I think this is a bad idea. Pet stores dont make money off the aniamls. They make money off selling supplies. Why do you think Petsmart and Petco really only sell supplies, and some very simple animals. I have worked for Petco, and its really funny when they put their $79.99 ball pythons on sale for $44.99 and everyone will buy them, and spend $200 in supplies, then buy feeders for the next 5 years. The reptile dept just got shot in the foot, but the pet store more than makes up for it when it sells cages and feeders. You wont be selling this, the owner will. You lose.



If you really want to do well at this, make her let you sell all the feeders rodents (live and frozen) and crickets and the reptiles. Sell Ball Pythons, corns, pacman frogs, things like this. She makes money on supplies, you make money on feeders. You wont make any money on reptiles. Infact, you will be lucky to get good stuff for cheap enough to sell. You will need to start watching the market. Now is a good time to buy Corns.... go to a show and get a bunch (not really, just if you had a store), wait till aug and buy a hundred lot of balls... so on. This will help cut your costs. You will soon find what most reptile people want and keep are not whats going to sell fast. You need to turn around animals quickly to make money. You will have to order $1000 each order just so the shipping cost wont hurt you. Reptile wholesellers will ship the good stuff on your first order, but from then on you get the same crap everyone else gets... half dead geckos, tails broken off, shorted orders. Shorted orders can kill you if they dont send half the order, they will still pack the boxes half full, so now you have to pay full shipping. I am not saying they all do this, but its a hard business. You can make alot of money, but only really in supplies and feeders. I would be really amazed if you broke even after things die, people steal/scam, eat too much, eat too little (skinny lizards dont sell).... etc.



Ben

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