The Who's Who of SA.

[Rocket]

Just thought us South Aussies could discuss just how well the reptile keeping and breeding 'industry' is represented in SA. I thought we could offer our opinions to how we see and negotiate with certain people involved in breeding and dealing reptiles legally in South Australia. So, I will start off.

The first and most obvious- Ultimate reptile Suppliers: Great group of professionalsthat know their stuff and are always willing to help out a fellow herper. Obviously Australia's largest professional dealership of Reptiles and supply very high quality herps to breeders around the country. Keep up the great work Tim and the gang!

SXR: Never dealt with Simon (as I don't keep snakes) but have spoken to him and seems like a professional and very genuine person.

Reptile City: Jason and Michel would have to be running the best open shop reptile dealership in SA. Friendly service with high quality herps and a very well set out shop. I'm positive everybody can vouch for these guys on how much help and information they can supply on snakes, lizards, crocs and turtles. 10 out of 10!

Gully Reptile Centa: Been there quite alot and the guys there are always welcoming! Also stockists of gardening supplies but tend to have a great reptile range. Having said that, they tend to have alot more reptles on display rather than for sale!

NorthSide Pets Superstore: An all round Pet and reptile shop that have picked up on the slack alot in the past years. Stock alot of the best products around and tend to keep the store neat and tide but it didn't always used to be that way. Reptiles are usually kept nicely and look healthy but not at the most fair of prices.

Wet & Wild Pets: Never dealt with them but have heard good feedback on the store. Apparently a very small shop thus having small variety but apparently have uncommon species available at fair prices.

And last but definitely not least: The uptight king s of the reptile trade in Adelaide (or so they think!) Scales and Tails: Very clean and well set out shop with high quality and healthy reptiles at decent prices. Seem professional and know their knowledge but friendly and curteous, they are not! They always seem to give off the impression they are above everyone, better than everyone and know more than everyone! Definitely not true! Whilst he can be the friendliest of people at times, this isn't always the case.

Getting Permits in SA is also a very easy process and The Fauna Permit Unit of The department of environment and Heritage offers fair access to keeping wildlife and one permit allows a keeper to keep a large variety of Birds, Reptiles, Mammals and Amphibians. In myopinion, we have the best permit system in Australia!

Now these are just my opinions of most of the leading dealers and breeders in SA, why not have your say and tell everyone your favourites and experiences?

Regards

 

[Mrs I]

Reptile City: Jason and Michel would have to be running the best open shop reptile dealership in SA. Friendly service with high quality herps and a very well set out shop. I'm positive everybody can vouch for these guys on how much help and information they can supply on snakes, lizards, crocs and turtles. 10 out of 10!

I dont go anywhere else.....

So thats all i can comment on, they have always been so helpful and if they dont have something you want they will be sure to try find it for you.

Mrs I

xxx

 

[expansa1]

Number 8382 3666

I cannot comment on S.A shops but would like to ADD that I wish URS, most sth Australians and Victorians would call our freshwater TURTLES by their correct name and NOT Tortoises. I see URS still has a Tortoise caresheet.

 

[DrNick]

Fishing for some discount hey Rocket :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Rocket]

You know me too well Nick.

Just to clarify on one thing, I'm hoping pople don't go all out on how much they dislike a certain person. I'm happy to say we have some very nice people willing to give up time and effort to help other herpers but if you have been done wrong by someone, please don't go nuts trying effect their reputation based on private business between them and yourself.

I'm just wanting light opinions and good experiences you have had with these people.

 

[bubbaloush]

"Reptile City: Jason and Michel would have to be running the best open shop reptile dealership in SA. Friendly service with high quality herps and a very well set out shop. I'm positive everybody can vouch for these guys on how much help and information they can supply on snakes, lizards, crocs and turtles. 10 out of 10!"

(no idea how to quote on here lol)

I have bought nearly all of our snakes from these guys and they are excellent, i recommend them to anyone who shows any interest in reptiles even tell them to go and have a look in their shop as they have some gorgeous animals. Their after service i could go on and on about as it is simply tops and share so much great advice and have answers even for our stupidest questions lol. Their whole set up out the back leaves me jealous! I can't really find any fault with Michel and Jason other then they need to get their website back up lol jj

Rocket no need to fish for a discount with Reptile City ;-)

I have also been told their is a vet down brighton that used to work at the zoo so he would probably be another to go to if you can't get into the other one, Mrs I cheers for sharing that one i have heard they look at reptiles but never needed a vet yet touch wood!

There is also Lonsdale Bird and Fodder that sells some reptiles in small numbers this is who i got my first snake from back in 2001, they aren't bad but have a small amount of snakes.

 

[kab_65]

Have bought stuff from URS - Very helpful and have given me good advice, prompt and a pleasure to deal with.

Have nothing but praise for Simon and Diane SXR, very interesting people to chat to and a wealth of knowledge.

Bought from Wet n Wild - Very helpful, interesting little shop packed with stuff to look at.

 

[Fester]

And last but definitely not least: The uptight king s of the reptile trade in Adelaide (or so they think!) Scales and Tails:

It is a shame they are like that. I tend to avoid that shop because I get a lecture everytime
I go in there! Not much I am doing is right.

For all the others mentioned, been in them all except Reptile City which is a cut lunch &
waterbag job for me! Gully Retile Centa is my closest shop and they always look after me.

