# What Makes For A Good One Then?



## TSKA Rory Matier (May 27, 2007)

Hi, 

In your opinions as reptile keepers, what attributes do you think makes for a good quality reptile store?

Why do you think this way?

Finally, having listed the components, qualities or attributes that make for a qualitable retail outlet, who in your eyes meets the criteria, within either your area or somewhere else in the United Kingdom?

Many Thanks

Rory Matier
Pro Keepers' Lobby


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## stephenie191 (May 29, 2007)

Clean, knowledgable (spelling :S), cared for healthy reptiles and a good selection. 

Somwere thats welcoming, Coast to Coast is an excellent looking store, great selection, nice staff and they know their stuff.


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## WeThePeople (Jul 8, 2007)

Honesty - "I dont know but ill find out for you" is better to hear than something they have clearly made up on the spot.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Am I allowed to comment what with owning a shop and all? 

I still buy from other shops, especially speciality high end shops like coast to coast, crystal palace, etc...

All that matters to me in a shop is that the animals look healthy and are housed appropriately, with UV lighting and have water... I like shops that have a more natural looking setups rather than the sterile ones.. but understand that perhaps hygiene is better the simpler the setup.

I don't think it matters how big the store is or how it's layed out or anything like that really.. or even the selection of equipment as long as they can order it in.. but the animals and the knowledge of the workers re: the animals I think is usually quite important...

Some of my favourite shops in the UK include crystal palace, coast to coast, wildside newport, reptile zone bristol.. but I have a lot more I hope to go and see on my "todo" list for the future


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

I think the staff actually looking liek they want to be there.
Clean vivs, reps in good order.
Honest staff.
I think staff should have a or access on the spot to, knowledge of basic care of all animals in stock at the least, and either be able to offer more detailed giudance or atleast offer where the customer might obtain such important info.

I have not been to many rep shops im affraid.


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## Ally (Mar 8, 2006)

Honesty and enthusiasm - I feel they're very important. 

Clean enclosures, clean water, healthy looking animals etc...


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## Chief (Sep 3, 2007)

I agree with everyone on here. Apart from experienced staff and well looked after animals, I'd say being aproachable and friendly. I visit A&J Reptiles in Locking nr Weston super Mare. I cannot speak highly enough of them. Also they make a mean cuppa and sometimes break out the jammy doggers! 
:lol2:


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## Horny Toad (Sep 9, 2006)

Thanks for the support guys - appreciated! Sounds cliched, but we try very hard to maintain the best standards we can, so its lovely when its appreciated!

I wouldnt know where to begin with my list of what makes a good store - and its difficult to achieve all on the list - there are some areas on that list that I know my place needs to work on. And for that reason the list is never completed! Commitment, honesty, good working practises, animal welfare, good business etiquate, building up long term good relationships with suppliers, providing education to your customers, not going down the cheap and cheerful route (a good reptile shop is expensive to run and keep high standards), keeping your finger on the pulse of the hobby for new developments, imagination for display, large selection of dry goods, injecting capital back into the business to keep things fresh - oh I could go on! Maybe this is different views to the none shop keeper - but all this and more that I have listed has made my shop what it is today - a popular well regarded shop that has been succesful for a fair few years now.


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## Phaedra (Sep 12, 2007)

Most important thing is that the reptiles look cared for. If I go into a shop and see empty water bowls and animals with no hides I don't want to give them my money.


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## vikki_john (Jul 16, 2007)

A friend of mine works in a shop part time and he spends a lot of time with customers and is helpful though he does refer to some of them as:

TTW typical time wasters. when they ask loads of question all day even though they have no intention of buying anthing .


TBS. tight ba**ard syndrome. when they ask for a price for a set up then say " i aint paying that "

lol its funny cuz its true.


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

Hygeine and cleanliness within the vivs.
Fresh water.
UV and heat, where appropriate to the species.
Healthy animals.
Knowledgeable staff.

And to me Coast to Coast has met all these requirements. Very helpful, clean vivs..healthy animals.. a biggy for me is tortoise species kept seperate as where i used to live no shop seemed to do this..so another thumbs up there. A wide selection.. and all in all fantastically kept animals. Also they show their breeding animals which is fantastic. alot of shops will just show the babies.


