We were looking to add a new member to the family with a bearded dragon. Instead of going to a chain pet store, we decided to come out to East Bay Vivarium because we have trust in their sourcing and care methods. The staff workers were very knowledgeable and gave us the entire download of how to properly care for our new pet. Even though I've been a bearded dragon owner before, I learned so many new things that I didn't know before. We wanted to make sure we were choosing the right animal for our needs and the staff was very patient in taking out all the different animals we were interested in meeting before we made our final choice. Our new family member has now been with us for a couple of weeks and seems to be thriving. We are very happy in our decision to purchase from this business. read more

I walked out of here upset. Reptiles and small animals are kept in enclosures barely bigger than their own bodies -- snakes that can't stretch out, lizards with nowhere to climb or hide, rabbits and rodents with no room to do anything but sit. These aren't display objects. They're animals with needs, and those needs are being ignored for the sake of fitting more inventory on a shelf. If you're thinking about bringing one of these animals home, please don't buy -- adopt. There are reptile rescues, small-animal rescues, and shelters across the area overflowing with snakes, bearded dragons, turtles, rabbits, and rats who already need homes, and they'll come with honest information about care and lifespan instead of a sales pitch. Buying from a store like this doesn't save the animal in the tank. It just tells them to order another one. read more

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Ok service, not the friendliest and also not as knowledgeable as you'd expect. Have heard some horror stories of advice coming from here. Like suggesting the wrong supplements with the wrong light setup. I suggest you verify all advise you get from here. read more

Your go to spot for anything reptile and amphibian related! They have an amazing selection of everything you need to set yourself up with your new or existing friend. Staff is chill and friendly. Great spot to check out! read more

Great shop, good variety of species. Got my hatchling bullsnake from these guys. Care and advice is good too.

this is a paradise for reptile lovers. the vivarium offers sight of reptiles, lizards, and snakes. the staff is nice and knowledgeable, which makes the atmosphere interesting and fun it's also a shop, so you can cop stuff your your pet crocodile! read more

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Fantastic spot for all reptile enthusiasts! We got our baby leopard gecko here 2 years ago, and he has been healthy and happy ever since! I feel like they take great care of their animals, employ passionate and knowledgeable people, and offer a wonderful service to all who walk in the door. read more

I went in to re-home my reptile and the customer service was HORRIBLE. I walk in and explain my situation and the worker begins accusing me of bringing in a dead animal. He goes "why are its eyes closed?" extremely rudely and accusatory. Then, he manhandled my frog by picking it up, squeezing it, and flipped it over extremely aggressively. It was so sad to see my pet being treated that way. Although I knew something was wrong with the frog, I went to the shop to seek advice and see what the best option for it was. I felt extremely uncomfortable with the way he was talking to me and handling my reptile right in from of me. He was talking so loudly that other customers looked over at us confused. It was so uncomfortable and truly ruined my day. Wish I took it to the reptile place in Concord instead. read more

WE LOVE THIS PLACE!!! We bought a pancake tortoise a few months ago, but before the decision, the employees at East Bay Vivarium were SO patient and answered no less than 900 questions from my very enthusiastic son about enclosure temperature, feeding habits, etc. of several different types of tortoises before we landed on the pancake (side note: they're rad!). When it was time to pick it up, the team suggested and sold me the perfect set up and let me film them setting up the temperature alarms so I wouldn't forget. Equally as great is the reptile show! We just had them come to a 10yr old birthday and it was the coolest thing ever! Not just the run of the mill Petco selection of reptiles and amphibians, but some seriously cool animals! We even got to make some special requests. The people who brought the animals were SO PATIENT with all the kids and answered the rapid fire of questions coming from the birthday boy. Huge shout out to John and Rox. LEGENDS. Even if you're not a reptile person, go for the plant selection...and then you'll leave wanting to learn about the big ass lizard in an enclosure...then 4 months later it ends up in your living room for a birthday party! I got some string of pearls for a great price. This place is just the best and I can't say enough good things! read more

friendly staff. knowledgeable staff. convenient store hours. great spot for the essentials. easy parking. read more

I have rescued many reptiles (ball python, bearded dragon, and numerous red eared and yellow bellied sliders) all of whom had been bought at a store then later literally abandoned. I recently rescued a severely neglected bearded dragon who has been bought as a baby from EBV then spent the following 5 years languishing in a tiny, completely empty tank with no lighting or sunlight. His life was miserable, as are the lives for all of most of the animals being sold like objects with no regard for their life long well being - much less for the countless animals who urgently need homes right now. read more

