I got a DOA in my frog delivery from Underground Reptiles

[Ra]

Is it standard procedure for a company that gives a live arrival gaurantee to replace the animal?
I ordered four frogs from Underground Reptiles, and when they arrived, one of the Ornates was DOA. It was in a sideways deli cup and had been pinned underneath the moss. The moss was soaking wet and very heavy and far outweighed the small quarter sized frog who i can only assume was suffocated by the pressure. The African Bullfrog, of the same size, was also placed in the box in a sideways deli cup and pinned beneath soaking wet moss, but once i moved the moss he was fine.
When I informed them and sent a picture of the dead frog, they told me they would either give me credit for the price of the animal, or send another one with my next order. So in either scenario, if I want what I payed for, I have to order from them again which I am somewhat weary of doing. It all just seems like they have poor shipping procedures, at least with frogs, and half assed customer service. I mean, if not a replacement animal I should at least be issued a refund for the price of the animal right? But again, its still annoying, because when I pay $45 for for shipping, I make sure that the cost and number of the animals Im ordering makes shipping worth it, thats why I ordered four frogs and not three. Now if I want my frog that I already payed for, I have to buy more animals, even though I already have 8 frogs and dont really want any more any time soon.
It makes me sad, because I only ordered from them when I could have ordered from LLLReptile, who I have dealt with before and trust, because I was impressed buy this video about how they ship their critters.
HOW UNDERGROUND REPTILES SHIPS YOUR ANIMALS - YouTube

After I saw this video, I had been talking them up for weeks. Then I made my order and was confident everything would be fine.
They also might have over charged me by not honoring their Kingsnake classified ad price for Ornates, but Im not sure, cause I didnt get an invoice.

What upsets me even further is that I went through an absolute nightmare with Reptile City, who sent my frogs on a Friday through USPS for Monday delivery. I got a DOA Fantasy Frog, and he replaced it free of charge WITHOUT QUESTION, I didnt even have to send a picture, which I was already prepared to do.

So yea, Im a bit upset. I eitehr have to order from them again, which means another $45 shipping charge and ordering animals I really wasnt planning on getting any time in the near future on top of the fact that I feel apprehensive about toward them, or say goodbye to $27.50 and call it a loss.

I dont know what to do.

[Ra]

For one thing, they should have squeezed most of that water out of the moss, for another thing, they shouldn't have set the deli cup into the box sideways for another. They should have made sure the packing paper was in there in a manner that would have prevented the deli cups from moving and they could have used much smaller deli cups.

[sesga]

That is absolutely terrible , bad packaging resulting in a little frog dying . When I eventually get a frog I will have to have it delivered , this story really puts me off .
hope you get it sorted x

[GrifTheGreat]

In the YouTube video he didn't package the animals badly, BUT rotating and tilting the box the animals are in is very stressful. UPS is bad about tilting the packages and causing stress and water spilling. Sometimes you can't blame the seller, but if the container was sideways inside the box then you're most definitely right and it was the sellers fault. If I were you Ra I would complain and get what you paid for. No sense throwing your money away without getting what you paid for.

Also they make moss and substrate extra moist when shipping to make sure the animals don't get too hot and dehydrate. Especially frogs. I've never dealt with that company, but with the packages I've received it isn't uncommon for things to be more wet in the summer.

[ToadPaparazzi]

The African Bullfrog, of the same size, was also placed in the box in a sideways deli cup and pinned beneath soaking wet moss, but once i moved the moss he was fine.

It is very possible that customs or Dept. of Agriculture somewhere along the line inspected the package... Meaning they open it up completely, unpack, inspect, then repack the contents... I had this happen with an order of $500 worth of precious little banded imitator dart frog froglets... When I opened the package (which was clearly labeled with arrows) all of the little cups with frogs were sideways and the frogs were all pinned under the moss... Fortunately, they all survived...

-Christian

[mrzoggs]

Im not sure how much i can say in this section without getting in trouble. Some sites require you to put this stuff in a vendor feedback or testimonials.


Most of underground reptiles frogs are field collected. This being said, look at the thread in testimonials.

http://www.frogforum.net/testimonial...ply-frogs.html

those frogs came from the same source.

I also bought my first 2 frogs from underground reptiles and 1 died within a week. I sent fecals from the one that lived, and Dr Frye's assistant told me that they had the most hookworms she had ever seen in a single fecal examination.

[Ra]

It is very possible that customs or Dept. of Agriculture somewhere along the line inspected the package... Meaning they open it up completely, unpack, inspect, then repack the contents... I had this happen with an order of $500 worth of precious little banded imitator dart frog froglets... When I opened the package (which was clearly labeled with arrows) all of the little cups with frogs were sideways and the frogs were all pinned under the moss... Fortunately, they all survived...

-Christian

No, they admitted it was a new employee that packed it badly

[ToadPaparazzi]

Bummer I think they need to refund you 100%. If their animals are that sketchy and they screwed up, I think they should either send you what you ordered, 100% at their cost (especially if they guarantee live arrival) or refund you 100%! I'd make sure to leave vendor feedback detailing the facts.

-Christian

[Ra]

Turns out I was confused about what they were offering me. They said they would ship another when they get them back in stock, along with any other animals I would be willing to buy, with no shipping charge.
the shipping mishap was clearly a mistake on there part, they shouldnt be packing them in a way that the cups can turn sideways and pin the animals beneath substrate, but they are making right on the mishap.
I will definately order from them again as the other animals received are in great shape, look good and are doing well and eating already.

[Faith]

Sorry to hear about the little one that didn't make it but glad to hear they'll make it right!