My Future Goal

[x-gothic-princess-x]

i wish to set up a home business in breeding different reptiles and fish and sell them on... and to stock live foods and reptile/fish equpiment - but i really dont know where to start. I know getting a supplier from china would be the cheapest but how do i find a supplier from china ?

[Gingerbread Latte]

The only thing I can suggest is looking online.

Although are you sure a supplier from China would be cheap? The shipping might cost a lot. Why not breed your own live food as well?

[Power Cosmic]

Yeah, I agree with Cara, breeding your own crickets or locusts doesn't cost much, and given a handful of months for your colony to get started, it can be quite fruitful and they'd explode in numbers. Plus, as someone who's kept a few livefood colonies, they're quite interesting to just watch. >.>
I'm thinking maybe get some webspace and go to various well-known reptile forums, post around with a link in your signature perhaps, work up a reputation so people trust you, and take it from there.
You could get suppliers that import you some wild caught animals, but, out of business sense alone, I'd advise you leave something as risky as that until you're established, stick to captive bred, since it's nice and safe to start with, no risks of angry customers coming back to tell you that the x you sold them is infested with parasites and cost them several hundred in vet bills.
That's another thing, make sure you have a good reptile/aquatics vet on hand, build up a relationship with them, imply that you'll be using them a lot for your own animals (since things will happen, prolapse, or just those occasional animals that just don't get a good start etc.) and maybe wrangle a discount.
Also, are you a fan of amphibians? Since there's not many people who can breed them, but if you manage, you'll be popular (and swimming in it )

P.S. And if you're breeding gargoyle geckos, can I get a discount for being your bestest buddy? >.>

[x-gothic-princess-x]

thanks for the help - ive been told that china would be the best but again its just a fact of looking around

I will look into building my own live food groups of locus meal worms and crickets - gotta find out how to do it first though.

Also i dont think i made it very clear. I will be breeding my own reptiles and selling them on. i wont be buying any reptiles from any supplier, only the heat mats, bulbs, vivs etc

[Power Cosmic]

Ahh, I see. In that case, maybe try getting the equipment from wholesalers or direct from the manufacturer? Problem is, this way, they only offer discounts if you buy in bulk, which means you'd need storage space and an assurance that you can sell all the stuff, so maybe at first, get things to order? Maybe check out exo-terra or komodo's websites, which might have information for businesses and bulk buying?

Though if you do this, remember to know that you're operating a business for tax reasons (but that's a whooole different barrel of fish).

As for how to breed livefood http://www.thereptilian.co.uk/The_re...are_sheets.htm

Right at the bottom it gives you details on a bunch, and you could probably google how to do it for locusts =).

[x-gothic-princess-x]

mum wont let me breed them as prescent but a little talking and things could go different ways lol

i know i would need to get different licenses etc so yes another barrle of fish, thanks for the help that has been given though

[Power Cosmic]

Ahh, just remind her that you can make something like 1000 mealworms in about four months using nothing but a large-ish livefood tub >.>. I did at least until my leo decided she didn't like mealworms anymore ^^; I mean, out of all of them, crickets and locusts are the hardest really, since adult locusts fly and crickets stink something awful >.>

[x-gothic-princess-x]

my leos didnt like them and since i have had 2 little babies given to me they have loved the meal worms so i have had to get the normal ones insted of the mini ones lol