I was recently contacted by David Fails, the store manager, about a potential job opportunity…read more Before considering anything, I asked to see the store's current animal setups and husbandry standards. What I was shown were very minimal enclosures with little to no enrichment. This does not reflect modern, welfare-focused reptile care, which prioritizes proper substrate, enrichment, and environments that allow for natural behaviors. When I asked further questions about their standards, I did not receive clear or transparent answers. Instead, the conversation quickly became unprofessional. Rather than addressing concerns about animal care, I was met with dismissive and inappropriate responses from the store manager (included in screenshots). This experience raised serious concerns about both the level of care and the professionalism behind this business. There are many reptile keepers and shops that prioritize proper, up-to-date husbandry and genuinely care about the animals they work with. Based on what I saw and experienced, I would strongly advise others to do thorough research and consider supporting businesses that clearly demonstrate proper animal care and professionalism.

I've always had good experiences going in and having full 20 minute conversations with staff and…read morethem telling me about different reptiles and aquatic species. I also really good pricing for feed and tanks

The customer service was good and the owner was friendly, which I appreciated. However, the pricing…read moreis very high. I was sold a White Tree Frog for $65, but after checking multiple stores and websites, I found that they typically don't exceed $45. This frog isn't rare and is widely available. In fact, places like Petco and Petsmart sell them for around $34. Because of this, I feel the pricing here is significantly inflated.

Both husband and wife are very educated in reptiles. They both took time out, explained various…read morereptilian questions. Told us about some upcoming reptile shows coming up. Watch wife feed some of their jumping spiders. Very nice couple. Pricing seemed very fair.

Very clean, all enclosures were well taken care of. Owners were helpful and informative.read more

This is such a neat shop! The owners are there on site and super friendly! You can tell the care…read morefor their animals it very good! We got a Black Emperor Scorpio from them and he's perfect!

Just picked up my bearded dragon from AE Herps and Exotics, and I'm still blown away by the…read moreexperience. Derick went above and beyond--he spent nearly two hours walking me through care, setup, feeding, and all the little things that matter when you're new to reptiles. The shop itself is super cool--clean, well-organized, and full of healthy reptiles and supplies. They had everything I needed to get started, and I left feeling totally confident and excited (not overwhelmed!) about bringing my beardie home. If you're looking for a reliable reptile store in Phoenix with real passion for exotic animals and amazing customer care, AE Herps is where you want to go!!

I have been going here for about a year now and have purchased ton of invertebrates and a few…read morereptiles as well. Mostly leaving my review because some of the reviews are so insane. I have never had any issues buying dubias or cricket's here, actually started my own successful dubia colony from their dubias. All of my animals came to me healthy and happy, but i also know we live in AZ and animals can't be in a hot car for hours on end. Another review said they were neglecting their tarantulas, that's absurd. There's not a single pet shop in the valley that has full set ups for over 200 spiders, The moss is part of the hide/water dish. Unless you're buying a full bioactive setup, which they offer, your animal is going home in a deli container. I have never had any issues with staff, they have always been extremely welcoming, helpful and answered any questions i have had. That being said, ask stupid question and you get stupid answers. I love AE and supporting small local businesses, will be back!

First time here and we're customers for life now! Very welcoming and helpful staff. Gwen and Justin…read morewere the absolute best. Helped us setup a new bioactive tank and were super engaging with my son (this was his birthday gift). One of the best shopping experiences I've ever had.

It's a cute shop! It has a wide variety of reptiles, plants, and tank supplies. The staff were very…read morefriendly and recommended a shop that fit what I sought. I will definitely come back here in the future!

Stopped in on a whim when my husband and I were driving by.  I had only seen one Bearded Dragon in…read moremy life before visiting this store, I now own 7 Beardies and a Sulcata Tortoise. All purchased here and are healthy and doing great. Bought my first one in February 2025 and almost every time I went in to buy feed, I fell in love with another one. They even have me thinking about getting a snake.  I don't know if I'm nuts or if they are good salesmen.   I've learned so much from these guys, Bryce, Jacob,  the tall guy with crazy hair and Google about the care and feeding it has made my retirement interesting and keeps me busy.  These young men keep the store spotless, they're always busy but ready to help and the variety of reptiles is amazing.

Came in for some crickets. The guys were on top of it. Place was clean and the vibes were right. My…read morenew go to for feeders for my Beardie

Across three separate visits to determine if a tortoise was right for our family, the amazing staff…read morehelped answer all our questions. The prices seemed reasonable and the staff wasn't pushy but cared about making sure it was the right decision. Highly recommend this location as an option for your animal needs.

10000/10 first experience. JUSTIN was amazing! Very informative & friendly! A very cool reptile…read morestore! You can tell just by walking in they love for their reptiles so much!! Will forever be a customer with this company! So many great finds! Thank you again, Justin!

