These terms and conditions apply to all orders placed through the Bioactive Bugs UK website. Please read them carefully before placing an order. By using this website or placing an order with us, you agree to be bound by the terms set out below.
1. About Us
Bioactive Bugs UK (“we”, “us”, “our”) supplies springtails, isopods and bioactive vivarium supplies to customers across the United Kingdom. If you have any questions about these terms, please contact us before placing an order.
2. Orders & Acceptance
Adding an item to your basket and completing checkout is an offer to buy that item — it does not guarantee that we can fulfil it. We’ll confirm acceptance of your order by email. We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any order, for example where stock is unavailable, a culture isn’t ready for despatch, or we suspect an error in pricing or description. If we cancel an order after payment has been taken, you’ll receive a full refund.
3. Pricing & Payment
All prices shown on the website are in pounds sterling (GBP) and include UK VAT where applicable. Delivery charges are shown separately at checkout before you complete your order. Payment is taken in full at the time of order through our secure payment provider. We make every effort to ensure prices are correct, but if a pricing error is discovered before despatch, we’ll contact you to confirm whether you’d like to proceed at the correct price or cancel for a full refund.
4. Delivery
We despatch live cultures and supplies to UK addresses only, using tracked, next-day courier services chosen to minimise time in transit. Live animals are only despatched on days where they won’t be sitting in a depot over a weekend or bank holiday, which may mean your order is held and sent on the next suitable despatch day — we’ll let you know if this affects your order.
During periods of extreme weather (very high or very low temperatures), we may delay despatch of live cultures for the welfare of the animals. This is for the wellbeing of your livestock and we’ll always aim to keep you updated on timings.
You must ensure someone is available to receive live culture deliveries promptly on the day specified, and that the delivery address is suitable (e.g. not a location where parcels are left in direct sun, extreme cold, or insecure locations) for live animals.
5. Livestock Guarantee
We guarantee that springtail and isopod cultures will arrive alive and in good health when our delivery and unboxing guidance is followed. If any animals arrive dead or in poor condition, you must contact us within 24 hours of delivery with clear photos or video of the culture as received in its packaging. Once reported within this window, we will offer a replacement culture or a refund for the affected item, at our discretion.
Our livestock guarantee does not cover losses caused by incorrect care after delivery, failure to acclimatise the culture as instructed, or delays caused by you (for example, not being available to receive the parcel on the agreed day). See our Livestock Guarantee page for full details.
6. Returns & Cancellations
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, UK consumers normally have a 14-day right to cancel an online order. However, this right does not apply to live animals or to goods that are made to order, perishable, or likely to deteriorate rapidly — which includes springtail and isopod cultures. For this reason, live cultures cannot be returned once despatched, and cancellations are only possible before an order has been processed for despatch.
Non-livestock items (such as substrates, leaf litter, cork bark and other dry goods) can be returned within 14 days of delivery if unused and in their original packaging, in line with the Consumer Contracts Regulations. Please contact us before returning any item so we can advise on the process.
This section does not affect your right to a replacement or refund for live cultures under our Livestock Guarantee (section 5) or for items that are faulty, not as described, or damaged in transit.
7. Caring For Your Order On Arrival
To help your culture establish successfully and for your guarantee to apply, please open and acclimatise live cultures as soon as possible after delivery, following the guidance included with your order and in our care guides. Cultures should not be left sealed in transit packaging for extended periods, exposed to direct sunlight, or kept at extreme temperatures.
8. Website Use
You may use this website for your own personal, non-commercial use to browse and purchase products. You must not misuse the site by knowingly introducing viruses or other malicious material, attempting unauthorised access to any part of the site, or using the site in any way that breaches applicable laws.
9. Intellectual Property
All content on this website — including text, care guides, photographs, graphics and logos — is owned by or licensed to Bioactive Bugs UK and is protected by copyright. You may view and print pages for your own personal use, but may not reproduce, copy or redistribute any content for commercial purposes without our written permission.
10. Liability
Nothing in these terms limits or excludes our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for any other liability that cannot be limited or excluded under UK law. Subject to that, we are not liable for any indirect or consequential losses arising from your use of this website or your purchase of products from us, including losses to other animals, plants or equipment within a vivarium, beyond the price paid for the relevant item.
Our care guides and advice are provided in good faith based on our own experience, but every vivarium setup is different — you remain responsible for researching and meeting the specific care needs of any animals you keep.
11. Privacy
We only use your personal information to process and deliver your order, manage your account, and — where you’ve opted in — to send you updates about products and offers. We do not sell your personal information to third parties. For more detail on how we collect, use and store your data, please contact us.
12. Changes To These Terms
We may update these terms and conditions from time to time, for example to reflect changes in our services or in the law. The version published on this page at the time you place an order is the version that applies to that order.
13. Governing Law
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these terms or your order will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions about these terms and conditions, please get in touch via our Contact page.