FAQ

Hello and welcome to our frequently asked questions page!
We have compiled a list of our most commonly asked questions over the years and hope this will help answer any questions you currently have.
If you do not see an example of the inquiry you have on this page, feel free to e-mail us at info@iso-flora.com or support@iso-flora.com. 

Shipping Questions

 

When will my order be shipped?

We put together an incredibly detailed Shipping Schedule page, which highlights shipping days, holidays we will not be shipping on, USPS/UPS outbound charts, along with temperature requirements. If you still need any help or simply want to confirm which day your order will be going out, you can e-mail us here.

I noticed a delay via the shipping carrier, will my isopods be safe?

Shipping and transit delays of course can happen. Though this is out of our control, we made sure your little ones will be prepared. Each culture is packed with enough food and hydration to last well over a week, as well as 1-2 extra isopods just in case one doesn't make the trip, guaranteeing you the amount of isopods you purchased.
Often when delays happen, the package is being held in a temperature-controlled environment, posing no risk to the little guys.
However we do encourage you to notify us of any delay seen or if your package arrives in any state of concern. We will work with you to ensure your order gets to you safely, or help come to a resolution.*
*Orders shipped without our Live Arrival Guarantee are an exception, though we will still work to get an answer for when your order will arrive. 

Can I place an order now and have it shipped at a later date?

Yes. You can do this before/after placing your order. Just contact us to give us the heads up and we can customize an internal note on your order and ship whenever you please.

How do I know if it's too hot/cold outside to place an order?

You can refer to either our Live Arrival Guarantee Page or Shipping Schedule; both pages have a detailed guide on when it's safe to ship. 

Can I switch to a different shipping option after I've placed my order?

Yes, but please do it swiftly so we can ensure to correct this in time for you.  Just contact us with your order number (or the first and last name on the order) and which shipping option you need it fixed to, and we can adjust it for you and invoice you to collect payment if any is needed.

How do I have my package held for pickup?

Contact us here with the order number (or the name you placed the order under) in the subject line and let us know you would like to have your order held for pickup.

We will work with you to select the fastest and most affordable shipping carrier, and have it held for pickup at the closest available location to you.

To find the closest location to you:
FEDEX  – Use this link and type in your zip code. Select Hold/Pickup under the filter section. You should be provided with a list of FedEx certified hold locations on the left. You will be options pop up for retailers such as Walgreens, Duane Reade, etc., but we highly suggest going with an official FedEx Office Print & Ship Center if possible. (No judgement if the retailers are more convenient for you!)
UPS – Use this link and select your state, and then your town. You will see all UPS certified access points populate beneath.
USPS - Use this link and type in your zip code, select Post Office for 'location type', and hit 'search.' You will see all official USPS locations populate beneath.

What holidays will you not be shipping?

OUR 2024 HOLIDAY SHIPPING SCHEDULE
JANUARY
15th - Martin Luther King Jr Day
FEBRUARY
19th - President's Day
MARCH
Shipping All Month
APRIL
Shipping All Month
MAY
27th - Memorial Day
JUNE
19th - Juneteenth
JULY
4th - Independence Day
AUGUST
Shipping All Month
SEPTEMBER
2nd - Labor Day
OCTOBER
14th - Indigenous Peoples' Day (Columbus Day)
NOVEMBER
11th - Veterans Day
28th - Thanksgiving
DECEMBER
17th - 31st No Shipments. 

   

Policy/Package Questions

 

My order has arrived, but I see very little movement, or appear to be deceased. What do I do?

After confirming your order qualified for our Live Arrival Guarantee, take photos, as up close and clear as you can.
You can either text these photos along with a photo of your invoice sheet to 201-834-6024, or e-mail them to us.
Any possible DOA needs to be reported within 1 hour of the mail carrier's timestamped arrival.
For orders that were held for pickup, any possible DOA needs to have been picked up within 24 hours of the pickup location's timestamped package arrival, and be reported within the hour after your receipt of the package.
If the package was delivered to your home/business and temperatures were outside of 40-80º in your area a the time of delivery, we cannot process your order as a DOA claim for a refund/re-ship.

What is this weird gel pack in my package, and why isn't it cold/warm?

That would be a Phase 22 pack, better known as a Cryopak. It's a gel pack that will change phases, depending on the exposed temperature. Clear for exposure to warmth, solid for exposure to cold. It will feel neither hot or cold, but will work to maintain the temperature exposed to your isopods to stay between 60-85º.
You can also return it to us for a $10.00 Gift Card!

 

 

Order Questions

 

Can I add something to my order after I've placed it?

Absolutely you can, as long as we haven't shipped it yet of course. Just contact us with your order number (or the first and last name on the order) and what you would like added to it, and we can add it for you and invoice you to collect payment.
You can also place a second order and request a refund on the shipping on the second order.*
*Exceptions will be if the physical weight of the additional products exceeds an amount that may warrant a higher shipping cost.

