Terms of service

These are AntMaster's general terms and conditions of sale. They govern the purchases you make at www.antmastershop.com. Please read them before placing your order; you can save or print them from this page. By confirming your order, you accept them. Each order is governed by the version published at the time you confirm it.

1. Who is selling

Owner: Mario Cascado Nieto, sole trader, trading as AntMaster.
Tax ID (NIF): 77498083C
Address: Plaza Bari 14, 30319 Cartagena (Murcia), Spain. Our workshop and order collection point are also at this address.
Email: info@antmastershop.com
Phone: +34 634 716 082

In these terms, “AntMaster” or “we” means the owner, and “you” or “the customer” means the person making the purchase.

2. What these terms cover

They apply to all orders placed in the online shop, in any of its languages, for delivery to Spain or to another European Union country, or for collection from our workshop in Cartagena.

We sell ant nests that we design and make in our workshop in Cartagena (the Terra range, made of anti-fungal plaster and acrylic, and the 3D range, made of 3D-printed PLA), foraging areas, kits, connectors, spare parts, substrates, ant food and gift cards. We also offer, at €0, live queens and colonies of species native to Spain (section 7).

These terms are supplemented by the Shipping Policy, the Refund Policy, our Guarantee and after-sales service page, the Privacy Policy and the Cookie Policy. If any of them says something different, whichever is more favourable to you applies.

To buy, you need the legal capacity to enter into contracts. If you are a minor, the purchase must be made or authorised by your mother, father or legal guardian.

3. How to place an order

Choose the product and, if it has options, the variant. Add it to your cart.
In the cart, check the products and quantities. You can change or remove them.
Go to checkout. Enter your email address, the delivery address (or choose collection from the workshop) and the shipping method. Before paying, you will see the total price including VAT and the shipping costs.
Choose the payment method, check the summary and click the final payment button. By clicking it, you place an order with an obligation to pay.

Until that last step, you can correct any details by going back to the cart or to the previous checkout steps.

The contract is concluded when you confirm the order with the final payment button. You will then see a confirmation page and, within 24 hours at the latest, you will receive an email with a summary of your order. If you do not receive it, check your spam folder or contact us.

You can place your order in Spanish, English or French, and the contract is concluded in the language you use. If a translation does not match the Spanish text, the interpretation most favourable to you applies.

We keep an electronic copy of every order. You can view it in your customer account, if you have one, or ask us to send you a copy by email. You do not need to create an account to make a purchase.

4. Prices

Prices are in euros and include VAT.
Shipping costs are shown at checkout before you pay and also include VAT.
The Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla are outside the EU VAT area. For deliveries to these destinations, import taxes or charges (for example, IGIC or IPSI) may be collected on delivery. We cannot calculate them in advance, they are not included in the price and they are paid by the recipient. More details in the Shipping Policy.
If you are buying from an EU country with another currency (for example, crowns, zlotys, forints or lei), you can view and pay for your order in that currency. The amount you pay is the amount shown at checkout.

We may change the prices in the shop at any time, but the change does not affect orders that have already been confirmed.

If a published price contains an obvious error that anyone could recognise (for example, €1 instead of €100), we will let you know before shipping the order. You can buy at the correct price or cancel the order, in which case we will refund everything you paid without delay. If the error is not obvious, we will honour the price you paid.

5. Payment methods

Payment is made when you place the order. The available methods are shown at checkout and may vary depending on your country and currency:

Card: Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and American Express.
PayPal.
Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Klarna, to pay later or in instalments.
BLIK and MobilePay, in the countries where they are available.

Payments are processed by Shopify Payments, PayPal or Klarna. AntMaster does not see or store your full card details.

If you choose Klarna, the deferred or instalment payment is provided by Klarna, not by AntMaster, under the terms you agree with Klarna. If you cancel the order, withdraw from the purchase or we give you a refund, we process it through Klarna, which cancels or adjusts any outstanding payments.

If you need a full invoice with your tax details, request it at info@antmastershop.com.

6. Availability and products

We prepare orders within 1 to 5 working days of receiving payment. We do not ship at weekends or on public holidays.

