Scaley Dave's Herp Shack

I found out about Scaly Daves three years ago and I've been a frequent visitor ever since. They have lots of interesting creatures and the workers are always helpful. more

When it come to reptiles here is where the heart is:) more

Dave is an amazing owner. His shop sold me a pregnant rat that gave birth 2 weeks after I got her. I told him that i couldnt keep the male seperated from her any longer and I had a friend who wanted her after she weened her pups. He easily agreed to hold her in a seperate 10 gallon tank until the pups were weened and she was ready to go. he then, as an apology, gave me a free male rat for my other rat to play with. He hand selected the best one for me. Daves shop is the best in Kansas, and he is certainly a respectable gentleman. Owner of 2 blue rats, Saran and Pirate -Colton more

Ok, Scaly daves is the best pet store in manhattan hands down and the best that I have ever seen. Dave is always willing to meet a budget and help out a fellow herp or animal lover! You guys who write these stupid comments about there store smelling funny and what not...Thats bull! You cannot even see there pet cages from outside idiots! I call there all the time when I need something and they know me by name! They give me great deals and are always full of any information you need! They never down the other pet stores in town and talk trash. They are hard working and know alot! I love there store I like them alot their employees are cool. I just have nothing bad to write. I recommend scaly daves to anyone who needs or wants reptiles or enclosers, sticks, water dishes, food ext. I want the people at scaly daves to know that your doing awsome! I will always go there! cory. more

I must say this is a fantastic pet store, i just bought my first reptile(ball python) there today. Dave was very helpful and informed me what the best snake would be to buy for a first time snake owner. He seemed to know anything and everything there is to know about reptiles. The employees were very helpful too. I must say i don't think that Robert E. and Mike M. know anything, first off you cant even see the animals through the window to see if they are dirty or clean or not so he was obviously lying about that. And to Mike M. if you say that its a testosterone store with animals that eat other animals, all i have to say is are you a vegetarian?, have you ever eaten a cheese burger, if so you are an animal that has eaten another animal. If so, according to your definition of a testosterone animal, you are one. Also (to Mike M.) of course they are going to have a smaller collection of fish (DUH) because the name of the store is "Scaley Daves Herp Shack" herp as in reptile so they specialize in reptiles not fish. If they were mainly a fish store they would be called "Scaley Daves Fish Shack." more

Good: First off, you walk into the store and at once you can see that everything is organized and in order. all the dog items are in the same aisle, the cat items are in the aisle adjacent to the dog products etc... Second of all all the employees are very knowledgeable, and very friendly. They were glad to answer any questions i had of get out any animal for me to see. This is definitely a reptile store, they have all types of snakes, frogs and lizards. And all the cages are very clean. over all a great pet store. Bad: there want anything i didn't like.. Improvements: None. more

Um I've been to this store several times and I have never had a bad experience. I doubt the other reviews that say from the outside you can see dirty cages, etc, because none of the animal cages are near the window. And they don't sell cats. I occasionally see puppies and they are normally VERY clean. The staff is knowledgeable and hello! it IS a herp shack ie they sell exotics. I haven't seen a lizard or herp that solely eats veggies, normally there are insects or rodents in their diet. Duh. Even your "normal" "non-testosterone" (as you put it)animals eat other animals. Cat=carnivore. Dog=omnivore. Are people even awake when they write these reviews. Clean. Knowledgeable. Variety. THAT'S what you get here. So check it out! more

When I was at KSU, I loved this place. Dave and Allison run an amazing examples of what a pet store should be. You won't find owners who care more about their animals or who are more knowledgeable. They even came to Goodnow Hall and did a presentation on dorm room appropriate pets so that college students were educated about what they were buying. You have to respect that they're in it for the animals and not for the money. Shop here before anywhere else in town and you'll always be happy! more

I went into Scaly Dave's herp shack for the first time today. I will go back many many times here on out. I came in wanting just to learn a little more about some dart frogs. I left knowing alot more about what I need to know to get ready to get my frogs :) Well Dave was very nice and very helpful in helping me figure out what i need to do and gave me some tips on what to do when setting up my tank. Also said he was able to order in what i wanted, which with these guys really made me happy. Another lady also was more than nice talking to my Girlfriend and now has her talked into getting a rabbit. I was very happy with my trip to Scaly Daves I will be going back for sure. i would recommend for anyone wanting snakes, lizards, or frogs he seemed to know everything i wanted to know about them :) more

I have to wonder if some of these people have ever been in this pet store?! I do not notice any appreciable odor in this store as compared to the other pet stores in town. Dave and Allison have always been kind to me and answer all my questions. I don't even go to any of the other pet stores in town because they have what I need or they are willing to order it for me. As for the pit bull........Blaze is one of the nicest dogs you could ever meet and has actually helped me overcome some fear I have had concerning pit bulls. The staff is friendly and willing to bend over backwards to help you. You are entitled to your opinion but you should check your facts before writing a bunch of spiteful crap. more

