Ok, here is the situation. I have 2 passions, one being paleontology, which if i want to make a decent living with, will require many years of college. Also, I love working with reptiles and amphibians. I’m definitely going to go to college for a bachelors in biology, then a masters-PhD in paleontology, since I love the subject, but I still would like to open up a reptilian/amphibian store, or an “exotic store” if you’d like to call it that. Now, I don’t have the money or the time for a full blown store. By the way, I have taken 4 business classes in high school, (typing, advanced typing, accounting, etc.) and I’m going to take marketing and college accounting senior year if that makes a difference.
So, I want to start with an online store, and maybe in the far (far as in 10-20 years from now) open up a full blown store. But I’m going to have to start small. I have been successful with breeding and selling tree frogs online over the last summer. I bred a couple generations and made about $500 for every 2000 tadpoles I sold (could have been more if I had gotten my hands on the bull frogs I wanted to breed)
Now What I need, is a small list of reptiles/amphibians to start off with. I have an entire normal sized room that I will be able to prepare to dedicate to this, and once I expand I will either buy a small ware house or something (but those are questions to focus on in the future).
The reptiles/amphibians need to be popular, easy to breed, and easy to care for. Also snakes may be a problem since UPS prohibits them but I haven’t checked with USPS yet. (relatively, I have experience with all sorts of reptiles and amphibians, but nothing that ever exceeded a 20 gallon tank, however, I always wanted to get a 75 gallon tank when I had enough room so I have been doing a lot of research on Beardies and CWDs etc.) . If you have any suggestions that would fall under all 3-4 of those that would be excellent!
Now I’m not looking for a HUGE LIST! Just some “must have” pets that would be top priority for this…
Now I hope to get this started in the next 2 years or so, and it will probably be more practical if I do it during the summers when I’ll be home from college, but I might go to a community college for my first 2 years, which would allow me to be A LOT closer to home.
Also any other advice would be great!
please, if you have something which to say which would be “depressing” (not sure what word I’m looking for but you get the idea) by all means go ahead and tell me, but try not to be a “ball buster”
Thanks a bunch,
James
P.S. in case your wondering, here is UPS’s list of approved and prohibited live animals list. I still have not found a list for USPS yet but I think they are tolerant of almost anything tough.
Accepted / Prohibited Live Animals
Accepted Live Animals
This is a comprehensive list of live animals accepted for transportation. Shippers are prohibited from shipping any animal not listed here, and all other live animals will not be accepted for transportation. The following live animals are accepted for transportation unless poisonous, venomous, and/or a Threatened or Endangered Species.
* Amphibians (All): Examples: frogs, salamanders, toads
* Crustaceans (All): Examples: crabs, crawfish, lobsters, shrimp
* Fish (All)
* Insects (Limited to beneficial insects only): Examples: bees, butterflies, crickets, lady bugs
* Mollusks (All): Examples: clams, mussels, snails
* Reptiles (Limited to the following):
- Lizards: Examples: chameleons, geckos, iguanas, monitors, flying dragons
- Turtles: freshwater turtles (except: snapping turtles), land tortoises, sea turtles
* Worms (All)
Prohibited Live Animals
Live Animals that are prohibited from being shipped and are not accepted for transportation include, but are not limited to:
* Any poisonous, venomous or threatening animal
* Any Threatened or Endangered species
* Arachnids (All): Examples: mites, scorpions, spiders, ticks
* Birds (All)
* Crocodiles (All): Examples: alligators, caimans, gavials
* Mammals (All)
* Obnoxious Insects: Examples: flies, locusts, mosquitoes, roaches, termites, weevils
* Snakes (All): venomous and non-venomous
P.S.S. And ooooooooone more thing (sorry, I know i’m asking ALOT in this one question) What sort of supplies are easily hand made that I can sell, So far I’m just making log hide aways when ever I’m board and feel like cutting up some wood.
