Backwater Reptiles
Backwater Reptiles, Inc. is a privately held, online-only U.S. retailer selling over 500 species of live reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, scorpions, and feeder insects directly to consumers, hobbyists, educational institutions, and zoos via flat-rate overnight shipping.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersMeridian, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Backwater Reptiles firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Backwater Reptiles
- Legal name
- Backwater Reptiles, Inc.
- Website
- https://backwaterreptiles.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Backwater Reptiles, Inc. is a privately held, online-only U.S. retailer selling over 500 species of live reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, scorpions, and feeder insects directly to consumers, hobbyists, educational institutions, and zoos via flat-rate overnight shipping.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Backwater Reptiles industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Exotic Pet Retail
- NAICS
- Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)
- SIC
- Retail-Miscellaneous Retail (5900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reptile & Amphibian Food (CRADAFAM)
Keywords
Where Backwater Reptiles is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Meridian
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Backwater Reptiles business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Live Animal Sales: One-time purchase revenue from selling reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, scorpions, and feeders directly to consumers via e-commerce. Prices range from under $25 to over $4,000 depending on species and size.
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations of $25, $50, $75, and $100 that can be applied to any purchase on the website.
- Extended Guarantees: Optional 30-day extended guarantee add-on available for $7.99 to $19.99 on select animals, providing additional coverage beyond the standard 7-day guarantee.
- Shipping: Flat-rate overnight shipping at $54.99 per order for live animals. Some products like Green Iguanas and Savannah Monitors are listed at $44.99 shipping.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard animal pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift cards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Shipping fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Backwater Reptiles product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Backwater Reptiles sells live captive-bred and imported reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, scorpions, and feeder insects directly to consumers through an online-only e-commerce storefront, shipping orders overnight via FedEx within the continental United States. The assortment spans more than 500 species — including Ball Pythons, Corn Snakes, Boas, Bearded Dragons, Leopard Geckos, Veiled Chameleons, Green Iguanas, Savannah Monitors, Blue Tongue Skinks, Sulcata Tortoises, Yellow-Bellied Sliders, Axolotls, Red Eye Tree Frogs, Whites Tree Frogs, Gooty Sapphire and Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantulas, and bulk feeder insects (crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, wax worms, nightcrawlers) — each backed by an ironclad live arrival guarantee plus an optional seven-day extended guarantee.
Product overview
Backwater Reptiles is an online-only e-commerce platform selling live reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, scorpions, and feeder insects directly to consumers. The core product is a curated selection of over 500 species of exotic animals including snakes (Ball Pythons, Corn Snakes, Boas, Kingsnakes, Rat Snakes, Milk Snakes, Garter Snakes, Pythons), lizards (Leopard Geckos, Bearded Dragons, Veiled Chameleons, Green Iguanas, Savannah Monitors, Blue Tongue Skinks), turtles and tortoises (Yellow Bellied Sliders, Sulcata Tortoises), salamanders and newts (Axolotls, Tiger Salamanders), frogs (Red Eye Tree Frogs, Whites Tree Frogs, Waxy Monkey Tree Frogs), tarantulas (Gooty Sapphire, Goliath Bird Eating, Mexican Redknee), and scorpions. The platform operates as a unified e-commerce store with flat-rate overnight shipping and gift card offerings. Key service differentiators include a live arrival guarantee (sub-1.4% DOA rate), seven-day extended guarantee, free heat/cold packs, and A+ BBB rating. They offer over 500 species from around the world with prices claimed to be the absolute lowest in the reptile industry.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Snakes for Sale Live pet snakes (Ball Pythons, Corn Snakes, Boas, Kingsnakes, Pythons, Rat Snakes, Milk Snakes, Garter Snakes) sold to hobbyists, educational institutions, and zoological buyers as captive-bred or responsibly imported specimens.
- Lizards for Sale Live pet lizards (Bearded Dragons, Leopard Geckos, Veiled Chameleons, Green Iguanas, Savannah Monitors, Blue Tongue Skinks, and others) sold to hobbyists and institutional buyers with the standard live arrival guarantee.
- Turtles for Sale Live aquatic turtles such as Yellow-Bellied Slider turtles (Trachemys scripta) sold as captive-bred pet reptiles that enjoy basking and swimming.
- Tortoises for Sale Live tortoises including captive-bred Sulcata Tortoises (Geochelone sulcata), African spurred tortoises known for docile personalities and fast growth, sold as pets.
- Salamanders for Sale Live salamanders and newts including Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) in multiple color varieties and Tiger Salamanders, sold as fully aquatic amphibians for hobbyists and educators.
- Frogs for Sale Live frogs including Blue Eyed White's Tree Frogs, White's Tree Frogs, Red Eye Tree Frogs, Waxy Monkey Tree Frogs, and Pacman Frogs, sold as captive-bred amphibians with the live arrival guarantee.
- Toads for Sale Live toads sold as captive-bred amphibians with the standard live arrival guarantee.
- Tarantulas for Sale Live tarantulas including Gooty Sapphire Ornamentals (Poecilotheria metallica), Goliath Bird-Eating (Theraphosa blondi), and Mexican Redknee (Brachypelma smithi) sold as captive-bred arachnids.
- Scorpions for Sale Live scorpions sold as captive-bred exotic invertebrates with the standard live arrival guarantee.
- Feeder Insects for Sale Bulk feeder insects — live crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, wax worms, and nightcrawlers — delivered with a live arrival guarantee at up to 70% below typical pet store prices with free shipping.
- Feeder Lizards for Sale Feeder lizards sold for reptile and amphibian food, delivered with a live arrival guarantee.
