SpringtailsCulture
Policies
Terms &
Conditions
The terms under which we sell live springtail cultures — written plainly, without unnecessary legal complexity. Please read before placing your first order.
Last updated: April 2026
Plain language summary: By placing an order with Springtails Culture, you agree to these terms. We sell live animals — all sales are final, backed by our live arrival guarantee. We describe our products honestly. You pay at checkout. We ship Mon–Wed via USPS, FedEx, or UPS. All content on this site belongs to us. We’re based in New Baden, Illinois and Illinois law governs any disputes.
1. Agreement to Terms
1.1
These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of the Springtails Culture website located at springtailsculture.shop and any purchase you make from us. By accessing our website or placing an order, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms.
1.2
Springtails Culture is operated by a sole proprietor based at 501 Joyce Lane, New Baden, Illinois 62265, United States. References to “we,” “us,” or “our” throughout these Terms refer to Springtails Culture.
1.3
We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. The date of the most recent revision is shown at the top of this page. Continued use of the website or placing of orders after a revision constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
1.4
If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our website or place an order. If you have questions about any of these Terms before ordering, please contact us and we will be happy to clarify.
2. Products & Descriptions
2.1
We make every reasonable effort to accurately describe all products listed on our website, including species identification, quantity, care requirements, and visual appearance. All product descriptions are written in good faith based on our in-house breeding knowledge and available scientific literature.
2.2
Quantity estimates: Springtail quantities are counted by estimation. All stated quantities are approximate — cultures may vary slightly above or below the listed count. We aim to be accurate and err on the side of generosity, but live animal counts cannot be guaranteed to exact numbers.
2.3
Species identification: Where scientific names are listed, they reflect our best current identification based on available sources. Where taxonomy is uncertain or actively debated in the scientific literature, we note this honestly in the product description. We do not knowingly misidentify species.
2.4
Colour and appearance: Product photos and descriptions represent typical specimens from our cultures. Natural variation exists within any live animal culture — individual animals may vary slightly in size, colouration, or patterning from images shown.
2.5
We reserve the right to discontinue any product, adjust pricing, or update product descriptions at any time without prior notice. Price changes do not affect orders already confirmed and paid.
Stock availability: All products are subject to availability. If a species you have ordered becomes unavailable after payment, we will contact you immediately to offer an alternative, a store credit, or a full refund.
3. Orders & Pricing
3.1
By placing an order through our website, you are making an offer to purchase the listed products at the listed price. Your order is confirmed when you receive an order confirmation email from us. We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any order at our discretion.
3.2
All prices are listed in US Dollars (USD) and are inclusive of any applicable product taxes unless otherwise stated. Shipping costs are calculated at checkout and displayed before payment is completed.
3.3
Order cancellation by buyer: If you need to cancel an order, contact us immediately after placing it. We pack and prepare orders quickly — if your order has already been prepared for shipping, cancellation may not be possible. Once a live animal order has shipped, it cannot be cancelled or refunded.
3.4
Order cancellation by us: We reserve the right to cancel any order due to stock unavailability, pricing errors, suspected fraudulent activity, or shipping restrictions to your location. In such cases, a full refund will be issued promptly.
3.5
International orders: It is the buyer’s sole responsibility to verify that importing live springtails is legal in their country before placing an order. We ship in good faith — we are not responsible for orders detained, confiscated, or destroyed by customs authorities.
4. Payment
4.1
Payment is due in full at the time of ordering. We accept all major credit and debit cards, PayPal, and any other payment methods displayed at checkout. All transactions are processed securely through our payment processor — we do not store your full payment card details on our servers.
4.2
By submitting payment, you confirm that you are authorised to use the payment method provided and that the billing information you have entered is accurate and complete.
4.3
Failed payments: If your payment fails or is declined, your order will not be processed. Please contact your payment provider or try an alternative payment method. We are not responsible for any fees or charges imposed by your bank or payment provider.
4.4
Chargebacks: If you initiate a chargeback or payment dispute without first contacting us to resolve the issue, we reserve the right to contest the chargeback and provide relevant order and correspondence records to our payment processor. We always prefer to resolve issues directly — please contact us first.
4.5
International payments: Your bank or card provider may apply foreign transaction fees for international purchases. These fees are outside our control and are the buyer’s responsibility.
5. Shipping & Delivery
5.1
We ship live cultures via USPS, FedEx, and UPS — available for both domestic US and international orders at your preference. Your chosen carrier and service level are selected at checkout.
5.2
We ship live cultures on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday only to avoid weekend transit. Orders placed after Wednesday will be held and shipped the following Monday. You will be notified by email if your order is held.
5.3
Estimated transit times are provided by the carrier and are not guaranteed. Delays caused by the carrier, weather events, customs processing, or other circumstances outside our control do not constitute a breach of these Terms.
