Just To Get The Ball Rolling

[James]

I thought I would start by recommending 2 reptile shops that I have visited. The first is Millennium Reptiles, they are in Bishops Stortford. I get my crickets and animals from there, I trust all his livestock and would strongly recommend anyone to visit him. This is his website, Millennium Reptiles.

The second is based in Enfield, I go there for my equipment as he has good prices and quality stock. I bought a 36x12x15 all glass viv for £30 for my cornsnake. I would recommend him for equipment, I bought my first cresty from him. I wouldn't buy livestock from him again simply because mine was such a slow starter. Not that there is anything wrong with his stock, just I trust the other shop more.

I know that most people on the site so far don't live anywhere near me, but I thought I would post this anyway. Hope it helps anyway.

James

[zarozinia]

Well, my favourite shop is still Coast to Coast(Darlington), for the variety of creatures they sell and the fact that they spend ages ensuring people understand the commitments involved in keeping reptiles before they let them buy anything.
Snakes n Adders in Leeds is great too, very clean, good variety, reasonable prices and helpful staff.
Top marks also to Billingham aquatics in Cleveland, who sell mainly fish with a few reptiles, very friendly helpful staff who order things in for you.
I also enjoy a trip to Paws for Thought in Leeds who have a good selection of reptiles and spiders, a very clean shop and there reps look healthy.
Angi

[James]

I would love to visit coast to coast reptiles but its a bit far for me to go just for a look. I would have to persuade my dad to drive me there and I don't think he would appreciate it as much as I would.

James

[Uroplatus]

Obviously I've got to say Billingham is great! I'd get sacked if I didn't! We try to keep to simple easy animals such as leopards and corns and beardies (I know pretty standard stuff). But becuase I work there and I'm into rarer stuff I try to stock the more unusual animals such as cresteds, cooks tree boas, flying snakes (just the once, won't do it again!), collard lizards etc. I'm trying to stock more unusual animals but the market isn't very big for it in our area.
A fantastic shop (probably my favourite) is Leaping lizards in York. Its one of those shops where you walk in and it looks brand new! All of the enclosures are immaculate, animals are perfect and the staff are lovely. Its based in York and has a website:
www.leaping-lizards.co.uk
It is a lovely shop and is getting moved across the road to where they are now to a premises with twice as much room! The guy that owns the shop, Andrew is into unusual snakes and lizards so there is always something new to see! I've got a few of my pairs of leaftails from them and also a blotched kingsnake and my gorgeous harlequin crested. They aren't too expensive and give excellent advice, so I hearby declare Leapign lizards as my favourite shop ;D

[zarozinia]

I second that about leaping lizards. It really is immaculate. Weve only visited once, but it certainly left a good impression on us. Although they didnt have much in when we went, Im not sure if it was fairly newly opened. The staff were certainly friendly and helpful on that occassion.
Angi

[HelenAldredJones]

hmm well I don't like C2C personally, but the ones that are good are Snakes n Adders, Millenium Reptiles, umm well, to be honest I don't usually deal with shops as I have pretty good contacts with the breeders so I by-pass the extra cost of buying in a shop and go straight to the breeders and save money and get generally a better pick of the species and you know where they are coming from, alright you may have to travel to get certain species, but I would rather do that than go in a shop anyday- we are going to travel to Liverpool on the 2nd to get our atb's- can't wait!. ;D

[Uroplatus]

I usually go to the breeders too, but I like to look around shops (one of my hobbies) to see whats available and just for a general nosy around

[HelenAldredJones]

I like looking at stocklists too- I love seeing the variation in prices, for example I got a hognose for £15 whereas in C2C they were selling one for I think around £70!

[zarozinia]

I have to confess that we are also turning to buying directly from breeders, its so much cheaper. The hatchlings I bought last year were only £25 each, bought from Stephen Sharp.( www.snakebreeder.co.uk
)

Angi

[HelenAldredJones]

Steven is meant to be good- I am tempted to get a set of probes off him, as they aren't bad value I like the page on his site about the african pygmy mouse- cute! ;D

[James]

I also prefer buying animal from breeders but I don't know many round here! Millennium Reptiles breeds there own leos. He is also a specialist dwarf monitor and tree boa breeder. I am getting my hatchling from Tanay Stevens (aka Cornfan) when it hatches! I won't bother going that far if there is no chance of me finding an animal at a good price. Who could visit a shop without buying somehitng? Not me

James

[HelenAldredJones]

I have never been to Millenium Reptiles, but I have good friends that know the owner well and I have heard of the quality of his animals.

I find it quite easy not to buy anything at shops round here- I am trying to go into the higher-end market of GTP's, and the rarer boids so most shops don't have much for me- C2C only really seem to have corns and kings

[James]

Although it is a small shop, Lee is very knowledgable and if he doesn't know the answer he will find out for you. He is quick to deal with 'special orders' and all of his stock is of high quality. He has some beautiful beardies at the moment, and some gravid frilled dragons. I would highly recommend him to anyone starting out in the herp world.

James

[HelenAldredJones]

I have emailed him for a stock/price list to see what boids he has- once my frilly is older I would like to get a male for her eventually ;D

[James]

He has a pair (I think) of dumerel boas in at the moment. Not sure what price they are at though

James