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What is most important when purchasing from a reptile store?

What is the most important thing you look for when purchasing from a reptile store?

  • Cleanliness

    Votes: 37 43.0%

  • Conveniant Location

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Size of Store

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Customer Service

    Votes: 4 4.7%

  • Knowledgable Staff

    Votes: 33 38.4%

  • Variety of Reptiles

    Votes: 4 4.7%

  • Large Selection of Supplies

    Votes: 3 3.5%

  • Large Selection of Turtles and Tortoises

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Large Selection of Snakes

    Votes: 4 4.7%

  • Large Selection of Lizards

    Votes: 1 1.2%
  • Total voters
    86
I have to agree with Glenn on the fact that healthy animals in the pet store are also very important...

THere is a store just a half hour north of me where I have been going to buy saltwater fish because they seem to have the healthiest fish and a rather clean store, except that the last time I went it was obvious that the store owner doesn't care much for any type of herps because he always has the same three herps in the same three cages for sale. The last time I was there I took a good look at his geckos and they looked horrible, I was reminded of pictures from the Holocaust (no offence intended I greatly respect the Jewish culture and their toils against oppresion and disrespect). How could I patronize this store when he is practically starving his herps to death.

It's like those anti-drug commercials where somebody buys drugs and the drug dealer is somehow connected to a bombing somewhere or some murder of an innocent child....

Store owners should stick with what they know, and before they delve into herps or any exotic type animals they should research them and commit to maintaining their health....
 
I have to agree with Glenn on the fact that healthy animals in the pet store are also very important...

THere is a store just a half hour north of me where I have been going to buy saltwater fish because they seem to have the healthiest fish and a rather clean store, except that the last time I went it was obvious that the store owner doesn't care much for any type of herps because he always has the same three herps in the same three cages for sale. The last time I was there I took a good look at his geckos and they looked horrible, I was reminded of pictures from the Holocaust (no offence intended I greatly respect the Jewish culture and their toils against oppresion and disrespect). How could I patronize this store when he is practically starving his herps to death.

It's like those anti-drug commercials where somebody buys drugs and the drug dealer is somehow connected to a bombing somewhere or some murder of an innocent child....

Store owners should stick with what they know, and before they delve into herps or any exotic type animals they should research them and commit to maintaining their health....

but I know I'm singing to the choir
 
Tony,

I too was talking about a Herp specialty shop. The conditions I spoke of were those in most reptile and amphibian specialty stores I have come across. They are, for the most part, in my experience, almost as bad as a general pet shop.

Best regards,
Glenn
 
REally cute, available , female, sales clerks...

over the age of 25. yup...thats whats most important:)


*Smile*

Fred
Aztec Reptiles
 
This is a bit off topic, but it was raised before and I need to make an addendum to some of my previous comments...

In pointing out examples of reptile (herp and invert anyway) specialty stores that managed to comply with EVERY single ideal point that has been brought up on this thread, Pro Exotics was mentioned, as well they should have been.

I made statements suggesting that the retail portion of the operation had closed completely.

I was misinformed, the retail portion of P.E. is still open, just operating at greatly reduced hours one day a week, apparantly because Management felt obligated to continue to provide service to their more loyal customers... Just another example of how business SHOULD be done.

Add going above and beyond when it comes to customer service to the above mtnioned list too.
 
The most important thing to me is that the cages be clean, and that the animals are healthy.

I don’t know about anywhere else in the country, but around here there is a very high turn around rate with employees. I am lucky enough to be near 2 reptile specialty stores, and it seems like every time I walk into one they have a new employee.

But I think the first thing a new employee should learn is how to clean the cages.

I don’t understand why a store would have unhealthy animals for the public to see. I know that when they buy wholesale they don’t usually get to see the animals before they arrive, but if they are unhealthy they should quarantine those animals in the back until the animal is healthy enough to be sold to a customer.

Just my opinion.
 
I really wanted to put multiple votes; one each for knowledge, cleanliness, and customer service. However since I could only vote for one I put knowledge.

My reason... If the staff is educated in animal care then everything else, like cleanliness, usually falls into place.
 
garweft said:
I really wanted to put multiple votes; one each for knowledge, cleanliness, and customer service. However since I could only vote for one I put knowledge.

My reason... If the staff is educated in animal care then everything else, like cleanliness, usually falls into place.
Click to expand...

:iagree:
If the staff have knowledge of reptiles, then they know how to keep the cages clean and the animals healthy.
 
Tony,

I have been to your store personally, and have been treated rather rudely there. I choose to go to another one, due to the fact that it has not just been once, but several times...

I have to say in your personal case, a greater sense of customer service is what your store needs.

And cleanliness/health of the animals...

This is not to say that you have a bad store, I just think those are things that need to be worked on for your particular store.

JMHO
 
What about vendors at expos? Aside from looking them up on the 'net and seeing what others have to say and looking at their sites (if they have one), I mean. What do I look for?
 
I chose cleanliness, however, I feel the most important part is the health of the animals. In general those would go hand in hand I suppose. Second would be good customer service without attitude, sometimes that can be rare to find.
 
What I would have choosen was not on the list. Husbandry Practices of the store is first and foremost in my mind when I enter a pet store.
There are few stores I will even bother entering a second time.
 
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