Well, I would advise anyone to consider avoiding places like petsmart, petco, etc, for live reptiles. Its a crapshoot. They buy the cheapest animals they can in bulk, and typically, they are shipped and stored horribly throughout the process, and can have a myriad of problems. If you store dozens of baby/juvenile leopard geckos, bearded dragons, whatever, in small boxes or containers for weeks, of one has parasites, they all will, off one develops a repository infection from the stress and bad care, the bacteria will spread to all of them quickly. And I've seen and heard of them ordering more than they need, because they expect some to perish. Not a good business model IMO.
Personally, most of my reptiles have come from private breeders, people I've met, and know, at least to some extent. I've had animals shipped, and purchased locally at shows. I've taken in rescues over the years. I've adopted out all the beardies I had. I would love to have the time, space and money to run a beardie rescue. We have a tegu who is a rescue. But I think she's staying here.
