I would go so far as to say some markup is needed for animals if nothing else than to "scare away" kids and others that don't have the commitment needed to take care of an animal.



Let's face it, if you are a kid (or just a Joe off the street thinking it'd be nifty to own a snake) and buy something for $75 rather than $20 you are probably going to try and spend more time and effort in keeping it alive.



The truth is that there are some good and some bad shops out there. I also think that there are some shops out there that just don't know any better. This is where I think Herp Societies still need to try and offer to help these shops in the hops that you can turn some around.



I also think finding good shops is a reason why people interested in herps should join their local Societies to find out where to get animals from shops or respectable breeders. Unfortunatley there are also a few unreputable breeders out there as well.


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A.J. Sokolik

asokolik@wnyherp.org

Western New York Herpetological Society

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