I've shopped at most of the herp specific shops in SoCal going back to Jay's days when he purchased Pet Country (the predessor to Fountain Valley's Prehistoric Pets - 15+ yrs. and two locations ago) and have worked in the trade on a retail level and as a breeder. Here is my list which is somewhat similar to everyone else's with some exceptions:
1.) A clean, well maintained, open and well lit (for those herps that will allow it) shop. If I walk in and see melamine cages that are swollen and broken apart, light fixtures broken with wires hanging out, broken glass cages fixed with clear packing tape, dirty cages, offensive odors or dead animals etc. I will almost autmatically walk out the door. The reason why - if they can't take the time to maintain the displays and shop and check on the animals at the top of the day before opening, how will they take care of the animals?
2.) Clean cages which do not mix species (unless it is set up as Vivarium). Knowing some of the problems associated with disease transmission particularly between pythons and boas, I don't want to see mixing. Either find more caging or reduce the number of animals carried. If I do find the above, once again I am usually gone.
3.) A variety of animals for sale. I have walked into a number of shops only to see half the caging with NFS signs on them. I realized space is at a premium, and some animals are truly exception, but why shop at place where they have tons of high end amel retics, ball pythons and boas on display but all you can buy is normal corn snakes and cal kings? While I realize the need to show the potential of the industry, maybe something to consider would be a seperate area where the breeders are displayed, much like the high end home theatre displays at Good Guys or Best Buy.
4.) Friendly knowledgeable staffing. One of our biggest missions is educate the general public so we don't lose the right to take care of the animals we have a passion for through thier ignorance. Therefore it irks me to no end to hear wrong info going out. Often the sales staff is looked to as and "industry expert", they should be able to give basic husbandry advice.
I have encountered more often then not one of two types - 1.) the Sarcastic, "what do you know" attitude or 2.) the vanishing help who is never around. I have waited quite some time to be helped before. My time is just as valuable as yours, if I have to wait longer then ten minutes without someone at least letting me know they will be with as soon as possible or I get attitude, I'm gone. It feels to me that they don't want my business
5.) Back the animals, the advice and the supplies. While I realize there are nutballs out there who will disregard all the info I provide them when I sell them an animal. For the most part these are few and far between (in my experience). As such, if I (as a retailer) am being supplied by reputable suppliers and breeders, I should be able to make sure the animals are healthy going out and should be able to have confidence that I have sold the right animal to the right people and they are informed enough (by me) or confident that if they have a problem they can come to me, then I should be able to help with the animals or supplies.
I'm sure there is more that would come to mind, but those are the big points, that come to mind.
Please feel free to get in touch if you want to, I'd love to talk about this subject.
Thanks,
Ian
Silver Rose Reptiles
Chino Hills