 

[kakariki]

I give a thumbs up to Wet'n'Wild Petz at Victor Harbour. Di is friendly and has heaps of stuff. If she doesn't have it, she'll try to get it.
URS....love 'em
Gully Reptile Centre.......we visit them whenever we are down that way. Excellent prices and a wealth of info.
Reptile City........another favourite. Could easily spend hours & mega bucks there. The guys are fantastic to deal with.
Scales & tails....hmmmmm.......best say nothing except we pass it by! Pity cos with an attitude adjustment they would be one of the best.
Last but not least...Petwares at Mt Barker.....have just started getting into insects & froggies. Fingers crossed they will expand into reps cos they are a wonderful group of people, very helpful & knowledgeable. Huge choice for products for just about any furry, feathery & scaley!! Another favourite!

 

[Chilali]

Yes i agree Jason and Michael from reptile city are the best by far. i am in norwood area and drive a hour just to go to reptile city as they offer great advise and top quality products. If i have a prob with my beardys i ring and they give advise on the phone! Good work guys!

Having said that i also go to Gully Reptile Centa for bits and pieces and they have always been welcoming and have good food & products for the beardys.

PK Pets on magill road is also a good place to be able to get basic reptile products and advise.

 

[Rocket]

I've recently heard of several 'Pets Paradise' stores now starting to stock reptiles. I have heard that the Tea Tree Plaza store are now selling several Monitor and snake species and that Marion sell Barking Geckos...... for $180+ each! lol

 

[Chilali]

Jeepers!! on the price that is!! - Thank god for private breeders lol

 

[dragon lady]

U.R.S....though i haven't personally bought from there...ive been there when a friend has
they are gracious with information...& care of their stock & their clients!

SXR...havnt had the pleasure

Reptile City...Jason & Michel...you couldn't meet a better pair of blokes
they are fantastic with after sales service...& their store is spectacular!
if your lucky enough to go out the back...thats a surprise packet..very well maintained!

Gully Reptile Centre...informative, clean...but as already stated...never much for sale

NorthsidePets...been there wasnt impressed with their very under weight gravid dragons...
yes ..i hope they have got thing on track...but i wont be back!

Wet n' Wild...i dont have too any great words about them at all...have been their...not impressed
& i havent met someone who has bought from there & been happy

Scales & Tails.. hmmm....well...ditto on Rockets opinion...
if i say too much more...well i value my membership here!

and for DEH....they are incredible
numerous dealings with Sonya,Robert & Chris that seem to relate well & have a very quick turnover on anything needed!....Keep up the great work !!!!!!

 

[first_time_owner]

ive bought from glly reptile centa and they were very helpful, just arranged to buy an MD from Dianne from SXR to pick up this Saturday. ive been to pets paradise in ttp and on the MD tank they say max. size is 170cm! pretty funny

 

[jonesc1]

Reptile City: No doubt the best, only been there twice but was treated brillianlty whilst there, got a tour of the breeding facilities out the back, told me everything I wanted to know, haven't got a single bad thing to say.

Gully Reptile Centa: Go there most often, Great guys to deal with, always friendly. Go there to buy my rats and some accesories, can be a bit pricey. Haven't bought animals from there, but definately would consider it depending on price.

Northside Pet Store: Definately not a fan, enclosures are often dirty and the food is not the best. The labelling of differant species also needs a lot of improvement. The had a Thick tailed gecko labelled as a Knob tailed and on explanation from one of the girls it was a "knob tailed phase", it was a normal milii with a regenerated tail!

Scales and Tails: If I'm going down prospect road I'll drop in, have a look around, say hi to the saltie then get out before any of the human inhabitants notice I'm there. Spoken to him once and some how got into a massive argument about how people give elaborate names to coastal carpets just to get an extra few dollars for their animal... all I asked is what he would suggest as a first snake!

Wet & Wild: Only been there twice but was very impressed both times. If it wasn't for the fact I was on holidays both times (one of which being schoolies, hehe) I would have made purchases both times. The first being some Fat tailed geckos for $70 each which i thought was a bargain, the second being breeding pairs of Peninsula dragons. They certainly are worth a look for more uncommon herps.

 

[jeramie85]

i go to gully reptile for my rats and too look around as my daughter loves that place

cant really comment on the rest as i have been to them all just once for a look and i tend to buy most animals from private breeders

 

[zyban87]

Hi everyone,

I've been looking at getting a snake for a couple of months now, my first experiences were with Northside and Pet's Paradise at TTP.

I came close to getting one at TTP but it still seemed a bit over-priced for the setup and everything. The lady there was nice, she let me handle the snake and was informative and patient with my questions.

I went into scales and tails today, just to get the not-a-pet-shop-franchise experience, and i found both of the people there to be friendly and informative. The costs were certainly different!!
For example the use of substrate in the vivarium as opposed to astroturf. Also the necessity of mesh-wire covers for the lights.

Much of the information differed from TTP and I could see a tiny bit of shameless self-promotion, but it seemed like they did know what they were talking about. A friend in the Vet industry advised me to be aware of expenses that keeping a snake could incur, as snake specialists are not as common as cat/dog vets. It is a little confusing as to who to believe in all this, a vet or an experienced keeper.

I think in the end i feel more comfortable getting a snake from someone who is an experienced breeder, whether it be private or retail, rather than a pet store.

I would love to hear everyone's thoughts/advice!!!

 

[Jozz]

Did you quit smoking with Zyban?! That stuff worked in 2 weeks for me after 6 yrs of smoking!!!

I liked Reptile City

 

[zyban87]

Did you quit smoking with Zyban?! That stuff worked in 2 weeks for me after 6 yrs of smoking!!!

I liked Reptile City

Lol, no it didn't work, took the wrong dose, hence the nickname


Anyway (to get on topic, don't wanna get booted on my 2nd post) it seems that comments on scales and tails seem to be about the people (and i know everyone can't be expected to get along lol) but i wanna know if i can be sure I'm getting a healthy snake and good after-sale service? The free 3-monthly checkup sounded pretty good to me.