Katie


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## jamie_coxon (Jul 18, 2007)

healthy animals and nice staff who are willing to help and actually know what there onna bout. id have to say the best one ive been to is hull pets and gardens, great staff, real friendly CHEAP prices and all there reps are spot on


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## shiva&kaa123 (Jul 20, 2007)

Got to be clean, friendly and have a nice big selection...
Ben


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## leptophis (May 24, 2007)

As someone who works in a shop, I think having a shop who are interested in more than the bottom line of the profit, such as those mentioned, selling good animals, trying to learn more about the reptiles we love as well as working with other shops on improving things, showing customers more information than what is required, and spending time with them after purchases on any questions they have, good shops dont have to be big or small, I have seen some great friendly places which only have 1 member of staff and i have seen place which are good with more, i think a great thermometer is a shop where the customer comes out feeling wow those guys love there reptiles, they can talk the hind legs off a donkey, no shop is perfect, but the fact that they try should be the determining factor,


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## hull-beardie-fan (Mar 26, 2006)

At the end of the day the animals in the shops need a good home, so i think the staff need to be honest about what the animals rquirments are for ex. iguanas and how big they get etc people need to be told about that but you do get some shops that are just in it for the money and not for a the well being of the animals. Oh and ov course clean tanks and healthy reps .:smile:


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

not osmeone who sits in his chair orderign everone about smoking 24 7 stinking th e palace out, with his dog next to him, amazingly loud music, hundreds of HUGE locusts with tiny 3 weeks old cams, empty water bowls, mixed species in one tank etc etc, could go on.....that my local  ....


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## Phaedra (Sep 12, 2007)

vikki_john said:


> TTW typical time wasters. when they ask loads of question all day even though they have no intention of buying anthing .


I think I'm guilty of that, but only at my local. I give them enough of my money that they don't mind me hanging around there when I'm bored and looking at the animals. It's like a really small, free zoo for me. They know me so well they tell me to get my own mice out of the freezer


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## leogirl (Oct 1, 2006)

Phaedra said:


> I think I'm guilty of that, but only at my local. I give them enough of my money that they don't mind me hanging around there when I'm bored and looking at the animals. It's like a really small, free zoo for me. They know me so well they tell me to get my own mice out of the freezer


i do that lol but i take sweeties for them so its kool  ... wheres your local?


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## rachel132002 (Dec 4, 2006)

Most importantly caring about the animals in stock as if they care then generally everything else follows well after that but also:

Patience, a lot of shop owners i know can have a tendency to roll their eyes ina "god how many times do i hear this question?" type of manner which is off putting because the i know it all and you're stupid attitude is off putting as they seem to forget we learn by asking stupid questions.

Knowledge, again if i ask what temperatures or lighting an animal needs it doesn't fill me with confidence when they go errmm well about this and errmmm maybe that without any actual confidence in their tone i want someone who can go right you need to do this and that or in a case of one of my locals where there's about 6 people workin on the weekend they say TBH i'm not your guy for these but if you wait a sec i'll get so and so for you cuz he keeps them so is the best person to advise or even if that persons not in they do say i'm not the right person for it so i'll tell so and so you want to know the details and get em to give you a ring or if you pop in on such and such a day and they'll hold the animal you want and you do get the phone call.

Proper advice, when someone is buyin an animal its nice to see the shop check what equipment they have and tell them anything they're missing and also actively promote thermostats too as a lot of shops go naahh you don't need em for those when not only does it make the an extra sale but prevents that animal being bought from ever being burnt.

Help, knowing you are able to call them, visit them or take an animal you're concerned about to them and they'll have a look give you some basic care tips and tell you to go to a reccomended vet if they can see it's nedded and also help you with any other general problems or needs for example my local cold blooded has heaps of stuff brought in and they'll look at everything for you and even clip your lizards claws for you, make you incubators etc and one guy (anyone who goes CB knows him) Keith, some funny old guy who's not all there but LOVES his reptiles the owner paul gives him discount on the animals and setups, goes round his house sets them up for him as do the other guys then they go round once or twice a week to help him feed, water and clean them too with no charge and that's what i call service.

Cleanliness is also vital, the vivs must be clean or it just make the shop look messy and smell foul and you don't want to buy anything from a shop that's dirty.

Think that's about all i can think of right now but i'm sure theres more!

Rach


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

real herpers working there.


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

For me a shop who are happy to provide care information BEFORE a sale is a must. I can't stand that people can go to shops with nothing more than cash and take away an animal they have not researched or anything.

A shop with good, helpful staff is a must. Knowledgeable and approachable don't always work together so a mix of the 2 definitely. If a staff member is not 100% up on herp care then they should have someone who is available.

Care sheets on display next to the vivs outlining basic care informaiton so potential buyers know if it is easily attainable would be good too.

I don't get to visit many shops, certainl not any out of my locla area but the ones close ot me don't really meet the bar. One is okayish - pricey and they arne't all as knowledgable as they pretend to be. The other is owned by osmeone who is condascending, spends mor time staring at your chest than being concerned for the welfare of the animals and sees a sale as the only important thing in heir mind - selling a yellow anaconda to a 1 year old is not a good advert for future customers!!

Would love to visit some ofthe highly regaded shops one day though - maybewhen I get my driving license, I will take a weeks holiday and tour the UK to visit them all


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