# strictly exotics



## Avatarman (Dec 5, 2009)

Hi does anyone on this forum go to strictly exotics it would be nice to speak to people who shop there


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## gregmonsta (Dec 3, 2007)

Been there 3 or 4 times.


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## sasandjo (Dec 8, 2007)

been to the one in dundee a few times tend to pop in when were back home , great little shop ,not huge but makes up for it in quality...


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## Keir64 (Oct 12, 2009)

I go to the one in kirkcaldy all the time. They have a nice selection of reps and they are really friendly and helpful! =)


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## Keir64 (Oct 12, 2009)

Ohh forgot to say, got my basilisk from there. Top notch lizard, very active, sheds well, and snatches crickets (expecially locusts) from the tweezers before i can even get them in the viv! Very good feeder.


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## Zak (Jan 7, 2008)

Visited one in Dundee once, enough said.

Havent been to the one in Kirkcaldy but have heard much better things about it.


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## sparkle (Mar 21, 2007)

Zak said:


> Visited one in Dundee once, enough said.
> 
> Havent been to the one in Kirkcaldy but have heard much better things about it.


 why whats wrong with the one in Dundee... I havent been myself..


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## derek n (Nov 13, 2008)

Avatarman said:


> Hi does anyone on this forum go to strictly exotics it would be nice to speak to people who shop there


I go to the Kirkcaldy store quite regularly, nice place and the staff are helpful.


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## denise31 (Oct 18, 2008)

I go to Kirkcaldy store as well very regular. The staff are great in there and always keen on giving advice if you are stuck. 
I have took many of my snakes in there for advice, I regular buy my frozen stuff out of the shop as well. :2thumb:


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## AnythingWithAShell (Apr 14, 2009)

sparkle said:


> why whats wrong with the one in Dundee... I havent been myself..


Nothing wrong with the Dundee shop at all. They're run by the same people, so how could the Dundee one be bad and not the Kirkcaldy one?

Not bought any animals from them yet, but I've been to both, Dundee more as it's close to me, and they're both great in every way.


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## gregmonsta (Dec 3, 2007)

AnythingWithAShell said:


> Nothing wrong with the Dundee shop at all. They're run by the same people, so how could the Dundee one be bad and not the Kirkcaldy one?


How about bigoted attitude, unwillingness to listen to outside input and bad care advice? :whistling2: Feeding ribbon snakes crickets is a no go area!

The quality is good, especially for frozen food and selection of goods ... but I'd rather support my local store who value good advice and are willing to listen to progressive husbandry.


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## AnythingWithAShell (Apr 14, 2009)

gregmonsta said:


> How about bigoted attitude, unwillingness to listen to outside input and bad care advice? :whistling2: Feeding ribbon snakes crickets is a no go area!
> 
> The quality is good, especially for frozen food and selection of goods ... but I'd rather support my local store who value good advice and are willing to listen to progressive husbandry.


Ah well, can't comment on that, I've never experienced it. 

Would you tell us about the attitude and unwillingness to listen, since the OP was looking for opinions etc? 

Plus, like I said, I've never had any animals from them yet, so I would like to know any bad opinions/experiences folk have had too, so i can make more informed choices. : victory:

We're not exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to exotics shops here!


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## gregmonsta (Dec 3, 2007)

AnythingWithAShell said:


> Ah well, can't comment on that, I've never experienced it.
> 
> Would you tell us about the attitude and unwillingness to listen, since the OP was looking for opinions etc?
> 
> ...


Well the short version is - asked about wether he'd be interested in CB garters ... answer was no - they wouldn't sell ... yet a couple of months later there was a gaggle of WC ribbon snakes (ie cheap as chips and likely to make a good profit).
Found out they were fed on sprats (a seafish) and crickets. Made my comments, was ignored and met with 'Well, the crickets are dissapearing so they must be eating them.'.
I 'rescued' one and haven't been back to the shop since. On the online site they are still advertised as feeding on worms, crickets/etc which:
1) *goes against the caresheet they have in their caresheet section or indeed goes against any advice given in the John Coote book on garter snake husbandry which they actually stocked *(I know ... I bought it).
2) thamnophis species are NOT insectivorious and have been known to become impacted on a diet of insects through bad husbandry.
3) doesn't mention 'safe' fish ie freshwater thiaminase free fish (their most natural diet) for example salmon and trout fillet.
4) a diet of nothing but earthworms will lead to issues with lack of phosphorus and calcium.
I joined the forum. Did my best to give advice ... and watched one of my posts disappear.

I am not happy with the 'I know better because I've been doing this for years' approach.

Certainly, when it comes to Thamnophis the guy is seriously out of touch (ie stuck in the eighties).

Like I stated before ... the shop is well stocked and looks in good order and the practices with other species may well be in order but my experience with them mentioned above leaves a lot to be desired.


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## Avatarman (Dec 5, 2009)

nice feedback a didn't know this many people go to the shop :lol2: i think they fixed the ribbon snake problem but my friend had the same in counter with the ribbon snakes does anyone feel like the shop owner is staring that you all the time but still its a good shop:2thumb:


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## palomine (Sep 12, 2008)

Avatarman said:


> Hi does anyone on this forum go to strictly exotics it would be nice to speak to people who shop there



hi,

I work in kdy store and love meeting and chatting. so hi lol.