East Bay Vivarium - Countless babies being bred and sold, meanwhile so many need homes. They're bred/sold w/ no concern for their well being as individuals - Reptile Shops Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Easy to find & a very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Great selection of reptiles and prices are better than other vivariums we've been to in the Bay. read more

The customer service here is horrible, 0/10 stars, would not recommend!!!!!! I has asked one of the workers a question about the different snakes they had, and was met with no response. The man totally ignored me and I could Not find anyone else on the floor to help me. Would never come here again, I wouldn't trust how they treat the animals if it's anything compared to the way they treat us customers!!! read more

Incredible store and experience. We never tire of visiting this urban reptile experience. The staff are amazingly knowledgeable and generous in allowing visitors to come in and enjoy the magnificent array of species in this shop. Love love love this place so much. read more

I visited this place only because I was looking for LIVE MOSS for my terrarium. This place seemed to be the only place in the East Bay that carried live moss. The moss were vibrantly green and healthy. They were pretty pricey, but I was desperate. Other places carried "live" moss but were definitely on the brink of death. They were brown, dry, and I did not have time to revive it. read more

This shop was a really depressing and distressing experience. The animals are in enclosures that are clearly too small for them. Some of the reptiles were banging their heads against the glass, clearly in deep distress. I thought it would be more like a wildlife refuge. instead, they are displayed like merchandise in a candy shop with no regard for their true natures. Wild animals should be left in the wild. read more

Such a cool place! I love to come in and look at all the reptiles they have. They also have all the things you could need for keeping! I will say though, they are a bit overpriced. But it's understandable read more

An ABSOLUTE MUST for any reptile enthusiast, starting reptile owner, or anyone who just loves animals in general. I am a newbie beardie owner and I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the East Bay Vivarium. And now wonder either! It's the OLDEST REPTILE STORE IN THE NATION, serving the Bay Area since 1970. If we weren't on a crunch on time, I think I could easily spend hours here (I at least spent around 2). As a newbie to this hobby, there aren't that many reptile shops (at least not in SoCal) that are expansive and impressive as the East Bay Vivarium. I have never seen so many different species of reptiles and amphibians available for sale as pets before and there were so many animals that I couldn't see either! And this is actually a REALLY GOOD THING. It means that the animal is in an enriching enclosure with enough hides provided for it to get comfortable. Huge plus for me along with how helpful and knowledgeable the employees are. Amazed by the huge enclosures that they have here for their monitor (I think) lizards. It was also my first time seeing (for sale at a store instead of at a reptile expo) a Rankin's Dragon (cute relative to the beardie), a collared lizard, Iberian Ribbed Newts, and so much more in so many different color morphs! I loved their variety of supplies, decor, and food too. Pretty affordable basking slates and branches (in comparison to what I've seen) and they have a great variety that is different from the standard ZooMed, ExoTerra, Fluker's, etc. The warnings about Salmonella around the shop are low key kinda funny too, but great to have! They also have animal figures and literature for purchase too. For a local who is taking care of reptiles or exotics, they also have boarding and a nice, affordable variety of feeders on their menu. I wish it wasn't pouring rain outside since they had a bargain bin of items and some plants for purchase too. Next time I'm in NorCal, I'm already looking forward to my next visit! read more

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Visiting the East Bay Vivarium for the first time was a fun surprise. It is tucked away just off 4th St and packed with all kinds of reptiles & more--snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, and tarantulas. I'm not an owner/expert on any of these, but it was super interesting to walk around and check out all the different creatures. The staff were friendly and happy to chat or answer questions. A storied local spot that makes for an educational adventure! read more

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Fantastic place for anything reptilian care related! The staff is great there and there are all kinds of different pets and food supply options there. read more

This is my favorite pet store ever no not just reptiles this place is what got me truly interested in reptiles the first time I was here. And where I got my first reptile this place is 5 star worthy. read more

