BackwaterReptiles.com FAQ
Reptile FAQ
Please peruse our in-depth FAQ for the answers to our most commonly received questions. Click the questions below to jump to the answer.

Q: Why should I buy from Backwater Reptiles? 

A: Here are the top six reasons you should purchase from us:

1.) We are A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau, and have a 4.9 out of 5.0 customer review rating on the BBB website.
2.) Our prices are the absolute
lowest in the reptile industry.
3.) Our customer service response times are without question the
best in the reptile industry.
4.) We offer a conditional live arrival
and seven day guarantee on all animals.
5.) We plant one native tree on Madagascar for each and every order placed.
6.) Our website is 100% verified and secure with state-of-the-art SSL encrypting technology, malware protection, and anti-virus, so payments and browsing are both extremely safe.

Q: Can I meet your support team? 

A: Meet our support and marketing team on the About Us page.


Q: Are you a member of any organizations? 

A: Yes, absolutely. We are contributing members of the International Reptile Conservation Foundation (IRCF), which does exceptional work saving rare reptile species around the world.

We are also
Gold members (and on the Policy Advisory Panel) of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK). It's extraordinarily important that we support their efforts to protect and defend our right to keep reptiles and amphibians. We encourage all reptile hobbyists to join USARK, contribute to USARK, or both.


Q: What is your live arrival and extended seven day guarantee? 

A: Read details about our industry best guarantee here for more information.


Q: What are the terms and conditions of your orders? 

A: Read the details here.


Q: Do you have any available care sheets or reptile-related articles? 

A: Yes, we have written care sheets and articles for a variety of reptiles and amphibians. Currently, we have the following available:

Black Roughneck Monitor care sheet
Children's Python care sheet
Sudan Plated lizard care sheet
Green iguana care sheet
Leopard gecko care sheet
Green anole care sheet
Fire Bellied toad care sheet
Pacman frog care sheet
Axolotl care sheet
Box turtle care sheet
Chameleon care sheet
How to tame a lizard
What do turtles eat?


Q: If I order today, when will my animal(s) arrive? 

A: We have a page that details our shipping policy. Below you will find our shipping schedule:

Feeder geckos for sale

Q: Do you have a phone number? 

A: Yes, if you have order questions please contact us at (916) 740-9758. We do respond to E-mail quite quickly as well.


Q: What reptile calcium supplement should I use? 

A: Miner-All by Sticky Tongue Farms has yielded the best results of all the reptile and amphibian calcium supplements we've tried over the years. It's the only human grade calcium powder for reptiles, there's nothing better. Whatever you do, don't buy oyster shell-based calcium supplements—Rep Cal, for example—oyster shell has been shown to contain mercury, lead, arsenic, and other toxic heavy metals by scientific studies.

Their Vit-All insect and rodent gut load is excellent as well, used by many of the top breeders in the nation.


Q: Do you ship internationally? 

A: While we are licensed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife to import and export internationally, we primarily ship to the US only, but we can ship larger orders internationally if you have the proper CITES licensing and permits. Exporting is most easily done with non-CITES animals.


Q: Have you written any other reptile or amphibian-related articles? 

A: Yes, we wrote an article on how to tame a lizard based upon our extensive experience, as well as an article entitled what do turtles eat?


Q: Do you sell wholesale? 

A: Yes, we offer wholesale reptiles for sale to pet stores, universities, colleges, zoos, and research facilities.

Q: Do you have a mailing address? 

A: Yes, mail can be sent to the following address:

Backwater Reptiles, Inc.
6700 N. Linder Road
Unit 156-235
Meridian, ID 83646

Q: How often does your animal stock change? How do I know when new animals arrive? 

A: Our inventory of available animals always changes weekly. The best way to stay abreast of new arrivals and updates is to sign up for our e-mail newsletter (below).

Q: Do you use heat pack or cold packs? 

A: Yes, if the weather is expected to be a bit on the warm or cold side, we absolutely use these packs to help protect the animal(s) at no additional charge.


Q: What payment types do you accept? 

A: We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and of course Paypal. If you would prefer to mail a money order, you can mail it to the address listed above. We also accept purchase orders from colleges and universities.


Q: How do I know my credit card information is protected? 

A: Our payment processor uses state-of-the-art SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology to make certain your personal information is 100% secure. Our site is tested daily by remote security technology software.


Q: Why can't you guarantee the sex of the animal(s)? 

