Reptiles in NSW pet shop

[zulu]

Yeah, I think pet shops shouldn't actually stock live animals but instead give information then if the buyer is still interested, the shop can advise them of good breeders for the actual purchase of the animal. They should then just stock reptile supplies and care equipment etc.

They could sell the pet supplies at the pet shops and people could go to the Hurstville DECC office to to pay for and pick up wildlife.

 

[KaotikJezta]

I had someone come in the other day saying he keeps his Diamond Python in a bird cage outside with no heating, and he was going to put a gecko in with it..apparently the breeder said that they would be fine together and this is a suitable enclosure. I guess it is similar with breeders, selling some to absolute idiots and can give them the wrong information.
I suppose I may be for the idea as long as the employees are experienced in the proper requirements to sell them with.

Are you sure he didn't mean an aviary, plenty of people keep Diamonds outside in aviaries, if your in the right area it is probably the best way to keep them as they are usually overheated. You should read up on Diamonds.

 

[Gonemad]

Yeah, I think pet shops shouldn't actually stock live animals but instead give information then if the buyer is still interested, the shop can advise them of good breeders for the actual purchase of the animal. They should then just stock reptile supplies and care equipment etc.

I agree BUT
I don't think this will work! As they would need to be educated and lots don't know enough about reptiles to give the right advice as that comes from years of experience and handling. if you read a lot of the the threads from older experienced breeders they still disagree with technical advice, and then pet shops or government don't make their money the breeder does.

 

[ubermensch]

I like the idea of it.
There are plenty of pet shops in Melbourne selling reptiles that do a good job of it...and there are plenty of them that do a poor job of it.
I got my Striped Coastal from a Pet shop and she was very well cared for (and they grilled me to make sure that I had proper set ups and everything already prepared for her, keep a log of licences, etc).
It's easy to say that pet shops will stuff it all up, but there are pet shops out there that are even stuffing up simple things like cats and dogs (puppy farms, anyone?)
Unfortunately you can't regulate everything! There are always going to be dodgy cheap-asses bending the rules. OR you have problems like Blue Tongues not being on licences in Vic! I had someone at work come in a couple of weeks ago to tell me her son came home with a blue tongue...and she was asking me how long until she can turn it's light off because she's worried about her electricity bill! I printed off pages of care information and instructed her to make her son go buy proper lighting, a week later she tells me it was "too much effort" and lizards are "so boring" so he sold it...

 

[Colin]

Colin l agree with this sentiment but how do these viruses that have already spread with no pet shops (with reptiles yet) shadey sellers (private keepers) and poor quarantine proceedures and its amazing how many posts in this thread KNOW whats going to happen.....l personally dont purchase from petshops but l have nothing against them.......but its my experience some of our reptile specialty pet shops are staffed by keepers ON THIS SITE on the other side of the coin l wonder how keepers like myself have had private people turn up that just haven't got a clue but they know that they want a white snake or a green snake or one with blotches .......on another point l believe the allowing of reptiles into pet shops here in QLD boosted the industry 3 - 4 years here whether you think thats a price too high to pay or not is everybodies opinion.......solar 17.....ps now l think about it l believe every specialty shop has keepers that are on this site......try telling Joy and her sons (who run the Ipswich show) and print a mag that the staff have no experience in their shop

yes totally agree with you baden. these diseases have been spread by shady private sellers who would also be likely to try and palm off stock to shops as well I think. I was talking specifically about NSW as per the thread title and I agree shops like Joy's in QLD is the type of establishment that would inspire trust in buyers because the team is well aware of the problems in the industry and have tried to set the bar very high with their own shop. Its the average pet shops with no name in the industry that worry me a little. As said I am neither for or against the sale of reptiles in shops in NSW but wouldnt buy from any shops Ive seen personally in NSW. There may be good ones in NSW I don't know, but its just my personal preference to only buy animals from known breeders who I trust and never from someone I don't know.

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Yeah, I think pet shops shouldn't actually stock live animals but instead give information then if the buyer is still interested, the shop can advise them of good breeders for the actual purchase of the animal. They should then just stock reptile supplies and care equipment etc.

"advise them of good breeders" sounds great in theory but in the real world breeders would be offering shops a "kick back" percentage to recommend them. they may be good breeders with good animals who knows? but I really think that most shops would be more interested in a kickback from recommending breeders and it would never be unbiased. personally I think forums like this are the best place to find good well known, well established breeders. our market feedback section is a source of information as well as looking through threads and seeing peoples animals they have personally bred over the years. looking through the "cheap for free" websites for the cheapest snakes around is not the place I would even look for anything myself..

 

[FAY]

There is no way a shop could afford to quarantine any animals, hence shocking virus's being spread.
Let's face it, they will only be recommending their friends as good breeders whether they are or not.

 

[solar 17]

There is no way a shop could afford to quarantine any animals, hence shocking virus's being spread.
Let's face it, they will only be recommending their friends as good breeders whether they are or not.

why should buying from a pet-shop be any different to buying off a reputable breeder as far as quarantine is concerned...you follow a strict set of guidelines no ifs or buts it shouldn't matter who you buy from, to say its from a reputable breeder (she'll be right) maybe it will but maybe it wont what Fay has forgot to mention is there are and have been viruses spread "BEFORE" petshops were introduced now maybe viruses will spread more speedily but its only due to poor quarintine set-ups or none, personally l don't buy from petshops but l do believe they can be an entry point into our hobby/pastime for a lot of people.....but we MUST make quarantine a part of our hobby.......personally l quarantine for 12 months plus last one fed and then wash EVERYTHING its a regime imo you just have to do.........solar 17

 

[Gonemad]

Solar I agree with you on quarantine at home! An Important, Must, but that doesnt help the animals spreading through the shop and enclosures as i cant see them cleaning all equiptment every animal (I'm not talking all petshops and staff When i say this). I'm shore spreading problems will happen a lot quicker at some shops then from a reputable breeder.

