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Extreme Weather Shipping for Reptiles
If there’s one thing (other than reptiles) that we know at the Reptiles by Mack headquarters in Xenia, Ohio, it’s severe weather. Xenia has been the site of several massive tornadoes in the past 50 years. Our headquarters on Detroit Street, luckily, has not seen much in the way of damage, though we’re more than […]
Tapping into Reptile Trade Shows can be Profitable
With all that goes on during any given day in the pet trade, it can be very easy for a store owner to get into a mindset where their nose is always to the grindstone, finding ways to make their store better from within that store. Juggling day-to-day duties like animal care, scheduling, shipments and […]
Think Inside the Box
BY JENNIFER HIGGINS When it comes to providing variety for hungry herps, reptile keepers have a wide array of choices. Some choose to get out the cutting board to slice and dice fruits or veggies for a salad and toss some meal worms on top as if they were croutons. Others may not have time […]
The Eastern Market Impact
Throughout my time writing for Pet Age, I’ve often assumed that my primary audience has been in the U.S. However, I know that we don’t live and work in a vacuum. The internet has made instantaneous communication, international trade and global publishing daily parts of our lives. Because of this, I can’t necessarily think only […]
Snakes are Slithering Their Way to the Top
BY JENNIFER HIGGINS Let’s face it: snakes get a bad rap. Whether in print, on the screen or live and in person, our slithering serpent friends don’t often elicit the same reaction that rabbits and ferrets do. But to a large portion of pet store patrons, this negative reputation is largely undeserved and may even, […]
Breeding Season for the Ball Python
One of most amusing things I’ve found online in the past few months has been the “snek” meme. Following the trend of “lolcats” and “doggos,” “sneks” have slithered their way into internet culture with a playful “blelele” and, to their foes, a sassy “heck off!” After so many centuries of fear and misunderstanding, snakes are […]
Eat, Drink and Be Herpy!
By Jennifer Higgins In the culinary arts, they say food presentation can make or break a dish. Though probably true, I doubt the same sentiment can be heard from a gecko or a tortoise. However, it seems that reptile owners take food and water presentation quite seriously. No longer is a simple, round, glaze-finished ceramic dish good enough for some herp enthusiasts to use […]
Feeder Food
If there’s one truth in the pet trade, it’s this: all of those critters have to eat. Reptiles, particularly, have diverse tastes in food that can simultaneously give you a throbbing stress migraine while providing the single greatest source of incoming revenue for your store. Staying abreast of new developments and changes within the realm of reptile food may well prove the differenc[...]
Better Living Through Chemistry
BY JENNIFER HIGGINS Just because they aren’t warm and furry or can’t fluff their feathers, doesn’t mean reptiles aren’t at risk of being under the weather. The physical health of our reptile friends should be just as important as their habitat size, food, water or substrate. Lizards, snakes and turtles/tortoises are exposed to a host […]
Handle With Care
The veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus), the most popular and best-selling chameleon across the nation, is native to the Middle East, specifically modern-day Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Within their natural habitats, veiled chameleons tend to prefer coastal mountainous regions, particularly those with significant rainfall. However, they have spread across the globe, even establishing populations [...]
Shell Games
By Jennifer Higgins Because tortoises and turtles are both categorized under the order Chelonian, they share many of the same physical, nutritional and behavioral characteristics. However, there are several differences. Due to their respective natural environments in the wild, tortoises and turtles must be maintained in captive habitats that accommodate their diverse needs and should […]
A Nice Niche Pet
When customers think of reptiles, most people tend to think of snakes or lizards, chameleons or geckos. However, despite their continual popularity and their fixture-status among reptile owners, turtles are often an overlooked second-cousin to various other species and varieties of reptiles. However, a knowledgeable store owner can easily translate our proverbial “heroes on the […]