I needed some supplies to complete my vivarium build and came here after seeing that they do custom…read morebuilds for people. I was not disappointed! I got some great advice and some nice cork bark pieces and a ghostwood branch. There's a weekly special on various isopods so I picked up a container. They offer a lot of your most popular reptiles here if you're looking for a pet, such as bearded dragons, crested geckos and gargoyle geckos. There's also a nice selection of plants if you're looking to add greenery too. I'd go here again over competitor shops for the great customer service alone.

The poor birds have no sun or stimulation and look depressed, looked curled up and stressed with…read moretheir feathers puffing out. The reptile enclosures were dirty, the bows had algae, the lady at the counter didn't seem like she cared about anything and didn't really offer much help. Most of their ponds were not nice either. I just feel bad for these animals. Not to mention One of the pathos plants was dead and the one we got wasn't watered recently

Customer service with the educational aspect is top notch. I feel way more comfortable purchasing a…read moreunique animal from these guys than other generic places. The owner spent a lot of time educating me while he had other things to do. Will definitely be back.

I have been coming here for years and all due to a misunderstanding the customer service was…read moreabsolutely horrible the guy I was working with was extremely rude for absolutely NO REASON due to this experience today will be the last time I spend a cent here this interaction was 100% unprofessional and unacceptable

Jarrod knows what he is talking about regarding dog diet. We have a dog that has some kind of…read moreallergy and needed help picking a better dogfood for the problem to be resolved. Jarrod helped us find a food that would stop the dog allergy but that would also not break the bank. He also told us he trains dogs and suggested some solutions to begging at the table for scraps. I like people that are good at customer service! Thanks Jarrod!

To Whom It May Concern,…read more My name is Dr. Boyer Cross, and I am writing to formally document and express serious concerns regarding my family's adoption experience with Cat's World Rescue. Based on the facts outlined below, I cannot, in good faith or sound judgment, recommend this organization for the adoption or placement of any animal. In [month/year], my family adopted a four-month-old female orange tabby kitten through Cat's World Rescue at the PetSmart Metro location. At the time of adoption, the kitten was represented as healthy. However, from the very first day, we observed persistent watery eyes, which is a recognized symptom of a possible upper respiratory or infectious condition. At the adoption event, the representative of Cat's World Rescue applied an antibiotic ointment to the kitten's eye and stated that this treatment would resolve the issue. This representation gave the impression that the condition was minor and temporary. Relying on this assurance, we proceeded with the adoption and paid the associated fees. Over the following weeks, the kitten's condition did not improve. Instead, it worsened, causing the animal visible discomfort and distress. As responsible pet owners, we sought veterinary care at our own expense, resulting in significant costs for examinations, antibiotics, and prescription eye medications. We repeatedly attempted to contact the owner of Cat's World Rescue, who initially stated that she would assist with or partially reimburse the veterinary expenses due to the kitten's condition. However, after extensive delays, unreturned calls, and inconsistent communication, we were ultimately informed--after nearly one month--that we "should have taken the kitten to her preferred veterinarian" in order to receive discounted medication. This information was never disclosed at the time of adoption, nor was timely assistance provided when we sought help. Furthermore, the owner later referenced a seven-day limitation clause in the adoption paperwork, asserting that any health-related responsibility expired after that period. While such language may appear in the fine print, it is legally and ethically undermined by the fact that: The kitten exhibited symptoms at the time of adoption; A representative of Cat's World Rescue acknowledged and treated the condition on-site; and The organization accepted payment while knowingly placing a sick animal. Under these circumstances, the seven-day clause is nullified by prior knowledge and nondisclosure, and does not absolve the organization of responsibility. More recently, we have been advised that the prescribed medications may not be effective and that the kitten could be suffering from a potentially infectious condition, placing other animals at risk and requiring isolation. This raises serious concerns regarding negligence, failure to disclose known medical issues, and disregard for both animal welfare and adopter safety. Despite multiple attempts by both myself and my wife to resolve this matter professionally, Cat's World Rescue has ceased communication entirely and will no longer return our calls. Given the above, I am now in the process of seeking legal counsel and will be formally sharing our experience with PetSmart corporate management, as well as any retail partners or sponsors affiliated with Cat's World Rescue. Organizations that place animals through public retail spaces have a duty to uphold ethical standards that protect both animals and adopting families. This situation could have been resolved responsibly and humanely through reimbursement, transparency, and accountability. Unfortunately, that opportunity was declined. I submit this statement not out of malice, but out of a duty to inform others and to advocate for proper animal welfare practices. I respectfully request a prompt and substantive response addressing these concerns. Thank you for your time and attention. Sincerely, Dr. Boyer Cross, PhD