I have been a patron of East Bay Vivarium for almost a year now. I come in every week for rats and crickets. One of the best things about East Bay Vivarium that keeps me coming back is their feeders. They have the staples--dubia roaches, crickets, and mealworms. In addition, they have harder-to-find insects like wax worms, hornworms, black soldier fly larvae, silkworms, and super worms. They also have both live and frozen-thawed mice and rats. They have every size of live rat and mouse you could want, and what's more, they even have live chicks. Furthermore, it is an amazing place to come and hang out. They have a vast array of reptiles, and if they are not super busy, you can handle some of them. In general, the staff is nice and pleasant to interact with. One of my main cautionary pieces of advice is to do your research, as you cannot rely on the staff for husbandry information because there is so much discrepancy in the advice they provide regarding reptile care. When I got my first reptile ever, a leopard gecko, there was an older gentleman named Michael helping me. I was really upset with his complete lack of knowledge regarding supplementation. He neglected to sell me a vitamin A supplement, which they need for their eyes. Even worse, he gave me extremely harmful advice that could have killed my new gecko; he sold me a calcium with D3 powder and told me to use it at every feeding. Calcium without D3 should be used at every feeding, however, calcium with D3 should be used only once every one to two weeks. This matters because D3 increases the amount of calcium absorbed by geckos, but if they get too much, they can die. When I found out about this mistake, I was really mad because my gecko could have died. Ultimately, as a new reptile owner, it is your responsibility to know what your reptile needs. I learned to take their advice with a grain of salt and use it in combination with other sources to educate myself on my reptile's specific needs. They are often criticized for having enclosures that are too small for the reptiles they house. You need to realize these are only temporary habitats and not their "forever homes"; in a couple of months, they will be sold and move into bigger vivariums. One thing that  made me very angry was how they take care of some of their geckos. They house their geckos in tubs, and on those tubs is a peice of tape with feeding schedules. For their feeding routines, they feed their baby geckos every four to five days. THIS IS CRAZY! They need to be fed daily as they are growing, and this level of neglect is harmful to their health and may even shorten their lifespan. When I confronted the staff, they said that sometimes they forget to log their feedings, however, there are multiple entries that span four to five days on the tub, so this was a lie. As I said, I have been coming here for a long time and most of my visits are fun and enjoyable. Running a successful reptile store is no easy task, and I truly believe they are doing the best job possible; it would be unreasonable to expect them to do everything perfectly. In conclusion, this is a great store if you need feeders. If you want a fun, reptile-filled outing, this is a good place as well. With regards to reptile care, I would take the staff's advice as a single piece of information and compare it with other sources online. If you are in the market for a new reptile, I would highly recommend going to an expo or finding a local breeder. If you do choose to buy from East Bay Vivarium, ask lots of questions and do an extensive health inspection to make sure you are not getting a sickly reptile read more

Such a great place for reptile lovers!!! They clearly hire staff that know a lot and care a lot. Never see this kind of range of exotic species, as well as a range a of morphs with ball pythons and beardies especially. It was busy as heck but when is it not!?! read more

Admittedly I have not purchased any pets here, but I still 100% recommend a visit when in the area. The Vivarium is the most unique spot in the 4th st area in my opinion. It's a small shop but there are so many cool animals. The employees and clientele are so friendly, and the animals are mesmerizing to watch. My 3yo and 5yo sons love this place and I appreciate how welcoming the staff are to inquisitive young fans. read more

Had to board my two Children's Pythons on a last moment, original place declined to take my snakes (won't name them!) East Bay Vivarium was my backup, thank gosh for them! The process was easy and seamless, the staff was very attentive and asked all the right questions. I'd like to think my snakes were happy knowing they'd be taken care of and I felt that the staff really knew what they were doing. It's all about piece of mind, I know my snakes will be in great hands! This was the first time I ever went to this reptile shop, brought my son with me and it was worth the the wait! EBV is my go to place for boarding and checking out some really cool critters. Best reptile/insect shop around in my opinion. Thanks again, see you in 22 days! Chris read more

Angel was fantastic! We were checking out and he immediately advised that we try putting the items we were buying for our bearded dragon in to an actual tank so we could see what we need. He helped (and corrected) so much of what we were buying. He educated us so much and we actually ended up feeling really confident in what we were getting. Thank you Angel! We will be back because of you. read more

Everyone at this location is not only so knowledgeable about reptiles (snakes) but they're also so very patient... I got my snake in May and I've been able to take my baby to them for everything even emergency needs just to get a piece of mind. Their customer service is unmatched to anywhere I've been before and their ability to educate new owners and make us feel comfortable is profound! I recommend this location to ANY AND EVERYONE! read more

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This is the spot for any reptile keeper in the Bay Area! The shop is clean, airy and open! Lots of well kept reptiles and the employees are experts! Additionally if you're into tropical or aquatic plants? They have a wide selection of this as well! read more

I've been a customer of the Vivarium's well over a decade! My youngest sister kept turtles as pets as a child and the Vivarium was the perfect place for all our needs. They have habitats and all sorts of feeding/drinking devices, enclosure plants and materials. They have all sorts of reptiles and amphibians and all the critters and things you need to keep them happy! We got our sweet snake Spnxr (and her terrarium) 2 and a half years ago from the Vivarium, she's always been really healthy and happy. We bought our rats in bulk frozen (they have all sizes) and now that she's mature we get our bi-weekly rats from them every now and again as well. read more

