a little poll of my own

[reverendsterlin]

Thought this might get some discussion.

[SilverTongue]

Mine are about 50/50

Half my snakes are from petstores, but the other half are from a priveat breeder, and 3 more coming from SerpenCo

[backdraft1320]

:confused: What if your buddies are the best in the business? lol

[reverendsterlin]

I mix mine too, a $23 motley came from Petco, I do trades with friends, and buy from breeders usually

[Trace]

Mine are all rescued animals... so I can't vote! :(

Trace

[Dom]

Some from stores but many many more fro rescues as well ,,,

Its a hard vote to make..

Dom

[SilverTongue]

Not to make light of anything but my buying from some of the petshops around here are also rescuses :(

[sophia]

Ahem, as much as I hate to say it Silver, that's the case here too, conditions are awful and while I'd love to rescue them and I've turned these stores in to the ASPCA on several occasions, I know that if I purchase them, they'll only buy more and thus more reptiles will suffer.

It's a catch 22!

Tay

[SilverTongue]

yeah :( That is why I want to open an exoctics petstore. I would only sell bread animals with the exception of any and all cats and dogs, iguanas, and turtles. There are too damn many of these in shelters. So I would only get my dogs, cats, iguanas, turtles from the shelters (all money made from rescued animals would go to the shelters minus cost of food only.)

This is my goal atleast. Not realistic with out startup moneys, but something to strive for. :)

[sophia]

Hey, you might talk to the state and county about getting you some funds for feeders and so forth and registering you as a 'shelter'. It could turn into a good relationship if they're receptive.

Tay

[BIG SCOTT]

I have a few breeder friends I haven't really got anything from them though . I try to make it a habit never to buy anything that is living from a Pet-Co the one by my house should be quarrantined. The way the animals are treated is horrible. I usually buy most of my stuff from reptile shows or retile stores. I breed a few animals though nothing difficult just stuiff i want to keep.

[Aztec Fred]

Most have been purchased from BREEDERS, only a few (Madgascar Ground boas) have been purchased from brokers.

Very few came from friends, primarily because not to many friends of mine breed what I want.

TRADES are the best..i love them, much more fulfilling than sales and no one gets burned or out of pocket until broke. Barter...the wave of the futre, marl my words



Fred Albury
(Aztec Reptiles)
U.S.A.)

[SilverTongue]

yeah I understand. I love trading. I was going to trade 2 month old spotted california kingsnakes for a ferrit I wanted. This was to a guy who has a petshop. He was only gonna have them worth wholesale value and when I said what is the wholesale value on the ferrit he said no I dont do things likle that. Day before yesterday he implyed a even trade. And I accepted and then he thought he could get the best of me. LOL I simply walked out.

BUT DANGIT!! I WANT THAT FERRIT!

[J.J.]

Well # 1, i dont know of any breeders, #2, where can i find the best in the buisness in michigan? and # 3, i hate to say, but i get mine a pet stores, not so much oetco anymore though, i got 2 at VI pets in holland and grand rapids, only 1 from petco, thats all i got!! LOL!! BYE!

[J.J.]

hey lizard lady, r u in ottaw canada or ottawa michigan? just wondering, cause if your from michigan, where do you get your rescued snakes? Bye!

[Kurzix]

J.J.

I get all mine from breeders. I ordered the snake I have from an out of state breeder, and as for one in MI the only one I am aware of ATM is located at 12mile rd and I-94 in Roseville MI. I know its a bit far from ya, but Frank (the guy who runs the animal dept) is VERY knowlegable, and helpful.

[Trace]

Hey Jeanette

I'm in Ottawa Canada eh!

I just seem to get calls out of the blue from people looking to dump their reptiles. I have no idea how they get my name?!?!? Most of my adopted animals come to me mal-treated and unhealthy too!

Cheers!

Trace

[BeHeMoTh]

i got my bp from a reptile show i rescued a smooth green and anoles from a store

[lance]

get most of mine from breeders but the occasional one from the pet store never had the chance to rescue one yet but would love to help out when i could

[python_diva_06]

i got one of mine from a petstore and the other from a friend who couldn't take care of him anymore...

[reptilez]

I got my leopard gecko and my male bearded dragon off petstores. Then i heard that a couple times a year people all over the city get together and talk about and sell there animals. I was amazed!
After that i only got my herps from those specail events because i realized that these people devote there life to raising animals.
My next 2 herps(female beardie and baby ball python) i got from Grant Crossman.

[Tim and Julie B]

I can't even remember the last time I bought an animal from a pet store! I wouldn't unless they had something spectacular. I buy all my stuff from people in the trade, especially at shows!:D To much at shows really!:DTim.


I am also going to add if the store has something I can't get like I saw some Calotes the other day. Probably WC. But I love those little guys! Just odds and ends that are difficult to find also!

[Thomas]

Petstores don't rule, but i got my snakes from them

[RachelS.]

I usually just buy mine online from well-known reputable breeders. I have bought geckos and a ballpython from Petco before I ever thought about having anyone ship my reptiles to me. I just don't trust petstores worth a flip.

My friend Axel (pres.nixon) bought a leopard gecko from Petco and it ended up dying. I noticed it was skinny and I told him it had internal parasites... just because I've been around so many of those geckos from petstores at the vet I work at, I know what to look for. So he took it to the vet, but it ended up not doing so well, and died. I was pretty upset :(. I hate petstore conditions.

[Invictus]

I had my 3 corns given to me by a co-worker, but I got my BCC from a breeder. Now, I refuse to pay retail for ANY snake. Why bother, when I can buy from the very people who are supplying the pet stores?

[stevesemerko]

I get some of mine from KT's Snake Crazy, KLCB, Animalia (a reptile store in my city) and I have been trying too save money to get some shipped from Henry Piorun.

Steve

[drewlowe]

5 of my leos i bought at pet stores several different ones and i don't think they rule. 2 i breed myself and kept , 1 my friend brought over a few eggs and i kept the first born. HEHE. 1 more leo from a expo. 2 beardies got from an expo. 2 corns got from a reptile and amphibian store. tarantula got from the same place.

So i really cant answer the poll. cause i get them from several different places. plus i plan on buying from some of the big name breeders pretty soon.

[vanderkm]

We have our share of rescues and I prefer to buy from breeders, but I have purchased from chain pet stores when it is an animal I really want to have (a blizzard corn or our albino yellow ratsnake) and have not been able to get yet. Herp shows are great, but too tempting - too much to choose from - and we try to pre-arrange purchases from breeders instead of browsing.

We are now lucky to have a reptile specific store in Edmonton (Reptile Gallery) that is run by someone experienced in the hobby and handles only captive bred. Also someone who understands the barter concept! We are hoping he will be a source for some of the hard to find species here in northern Alberta.

mary v.

[Mr.Lizard]

I have bought from petstores,but don't anymore with the exception of food and supplies.
You'll find prices at the shows far lower than at the shops and variety is far greater. With a few exceptions the people selling at the shows are far more knowledgeable and caring than petstore staff.
Only thing is you gotta wait for them to come around,but that's kinda fun too,the anticipation:D

[Cas]

Where in Edmonton is Reptile Gallery located?

Dawn

[Linds]

All of the above.

[Lisa]

We've bought from pcpc (a pet store), reptilia (another pet store), a few from breeders, a few from private sales from people...

Not all petstores are evil, but if you don't like the way a pet store keeps their animals don't spend a penny there. Lots of times the store makes way more off the dry goods/feeders then they do off the animals.

[Bryce Masuk]

I buy them locally from the best in the business From Beth Walbank and Henry Piorun so far.. One thing I love is how When I go to Henrys house and get to see what he is working on he always has something new and interesting
But I bought My leo from petsmart before I started to really know who was around locally
Petstores are not even in the same league as the breeders I delt with because every animal they have is healthy and well taken care f at the petstore its usually a differnt story unless they are reptile specific