 

[rack_one]

Maybe they should take bookings and when the reptile arrives they just call you up for the pick up saves quarantine and I'm sure they won't be stocking much other than diamonds and carpets really so by making a order you can get the reptile u want ordering will stop impulse buying the only issue may be the price hike for proffits that's my 2 cents worth

 

[Cypher69]

On another note, these pet shops are going to need to get their stock from already established breeders. I think that maybe breeders approached by petshop owners should check out these shops before they agree to supply them and do regular checks before restocking supplies.

Ideally...in a perfect world....the breeder could hire a "display space" in the pet-shop where they could have various set-ups of reptiles that's for sale. The breeder then could allocate 1 or 2 days a week where he/she would be at the pet-shop for specific sales & enquiries. I also believe reptiles & enclosures (w/heating & lighting) should be sold as a "package deal" to the novice.

 

[Amazing Amazon]

So we all think quarantine is the problem? South Australia and Victoria have been allowed to sell reptiles in shops for the best part of 20 years and Queensland has been around 10 years. In all the articles I have read about reptile "viruses" I have never read ANYWHERE about a shop being involved! So by NSW selling reptiles we are going to see a break out of disease? Please tell my why NSW is going to be so different with disease spreading than the other states. The real truth is there would only be a very small portion of "breeders" that would have a strict (if any) quarantine procedure anyway!

 

[Ramsayi]

It would be a game of numbers.More stock coming and going through the shop the more chance of something nasty being spread.

 

[zulu]

So we all think quarantine is the problem? South Australia and Victoria have been allowed to sell reptiles in shops for the best part of 20 years and Queensland has been around 10 years. In all the articles I have read about reptile "viruses" I have never read ANYWHERE about a shop being involved! So by NSW selling reptiles we are going to see a break out of disease? Please tell my why NSW is going to be so different with disease spreading than the other states. The real truth is there would only be a very small portion of "breeders" that would have a strict (if any) quarantine procedure anyway!

Most keepers i know these days have very small turnover espescially now with low prices, pet shops will have high turnover which increases the chances of infection.

Uncle rammer and his fly beat me to it

 

[saintanger]

will pet shops disinfect every enclosure i doubt it
will they have to quarantine for minimum of 6 months i doubt it
will the 6 months rule apply to them, where they can't sell a reptile for 6 months i doubt it

i know there are breeders out there who do not disinfect enclosures
there are breeders who do not quarantine
and alot of people break the 6 month rule
and also breeders who keep exotics in the same room as native which makes the risk of introduced viruses higher
these breeders make me sick, but if petshops start doing it new people joining the hobby will think its ok.

i believe petshops should have the right to come out to the breeders house with an experienced person and view the conditions the reptiles are kept in before buying them. but that will never happen.

and people who have held a licence less than 12 months should not be sold a reptile unless they buy it as a package with the correct enclosure, heating, thermostat, water bowl, food and a book related to the species perchased and a caresheet. but that wont happen.

 

[Allan]

So we all think quarantine is the problem? South Australia and Victoria have been allowed to sell reptiles in shops for the best part of 20 years and Queensland has been around 10 years. In all the articles I have read about reptile "viruses" I have never read ANYWHERE about a shop being involved! So by NSW selling reptiles we are going to see a break out of disease? Please tell my why NSW is going to be so different with disease spreading than the other states. The real truth is there would only be a very small portion of "breeders" that would have a strict (if any) quarantine procedure anyway!

Spot on, Paul.
I think it will open up and increase the hobby quite a bit.
My only concern is, as mentioned in a few posts, the capability of pet shop staff. I saw (and heard) some shockers when I lived in Brisbane. Hopefully the NPWS can get that part right.

 

[Gonemad]

My biggest concern is it's new and everyone will want to cash in fast be the first etc,
Unless they already know a breeder then they will buy them from backyarder whom has walked in from the street selling something caught from the bush, to the shops defense how do they know whom these people are? It's new.
All new adventures have teething problems and you have already said you purchase from same breeders, so you have had time to work out these things out.

 

[zulu]

Allan,the NPWS are hopeless,they couldnt lay straight in bed they are just in for the$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Ramsayi]

i believe petshops should have the right to come out to the breeders house with an experienced person and view the conditions the reptiles are kept in before buying them. but that will never happen.

Nor should it happen.
I would have to know someone very very well for them to be able to come here.To have a shop owner come along with some experienced person,who may well be experienced but could also be the dodgiest person on the planet,no thanks.

 

[Amazing Amazon]

I also heard that there was going to be a number of reptiles that would require no license. If that is the case then that is crazy! Our opinion would be that everything should be on license from the start and can then be reviewed each year after that. It will be a free for all if no license is required on ANY animal that is native to NSW.

 

[saintanger]

how about a dec inspector? inspect breeders before giving them a licence to sell to pet shops?