Menagerie Pet Shop in Toronto

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comments 5

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  Sam Rahimi

  :: 11 April 2018 16:04:37

  My first time shopping at Menagerie I was 8 years old. In 1988. My dad took me here while buying food for a family pet and he ended up buying me a little green lizard. This and the rest of my childhood pets all came from menagerie: rats, gerbils, and a cute little baby iguana in 1992. 5 years later, the cute baby iguana had grown into a supremely healthy but fearsome beast that nearly neutered the vet with a swipe of its 4 foot long tail. Meanwhile, my parents bought my sister a pygmy hedgehog. By then I was old enough to deal with them myself so I called and asked what to do about the iguana. They said, "bring him back and we'll give you 2 babies in exchange." Back then they had a window display with several impressive reptiles (not for sale) and sure enough my iguana joined them. It is important to note that a few years later, Menagerie stopped selling iguanas altogether because very few people have the setup needed to care for them once they get big. They do still have one giant iguana on display, but it was not mine - apparently mine died a few years ago at the ripe old age of 20. The store has changed little over the years, and has remained extremely committed to responsible pet ownership and conservation. And they do this while remaining chill and friendly. One time, as an adult who really should know better, I adopted a very large and impressive looking turtle from the side of the road and took her home with me. Only then did I look it up and realize that she was an endangered species and likely close to 100 years old. So I went to Menagerie and asked how I should to feed and care for this unusual species, and their reptile guy was not shy in his criticism of my taking such a turtle home with me, and he urged me to return her to the wild where she was found. But when I insisted on keeping the turtle, he very precisely explained the habitat and food requirements and invited me to return if I ever needed help. Sure enough, the turtle thrived when I followed his directions. And he will probably be pleased to know that a year later, while in the process of moving, I returned the turtle to exactly where she was found. These guys also won't sell animals to children without a parent being involved. I guess they've seen too many cases of abandoned hamsters bought on impulse. They obviously take good care of their animals - every animal my family got from there was healthy and lived longer than average. Whereas the one reptile I got from a big box chain store died within a month. These days I'm too busy to own a pet but I'll still drop in from time to time just to look at the animals. In addition to reptiles and small mammals, they also have a VERY impressive collection of birds, and I believe they sell fish as well. Being a small store, Menagerie can't always compete on price for mass market supplies such as pet food or fish tanks, so I usually get such things at a chain store. But the animals themselves are very reasonably priced, except for certain rare and expensive species of bird or reptile. There is zero pressure to buy and they are always willing to give advice on caring for animals, even if purchased elsewhere.

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  Dong Dolly

  :: 10 February 2018 15:07:31

  It's always lots of fun to visit! And u can call to order and they will delivery to u, make life so much easier. Sometimes I get good services, sometimes not so much. But I still like the store! It's like a little zoo.

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  Mandy Lomonaco

  :: 03 February 2018 00:37:51

  Josh is my reptile expert!! I love this place! Everyone who works here truly has a passion for animals and everything they do. The worst thing about this place is that there aren't more places like it. Every pet shop wishes it was the Menagerie. Thank you for the consistently friendly and attentive service. You are disneyland for pets.

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  Bernard Dunford

  :: 23 January 2018 18:15:02

  A great pet shop dogs cats fish bird reptiles little fluffy critters and supplies. Knowledgeable staff are happy to help. Might be a bit pricey but for the help you get expected. I believe they do grooming and board birds which is helpful.

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  Melissa Strange

  :: 21 January 2018 17:11:23

  I love this pet shop. The staff are always super helpful and knowledgeable. The critters are all happy and healthy and the shop cat likes to crawl into peoples bags and lay on top of the counters, adorable. The points/loyalty program they have is also great. Thanks to the awesome fish department I'm starting up my 3rd aquarium. I highly recommend Menagerie Pet Shop to all of my friends and internet strangers :)