 

Do you offer isopods in bulk/wholesale?

Yes. You can send us an e-mail and request a wholesale form to fill out for your business, whether it's a small personal business or a full-sized retail location. After it's completed and verified, you will be added to our weekly wholesale mailing list that goes out every Monday morning at 8AM EST.
Please include any additional e-mails you would like added to the mailing list in your e-mail.

 

Product Questions

 

There is a product that is out of stock in a lower quantity, but available in a higher quantity. Why is this?

We can have this fixed for you! It's likely the lower quantity sold out the same day you noticed this mistake, as we update our quantities on a near-daily basis. You can either use the "NOTIFY ME WHEN AVAILABLE" button on that product's page, which triggers an alert to us every morning around 6AM EST that you've requested it, or you can contact us directly to make it available.

What is the difference between ordering my springtails on substrate/charcoal/clay?

A pro and con list may be warranted as the most helpful answer here!
SUBSTRATE PROS - Pink Springtails breed spectacularly well on this medium. You can keep the  culture to the side to allow them to keep breeding and take as you need for your setups.
SUBSTRATE CONS - Many of the springtails will be burrowed and not visible. Not available for our temperate white springtails as they hide so well, that we receive complaints that none are believed to be in there.
CHARCOAL PROS - White Springtails breed spectacularly well on this medium. You can keep this  culture to the side to allow them to keep breeding and take as you need for your setups.
CHARCOAL CONS - The culture will need 1-2 weeks to establish itself again after transit. Most adults will perish in transit from the shuffling of charcoal. If you do not follow the instructions to add 1-2 tablespoons of water upon their receipt, the culture will be rendered useless in less than a week.
CLAY PROS - All springtails visible. All springtail species breed spectacularly well on this medium. You can keep the culture to the side to allow them to keep breeding and take as you need for your setups.
CLAY CONS - Risky to ship in temperatures under 55º when a heat pack is needed, as it will likely melt the clay and kill the springtails in transit.

Which isopods/springtails should I be purchasing?

Here is a directory of all of the sources we have put together to help you decide!
Take our Isopod Quiz!
Refer to our Isopod Selection Guide.
Refer to our Choosing Your Isopods page, which has a color-coded chart.
Refer to our Pet Specific Pods page, if you are planning to keep them with a pet.

What are the 6/10/25/100-Expo options available on some of the isopods?

These are the cultures that were leftover from a recent expo that we mark down in price as part of our After-Expo Sale. Every time we vend an expo, we post what we had left as early as the night of the expo, and keep everything in stock until all are sold through.
If the After-Expo Sale page is empty, don't fret! You can sign up for our Bi-Weekly Newsletter to be alerted right before the next sale goes live!

 

Isopod Care Questions

 

What should I be feeding my isopods?

This answer is entirely dependent on the species in question here on what they will prefer most, so you can reach us here and ask directly!
All species of isopods tend to enjoy leaf litter, snake shed, fruits, vegetables, algae wafers, rotted wood, moss, freeze dried minnows, and fish flakes, plants, and fungi grown from bioactive substrate.

Do my isopods need heat?

One of the wonderful conveniences that isopods bring to us as keepers is that they require absolutely no heat source to survive. You can always add heat tape to your enclosure/bin if you’d like to see a faster breeding rate, but even then it’s still unnecessary for most isopod species.

Do my isopods need light?

Not at all! To be honest, nearly all species of isopod will appreciate a dark place to hide. Though there are some species like P. laevis and A. maculatum that I’ve seen be entirely fearless of sudden light pouring into their home, making them neat display pets.

How often will my isopods molt?

The frequency at which your isopod will molt will depend on its current stage in its life cycle; the older it gets, the less frequent it will molt. The process of molting can sometimes take up 2 days, losing one half of their molt 'shell,' and the other half at a later time. To give an idea of how often it will molt, a juvenile isopod will molt once every few weeks.

Can I feed reptile/snake shed to my isopods?

Absolutely! Protein hungry species such as Porcellio species will absolutely love devouring any snake shed you provide them.
However, if you decide to house any of these species with your snake to be an immediate shed cleaner, your best bet is to stick to P. laevis and P. scaber. These guys are not as protein driven and will leave your snake along as long as you provide them a constant adequate protein source. They surely won’t survive if their only food opportunities are dependent on your snake’s next shed.
For smaller snakes such as Hognose and Corn Snakes, you can easily house P. pruinosus, as they will also devour snake shed without issue. The reason I don’t recommend them for larger snakes is because I’ve watched my Powder Oranges struggle to break down my adult Carpet Python’s belly scales, messily scattering them throughout her enclosure, leaving me with the tedious task of picking them all out.