Buying leopard geckos, and other reptiles

So i was just looking thru the website, i see some very cool reptiles. My only question is im new to this stuff, is there a difference between the 35 dollar ones at pet smart, and the 85 dollar ones on here, that are the same breed?

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So there’s going to be a couple of main differences. While a leopard gecko from petsmart and a leopard gecko from morph market will be the same species, the quality of the animal, how it’s been raised, and morph (color pattern) may be different. Petsmart buys low value animals wholesale and sells them in the stores - these animals are usually not cared for very well, may be mislabeled and are usually lower value animals that are not worth a large scale breeder’s time and effort to sell individually.

Animals listed on morphmarket are listed by the breeder and both the breeder and the animal should meet certain standards in order to be sold. Cost will depend on the value of the animal based on age, color pattern, rarity, sex, etc

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The difference is, you know who is producing the animal and to some degree, how. You can ask them questions directly, get better information, and they will usually make sure to give you the best information so your animal transitions to its new home as well as possible. If you’re looking to breed in the future, then you have traceable lineage and that adds value.

The geckos you buy at big box pet stores are usually purchased in bulk and improperly cared for. They’re unlikely to be breeding quality animals, you have no clue of the genetics other than what they tell you/is visible (if even accurate), and they’re at a much higher risk of transmissible parasites, diseases, and overall illness. A pet store wants to sell you an animal for cheap so that they can also sell you all the supplies and keep you coming back.

Edited to add: I will say, no matter where you buy from, pet store or MorphMarket, it’s all about due diligence. Making sure you buy from someone reputable, with reviews to back it up.

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If you plan on being a reptile keeper of pets only, you can still buy affordable animals from reputable breeders such as the ones on MM. The difference you might pay if you buy from a breeder instead of buying from a big box store is is for the quality of the animal.

If you want to breed, well that’s a no brainer! It’s imperative that you buy from reputable breeders for the reasons others have stated.

Best of luck! :+1::blush:

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Just wanted to add that if you decide to go with a rbreeder from Morphmarket, you are able to read reviews from past purchasers to help find a reputable seller that you can trust. Shipping will add on to the cost of an animal purchased from Morphmarket, or you could filter your search to try to find a seller/breeder who is within driving distance for you. Hands down I’d purchase from MM website over the big box stores. And I do because I’ve learned my lesson the hard way, twice. Unfortunately, I bought 2 sick and poorly cared for animals from the big box stores and despite having brought both animals to the vet when I noticed health issues it was too late. Just sharing my experiences, but good luck to you and I hope that you find a lovely and healthy leopard gecko. They’re such cool little guys!

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