If, after you have placed your order, a product is not available, we will let you know. You can wait until it is available, cancel that product or cancel the whole order, and we will refund what you paid for anything you cancel without undue delay. We do not replace it with a different product without your consent.

Our ant nests are made one by one in our workshop and there may be small differences in finish compared with the photos, for example in the texture of the plaster or the shade of the colour. The dimensions, materials and functionality are those described on the product page; if they do not match, the legal guarantee applies (section 9).

Ant foods, such as AntDew nectar, are only for feeding ants. They are not fit for human consumption.

7. Live ants

Native species only. We only offer queens and colonies of species native to Spain. We do not sell or give away exotic species or species listed in the Catálogo Español de Especies Exóticas Invasoras (Spanish Catalogue of Invasive Alien Species).

Free, but you pay for shipping. The queens and colonies in the Free Ants collection cost €0; you only pay the shipping shown at checkout. There is a limit of one per order, so that more people can get one.

Destinations. We ship live animals to mainland Spain with express live-animal shipping (€10, free on orders of €75 or more), and you can also collect them from the workshop. We do not ship live animals to the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla. If you live in another European Union country, contact us before placing your order and we will confirm in writing whether we can ship them and on what conditions; please also check that keeping that species is allowed in your country.

If you place an order with live animals for a destination we do not ship them to, or for another European Union country without consulting us first, and we cannot ship them, we will let you know before shipping anything and you choose: collect them from the workshop, change the delivery address to one in mainland Spain, receive the rest of the order without the animals (we refund what you paid for them) or cancel the whole order and receive a refund of everything you paid.

Shipping days. We only ship live animals on Mondays and Tuesdays, so that the parcel does not spend the weekend in a warehouse.

Temperature. If temperatures below 5 °C or above 30 °C are expected at the destination, we hold the shipment until the weather is safe and let you know beforehand. You can also request this yourself: tick “Hold my shipment until the weather is safe” when adding the colony to your cart.

Cancellation. As long as an order with live animals has not left the workshop, including when it is being held because of the temperature, you can cancel it free of charge by contacting us and we will refund everything you paid.

Receiving your parcel. Make sure someone can receive the parcel and open it as soon as it arrives. The ants can die if the parcel is left outside or stays at the carrier's office for several days.

Live arrival guarantee. This is a free commercial guarantee given by AntMaster (details in section 1) on all shipments of queens and colonies, on the following terms:

Time limit to claim: 48 hours from delivery.
Proof required: photos or video of the unopened parcel and of its contents as they arrive.
What it covers: the queen, always. The workers, if more than 20% arrive dead.
What we do: we replace the queen or colony in the next available shipment or refund the amount (what you paid for it and for its shipping). You choose.
When it does not apply: if the parcel was left outside because you requested or authorised it, or if you did not collect it after the delivery notice.
How to claim: write to us at info@antmastershop.com or via the shop chat with your order number and the photos or video.

More information on our Guarantee and after-sales service page. This guarantee is in addition to your statutory rights and does not limit them: until you receive the parcel, the transport risk lies with us (section 8).

Care. From delivery onwards, you are responsible for caring for the colony. Before ordering it, have a suitable ant nest ready and read the care sheet for the species.

Never release ants into the wild. By ordering them, you undertake not to do so, even with native species. Ley 42/2007, de 13 de diciembre, del Patrimonio Natural y de la Biodiversidad (Spanish Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Act of 13 December 2007) prohibits releasing fauna into the wild without authorisation, including native species, and treats it as an offence subject to penalties (articles 54.5 bis and 80.1 g bis). If you give up the hobby, contact us and we will help you find a responsible solution.

8. Shipping, delivery and risk

We only ship to European Union countries.
Mainland Spain: free shipping on orders of €75 or more. Below that amount, the cost is calculated at checkout based on weight and destination.
Rest of the European Union: €15; free on orders of €75 or more.
Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla: €15, no free shipping.
Free collection from our workshop in Cartagena: choose it at checkout and we will let you know when your order is ready (usually within 24 hours). Collection hours are in the Shipping Policy.

The €75 is calculated on the value of the products after discounts, excluding shipping. Live animals have their own rate and their own conditions (section 7).