Justin is AMAZING! Super knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Love this place! Highly recommend to anyone. read more

East Bay Vivarium - Reptile Shops Near Me - Berkeley, California

Even though this place is mainly known for their reptiles, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of isopods that they had. They are very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Would highly recommend! Will definitely be coming back for isopods! read more

I booked the Traveling Reptile Show with Owen for my husband's birthday (he's a big kid and we love animals). It was fantastic, and my husband said it was the best birthday present ever!! 1,000% worth the money and we'd love to do it again! Owen was easy to communicate with via email, very helpful and patient as we tried to find a good location and time, and of course, extremely knowledgeable about his animals. He even adjusted his show to make my husband's birthday extra special and personalized. We got to see so many incredible creatures, touch and hold them, and ask tons of questions. It was truly a memorable and valuable experience - highly recommend. read more

East Bay Vivarium - A 2 month old tortoise! - Reptile Shops Near Me - Berkeley, California

I don't what anyone says this is a date spot. The Komodo dragons are gone but they still have a beautiful variety of reticulated pythons, Columbia red tail boas, green tree pythons, king snakes, tarantulas, and lizards. read more

This is my favorite reptile shop in the bay area because even though the place is small, the diversity of the reptiles they have on display is huge, from from turtles and iguanas, to lizards and snakes (big and small). They even sell live food (mice, crickets, rats, worms, and rabbits), which are not on display. We wanted to purchase a tortoise, because they are so adorable, but now's not the time (it takes a lot of work to care for pets). We did want to help that tortoise stuck on its shell to flip back over though... it was just too cute! I sometimes come here to just look around, every once in a while. It's kind of like a reptile zoo, where you can see all of the creatures up close through the glass of their enclosures, and admire their movement within their habitats... especially Lemondrop, the giant yellow snake! They have many posters and signs, where you can learn a little bit about these animals as well. The staff has always been really friendly, and street parking is easy right outside the store or on the same block. If you're interested in reptiles, I highly recommend the East Bay Vivarium. read more

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This is an amazing place to see reptiles and amphibians. Whether you actually keep them as pets or just like to look at them. This place is legendary. It's like visiting a zoo with exhibits you can take home yourself. There are some of the largest snakes I have ever seen in my life here. Also, they have a pair of albino rattlesnakes (not for sale) which are fascinating. Some amazing tortoises and even some venomous beaded lizards. One time when I was there they were helping to rescue a snake that was stuck inside the frame of a car. Moral of the story, don't let a snake loose in your trunk. These guys are herpetological heroes! read more

I had my baby star hand delivered. He is doing great and owner was willing to answer any and all questions gave me a number to call if anything popped up and checked out my setup to make sure it was correct. read more

Best reptile store in the area for the things you need. They lack a little variety here and there but I've been coming here my whole life and always have had fond memories. read more

Coolest reptile establishment ever!!! Great friendly customer service! Staff very friendly and knowledgeable! Staff ready to assist and will answer questions you may have! You can often find the owner John on the floor! John is friendly, helpful and will answer any questions! My 9 year old grandson calls it a "field trip " when we go to Vuvarium! I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! read more

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A year ago, as a new reptile owner, I trusted this business to guide me through the setup process. I spent over $1,000 on a full bearded dragon kit, relying on the owner's advice for everything from supplements to lighting. That trust cost my pet her life. Last night, I had to make the heartbreaking decision to euthanize my beardie, Reptar, due to advanced gout, a completely preventable condition caused by improper supplementation. The vet was appalled to hear that the owner of a vivarium had recommended frequent use of calcium with D3, which ultimately led to uric acid buildup, joint pain, partial paralysis, and her premature death. A simple calcium supplement without D3 could've spared her suffering. This wasn't just a mistake, was a fatal failure in basic husbandry knowledge. Someone who sells reptiles for a living should know better. To make matters worse, the state of the shop itself raises serious concerns. When I bought my beardie, she was shoved into a flimsy to-go food container without a second thought. Many of the reptiles in the store were visibly stressed--glass surfing, covered in feces, and housed in questionable conditions. EBV didn't just sell me a lizard--they sold me bad advice, preventable suffering, and a devastating loss. Do your research, and please, get your reptiles from someone who actually knows how to care for them. read more

Staff very knowledgeable and helpful .. Small shop but clean and interesting ! Variety of reptiles along with how to care for the animal / reptile you select! You can even visit and just look around .. I recommend this Vivarium highly and if looking for a reptile pet you will receive knowledge of care and cost !! read more