5.4
It is the buyer’s responsibility to provide an accurate and complete delivery address at checkout. We are not responsible for orders delivered to an incorrect address due to buyer error, or for orders that are undeliverable due to address issues.
5.5
Weather holds: We monitor weather conditions along transit routes and may hold orders during periods of extreme heat or cold to protect live animals. We will always notify you if your order is held and provide an expected new ship date.
5.6
For full shipping details including carrier options, domestic and international policies, and packaging information, please review our Shipping Policy.
6. Live Animal Sales & Guarantee
6.1
All sales of live animals are final. We do not accept returns of live cultures under any circumstances. This is standard practice in the live animal industry and is consistent with animal welfare best practice.
6.2
Every live animal order is backed by our live arrival guarantee. If your cultures arrive dead or inactive and do not recover within 4 hours of room temperature acclimation, we will reship your order at no cost. Claims must be submitted within 24 hours of confirmed delivery with photographic or video evidence.
6.3
We do not offer cash refunds for live animal orders. Our sole remedy for orders that do not meet our live arrival guarantee is a reship of the same species and quantity. One reship is provided per original order.
6.4
Buyer responsibility after delivery: Once your cultures are confirmed delivered and in your possession, their ongoing health and survival is your responsibility. We provide care sheets and extensive care guidance on our website — we are not liable for colony decline resulting from incorrect care, unsuitable substrate, or inappropriate enclosure conditions.
6.5
Import compliance: Buyers are solely responsible for ensuring that importing live springtails is permitted in their jurisdiction. We are not liable for any loss arising from customs confiscation, import prohibition, or regulatory non-compliance.
By completing your purchase, you confirm that you have read and understood our live animal sales policy, live arrival guarantee, and refund and returns policy — and that you accept these terms as a condition of your purchase.
For full details, please review our Refund & Returns Policy.
7. Intellectual Property
7.1
All content on the Springtails Culture website — including but not limited to product descriptions, photography, written guides, blog posts, species care sheets, brand name, logo, and visual design — is the property of Springtails Culture and is protected by applicable copyright and intellectual property law.
7.2
You may not copy, reproduce, republish, distribute, or use any content from this website for commercial purposes without our prior written permission. Personal, non-commercial use (such as saving a care sheet for your own reference) is permitted.
7.3
Product descriptions on this website represent significant original work and research. Reproduction of our product listings — in whole or in substantial part — on other commercial websites or platforms without permission constitutes copyright infringement and will be pursued accordingly.
7.4
If you wish to reference, cite, or link to content from this website, please contact us — we are generally supportive of educational sharing and will grant permission for non-commercial use in most cases.
8. Limitation of Liability
8.1
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Springtails Culture shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your purchase or use of our products — including but not limited to loss of livestock, enclosure damage, or financial loss resulting from culture failure after confirmed delivery.
8.2
Our total liability to you for any claim arising from a purchase shall not exceed the amount you paid for the order giving rise to the claim. Our live arrival guarantee reship is provided in full satisfaction of any such claim.
8.3
We are not liable for any harm, loss, or damage arising from your failure to follow the care guidance provided with your cultures, or from use of our products in a manner inconsistent with our published care recommendations.
8.4
We are not liable for delays, losses, or damage caused by third-party shipping carriers, customs authorities, weather events, or other circumstances outside our reasonable control.
8.5
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.
9. Acceptable Use
9.1
You agree to use our website and products only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to use our website in any way that is unlawful, harmful, fraudulent, or that infringes the rights of others.
9.2
You agree not to attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of our website, server, or database; to introduce malicious code or software; or to interfere with the normal operation of our website or store.
9.3
You agree to use our products in compliance with all applicable local, state, national, and international laws and regulations — including any laws governing the keeping, import, or transport of live invertebrates in your jurisdiction.
9.4
We reserve the right to refuse service, cancel orders, or terminate access to our website for any buyer who violates these Terms or who engages in abusive, threatening, or fraudulent behaviour toward us or our business.
10. Governing Law & Disputes
10.1
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles.
10.2
Any dispute arising from these Terms or your purchase from Springtails Culture shall first be attempted to be resolved through good faith negotiation. Please contact us directly — we are a solo-run business and genuinely want to resolve any issue fairly and quickly.
10.3
If a dispute cannot be resolved through direct negotiation, it shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Clinton County, Illinois. By using our website and placing orders, you consent to this jurisdiction.
10.4
If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid under applicable law, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or severed if modification is not possible — and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
10.5
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, Shipping Policy, and Refund & Returns Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Springtails Culture regarding your use of our website and purchase of our products.
Questions about these Terms? We’re a solo operation — contact us directly and we’ll give you a straight answer. We wrote these Terms to be understood, not to obscure. Get in touch here.
Questions about our terms?
Straight answers from the person who runs this business — based in New Baden, Illinois.