Estimated delivery times and full rate details are in the Shipping Policy. We deliver without undue delay and, unless we agree another date with you (for example, if you tick the option to hold the shipment of live animals because of the temperature), within a maximum of 30 calendar days from when you confirm your order. If we cannot meet this, we will let you know and you can cancel the order and receive a refund of everything you paid.

When your order ships, you will receive the tracking number by email. You can also check it on our tracking page.

Please check the address carefully before paying. If you spot a mistake and the order has not yet shipped, contact us and we will correct it free of charge. If the order is returned to us because the address you gave us was incorrect or incomplete, or because you did not collect it after the carrier's notices, we will contact you to resend it and the new shipment is at your expense. If it is returned to us because of a carrier error, we pay for the reshipment.

Risk. While in transit, the order is our responsibility. The risk of loss or damage passes to you when you, or the person you designate (other than the carrier), receive the order, or when you collect it from the workshop.

If a product arrives damaged, faulty or is not what you ordered, or something is missing, contact us as soon as possible, with photos if you can, and we will resolve it at no cost to you under the legal guarantee (section 9).

9. Returns, withdrawal and legal guarantee

30 days to return: you have 30 calendar days from receiving your order to return it. The first 14 days are the right of withdrawal that the law gives you. From day 15 to day 30, an extension that we offer applies to unused products in their original packaging.
Legal right of withdrawal (days 1 to 14): if you are a consumer, you can withdraw from the purchase without giving any reason within 14 calendar days from the day on which you, or the person you designate (other than the carrier), receive the product. If the order arrives in several shipments, the period runs from when you receive the last one. You can open the parcel and examine the product as you would in a shop; you are only liable for any loss in value caused by handling beyond that. We refund everything you paid, including the original shipping (except for the extra cost if you chose a more expensive shipping method than the cheapest standard option we offer), within a maximum of 14 calendar days from when you tell us that you are withdrawing. We may wait until we receive the product, or until you show us that you have sent it, before refunding.
Extended return (days 15 to 30): the product must be unused, complete and in its original packaging. We refund the price of the products, excluding the shipping costs of the original order, within a maximum of 10 working days from when we receive the product. This extension is voluntary and does not reduce your statutory rights.
How to do it: tell us before the period ends by email to info@antmastershop.com or by letter to the address in section 1. Any clear statement will do, and there is a model form in the Refund Policy. Then send us the product within a maximum of 14 calendar days.
Return shipping and refund method: in both cases you pay for return shipping, unless the product arrived faulty, damaged or is not what you ordered. We refund you using the same payment method you used, at no cost to you.
Live animals: once delivered, queens and colonies cannot be returned and the right of withdrawal does not apply to them, because they can deteriorate rapidly. If they arrive dead, the live arrival guarantee applies (section 7), in addition to your statutory rights. The other exceptions are in the Refund Policy.
Legal guarantee (3 years): for ant nests and other items, we are liable for any lack of conformity that appears within 3 years of delivery. You can ask us to repair or replace the product at no cost to you. If this is not possible or we do not do it within a reasonable time, you can ask for a price reduction or a refund. If the lack of conformity appears within the first 2 years, it is presumed to have existed when the product was delivered to you. The law excludes live animals from this guarantee: for them, the general rules of the Código Civil (Spanish Civil Code) apply, in addition to the live arrival guarantee (section 7).

Full details of time limits, return costs, refunds and the withdrawal form are in the Refund Policy.

10. Discount codes

Each code has the conditions stated when it is announced: discount, products included, validity and whether it can be combined with others.
Codes are applied at checkout, before payment. They cannot be exchanged for cash.
If you return a discounted order, we refund what you actually paid.
Starter10: 10% off your order, once per customer. It cannot be combined with other product or order discounts, but it can be combined with shipping discounts.

11. Loyalty programme

The points programme is free and requires an account in the shop. We run it with the Smile.io app. You earn points when you buy (including on Free Ants orders), when you create your account and when you follow our Telegram channel. If you invite a friend, they get a discount on their first order and you earn points when they complete it.

Points can only be redeemed for discounts on orders. They cannot be exchanged for cash.
Loyalty discounts cannot be combined with other codes.
Points expiry, if any, is stated on the programme page.
If we change the programme terms or close it, we will announce this at least 30 days in advance, so that you can use any points you have.

