Shipping Rates & Policy
Shipping and Delivery Rates
Free Shipping
Free shipping applies to dry goods orders only. Animal and plant shipments are subject to shipping rates based on location and in the case of plant shipments, how many plants are to be shipped. Free shipping is also subject to surcharges for locations not served by regular courier routes and for oversized and heavy items. Heavy items can include substrates, oversized items can include screens and long fluorescent light tubes as examples.
Dry goods/Product Shipping
Tails and Scales ships products across Canada. We now offer multiple carrier shipping and use a number of the most familiar shipping companies in Canada including Fed Ex, UPS, Purolator, Canpar, Dicom/GLS, Loomis and Canada Post. Shipping charges have increased steadily since Covid and we have had to increase some of our shipping charges and minimums to reflect these much higher costs.
Flat Rates
ON, PQ $20.00
MB, SK, AB, BC, NB, NS PE, NF $25.00YT, NT, NU $40.00
All dry goods shipments to PO Boxes will be sent by Canada Post Only no exceptions
Shipping to most of Ontario and Quebec is now a flat rate of $20 with free shipping starting at $150. Surcharges for heavy objects and oversized items will, for most products, be automatic and will be reflected in the listed shipping charge. Some surcharges are courier dependent and may be invoiced after order has been made. Surcharges for distant and rural areas will also be automatic. Some locations that are served by air service only in Northern Ontario and Quebec will have surcharges added as well. You may be contacted if the items are too large or too heavy to ship
Shipping to the rest of Canada except for the Territories is a flat rate of $25 with free shipping starting at $150. Heavy, oversized and rural locations will also see surcharges that can be as mush as double the original shipping rate. We
Shipping to the territories is a flat rate of $40 for most item. Canada Post Flat Rate boxes are the most common option for items that can fit in one of the Flat Rate Boxes with a large box being 40cmx30cmx19xcm and costing $29.99
Enclosure Shipping
With a few exceptions all aquariums and reptile enclosures are in store pick up only. Sizes smaller than 18" x 18" x 24" can be shipped by special request but will have a customized shipping rate due to size and weight. We cannot have a flat rate for these as destination is a big factor in determining shipping rate. Large terrariums can be shipped by LTL trucking but will incur a number of different surcharges including a fee to pickup and drop off pallet with a lift gate.
Other Shipping Notes
Shipping outside Canada is possible. Please send a list of what you need and your full address by email so we can determine cost and send you a quote.
We cannot ship frozen fish foods or frozen rodents. They are for local delivery or pick up or in store shopping only. There are some exceptions for areas in southern Ontario that could qualify for overnight courier economy shipping.
Animal Shipping
Animal shipping does not qualify for free shipping at $150. Animal shipments go out on Monday or Tuesday. Shipments can go out on Wednesday on rare occasions for shipments going to some Ontario addresses. We cannot ship out on Thursday or Friday
Animal shipping rates are as follows.
Address must be a physical address as we cannot ship animals to P.O. Boxes. We also require that a signature be collected by the courier. You will be contacted before shipping to make sure you are home. We will not ship until this is verified.
ON, PQ $65. Postal codes that start with P and a number that start with G or J will see a $10 to $30 surcharge. Locations must be served directly by Fed Ex to qualify for animal shipping.
NF, PE, NS, NB, MA, SK, AB, BC $85 with some rural locations seeing $10 to $30 surcharge. Location must be served by Fed Ex to qualify for animal shipping.
NU, NT, YT $200 with some rural locations seeing $10 to $20 surcharge or more. Location must be served by Fed Ex to qualify for animal shipping and must not be out of Fed Ex's normally delivery zones. The rate for the territories is only a guideline. Some destinations may not be served and we reserve the right to refuse shipping if the time in transit is too long. Shipping may have to be by air freight
USA $100 CAD ($75 USD +-) shipping to the US is now possible for most non-CITES animals. We will be making regular runs to the US to ship out orders to our American customers hopefully every 4 to 6 weeks. Contact the shop for details. If you have an animal in your cart and says that it cannot be shipped it is because we can't ship that species at this time.
Plant Shipping
Please click on the link to see plant shipping policies
Winter Shipping
Delivery
Tails & Scales offers local delivery within the GTA. Rates are $15.00 for Toronto and $20.00 outside the City If the local delivery option shows up in the checkout of your order then the service is available to your address.
Local delivery is handled by a third party delivery company. Please specify a day you will be home. If we don't have a specified day we will send out the same day or next day whichever is available to us. If a delivery goes out and you are not home to accept then you may be billed for the return of the delivery. Deliveries can also be left at a spot you chose and a photo will be taken on delivery. Please let us know if you do not need a signature on arrival. To get same day delivery, weather permitting, orders need to be in by 12:00 pm
There are no refunds on delivery or shipping charges.