Hi all.

Not sure if this is right section to post this but....

I have a long term aim to open a reptile shop (in a fair few years after lots of research and finance investigation.) but a quick question i want to ask you all is, what makes a fantastic reptile shop. Obviosly things like quality of animals and animal welfare but also about the shop itself such as how big the shop? viv spacing wise? uniformed people (smartness) or casual? extra selling items? variety of animals, how much and what? (do you guys genrally look at the fish in most reptile shops because i know i dont thats what garden centres are for.) What do you guys look for in, and consider, an awsome reptile shop.

Thanks

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Knowledge, passion, quality of livestock, cleanliness and organised shop and staff.

Same as above, knowledge is the biggest thing though. How many times have we seen the old i want to open a shop but often that poster asks such basic questions they should not even think about it. Please note that was not a dig at the op but its somthing we do see a lot.

Also set up is important, poor looking shops will not keep people coming back and if theres good competition in the area can you afford to compete with them?

What I personally look in at a good reptile shop is:

Laid-back staff, but very informative about reptiles
A place were you can have a laugh
More 'different' species, like more gecko species I.e House Gecko's and more amphibians
Decent prices
More equipment than livestock, as i think it seems more that you are about the care of reptiles, not just selling them.

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Lizards1.0.0 Vittikins Dragon1.0.0 Leopard Gecko Chelonia1.0.0 YBS Others 1.0.0 Dwarf Lop rabbit H.Membrencea[option]0.0.3 Leaf Insects (Phyllium sp)

yeah i see that alot too but i genuinly want to open a good shop, reptiles are a great passion for me (like most of you guys) but im looking at this logically and as a business rather than a spur of the moment thing where the heart takes over the head. its why its going to take a fair few years to set up, i admit i dont know everything or even pretend to but i have people helping me and teaching me about the species i dont know (more of a co-op business with other people than just me.) Ive checked the competetion in the area too (emsworth reptiles and south coast.) they are both good reptile places but emsworth have cramped space (for people not animals.) so its hard to see everything when theres lots of people and south coast is a fantastic place (people are freindly and know what they are talking about, great animal living conditions and a nice airy open shop would reccomend it to enyone.) but because their shop is so small there is not much choice in the selection. the shop ive found is on the main road has a carpark and is pretty big with large open windows so would get the best of both worlds.

if anyone has any ideas they would like to share with me please let me know

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as a newbie to reptiles, I want a reptile staff member to be knowledgeable in the animals that he or she is selling, to be able to give long term advice and to sell me healthy animals.

I also want one that is well stocked ( not one where I have to wait 6 weeks for them to get the items that I want in! )

I also would like to see different species, but also to see those species in as healthy and natural environment as possible

thanks, its great to know from both experienced and newbies to hear what both side look for in a good reptile shop

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I be totaly honest with you, dont do it!!

The two shops your going against are long established with very very good knoledge and as such you will struggle to take there custom away from them.

Also if you have partners theres going to be to many hands in the till, many new busness fail in the first 3 years and this is one reason for that.

Also why are most good shops just of the beaten track? rent and rates are crippling at best, then add electric, advertising, wages, national insurance, libility and genral insurance, feeding costs, genral upkeep, fire and intruder alarms, loans and so on. Its fare from easy, and from personal experience of being self employed the hours are very long and the rewards small if any at times.

Also taking a hobby and trying to make a living from it can in many cases kill your love for it, seen it time and again.

I dont wish to sound overly negative but its not so clear cut and as easy as many think. For every good shop doing well sevral have tryed and gone. And now with the likes of pets at home and many small genral pet stores jumping back onto the reptile band wagon its only going to be tougher. Enjoy it as a hobby but if you still decide to try id strongly suggest looking into other locations for the shop befor makeing a final desision.

hmmmm..... good advice.... i did think about some of those things but not all of them, do you think a home enterprise is better? because the other idea me and a freind had was breed snakes at home and sell at reptile shows and any money we make would go back into the breeding programme (would not use/buy racks though) and although there is still the worry of competition we could specialise in a certain area. Thanks for the feedback, very useful

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If your want to form a legitimate busness from home remember you would require a pet shop licsence still and any rooms used would be subject to buisness rates. Also as such you would not be allowed to sell at shows as there for private breeders (that said if where honest many breeders are so big there as good as comercail).

Buy the animals you like and have a go at breeding and selling at shows as a private indervidual, you will enjoy the hobby a lot more i can garantee.