not to leave people guessing. An invoice and then info should be in your email very shortly after you place your order, even if to say your order has been received and will ship on a certain a day + arrive on a certain day. If you placed an order + heard nothing from them, call + ask about it.
Great Lakes hornworms is one of the most professional + reliable companies I've ever dealt with. I've
also used Millbrook when I need bugs shipped the very next day for a reasonable price. I don't think they have the selection of soft worms though.
Always read the terms + guarantees....for instance a company that ships in very hot weather may not guarantee live arrival so it's best to look at the temps. on both ends [ where it's coming from and when it gets to your state ] Same goes for extreme cold weather.
I have been ordering both Crickets and BSFL from Amazon. The BSFL are from Josh's Frogs, who have very good customer service, and the Crickets from 'VM Feeders'. They ship Mon- Wednesday, and shipping reliably takes 2 - 3 days. I have been ordering to New Mexico during the summer, and have had 4 or 5 orders of crickets arrive 99 - 100% alive this summer. The BSFL 100% alive, even with the 105F heat. The BSFL don't come labelled as clearly as the crickets, so the mail person leaves them in my mailbox and I have to make sure to grab them out before they sit too long.
The crickets I have gotten online have stayed alive longer than the ones I have gotten at local pet stores too. I have looked around at some other sites, but the Amazon vendors have had the best prices I've seen. Every 2 weeks I get 500 1/4 size crickets (for my baby beardie) for $14, and 250 large BSFL for only $10 bucks. And free shipping!
if anyone lives in the DFW area in Texas, there is a place called phat jack farms in grand prairie, texas. they also have a website and they can ship to you. the link is http://www.phatjackfarms.com they have very good quality and will also sell you a starter colony on dubia roaches but you would have to email them about that. I got some roaches from them and I ordered them online and the next day they were ready for pick-up. I live close to them so i was able to go pick them up, but its another option.