Pet Business

Herptiles

by Jonathan Rheins on Jan 31, 2012

“I have been in countless reptile specialty stores in my many years as a herp enthusiast. In fact, I spend most of my waking hours working at one. Some have been quite impressive, while others left me wanting more. One thing that always stood out from store to store, however, was the assortment of giant, hairy spiders, centipedes and other creatures to which I had yet to become accustomed. Why would a tarantula, scorpion or…”

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Amazing Amphibians

by Owen Maercks on Dec 31, 2011

“A family came into the store recently with their five year old, who wanted a frog. It immediately took me back 50 years to my own desire for a frog or maybe a salamander. There is something entirely enchanting about amphibians. They are infinitely patient and stoic. They seem to…”

A Package Deal

by Jonathan Rheins on Dec 1, 2011

“I can recall my early days as a budding herp enthusiast, begging my parents for a ride to the local pet shop so I could stock up on crickets, mice and other sundry items that were frowned upon but nonetheless allowed in the house. Despite my parents’ open-mindedness regarding my…”

Assembly Required

by Owen Maercks on Nov 1, 2011

“Everybody loves convenience. Pet store owners love “complete” reptile kits because the kits theoretically remove the burden of instruction from them (my employees will sometimes take a half-hour to explain how to set up and maintain a $5 anole). Should the customer’s project go south, the storeowner can also point…”

Hot Herptiles

by Jonathan Rheins on Sep 30, 2011

“In the current retail environment, “common” goes hand in hand with popular. The most prevalent species are often readily available to herpers of all experience levels in a variety of outlets ranging from full service chain pet stores to specialty reptile shops.While some common species are best left to keepers…”