Your Experience with LLLReptile

[CoolioTiffany]

I'm not sure where this thread is supposed to go but anyway I've always heard not that good of comments about LLLReptile so I was wondering how was your experience with their service? Did you purchase a completely healthy reptile, or did you purchase one with a disease or parasites?

My sister and I both purchased a lizard from LLLReptile today at the expo, so I was just wondering what problems you had with LLL or if you even had any problems at all.

[Soterios]

Oh fun. What did you buy?

I can't say I have any purchase history with them, but the animals I've seen at shows always seem to be healthy, and the staff in general seem kind.

I've heard a few bad stories myself, but I suppose it's just hearsay.

[bad-one]

I bought my first crested gecko from them at a show and she has grown up into a nice healthy girl. I hear they are great for products but if you are getting an animal from them it is best to buy in person.

[mainbutter]

I've heard more than a handful of horror stories, but the #1 thing that they have in common is that they are not bought in person.

Even relatively poor reptile vendors can have healthy animals, just like even the best vendors might have a couple unhealthy animals. The difference is that LLL is known to sell sick animals as well as healthy animals, while good breeders keep track of their animals better and refuse to sell sick animals. LLL buys wholesale and flips animals often, so it's really the luck of the draw with them, and it's pretty rare to find trophy animals for sale from them. The flipping also leads to problems with quarantining, which leads to widespread mite and RI problems from them.

I myself have a gorgeous harlequin crested gecko from Petco. I don't regret the purchase one bit, but I'm not going to deny that Petco isn't exactly well known for having healthy and quality animals. It happens sometimes, and it's best to buy animals in person for this very reason

[CoolioTiffany]

I did purchase my Beardie in person at the show, and the staff was pretty knowledgable and very nice. They didn't hesitate one bit to show me the reptiles I wanted to see and handle. I looked over the Beardie before I bought her, and she is one of the nicest Beardies I have ever come across. Just to be sure, next week I may take her in for a check up so I can get a fecal done and have her checked for RI. I'm noticing bubbles near her gums when I pull her jaw down slighty on the sides, but my pythons have done that same exact thing and they are healthy, so for now I'm assuming it's just saliva bubbles. The Sav my sister purchased seems pretty healthy and fat, and I have not noticed anything wrong with that one.

The only chain store I trust is Petsmart. They always have very healthy animals and I purchased my female Ball python last year in July from them, and she's still that healthy girl she's always been. I also purchased my gecko from there. The store I really dislike is Petco because every reptile I've purchased from them has died, besides one, that was very nippy but I no longer own him.

[lance]

That is one concern I have is how do you know that your buying a healthy animal when you deal with places like LLLreptile and so on? Any tips to follow to protect your investments?

lance

[RhacHead]

I've dealt with LLL a number of times buying live as well as reptile products. They have always been very professional and kept me a satisfied customer. I have hears a few people complain about the (mostly getting dead crickets) but in my experiences with them I would recommend them.

[temec]

low cost supplies... ive bought some animals from them and some of them were sick...

[MarkieJ]

Mixed bag from me. They're local to me so I've visited their shop quite a few times. I got my first ball from them back in 2001 and she's still with me today, and breeding for the first time this year. I got a hatchling Carpet Python from them a few years ago that had trouble eating and eventually passed. Our latest additions from them (a frilled dragon and beardie) brought mites to my lizard collection. However Provent-a-mite took care of that and now we've got a stunning pair of lizards. Needless to say, I'll just be buying supplies from them from now on.

CT, keep an eye on your lizards for mites. They usually like to hide in the ears of beardies, and you might catch your lizard rubbing its head or scratching its ears with its hind legs.