# Unique and unusual exotics



## Clark3 (Oct 3, 2016)

Hi all! 

Firstly, I am new to this forum. A friend of my highly recommended I should be on here to speak with like minded people. 

So, I am currently in the process of opening and running a pet store. However I do not want to sell your every day rabbit and guineapig. I am looking for inspiration on what sorts of unique, unsual, exotic animals I can sell without the need for licenses etc (this will come at a later date). 

Im looking to supply animals that you don't come by so often, such as spiny door mice, skinny pigs and wool variety of reptiles (I already have a supplier for different colour beardies, hets, hypos, citrus, phantoms etc) the crazier the better. 

Can you all help me? 

Many thanks! 
Lauren


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

This immediately strikes me as a bad idea. Impulse buying is enough of a problem with exotics as it is and as such I have always felt that certain species that are unsuitable for inexperienced or unprepared owners (green iguanas, large monitors, burmese pythons etc) should not be stocked in pet shops for people to see and want without doing the research first. (I have no problem with them being available through breeders to order in when requested, but don't think they should be on display to general public) By choosing to intentionally stock species that are particularly unusual, but by definition are often (not always) very specialized to keep you are setting yourself, and the animals, up for lots of problems. There is a reason that most pet shops stock many of the same standard species and that is that most of them are "tried and tested" as more suitable pets than many of the more unusual ones. (for the record I take in enough rescues of the common species that people have no clue how to look after that I would like to see some system in place where you couldn't get them unless you knew what you were doing, but the more specialist stuff is even worse.)


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## Clark3 (Oct 3, 2016)

Hi David 

Thank you for your constructive criticism. 

That is one thing I Am looking into, I'm all too aware of people buying animals that don't fully understand their care needs. 
I will be taking steps to ensure the buyers are vetted as much as possible without being intrusive, more animal based knowledge and care and also making sure the animals are not TOO specialised. 

One thing that crossed my mind was Possibly owning privately all the animals that are on display (without breaching the zoo licensing act) and having a list of readily available breeders that are reputable local to myself much like you said. 

I'm looking for a new take on the whole pet shop so any feedback is appreciated


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Clark3 said:


> Hi David
> 
> Thank you for your constructive criticism.
> 
> ...


If you are simply displaying animals then you will almost certainly require a Zoo Operators licence.

When not stock the popular, readily sold species, but have a very small number of unusual/rare/hard to find species too? 
The issue you have is that you have set yourself a bit of a paradox. You want to sell unusual species, sourced from readily available breeders. But if you can readily get them, then they are not unusual!


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