I have been shopping at Scaly Dave's for several months and have no complaints. Dave and his wife have been nothing but polite, knowledgeable and always take the time to answer all the questions from my 7 year old son. They have never displayed anything but respect for the animals in their care. They have a sign, displayed in the store, that they do not sell 'Puppy Mill' puppies and that the puppies only stay in the store for two weeks. I wish people would take the time to gather correct information before slamming a perfectly good business owner! Yes, the store has a slight odor....it is a pet shop! Give me a break!!! more

Wow! Scaly Dave's is what every pet store should be. Yes, they have dogs in the store, but it is a PET store, common sense would say that the customers frequenting such an establishment are animal lovers. If dogs annoy you what are you doing in a pet store in the first place? Those dogs are extremely well behaved and very sweet! I know for a fact the puppies they sell are NOT from a puppy mill and Dave (the owner) takes great care in making sure those dogs go to a loving home! Some of the prices are a little higher when it comes to the reptiles but they are quality animals! I personally own a pastel ball python from Dave's and he is a beautiful, healthy, amazing animal. If you want a $30 snake, you will get what you pay for. When purchasing anything from this store, especially snakes you can rest assured you are getting a well bread healthy animal. I have never met anyone as knowledgeable about snakes as Dave. I have NEVER seen any of the staff be in ANY way irresponsible when handling any of the animals in the store. Not one of them would risk handling a large snake in a way that could put the animal or any customer in danger. This is a business based on the love and respect the owner has for all animals not some huge corporation that sells anything and everything just to make a dollar. The store is always clean and well kept. I visit weekly to pick up mice for my snake and have never once noticed a bad smell or a dirty cage! John A. it sounds like you are the type that needs to take your $10 and go elsewhere. You obviously know nothing about animals or Scaly Dave's. more

... more

cats have never been sold at Scaly Dave's for the record. the staff always suggests that customers look at the local humane society when looking for a cat. puppies are kept at the store for only 2 weeks, if they can't find homes for the animal in that time frame then they are returned to the owners, and they have never bought dogs from puppy mills. there is a large selection of animals that seem to be out of the ordinary. herp is short for herpetology. if you knew anything then you'd know that herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians, so you should not be surprised when you see plenty of "herps" in the store. the animals are well cared for. the staff is very helpful and will even offer help with sick animals for pet owners who can't afford a veterinarian. they are very knowledgeable about sickness and simple cures. as they state on their business card: "animals first, customers second," they want to make sure that the right animal goes how with the right owner. the large snakes and the dwarf caimen are not for sale, any animal that they take in as rescue animals never leaves the store, and they have spent thousands of dollars bringing their rescues back to health, once they take on responsibility for an animal they do not turn their backs on it, they set a good example for responsible animal husbandry. more

I started frequenting Scaly Dave's over two years ago. I've always found the staff extremely friendly and helpful, especially Dave himself. I don't think I've met anyone more knowledgeable with reptiles than Dave, and he's always more than happy to talk about animal care in attempt to ensure the best possible environment for the animals he sells. Scaly Dave's is often bashed because they have a few rare exotics in the shop, but what people don't realize is that those animals were taken in as rescues, due to the goodness of Dave's heart. I had an ex-boyfriend, actually, who wanted a Caiman really bad, but Dave talked him out of it. He's truly a responsible shop owner and a great asset to Manhattan. I'd reccommend Scaly Dave's to anyone new in town, and I tell all my friends that he's the most knowledgeable shop owner in town. His store is clean, his animals are well cared for and he goes the extra mile when it comes to customer service, stopping at nothing to help others with their animals. It's definitely my favorite shop in town! more

Each and every store is not made to suit everyone. Not all animals sold at Scaly Daves is for the "testosterone jerk". The Caimen and many other animals that "eat other animals" are there because they were abused by their ignorant owners. They are rescue animals that have been given a new and better life. Those animals are not sold, nor do they sell the Caimens. They are there to show you what ignorance can do when things are not thought out. If you don't like a place, don't go there. I'm sure there are people out there that don't like you Mike M. and don't care to be around you. Yes, the fish area is weak, that's because they specialize in reptiles. If you were to check the other pet stores, you would see that each one of them specialize in a certain animal and are weak in other areas. Scaly Daves makes sure that you are fully informed about what you are wanting to acquire. They just don't sell you the animal, they make sure it will be taken care of properly. more

Scaly Dave's Herp shack seemed ok. It seems to me like a "testosterone pet store". In other words they have a lot of animals that eat other animals. Such as a live alligator for a store pet and they sell these too. They have lots of other carnivorous animals that Im not sure should be sold to just anyone. They also sell puppies, of which I am not a fan. Their supply selection was weak, not much for fish supplies. more

Even from the outside, this pet store looks like a mess. You can see the dirty cages and animals from the window, as well as numerous put bulls in the back lot. The store is always very dirty and smells terrible. They sell pet animals such as dogs and cats, but keep them in terrible condition. more