It's worth finding a local vet with reptile experience, even before you purchase your animal. If anything ever goes wrong, they should be your point of contact.
There are many reputable breeders on here, and quite a few I would trust to pick out an animal with a good temperament. APS is a fantastic resource for advice and suggestions if you need it, I would personally use here before asking the breeder as you get a more diverse response, and in my opinion less chance of any bias. Anything beyond that and you should be seeing a vet.
I would do some more research on the different species. Once you have decided what species you want then find the appropriate breeder, even if not local, and go from there.