In your pet store.... you make the choices....

[mshill90]

I am literally 2 steps away from getting my own pet store...

1. the store itself
2. large stock

But I don't want to sell just fish..

I want to do reptiles, amphibians, herps...

NOT bunnies, hamsters, or OSCARS. lol.

If this was your local store, what would you want to see?!

 

[Wiggles92]

I would stock the typical beginner herps that stay at a convenient size for the average herp keeper (ball pythons, corn snakes, bearded dragons, leopard geckos, crested geckos, etc.), but I would also have a few larger/rarer/odd herps available for the more advanced herp keeper (retics, burms, monitors, mata matas, venomous snakes if your insurance will allow for them). I would also think about the affordability of the stock, too, since there's no sense in having herps in stock that are too expensive to sell in a reasonable amount of time.

Another thing that I like to see in pet stores is the availability of herps that can be viewed at a zoo or ones that even zoos don't have. Maybe that's just me, but stuff that is better than a zoo always catches my eye (and sometimes my wallet).

 

[mshill90]

I wanted to get away from the super commons, like boas because I see them for adoption on CL all the time.. and then you have to also get into the feeders, and such..

I would maybe look for a good source to get my feeders. I don't have the heart to freeze baby mice.

I know that I will do a rescue/rehabilitation in my store, but there will be a seperate QT room for that.

Exotic reptile/herp diseases are not fun!

 

[Wiggles92]

I wanted to get away from the super commons, like boas because I see them for adoption on CL all the time.. and then you have to also get into the feeders, and such..

Yes, that is one downside to having the super common herps, but you will want to have a few for new herp keepers to get their feet wet with. Just remember that you can refuse to sell a herp if you believe that the potential new owner will dump/abuse/kill it.

I would maybe look for a good source to get my feeders. I don't have the heart to freeze baby mice.

Check into some of the various online sources, such as RodentPro.com, or maybe you'll be able to find a local source.

I know that I will do a rescue/rehabilitation in my store, but there will be a seperate QT room for that.

Exotic reptile/herp diseases are not fun!

Cool stuff. Just remember that such an operation will cut into profits which are needed to keep your store open and expanding.

 

[A. gigas]

Wiggles, couldn't have said it better. Also, if the budget can afford it, a store pet can earn you customers pretty well.. Something like a good sized burmese python or a big water monitor..

 

[mshill90]

Yeah, I want to have some big showcase animals to bring people in.

I would love to have a full window tank of discus, or GG's, but too much sun = green tank.

I want to be the petstore that actually gives good advice, and doesn't just try to make a sale.. which I know can sometimes screw you as well. People just want to buy a goldfish and keep it in a bowl..

 

[Wiggles92]

Yeah, I want to have some big showcase animals to bring people in.

I would love to have a full window tank of discus, or GG's, but too much sun = green tank.

I want to be the petstore that actually gives good advice, and doesn't just try to make a sale.. which I know can sometimes screw you as well. People just want to buy a goldfish and keep it in a bowl..

As far as fishes go, I would only stock fish that can be kept in aquariums that you either have in-stock or can order in. Herps, on the other hand, sometimes require custom-built enclosures, so you could at least provide customers with instructions on setting up/building an enclosure for them.

 

[foto69man]

I have dreamed of having a reptile store...............

My plan(once I win the lottery).........a big open store, right side wall as you come in is all the common herps, back wall is the intermidiate care herps, and right side wall is all advanced herps(but fewer in number). the center of the store is a sunken floor with a central store pet to draw people...maybe a dwarf camain? then shelves with the goodies(tanks, bedding, lights...etc...)

 

[longliveledzep]

dartfrog store i would breed (no fliping or charging $80 for a $30 frog) and sell pdfs as well as a few other tropical herps plants custom tanks and backgrounds

 

[black_sun]

Wiggles, couldn't have said it better. Also, if the budget can afford it, a store pet can earn you customers pretty well.. Something like a good sized burmese python or a big water monitor..

Yea, my friend does that. Everyone comes in because of "the big red lizard" (tegu) and "daisy" (skunk), he attracts a lot of people from all around because of it. And then they check out everything, shop around and usually come back again heh