Equipment Review and Discussion :: Texas stores for equipment, etc.

[mzkitty23]

Hey,
You guys from Texas have any suggestions on good amph/rept/exotic pet places forsome new stuff for my turtle AND for looking at animals. I wanted to get a few more things for Krueger (another filter, new basking area and more) and my son LOVES looking at the animals (esp. snakes), so i figure it's a win/win thing. I got one from RESnTX, but are there anymore..either in Houston or central tx, either would be fine.

[SpotsMama]

Where abouts in Texas are you? There are several very nice aquarium stores in the Dallas area that mainly sell salt water aquarium fish and equipment. I kind of like the Boutique Pet Store and Aquarium on Garland Road. Definitely not fancy but big and has a lot of criters.

[mzkitty23]

I live in central Texas (small town off I-35) so anything in central Texas like Austin or anywhere near there....but I go ALL OVER. I'm originally from Houston and so i visit there A LOT. We also go go Dallas periodically and particulary in the summer we enjoy doing lots of stuff right here in Texas ( i hate to fly, lol). I'll definitely check out The Boutique Pet Store next time i'm that way. How is that big aquarium in Dallas? We went to the Dallas Zoo recently, but wanted to go back to see that seperate aquarium if it was pretty good.

[mat012]

Definitely go to AquariumWorld when you are in Houston. So fun. I have also been to Boutique in Dallas. They do have a little of everything, but AquariumWorld is fantastic. Huge, Clean - better than some aquariums I have been to. Its on 290 going west before you reach 610.

[SpotsMama]

Have you seen the Dallas World Aquarium? It's a huge privately owned aquarium in downtown Dallas, of all places. There are lots of other creatures there - mammels and reptiles of all sorts. If you haven't seen it, you should give it a try. And if you have kids, it's a great place to take them for the day.

The city of Dallas is contemplating closing the Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park due to budget problems. It sure would be sad to lose it. They used to have a gigantic old snapping turtle who looked as old as dirt. He finally disappeared one year but they have other nice creatures there too.

[mzkitty23]

thanks mat and spotsmama...i'm going to check out both! my kid will LOVE it!

[mat012]

Have you seen the Dallas World Aquarium? It's a huge privately owned aquarium in downtown Dallas, of all places. There are lots of other creatures there - mammels and reptiles of all sorts. If you haven't seen it, you should give it a try. And if you have kids, it's a great place to take them for the day.

The city of Dallas is contemplating closing the Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park due to budget problems. It sure would be sad to lose it. They used to have a gigantic old snapping turtle who looked as old as dirt. He finally disappeared one year but they have other nice creatures there too.

I didnt know they were talking of closing the aquarium. We had been talking about going back up there for a mini-vacation at the end of the summer. We will have to do that now. The aquarium is where we wanted to go. Also have to look up World Aquarium. My kids would love it. They have also been bitten by the herp/fish bug! Thanks for the info.

You reminded me too that there is a private aquarium in Houston. Off of 45 i think. It is ok. The fish are beautiful and they have a train that goes through a tunnel in a shark tank (cool). But they pipe in relatively loud sea sounds, etc. This totally annoys me every time we go. To me it detracts from the fish. Oh - but they do have a petting area for rays (kids love it) and white tigers(??). The tigers are actually the best part. Beautiful! At $17 a ticket we dont go often - but once every couple of years is fun. By that time the kids have forgotten that they had been and its brand new!

[mzkitty23]

r u talking about the aquarium restaraunt???? if so, I agree it's cool, but man it's pricey if you do very much there!!!! it's downtown by the bayou. i can't think if the street. my kid LOVES the shark train thing.

[mat012]

Yes I think it is the same one. There is a restaurant there too (upscale it seems). Yes it is pricey. They have the ferris wheel and the carousel too - extra I think. It is definitely not an everyday kind of place to go.

[mzkitty23]

yeah! that's it. the resaurant is a bit upscale, but to be honest the most upscale thing was the prices and the atmosphere. the atmosphere was GREAT. aquariums EVERYWHERE. all sort of sharks, sea horses, fish, sting rays, etc. the food was pricey, but the taste of it was so-so and the service was not great. I remember they ran out of high-chairs and my kid had to sit on my lap, i'm thinking at those prices they better FIND ONE! anyway, if we eat, we eat the cheapers orderve on the menu and a drink and just let the kids see all the fish. oh, and the room is done up like you are actually under the sea, so that's cool too. and yep, every venue costs. you can get "packages" like 3 venuse for certain price or whatever. i think you can get a wrist ban too, but it's all expensive. it's really cool though but pricey, yep, so like u said, not an every weekend place to go! if you have more than one kid it's really pricey even if you just do one or two things.

[mat012]

Thats funny you mentioned the drinks! The last couple of times we have gone I went as a chaperone with my kids preschool classes. What chaos - real hair pulling kind of days! I would walk by the restaurant and see the bar and want a drink sooooo badly. Alas there was no designated driver. We all had car loads of kids All the moms said that we should do a mom's date and go down for dinner and drinks. Of course it never happened. Oh one day maybe....

Wait a minute did you mention getting drinks or was I just projecting! haha

[mzkitty23]

LOL! u had ESP...haha!

[itzrasaqboy]

so other than the Boutique Pet Store and Aquarium where are some more good pet stores to buy stuff for turtles. im looking for a pretty big turtle tank that comes with stuff to set it up (eg. basking lights and basking rocks). i found 1 at petsmart but its only a 20 gallon tank and i wanted something bigger. im in the dallas area so something around the area is fine with me

[mat012]

Our local petco sells a 48"x18"x18" glass aquarium in the turtle section and several other 75 to 90 gallon tanks. Actually Boutique had a nice large selection of tanks and stands. To be honest I usually order stuff online or shop at the petcos/petsmarts. The specialty stores though seem to have better decorations (drift wood, nice rocks, etc.) though and are just fun to shop at. I ordered my tank from glasscages.com - they deliver to Dallas and actually have nice tanks with built in basking areas.

I think you will be hard pressed to buy a prepackaged turtle tank like they sell aquariums though. Most of the turtle products they sell in some of the "packages" I have seen are not really adequate for the job. For example the filters are too small, some of the stuff you really dont need, etc. Steve has a list of things you will need on one of the pages on the main site. You can find almost all of the things in the aquarium sections of the petstore except for the lights and dock.

[ScrewZoo]

Where abouts in Texas are you? There are several very nice aquarium stores in the Dallas area that mainly sell salt water aquarium fish and equipment. I kind of like the Boutique Pet Store and Aquarium on Garland Road. Definitely not fancy but big and has a lot of criters.

I GO THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol