More pet store awesomeness

[Terranaut]

So something came up and I missed the last expo in my area. I usually get my feeders at the expos. So I needed to pick up a few to keep my guys fed until my big order is delivered. I went to a local pet store that sells herps. The prices for f/t are rediculous to say the least. At the counter the woman says the price on the bag was wrong and it was a dollar more per rat. I said "your prices are rediculous" she says" we are the only ones still selling rats" to which I replied " so your admitting screwing people over and gouging them based on availability?" "Jack up prices because you think you have a monopoly?" "Thanks for being so supportive to the people who buy snakes from you. Do you inform them your going to screw them over for food when they buy their snake here?" She didn't know what to say. The owner ran over to try to defuse me. He gave me the dollar per rat back off. I got home and checked the online price and it was exactly 1/2. Why do I even set foot in these places?


Never again...ever!!!!

[thinkbig317]

Couldnt agree more! I too buy my feeders at expos but I had to run out to the local pet store the other day to buy a medium rat......$6.00 a piece!!!!!!!!! BRUTAL!!!!!!

[DeadlyDesires]

i hate bying my rats at the stores.. but i stopped breeding because they smelled does anyone know a good site where i can pre-order some rats for my snakes? i kill them when i get home anyway so i should be able to order f/t right?

[Kid Boa]

Pet stores _ _ _ _ .

I get mine here.

Home - Near North Rodent and Reptile Supply

[Hurrok]

Oh man, pet sore prices are brutal! We have to feed a few of our snakes live and we don't breed rats so we go every week. A medium rat, that looks more like a small, is $8.50!! I pay $4 for a f/t one from a breeder/supplier.

I wish we could switch them over to f/t or get into breeding rats ourselves, just don't have the proper space for something like that.

[Terranaut]

When I worked for my dad years ago he used to say "there is enough honest work out there , you never need to rip anyone off" Apparently they didn't get that memo

[smy_749]

Half isn't that bad. I went to petsmart to buy a UVB bulb just to try it out for experimentation purposes. It was 44 dollars. Amazon.com? 11....

[Charis]

Several months ago, I was trying to figure out how much of what to order, because I wasn't sure exactly how many mouths we were going to have to feed. Started running out of pinks about two weeks before I was going to know how many little snakes we were going to end up with, so I get the bright idea to buy some at the pet store to hold us by until I knew and could make up an order for Rodent Pro. I'd asked at the mom n pop store how much their f/t mice were and can swear I was told that they were 10 pinks for around $10, still a bit steep but beats Petco prices all to heck. But I go to buy them a few days later and come to find out, they were only six in a pack for that price! Was too late to put in an order online without making all the snakes skip one meal and some of them two, by that point, so I paid the $21 something for my 12 pinks and vowed never again! Sad thing is they were still cheaper than Petco.
Went home and ordered 500 various sized but mostly small mice from RP for $133 and some change. They were having a sale, but still, that shows you how much someone is gouging! Might not even be the pet stores, could be their suppliers that are raking in the money.
If we had more freezer space and a bit of start up capitol, I'd be very tempted to start selling my own, wouldn't even need to breed them, just buy in bulk and resell them. Could make a decent profit and still majorly undercut the pet stores and help out the people with too few snakes to make the shipping worthwhile.

[KORBIN5895]

Originally Posted by Charis

Several months ago, I was trying to figure out how much of what to order, because I wasn't sure exactly how many mouths we were going to have to feed. Started running out of pinks about two weeks before I was going to know how many little snakes we were going to end up with, so I get the bright idea to buy some at the pet store to hold us by until I knew and could make up an order for Rodent Pro. I'd asked at the mom n pop store how much their f/t mice were and can swear I was told that they were 10 pinks for around $10, still a bit steep but beats Petco prices all to heck. But I go to buy them a few days later and come to find out, they were only six in a pack for that price! Was too late to put in an order online without making all the snakes skip one meal and some of them two, by that point, so I paid the $21 something for my 12 pinks and vowed never again! Sad thing is they were still cheaper than Petco.
Went home and ordered 500 various sized but mostly small mice from RP for $133 and some change. They were having a sale, but still, that shows you how much someone is gouging! Might not even be the pet stores, could be their suppliers that are raking in the money.
If we had more freezer space and a bit of start up capitol, I'd be very tempted to start selling my own, wouldn't even need to breed them, just buy in bulk and resell them. Could make a decent profit and still majorly undercut the pet stores and help out the people with too few snakes to make the shipping worthwhile.

Stop stealing my ideas...

[plutos_kiss]

I work at one of the two big chain pet stores, and we are the one who will still sell feeders. But the company prices them ridiculously high (3.99 for a mouse, 5.49 for a small rat, 7.49 for a medium) because they want to 'discourage live feeding'. As much as I do not like live feeding myself, I wish the company would realize and be supportive of the fact that some animals do not take to frozen feeding. That's their reasoning. But even our F/T are crazy expensive, not to mention they smell absolutely awful.

[chris_clemens]

ugh I haven't had to buy from a chain pet store in a long time. I'm lucky enough to have a privately owned reptile specialty store close by where I get my feeders. I've volunteered there before and sold them the babies I breed. Cheaper than a pet store, I never have to pay full price, and just for me I don't pay tax....even get that deal on any animals I may chose to buy from him.

[Chris72]

Originally Posted by Terranaut

When I worked for my dad years ago he used to say "there is enough honest work out there , you never need to rip anyone off" Apparently they didn't get that memo

Yeah, word tends to get around when it comes to suppliers. All the more reason to stick with the good guys when you fund them!!

My rodent guy is a volume re-seller but he is still cheaper than just about everyone in SWO.(350-450 at a time).

If you are not happy with your regular guy....PM me and I can send you his contact info Dan. I'm pretty sure his route brings him near you weekly.

[marvelfreak]

Originally Posted by DeadlyDesires

i hate bying my rats at the stores.. but i stopped breeding because they smelled does anyone know a good site where i can pre-order some rats for my snakes? i kill them when i get home anyway so i should be able to order f/t right?

Rodent Pro and yes. All you have to do is once thaw heat them up a bit with some hot water.

[Terranaut]

Well the supplier I normally buy from now delivers to my city. I got 20 weaned rat pups, 20 medium rats and 2 3lb bunnies for $90. The same from the pet shop would have been $210 plus tax. Insane!!!!

[TheZoo]

Originally Posted by thinkbig317

Couldnt agree more! I too buy my feeders at expos but I had to run out to the local pet store the other day to buy a medium rat......$6.00 a piece!!!!!!!!! BRUTAL!!!!!!

mine are 11-15 a small rat