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## palomine (Sep 12, 2008)

gregmonsta said:


> Well the short version is - asked about wether he'd be interested in CB garters ... answer was no - they wouldn't sell ... yet a couple of months later there was a gaggle of WC ribbon snakes (ie cheap as chips and likely to make a good profit).
> Found out they were fed on sprats (a seafish) and crickets. Made my comments, was ignored and met with 'Well, the crickets are dissapearing so they must be eating them.'.
> I 'rescued' one and haven't been back to the shop since. On the online site they are still advertised as feeding on worms, crickets/etc which:
> 1) *goes against the caresheet they have in their caresheet section or indeed goes against any advice given in the John Coote book on garter snake husbandry which they actually stocked *(I know ... I bought it).
> ...


not getting into anything but you were fairly rude and abrupt with your post on the ribbon snakes on strictly forum. It didn't disappear at all...only you just didn't get a reply. sorry you feel this way but glad you appreciate the shop regardless.


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## gregmonsta (Dec 3, 2007)

palomine said:


> not getting into anything but you were fairly rude and abrupt with your post on the ribbon snakes on strictly forum. It didn't disappear at all...only you just didn't get a reply. sorry you feel this way but glad you appreciate the shop regardless.


It may have come across as rude but I was just trying to be direct. I was concerned with the health of the ribbon snakes first and foremost. As you know many people might buy a pet and will quite happily follow any instruction they are given. If these instructions can lead to the premature death of the animal I have to be direct.
Thamnophis were the cheap and cheerful 'throw-away' pet back in the day because correct husbandry hadn't been established but I feel a shopowner has the responsibility to stay current with correct husbandry. No offence ... but I have been fighting this corner since April ... and the website still states feeds on worms and insects .... I would hope that, at least, in shop advice has been updated since then but I'm doubtful that it has. If my advice has been dismissed because I'm just another snake keeper maybe the fact that I'm a member of EGSA (European Garter Snake Association) should at least give my points some credibility.
When I started keeping these in the 90s the progression had just started to move away from feeding things like sprats and whitebait. The hobby is constantly evolving. The vitamin deficiencies that feeding seafish and thiaminase containing species were only just getting named.
Lists of safe foods can be found on www.thamnophis.com.
Again I'm not trying to take anything away from the shop. It's at least ten times better than some southern stores I've been too.


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## AnythingWithAShell (Apr 14, 2009)

Thanks for sharing Greg, like I said I do like to see honest opinions about places I know/go to, so thanks 

And I never knew anything about ribbon snakes, but I did plan to find stuff out, cos I do quite fancy them


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## nathanhutchison (Dec 6, 2008)

i get all my usual supplies from strictly.
its a good shop in my experiance.
i also got my gecks, big boa,burm and tort from them.
only thing was the burm wasnt feeding when i got her but i sorted that lol


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## grumpyoldtrout (May 19, 2008)

Yup, been to Kirkcaldy one a couple of times, absolutely no problems, and will go back there again. :2thumb::2thumb:

Even warned me that the radiated rat was a bit feisty. lol

NO KIDDING :lol2::lol2:










Calming down now though, :2thumb::2thumb:


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## Avatarman (Dec 5, 2009)

ouch:gasp:


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## MViper (Mar 25, 2009)

Honest opinion......Been there once...Kirkcaldy one ...never again...surely if you sell things to people you should know you're stuff :whistling2:

Will continue to stick with my local one Thanks!

Nuff said : victory:


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## derek n (Nov 13, 2008)

MViper said:


> Honest opinion......Been there once...Kirkcaldy one ...never again...surely if you sell things to people you should know you're stuff :whistling2:
> 
> Will continue to stick with my local one Thanks!
> 
> Nuff said : victory:


Personally I've never had problems in the Kirkcaldy store, Elaine and the rest of the staff are helpful and knowledgable imo.


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## Avatarman (Dec 5, 2009)

I have never being to the Kirkcaldy store


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## gregmonsta (Dec 3, 2007)

:censor: and still .... Strictly Exotics | Reptile Care & Breeding Centre | UK, Scotland, Dundee .... nothing has changed .... worms and insects!!!! :bash:


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## Avatarman (Dec 5, 2009)

personally I think strictly exotics should just keep to reptile not move on to fish


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## tats (Oct 28, 2009)

i shop there all the time they are a good shop and very helpful


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## nathanhutchison (Dec 6, 2008)

i still thinks its a great shop.

was up there today and got a chinese water dragon. evrything seems fine in the shop. im also lookin forward to the new shop, just to have a look caus i dont keep fish. i did get excited when it said big surprise in 2010 as i thought it would be a bigger shop or breeding centre.


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## allymac (Mar 6, 2009)

I've been going to strictly exotics for a while now. I've bought livefood, frozen food and reptiles from there many times. There have been a couple of people who have worked in the Dundee store that made mistakes but they don't work there anymore and the staff have always been happy to listen to my opinions on setups/diets etc. Definitely not bigoted i love going to strictly for my weekly chat and update on stock.

OP you can listen to everyone elses opinion but don't make up your mind until you've been.


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## tommybhoy (Jan 31, 2010)

not got any reps from them yet, but i think that both Dundee and Kirkcauldy were sound anytime i have had dealings with them and imo the best livefood i have bought for my beardies came from them.:2thumb:


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## Raptorboy (Dec 7, 2011)

Great Shop, Great quality, great info. By far the best shop in E. Scotland.


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## Jimmyx0 (Nov 19, 2013)

*worse shop iv been too*

terrible shop, worse information and staff think they know it all, p.s i know stuart and debbie from a couple years and there nothing special, they complain when you go to a new shop and get animals from else where when they have none in stock, or expect you to wait 2 years i say F*** That


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