Reptile Depot - My experience

Originally Posted by Googlez_N_Vincent

I have gone to Reptile Depot up in Woodland Hills MULTIPLE TIMES (about 25) I know about 5 people by name including the owner, Larry. They know a little bit about reptiles. Basically nothing about chameleons because i talked to their "chameleons specialist" and he knew only the chams names, but not how to care for them. They wanted me to sell them some clutches of mine when they hatch and i can not ethically do that because i have seen their cham care first hand and it is shoddy at best. Also YES they are very short, rude, and do not know what customer service is.

Why go 25 times if they suck so bad?

Originally Posted by tpaul

Why go 25 times if they suck so bad?

I go in there and look around, because i dont want to sit in the car while my friend get crickets and talks to her "friends" They treat her nicely but ignore me all the time, so i dont talk i just walk around and look at all the stuff.

I also had a negative experience with Reptile Depot. They were having a buy 1 get 1 sale for UVB bulbs so I bought 4 bulbs to get 4 for free....8 bulbs total of various sizes. I also bought a medium size basking platform with the bulbs and some other random supplies.

After I finalized the purchase I never got a confirmation email, I am glad that I used print screen to save it (I do this with all online purchases just in case). I also never got a shipping confirmation email. After a week I called to see if it was shipped or not. The person I spoke with was not rude but told me it was not shipped, they were waiting on bulbs to come in. And miraculously they were coming in the next day and my order would be shipped.

I got my order a little over a week later. The bulbs were wrapped in bubble wrap and homemade cardboard "box" taped over it, half were smashed. I also never got my basking platform. So I called again to let them know about the bulbs, the person I spoke with (Josh) said they'd have to make a claim with Fedex first before I could get replacement bulbs. Ok, how long do I have to wait. Josh says he'll call me in a week if something goes wrong but I should have the replacements by then. Also they are waiting on the basking platforms to come in, they are out of stock even though the site says in stock.....OK....

A week later, no bulbs, no call. I again call Josh and he says they haven't gotten the $$ back from Fedex but I would receive my replacement bulbs when they get them back in stock....OK....he says he'll call in a week to give me an update but I should have them by then....OK.....

Another week, no bulbs, no call. I call my "friend" Josh again, and he says bulbs still aren't in stock but SHOULD be in stock that week, he will call me. He also informs me the basking platform is discontinued (even though it still said in stock on their site) so I cancel that part of my order. UGH...

No bulb, no call....not surprised. I call my "buddy" Josh, he isnt there. I am upset and say that I want to speak to someone who can help. I ordered these bulbs over a month ago and I want them! I speak to someone else (don't remember who) who tells me they are waiting on 1 particular size that I ordered to come into stock. I tell him that I don't want to wait anymore. He tells me that he will ship another brand, a more expensive brand, and that should make me happy. Ok fine, just send out my order....

I got my replacement bulbs 2 months after the original order...great...thanks. I will not be ordering from Reptile Depot again

~~Kris Hardy
1.4 pastel, 1.0 lesser, 1.0 spider, 0.1 bumblebee, 0.1 ghost, 1.1 het VPI axanthic, 0.1 spider ph VPI axanthic, 0.10 normal, 1.2 YB, 1.0 medium white pied, 0.2 het pied, 0.1 albino, 1.1 het LA, 0.0.1 normal hatchlings, 2.2 bearded dragons

and a partridge in a pear tree?

Originally Posted by critical bill

~~Kris Hardy
1.4 pastel, 1.0 lesser, 1.0 spider, 0.1 bumblebee, 0.1 ghost, 1.1 het VPI axanthic, 0.1 spider ph VPI axanthic, 0.10 normal, 1.2 YB, 1.0 medium white pied, 0.2 het pied, 0.1 albino, 1.1 het LA, 0.0.1 normal hatchlings, 2.2 bearded dragons

and a partridge in a pear tree?

Yep one of those too

I just wish there was more of a way to get the word out there. Especially if the BOI may no longer be available soon. People REALLY need to know how this business is run. I sent an email out to everyone I know and posted on my website. I still do not believe this is enough. Please feel free to spread my story to everyone you know.
Thanks!

Originally Posted by xblackheart

I just wish there was more of a way to get the word out there. Especially if the BOI may no longer be available soon. People REALLY need to know how this business is run. I sent an email out to everyone I know and posted on my website. I still do not believe this is enough. Please feel free to spread my story to everyone you know.
Thanks!

Reptile Depot has a long history of reported bad business on the BOI - dating back as far as 2004. But you wouldn't know that unless you used the search function. Its a feature here that I definitely recommend using.

Misty,

Did you talk to ANY of the managers or 'leads' for Reptile Depot at the Sacramento show?? Reptile Depot has had a large booth there every year for at least the last 5 or years and a manager or lead is always there.

Just asking.

I had a similar experience with their herpfood.com branch. I ordered 3000 crickets, 250 mealworms, and 250 waxworms early on a Wednesday morning. My order was processed and charged that day, but did not ship as promised. I sent an email asking for an update and it was ignored. The next Monday came, still no shipping, Tuesday it still hadn't shipped so I called to see what was going on and they told me "It may ship tomorrow (a full week after I had ordered) or it may ship next week sometime" and then the kid hung up before I could say anything. It did ship the next day, but when Friday came around I got a call from FedEx saying they couldn't deliver the package because my apartment number was not on the label, clearly Reptile Depot's mistake since their invoice had my correct address. After fighting FedEx I finally got it delivered. When I opened the box I found maybe 800 crickets per 1000 box, and there was no difference in size between their two week and three week crickets. About 50 waxworms and 40 mealworms were DOA, and the mealworms also had a dead superworm and a bunch of dermestid beetles and larvae in with them. I lost another 20 or so each of mealworms and waxworms over the next few days because they came in such bad shape. I wrote another email after all this which was also ignored.

I will never make the mistake of ordering from them again, just wish I had known about this board ahead of time.

Tony Casler

yes never and i mean never get boxes of crickets from Reptile Depot because they always have worms and caterpillars and beetles. Plust the sizes are always mixed and they are just all around crappy crickets.