Marketing and sales is a skill set. Assuming that your animals are good quality, then you are simply doing something else wrong, but it is fixable.
Go to the business section your library/local book shop, and start reading. Amazon probably has a good selection too, and you can pick up a lot of info just from people's reviews. Doesn't matter if the item being sold is real estate, gemstones, or hamsters...most of the information will be transferable. There are two guys who talk about marketing specific to BP's, but I can't remember their names. One used to post his videos here on occasion (MA Balls??), and another has the first name of Colin, and he has a very good web site. Both are very informative. Maybe someone else who knows can add in the names and links.
Yes, in the US (where I assume you are), the economy sucks. Nevertheless, not everyone is living on the edge of destitution, and we have a LONG way to go before it gets that bad. People are still spending money for fun things, and you are fortunate to be in a field where you can draw customers from the entire country (the world, if you want to deal with the paperwork).