Who’s here today, a fan of reptiles? (*slowly raising my hand*) If you’re an avid reptile lover and love them as pets, boy do I have something for you.
There are only a handful of such websites on the Internet and yes I’m talking about Backwater Reptiles. A retailer of reptiles like snakes and amphibians and tarantulas.
But even though websites like these are unusual and rare, it’s important to verify them as authentic. To verify I will be starting off with the main question: Is Backwater Reptiles legit?
Backwater Reptiles Review
Not much info is available at the About Us page of Backwater Reptiles. So, I had to dig deep to find out some details about the company and owner.
Backwater Reptiles was probably started in the year 2011 and was founded by owner Bob Siegel. The company is based in Rocklin, CA and consists of around a dozen employees.
They operate through their website and mainly deal with reptiles, amphibians and tarantulas. They claim to have the best exotic pets but at the lowest prices.
Is Backwater Reptiles Legit?
The question of the day: Is Backwater Reptiles legit? Do they deliver what they promise on the website?
Backwater Reptiles is legit in the sense that they do actually ship what they sell. However, based on the reviews online, their customer service leaves much to be desired. Hence, I would say that rather than believing them outright, do your research before shopping from them.
We have already established that Backwater Reptiles has no problems with their items. So, let’s talk about the species they carry.
What Can You Buy At Backwater Reptiles?
Backwater Reptiles sells a lot of exotic pets such as reptiles, amphibians and most importantly tarantulas. At unimaginable prices, you can buy a pet from this company.
The species you can get from Backwater Reptiles are:
- Snakes
- Lizards
- Frogs
- Toads
- Turtles
- Tortoise
- Salamanders
- Alligators
- Scorpions
- Tarantulas
They are all shipped alive in secure packaging so that you get them in good conditions. You will find dozens of different species under all the animals.
Backwater Reptiles Pricing
Whenever you click on Backwater Reptiles website, the first thing you will see is their tagline ‘unbeatable prices’. And they are!
Lizards/geckos start at $24.99 per animal and can get up to $125 based on size and rarity. Snakes are some of their more expensive animals along with tortoises starting from $200.
Alligators and tarantulas also fall on the costlier side from $59 up to $110. But other animals like scorpions, toads, frogs and turtles are not costly at all.
Backwater Reptiles Shipping Policy
Unlike other product delivery, Backwater Reptiles ships all animals overnight regardless of the quantity. So expect to pay $44.99 even if you order just a small animal like an Iguana.
Do keep in mind that a signature is required whenever they deliver your new pet. For smaller species like crickets and fruit flies, they are shipped within 2 to 3 days.
Unfortunately, they only ship locally within the United States destinations. But it’s understandable since it’s live animals we are talking about.
Backwater Reptiles Return Policy
Backwater Reptiles have an ironclad refund policy regarding live arrivals. The only time they’d take responsibility for a refund is if the animal is found dead on arrival.
They take pride in sending the animals in proper packaging but sometimes accidents do happen. In that case, just send them proof via customer help.
When they approve your case, you get two options: A new replacement or opt for a full refund. But they mention that no shipping charge would be returned.
Backwater Reptiles User Satisfaction
Backwater Reptiles have people saying a lot of things regarding their features and service. According to these sites:
TrustPilot has rated them a poor score of 2.7/5 based on 329 reviewers. Most people complained about the lack of help they received and dodgy return policies. Some people also received dead animals and Backwater Reptiles did not take any responsibility.
Site Jabber is still collecting reviews and based on those they only have a 1.5/5 which is bad. Like others, customer service is the main culprit and poor shipping methods. They are only ranked as 325th among other online pet stores.
Backwater Reptiles Alternatives
For reptile collectors, Backwater Reptiles is not the only option available. You can check out these other two for more amphibians and such.
LLLReptile: LLLReptile is a good option if you are starting this new hobby. They offer all the common species and also carry some special ones. Monitor lizards, bearded dragons and tortoises are some of their most popular sellers.
Big Apple Herp: Big Apple Herp is one of the longest running reptile pet shops in the States. Apart from reptiles you can also find décor, pet care supplies and more here. Their geckos, corn snakes and ball pythons are very popular at Big Apple Herp.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1# Does Backwater Reptiles have care tutorials for the pets they sell?
Ans: They absolutely do have some care sheets available at the website for different reptiles. You can study those before deciding to purchase a creature. You can even ask customer service if there are any specific care instructions for any specific being.
Q2# Does Backwater Reptiles sell wholesale?
Ans: Backwater Reptiles sells wholesale to places like research centers, pet stores, colleges and zoos. If you are looking to purchase in wholesale please contact them through your institute or organization.
Q3# When does Backwater Reptiles restock their inventory?
Ans: Backwater Reptiles changes their inventory every week and bring in new stock. So if something is out of stock you might just have to wait for a few days.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to get in the hobby of reptile collection, Backwater Reptiles could be an option. This review is here to help you determine the question, ‘Is Backwater Reptiles legit?’
I believe their collection of reptiles and such are commendable but they need to work on customer service. If they can up their communication skills a bit, Backwater Reptiles would easily become a favorite.
So, it’s completely up to you to choose Backwater Reptiles and do let me know what you buy. You never know your new pet might just be from Backwater Reptiles.