More information on the Loyalty Programme page.

12. Gift cards

They are sold in amounts from €10 to €200.
They are sent by email to you or to the person you specify, on the date you choose (optional).
They can be used to pay for any order in the shop and can be used across several orders until the balance runs out.
They cannot be exchanged for cash, except if you withdraw from the purchase (see the last point).
Keep the code as safe as cash. If you lose it or someone else uses it, unless this is due to an error on our part, we cannot replace it.
If you return an order paid for with a gift card, we refund that amount to the card.
Validity: as stated in the email in which you receive the card; if none is stated, it does not expire.
You can withdraw from the purchase of a gift card within 14 calendar days of purchase, and we will refund the unused balance using the same payment method. Gift cards are not covered by the extended return.

13. Reviews

Reviews on product pages are collected with the Loox app. After each order, Loox sends an invitation to leave a review to the buyer's email address; reviews that come in through that link are written by customers who have bought from the shop. We publish all reviews that comply with the rules of use set out in the Legal notice, both positive and negative. If we ever offer a discount or points for leaving a review or adding a photo, we give it regardless of the rating.

We also display reviews from our Google profile. You do not need to have bought from the shop to write them, and we cannot check whether the person writing them is a customer.

By publishing a review in the shop, you allow us to display it, with its photos, in the shop. You can ask us to remove it at any time.

14. Liability

We are liable for our products in accordance with the law. Nothing in these terms limits the rights the law gives you as a consumer, or our liability for defective products, personal injury, wilful misconduct or gross negligence.

We are not liable for damage that is not caused by a defect in the product or by a breach on our part, for example damage caused by:

using a product in a way that differs from its instructions or intended purpose, or modifying it;
the care of the colony after delivery;
force majeure events beyond our control that we could not foresee or avoid, such as transport strikes or extreme weather. If for that reason we cannot deliver your order, we will refund what you paid.

Care guides and care sheets are general information for guidance only. Each colony may behave differently.

15. Data protection and cookies

The controller of your data is the owner named in section 1. We process your data to manage your order and your account and, if you agree, to send you marketing communications, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and Ley Orgánica 3/2018 (Spanish Data Protection and Digital Rights Act). Full information, including your rights and the providers involved, is in the Privacy Policy, and cookies are explained in the Cookie Policy. You can change your cookie preferences at any time via the “Cookie preferences” link in the footer.

16. Applicable law, courts and complaints

These terms are governed by Spanish law. If you are a consumer and live in another EU country, you keep the protection given to you by the mandatory rules of your country.

If you are a consumer, you can bring proceedings before the courts of your place of residence or of ours, and we can only bring proceedings against you before the courts of your place of residence. If you are buying as a business or professional, the general rules on which court has jurisdiction apply.

If something has gone wrong, contact us. You can make a complaint by email to info@antmastershop.com, by phone on +34 634 716 082, via the shop chat or contact form, or by letter to Plaza Bari 14, 30319 Cartagena (Murcia), Spain. Please include your name, your order number if you have it and what happened.

We will send you a written acknowledgement with a reference number and reply as soon as possible and, at the latest, within fifteen days of you submitting the complaint.

Hojas de reclamaciones (official complaint forms): Complaint forms are available to consumers and users. You can request them by email to info@antmastershop.com, by post or at the workshop, and we will send them to you within a maximum of 3 working days.

We are not a member of any consumer arbitration system or other alternative dispute resolution body. If we do not resolve your complaint, we will tell you in writing of a consumer dispute resolution body that can handle it and whether we will take part in the procedure.

You can also contact, at any time, the municipal consumer information office (OMIC) in your area or the consumer services of your autonomous community. If you live in another European Union country, the European Consumer Centre in your country can help you free of charge.

17. Contact

Email: info@antmastershop.com
Phone: +34 634 716 082
Chat: from any page of the shop. You may be assisted by an artificial intelligence assistant, which tells you so when you open the chat and can make mistakes. If you would rather be helped by a person, ask in the chat or email us.
Form: on our contact page.
Address: Plaza Bari 14, 30319 Cartagena (Murcia), Spain.
Support hours: we reply by email and chat on working days