# Shirley Aquatics Oxford Branch / Yarnton Nurseries



## JamesJ (Apr 12, 2008)

Were thinking of taking a trip tomorrow to Shirley Aquatics other branch down in Oxford (inside Yarnton Nurseries), we do like the one in Shirley and have been told by their staff Oxford has a bigger/better range when it comes to reptiles. Its 80miles either way so were just after opinions from anyone whos been as to whether its worth a 160mile round trip?

Ta xo


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

I've been a couple of times, my daughter lives close to them. Not too kean, it's ok if you see the proper staff but they tend to have young kids in there mostly at weekends, sorry!! I think the main man in there is named Phill, (not certain)
I really don't like the Shirley branch, i got a baby leo from there & she never ate a thing, see the vet, she was treated for an infection but she died, they did give me a full refund but i would never buy from them again.
Hope you find things better. Enjoy it.


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## slowmo-no1 (Jan 14, 2009)

hey i go there alot to buy my livefood lol, also just finished my work experince there. and its not bad i would say a lil on the expensive side but if ur polite in asking they will knock it down a bit for you. but the main guy there is phil. he owns/breeds reptiles himself. if u like to know wat reps they got in stock i can rember lol 
infact ill give u it lol
loads of baby berdies, cresties, leos, red tailed racers,mangroves, chameleons, moss frogs, some ofther frogs, albino retic (£999.99), albino royal (£1200, but i recon they will go down to £1000), boa, frilled dragons, plumed basilisk, blue tailed monitor (£450),russian sand boa, some differnt species tortioses, more snakes, mali uromastyx, standing day gecko and a lil more lol
hope this helps lol


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## JamesJ (Apr 12, 2008)

slowmo-no1 said:


> hey i go there alot to buy my livefood lol, also just finished my work experince there. and its not bad i would say a lil on the expensive side but if ur polite in asking they will knock it down a bit for you. but the main guy there is phil. he owns/breeds reptiles himself. if u like to know wat reps they got in stock i can rember lol
> infact ill give u it lol
> loads of baby berdies, *cresties*, leos, red tailed racers,mangroves, chameleons, moss frogs, some ofther frogs, albino retic (£999.99), albino royal (£1200, but i recon they will go down to £1000), boa, frilled dragons, plumed basilisk, blue tailed monitor (£450),russian sand boa, some differnt species tortioses, more snakes lol and a lil more lol
> hope this helps lol


:flrt: Cresties ! not like I dont have enough lol! Thankyou for the reply, we are not going for something in particular, just a day out. I was meant to be collecting a pair of albino hognoses tomorrow but they arnt there for me to collect till the week now so we just want something to do / somewhere different to visit, ive also heard good things about emerald exotics which is only 13 miles from there so we may aswell kill 2 birds with 1 stone :2thumb:


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## slowmo-no1 (Jan 14, 2009)

never been there, they also sell fish(tropic,marine,cold water), birds and "pets" (rabits,ferrets,mice,hamsters and a few more) so its not that bad.


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

Emerald Exotics is a great shop, my daughter lives in Witney, she uses them all the time, small shop but Steve knows his stuff, he used to be a keeper at Cotswold wildlife park sometime ago.
The last time i was there was about a month or so ago, he didn't have much in then but he usually has a good range of reptiles, if you get to speak to Steve, tell him Margaret (Michaela's mum) said hello!!
hope you have a good day out.


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

I hope no one thought i was slating them, i wasn't but my leo was most likely a one off & they were good enough to give me a full refund, but when something like that happens, perhaps you can understand that it's not my favourite place anymore, i would never buy anything from them again but if i were to be in the area i would go in to look round.


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## Scotteh (Dec 23, 2008)

i always get my livefood from there, its quite a nice place, their in the middle of refurbing the pet section atm so its a bit all over the place. reptile wise they have quite a nice selection. they are defo a bit on the expensive side. they have had a really bad batch of baby beardies in thou, u will struggle to find 1 will a whole tale and all of its toes. 

i would have to agree with margaret, emerald exotics is a really nice place, its all new and clean and steve is sound and knows his stuff. i would say u should defo pop in and take a look.


