Commonly Asked Questions

It is a pleasure to respond to your inquiries, however, the following may help limit the high volume of correspondence. Please see here for answers to commonly asked questions:

 

I am interested in ordering, when will you ship?

We reach out via text message to all live animal buyers within 24 hours of purchase to coordinate shipping. We are happy to ship when it is most convenient for you, however, we must also work around our existing shipping plans and weather. We ship Mon-Weds and can ship to temps as low as 25 degrees. We are happy to hold your order in the event of poor weather, until temps improve. 

 

We made plans for shipping already, can you reassure me that is still the plan?

The plans we made with you regarding shipping are still the same. 

 

I did not get a confirmation email or tracking information, can you help?

Sometimes our emails go to recipients' junk/spam, folders. Please check there. If you did not use the correct email we are unable to send a copy to another email address. 

 

I'm not seeing my tracking has updated yet, what's up?

Shoppe West orders are dropped off by 5PM PST/ 8PM EST.  Please check back after this time.

 

What do you feed your stock? When did you feed last?

We feed our spiders varying size crickets, dubia, wax worms, and red runners. We feed every two weeks. Spiders are often overfed - twice a month is plenty. Their abdomen should not be wider than their carapace. Always have clean water available. 

 

Can I add on to my existing order?

Yes! Just share what it is you would like to add. We can add on as late as the day of shipping. We will share an invoice via email to cover the balance. 

 

Do you have (spider/item) in stock right now?

If you see spiders/items on our listings, they are available for purchase. We do not advertise stock that is sold out. 

 

How much is (spider/item)?

Please refer to our listings for pricing.

 

Why is my shipping cost so high?

We ship live animals via FedEx Priority Overnight. This would often cost upwards of $100 if you were to visit a FedEx and request a similar service. Thanks to our volume, we have negotiated discounted shipping by which we pass savings on to our customers. In fact, we most often lose money on shipping/material costs. Every shipment also includes our LAG, which is essentially insurance on your order built-in. See Terms for more info. 

 

What is your LAG policy?

Please see our T&C page for detailed info.

 

What is a good spider for a beginner?

I love this one because anything I can do to encourage new keepers is fine by me. However, the answer remains consistent - anything Aphonopelma, Avicularia, Brachypelma, or Grammastola would be a great place to start! Furthermore, get something with some size on it! Something 2" plus usually has some of its adult coloration, is hardier and more tolerant of varying conditions, and better for showing off!