Payment

SHIPPING (within the U.S.) : Overnight FedEx shipping is generally about $55 - $ 65) whether the box is empty or full, so larger purchases save on shipping as well. Please contact me for further details.

ADVANCE RESERVATION POLICY FOR OUR BABIES : I take pre-hatching reservations for my rarest, in-high-demand babies. I will record reservations in the order in which I receive them, except that orders for male / female pairs take precedence over odd number orders. Your exact place in line is held once I receive your 25% deposit (up to a maximum of 100.00 deposit per animal).

You may also get in line for animals by simply leaving your name and complete contact numbers with the list of the animals you'd like. I'll then fill your request, if I can, after all deposit customers' orders have been filled first. Those people leaving their money on deposit with me in advance have first priority on choices.

When your animals are ready to ship, I will contact you and ask for the balance of payment within 10 days. Please leave the best telephone numbers for reaching you (unless you've paid in full in advance, in which case I'll hold your animals if you're away on vacation or otherwise distracted when shipping time arrives). Email and / or fax numbers are even better than phone numbers.

I fully expect to produce the animals listed this season. Nothing ever goes 100% as planned. Deposits left with me are non-refundable if you change your mind. PLEASE don't send money unless you're sure about what you want, or are at least willing to take other animals or drygoods I sell instead of a cash refund. I will return your deposit if I fail to produce the animals you wanted originally, but not if you change your mind. I also occasionally sell off adults and sub-adults raised as future breeders - CALL to inquire. I’ll try to keep an inventory of those larger animals on my website, but it may not always be up-to-date.

PAYMENTS : I accept payment by money orders / cashier's checks ( make them payable to 'Kathy Love' ) , or cash, or credit cards using PayPal only. Personal or business checks are also acceptable, but I can’t release any animal or product until at least 10 days have passed after receipt. I only accept VISA & MASTERCARD credit cards for purchases if you go through PayPal on the Internet. Click the banner just below to sign up to use it with me and many other web merchants.

Since I don’t yet have a shopping cart feature (we’re working on that!), just go to www.paypal.com and log onto your account (or open a new, free account if you don’t have one already) and follow the directions below.

Once logged on, choose “send money”. When it asks to whom, type in kathy@cornutopia.com . Be sure there are no misspellings! Then enter in the total cost of the items desired, plus postage, for the grand total to be sent. There are a few choices of postage listed on my site. Choose the one you want (Priority gets there a little more quickly, but costs more, etc. Or, choose the correct international postage if you are not in the U.S.). Once you have added the postage to the cost of the books or other goods, just enter the total amount into your paypal screen, and send it on to me. I will mail the order out just as quickly as I can once I receive it. If you don’t get an email from me within a couple of business days (I am sometimes out of town on weekends), be sure to contact me to make sure the payment went through ok.

IF YOU WANT TO ORDER LIVE ANIMALS, please call or email first, so I can check availability and shipping options for you.

* Please note that PayPal knows me as 'Blue Chameleon Ventures', not 'CornUtopia'.

First off, there is NO guarantee that a corn snake, or any snake, will always be tame and never bite. Corn snakes can and do bite sometimes! It's a harmless scratch like you'd get from a kitten or rose bush, and it can bleed a little. If you want a pet that will never bite, no matter how much you tease, scare or abuse it, click HERE.

Please understand that I work very hard trying to develop "pure" strains of many of my snakes. It takes careful attention to detail, raising large numbers of hatchlings, ruthless culling and a little luck. I get better at predicting appearance each season, but it's still not a 100 % accurate science. In other words, I can't absolutely guarantee that every neonate will be exactly like the parents (or a picture you saw published). I honestly expect them to fit my descriptions, but every year a few don't quite grow up to be perfect "10's". On the other hand, some exceed my highest hopes and get sold off before I see them blossom out fully. That's just my tough luck. Buying babies is always a slight gamble in this respect. As a breeder, I accept this reality when I acquire new stock. That's why I usually buy a group -- to assure that some turn out as nice or nicer than expected. Conversely, I also know that most people expect nothing less than perfection when they order a specimen "sight-unseen", so I offer this additional guarantee: If, after a year, a non-discounted animal that you've purchased from me just doesn't live up to my list description, but is otherwise healthy, I'll buy it back or replace it with a hatchling of the same type from the next year's progeny - your choice! For discounted or wholesale orders, I offer individually tailored guarantees based on order size & discount, shipping method, and other factors.

Furthermore, all of my captive-bred herps purchased at these list prices are guaranteed to arrive alive and in perfect health. Should any kind of problem arise, please speak to me in person on or before 9:00 p.m. on the 7th day after receiving the animal(s) in question to discuss it. After then, I will assume that you are satisfied, that the deal is consummated, and my responsibility for adjustments has ended.

My business is run from my home; it’s not open to the public like a retail shop. I do, however, have guests over only if they call at least a few days in advance and made arrangements with me by telephone.

VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE TAKE NOTE >>>>> Shipping via any method is a long, bumpy ride, and a turbulent and somewhat traumatic experience for animals, especially babies. The best thing you can do upon receiving some is set them up in their new home and leave them alone for a minimum of 3 full days and nights! Sounds a little crazy, right? You want to check them out. You want to show them to friends. You want to see them eat something -- immediately! Try to resist the temptation and instead let them settle down in their new surroundings. Their whole universe has just been changed, and they're nervous. True, they may grab a pinkie without hesitation the moment they arrive, but the stress of it all often catches up with them and may result in regurgitation a day or two later "for no apparent reason". Don't forget, I guarantee them to be voluntary feeders, so you can allow them a 3-day "settling-in period". Many years in the business as a reptile breeder backs this valuable and not-always contemplated piece of advice.

If you've enjoyed my website, please help spread the good word and put a link to me on your website. Use this banner too if you wish. THANKS!

<<< I answer all emails, if I can. If you do not receive an answer, please check your spam filters and make sure my reply can get through. Several emails have been returned as undeliverable recently and I usually have no other way to contact you. Please feel free to call if you would like to discuss your question or email.