- Backwater Reptiles Gift Cards Digital gift cards redeemable on any live animal, feeder insect, or supply purchase on the Backwater Reptiles website.
- Live Arrival Guarantee with 7-Day Extended Guarantee Service-level guarantee included with every live animal order, providing a live arrival promise plus a seven-day extended coverage period on all reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, scorpions, and feeders, with an optional 30-day add-on.
- Overnight Shipping Service Flat-rate FedEx overnight delivery service for live animals at $54.99 per order regardless of quantity, weight, or species, including free heat or cold packs and signature-required delivery.
Quantifiable outcome
- Less than 1.4% DOA rate
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Backwater Reptiles
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Backwater Reptiles technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Backwater Reptiles partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- International Reptile Conservation Foundation (IRCF)coreContributing member of IRCF, which does exceptional work saving rare reptile species around the world. Demonstrates commitment to reptile conservation and industry advocacy.
- United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK)coreGold member ($1,000+ donation level) and member of USARK's Policy Advisory Panel. Supports efforts to protect and defend the right to keep reptiles and amphibians. Company encourages customers to join and contribute.
- The Frog RanchminorSupplier of Australian genetic White's tree frogs and related morphs. Frogs sourced from this partner are noted as having unparalleled genetics compared to Indonesian stock.
- Sticky Tongue Farms (Miner-All)minorRecommended supplier of Miner-All calcium supplements and Vit-All gut load products. Company states these are the best reptile/amphibian supplements they've tried.
- ZoologicalShipping.comminorProvides pre-certified live reptile shipping labels. Company offers these discounted labels to customers who wish to sell reptiles back to Backwater Reptiles.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Backwater Reptiles competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- PetSmart: Largest US specialty pet retailer with broad assortment across dogs, cats, fish, birds, and reptiles (including live animal sales in many stores). Sets the price and assortment benchmark Backwater competes against on commodity reptiles and feeder insects.
- Chewy: Leading US online pet retailer for supplies, food, and small pets with growing live-fish and reptile categories. Comparable as a scale e-commerce operator with Autoship subscription economics that Backwater could emulate for its feeder-insect line.
Direct peers
- MorphMarket: Online marketplace for captive-bred reptiles, amphibians, and feeder insects connecting breeders and hobbyists. Same buyer base and product categories as Backwater, but operates a marketplace model rather than vertically integrated retail.
- Reptiles by Mack: Family-run online reptile retailer selling captive-bred snakes, lizards, and amphibians. Matches Backwater's DTC overnight-ship, live-arrival-guarantee model with a comparable hobbyist buyer and pricing structure.
- Josh's Frogs: Online retailer specializing in captive-bred amphibians (frogs, newts, salamanders) plus related reptiles and feeder insects. Overlaps Backwater's amphibian catalog and feeder-insect economics, serving the same hobbyist segment.
- LLLReptile: One of the largest US breeders and online retailers of reptiles and amphibians, supplying hobbyists and wholesale accounts. Directly comparable in catalog (Ball Pythons, Bearded Dragons, geckos) and overnight live-shipment logistics.
- Underground Reptiles: Online-only reptile and amphibian retailer offering snakes, lizards, geckos, and invertebrates. Closely overlaps Backwater's product catalog, target hobbyist customer, and DTC overnight shipping model.
- XYZReptiles: Online reptile retailer selling captive-bred snakes, lizards, turtles, and amphibians direct-to-consumer. Direct competitor to Backwater Reptiles in the captive-bred exotic animal DTC category with comparable catalog breadth and overnight-shipping, live-arrival model.
Others
- Fauna Classifieds: Online classifieds platform serving the broader exotic-pet hobby (reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates). Comparable to Backwater on product categories and buyer personas, but operates a listings marketplace rather than direct retail, making it an adjacent ecosystem participant.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Backwater Reptiles social profiles
Digital presenceBackwater Reptiles financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Backwater Reptiles leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Backwater Reptiles funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Backwater Reptiles M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Backwater Reptiles
What does Backwater Reptiles do?
Backwater Reptiles sells live captive-bred and imported reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, scorpions, and feeder insects directly to consumers through an online-only e-commerce storefront, shipping orders overnight via FedEx within the continental United States. The assortment spans more than 500 species — including Ball Pythons, Corn Snakes, Boas, Bearded Dragons, Leopard Geckos, Veiled Chameleons, Green Iguanas, Savannah Monitors, Blue Tongue Skinks, Sulcata Tortoises, Yellow-Bellied Sliders, Axolotls, Red Eye Tree Frogs, Whites Tree Frogs, Gooty Sapphire and Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantulas, and bulk feeder insects (crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, wax worms, nightcrawlers) — each backed by an ironclad live arrival guarantee plus an optional seven-day extended guarantee.
Is Backwater Reptiles a public or private company?
Backwater Reptiles is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Backwater Reptiles founded?
Backwater Reptiles was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Backwater Reptiles based?
Backwater Reptiles is headquartered in Meridian, United States, in the North America region.
How does Backwater Reptiles make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Live Animal Sales are the primary driver. The others are gift Cards, extended Guarantees and shipping.
Who are Backwater Reptiles's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are PetSmart and Chewy. Direct peers are MorphMarket, Reptiles by Mack, Josh's Frogs, LLLReptile, Underground Reptiles and XYZReptiles. Fauna Classifieds is listed as an others.
Does Backwater Reptiles have an API?
No public API is recorded for Backwater Reptiles.
What industry is Backwater Reptiles in?
Backwater Reptiles's product category is Exotic Pet Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAFAM, Reptile & Amphibian Food. Its NAICS code is 459910 and its SIC code is 5900.