A: Babies are usually impossible to sex accurately (with the exception of snakes). Determining the gender of juvenile animals is at times difficult, but not impossible. Adult animals are much easier to delineate, but still not 100% (again, with the exception of snakes). We have experts making the call, but we still cannot absolutely guarantee the results.


Q: Is the animal in the picture the actual animal I will receive? 

A: No, the pictures on this website are purely representative of the species you are purchasing. Our inventory of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates changes too quickly to allow us the opportunity to take individual pictures and update the website.


Q: Who owns the BackwaterReptiles.com website? 

A: The entire BackwaterReptiles.com website is wholly owned and operated by Backwater Reptiles, Inc.


Q: Do you purchase reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates from the general public? 

A: Absolutely! We are always looking for legally collected reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates from folks. Please contact us to let us know what quantities and species you have available. You can also purchase heavily discounted pre-certified live reptile shipping labels.


Q: Do you really plant one native tree in Madagascar for every order placed? 

A: YES! We have a single native tree planted in Madagascar for every single order placed on our website, regardless of the dollar value. Did you know that 90% of all plants and animals found on Madagascar are found no where else in the world? Below is the logo designed specifically to promote our ongoing campaign to preserve this one-of-a-kind island.

Backwater Reptiles Madagascar tree promotion





  • Why buy reptiles?

    We offer exotic reptiles for sale online at absolute rock-bottom prices, which means we make these fascinating animals available to you affordably as pets, or even to start your own reptile breeding project. We are reptile enthusiasts who believe captive breeding is integral to the future of the market, as it not only helps protect wild herp populations, but is an incredibly rewarding experience that tends to intensify one's passion for these amazing prehistoric creatures. Whether you buy a snake, lizard, turtle, tortoise, or alligator, we are driven to provide the highest quality live reptiles for sale.

  • Why buy amphibians?

    Amphibians are generally slower-moving, and have uniquely moist skin which means they are never far from a source of water. Their life cycle is nothing short of incredible: they hatch in water, spend weeks or months in metamorphosis, then become either terrestrial or remain primarily water bound. Some salamanders even breathe through their skin! Our live amphibians for sale online include frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. Some are huge, some are small, and virtually all are amazing to observe in captivity. When you buy amphibians from us, you can rest assured they are fully guaranteed to arrive alive and in great condition. Why not start an amphibian breeding project today?

  • Why buy feeder insects?

    Reptile and amphibian food should be varied, which is why we offer an array of feeder insects for sale. It's always far more cost effective to buy feeder insects in bulk, which often saves up to 70% off pet store prices. Plus, the feeders are delivered right to your doorstep. We offer live crickets for sale, as well as mealworms, wax worms, nightcrawlers, and now even lizards, all at the lowest possible prices. Our reptile and amphibian feeder insects and lizards include a guarantee of live arrival.

Why buy our reptiles?

We offer exotic reptiles for sale online at absolute rock-bottom prices, which means we make these fascinating animals available to you affordably as pets, or even to start your own reptile breeding project. We are reptile enthusiasts who believe captive breeding is integral to the future of the market, as it not only helps protect wild herp populations, but is an incredibly rewarding experience that tends to intensify one's passion for these amazing prehistoric creatures. Whether you buy a snake, lizard, turtle, tortoise, or alligator, we are driven to provide the highest quality live reptiles for sale.

Why buy our amphibians?

Amphibians are generally slower-moving than reptiles, and have uniquely moist skin which means they are never far from a source of water. Their life cycle is nothing short of incredible: they hatch in water, spend weeks or months in metamorphosis, then become either terrestrial or remain primarily water bound. Some salamanders even breathe through their skin! Our live amphibians for sale online include frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. Some are huge, some are small, and virtually all are amazing to observe in captivity. When you buy amphibians from us, you can rest assured they are fully guaranteed to arrive alive and in great condition. Why not start an amphibian breeding project today?

Why buy our reptile feeders?

Reptile and amphibian food should be varied, which is why we offer an array of feeder insects for sale. It's always far more cost effective to buy feeder insects in bulk, which often saves up to 70% off pet store prices. Plus, the feeders are delivered right to your doorstep. We offer live crickets for sale, as well as dubia roaches, mealworms, wax worms, nightcrawlers, and now even lizards, all at the lowest possible prices. Our reptile and amphibian feeder insects and lizards include a guarantee of live arrival.

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