Petco has taken a lot of steps to try and make sure that it’s perceived as being ethical by its customers.
One of the areas where Petco makes these efforts is in the sources it goes to for animals. We looked into where they get the company gets its reptiles, so keep reading to find out!
Where Does Petco Get Its Reptiles In 2024?
Petco gets its reptiles from a variety of breeders or suppliers who source them from breeders. Most of the suppliers are companies that deal in reptiles on a wholesale basis so they aren’t sold to the public or individuals. Petco’s reptile suppliers include CalZoo, Segrest Farms, Sandfire, Lasco Inc, and C.R.A.P.
Petco has several suppliers for its reptiles, and we’ve found the major ones. Read on to learn everything you need to know about them!
Where Does Petco Get Its Reptiles?
1. Cal Zoo
Cal Zoo, or the California Zoological Supply, is one of Petco’s suppliers of reptiles. The company is based in Costa Mesa, California, but ships both reptiles and amphibians all over the country.
Cal Zoo can trace its roots back to 1977 in Costa Mesa when a 19 year old and their college friend started operating a reptile sales business out of a garage.
At the time, the company was called In Cold Blood, and the name was changed to Orange County Zoological in 1978.
One of the founders, the 19 year old, formed California Zoological Supply in 1979 before going out to places like Egypt, Honduras, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Western Samoa looking for reptiles.
Today, however, most of the reptiles sold by the company come from breeders who raise them captive.
2. Segrest Farms
Segrest Farms provides Petco with reptiles and is based in Gibsonton, Florida, having been in business since 1961.
Apart from the reptiles the company sells to Petco, Segrest Farms also deals in fish and aquatic plants that are sourced both from local breeders and abroad.
Segrest Farms is also the world’s largest supplier of freshwater fish, working with more than 1,000 customers that consist of pet shops, research institutions, and public aquariums.
3. Sandfire
According to several sources we’ve found, the Sandfire Dragon Ranch is one of the places where Petco gets its reptiles.
Based in San Diego, California, the Sandfire Dragon Ranch is a wholesale provider of reptiles for several pet stores.
It should not be confused with Sandfire Reptiles, a different company that was started by people who were originally part of the Sandfire Dragon Ranch.
In 2010, the managing partners of the Sandfire Dragon Ranch split up, and one of them went on to start Sandfire Reptiles in 2012, keeping the name only for business purposes.
Over the years, some of the people involved in both versions of Sandfire have gone on to start their own businesses.
Some of these new ventures sell to Petco on a smaller scale, while some refuse to do so, stating that Petco and other big pet stores don’t treat their animals well.
4. Lasco
Petco also gets its reptiles from Lasco Inc, a breeder operating out of Punta Gorda, Florida, that deals in captive raised animals.
Lasco’s owner, Ty Park, has been breeding lizards and other reptiles since the late 1980s, after previously being a businessman and real estate developer.
Aside from selling reptiles to Petco and other pet retailers, Park has been active in donating money to amphibian and reptile conservation organizations during reptile charity events across the country.
Lasco produces tens of thousands of animals every year that are then sold to retail pet focused chains.
Industry insiders say this company is largely responsible for large suppliers shifting from selling animals caught in the wild, to selling ones bred in captivity.
5. C.R.A.P
C.R.A.P., short for the Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation, is one of the places where Petco gets its reptiles.
C.R.A.P. operates out of Boerne, Texas, and is run by Marylin and Ron Tremper.
This company began operations back in 1981, dealing in lizards, dragons, geckos, tortoises, turtles, and insects.
C.R.A.P. also provides several guides on animal care for pet owners, such as information on bearded dragons, chameleons, tortoises, superworms, geckos, cockroaches, and crickets.
Where Does Petco Get Its Bearded Dragons From?
Petco gets its bearded dragons from reptile breeders like C.R.A.P., Cal Zoo, and the Sandfire Dragon Ranch.
Where Does Petco Get Its Snakes?
Petco gets its snakes from reptile breeders, such as the California Zoological Supply (Cal Zoo) and the Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation (C.R.A.P.).
Where Does Petco Get Its Lizards?
Petco gets its lizards from reptile breeders, such as the Sandfire Dragon Ranch, the California Zoological Supply, and the Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation (C.R.A.P.).
Where Does Petco Get Its Leopard Geckos?
Petco gets its geckos from reptile breeders such as the Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation (C.R.A.P), the California Zoological Supply (Cal Zoo), and the Sandfire Dragon Ranch.
To know more, you can also see our posts on where does Petco get their fish, where does Petco get their animals, and Petco return policy.
Conclusion
Petco gets its reptiles from a variety of breeders that include the California Zoological Supply (Cal Zoo), the Sandfire Dragon Ranch, Lasco Inc, Segrest Farms, and the Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation (C.R.A.P.).
Most of Petco’s reptile suppliers are wholesalers, meaning they only sell to pet stores as opposed to individuals and the general public. Petco’s reptile suppliers provide them with snakes, bearded dragons, geckos, lizards, chameleons, tortoises, and turtles.