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## bikerboy911 (Dec 29, 2008)

*new head of reptiles*

my names carl and ive seen a massive decline at yarnton reptile section to there animals were looking ill and still on show.kids working there with little experience and. just going down hill. but there is good news i hope.

ill be the head of reptile department in 3 weeks and im looking to change everything possibly can  ive kept reptiles since i was young and i have a big selection at home now which i breed to .ive worked voluntary with steve at emerald exotics for 2 years now its an amazing place and hes a good mate. so i hope with the experience i can turn yarnton around abit  for the reptiles sake  hope to see loads of you guys soon xxx


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## Bradders100 (Feb 3, 2008)

Haven't they closed down now?

I thought there was only the shirley branch and they are possibly closing down to


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## bruceybonus18 (Dec 21, 2009)

bikerboy911 said:


> my names carl and ive seen a massive decline at yarnton reptile section to there animals were looking ill and still on show.kids working there with little experience and. just going down hill. but there is good news i hope.
> 
> ill be the head of reptile department in 3 weeks and im looking to change everything possibly can  ive kept reptiles since i was young and i have a big selection at home now which i breed to .ive worked voluntary with steve at emerald exotics for 2 years now its an amazing place and hes a good mate. so i hope with the experience i can turn yarnton around abit  for the reptiles sake  hope to see loads of you guys soon xxx


 
i totally agree it has gone down hill big time i bourght my first gecko there 18 months ago and back then i thourght it was realy good,but now i dont bother going there and im only 10 mins away i certainly wouldnt travel 160 miles thats for sure.

i'll look forward to coming over when you are in charge carl hopefully you can turn things around.


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## bikerboy911 (Dec 29, 2008)

thanks mate im going to do whatever i can


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## Tharil (Nov 1, 2009)

I went there around 6 Months ago to look around and I was quite shocked at the state of the place and also the animals. A guy on another forum actually logged a complaint with the RSPCA and I believe they actually took some of the animals away. Im trying to find his post on the other site but strugling to find it at the moment.

If things turn round over there i would certainly use it but with Emerald Exotics 2 miles from my house I would have little need to go there as the Witney shop is awesom.


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## Stoats (Apr 22, 2009)

I went there last July at it seemed pretty good; helpful, and healthy animals.

I went back a couple of weeks ago for some rats; the reptile section had been moved into another (rather small and cramped) room, and some of the reptiles seemed in ppoor condition or poorly housed. Good luck trying to turn it around; I wouldn't buy a reptile from them as it stands.


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## bikerboy911 (Dec 29, 2008)

i know what ya mean guys i went there the other day and i have ALOT of work to do  but i love my reptiles so its an awesome opatunity  ill see what weird and wonderfull things i can get in


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## wendatk (Mar 14, 2010)

*plumed basilisk*

My daughter is doing a project on plumed basilisk does anyone know any good sites for her to get info from please


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## bikerboy911 (Dec 29, 2008)

i have a pair in yarnton if you and your daughter wanted to come in see how they interact and hold one? if that helps if you google them there will be loads of info


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## Razaiel (Oct 17, 2006)

So you're the new manager, Carl? Interesting ... let me know when you've taken over - I have had nothing but bad things to say about this place (4-5ft nile monitor kept in a viv of about 4.5 ft???) If this place is being turned around for the better it may well become a place worth visiting again as of the past year I'd rather travel back to Manchester to get my bugs as set foot in that place.

Wishing you all the best with the job!


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## pingu1985 (Apr 14, 2010)

i have nothing bad to say about yarnton, we get all our live food from there and it is much Much better than the quality of food than in pets at home. i brought some hoppers from pets at home in banbury and had 3 that were alive.


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## bikerboy911 (Dec 29, 2008)

*well*

that went well started to turn that place around 7 weeks in then got made redundant. u got a real hard job there pete but i wish u all the best good luck in turning the whole place around  for me im gunna carry on with my own little shop in my garage  then when the income starts get my own place yay hehe xxx


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## hawkins75 (Oct 22, 2009)

I had a blue tongued skink which died not long after buying him found out his big bag of bark they sold us was riddled with parasites and no refund given and a beardie which never grew. Emerald exotics is awesome i love going just to see the iggy:2thumb:


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## carterGSD (Aug 17, 2010)

I really would not bother travelling far to go there. I was there last week, nothing much there now, few years ago used to be good, but gone down hill rapidly.

I was looking for a Uro of which they had two in, with a big bowl of water!!

I did buy a book about uro's from there and should have really given it to the staff.

I am very new to reptiles so know pretty much nothing, but even after an hour on the net when i was researching i knew no water for them!


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## carterGSD (Aug 17, 2010)

Agree about Emerald in Witney, really nice shop and some interesting things there.

Really informative and seemed generally nice guys with lots of passion.


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