If you're looking for fish imported and raised outside of the U.S., then head to a cleaner commercial pet store like Petsmart or Petco. Ray's pet shop is an absolute mess, however, his fish tanks and water quality are managed appropriately. He consistently has an awesome variety of fish, which he raises from spawn. Yes, as stated in one of the reviews, he sometimes keeps baby fish in a glass until they're ready to be transferred to a tank. Not sure why that's an issue.... Especially, if you know what the commercial breeders do. Ray is super knowledgeable about fish, and has helped me populate and manage a 30 gallon tank for well over a year. If you ask, he will make suggestions on safe fish pairings, proper food, and water maintenance advice. Bottom line, my fish from Ray actually live longer (unlike the poorly raised fish from commercial shops) because he raises them right and has set me up to maintain healthy fish. All of this talk about animal abuse is really quite comical considering how the commercial shops manage and take care of their animals. Maybe their isles are cleaner, but their fish tanks are not managed properly and their fish have been through a breeding ringer from Asia. Rays fish have been bred for years in local Lake Michigan water, which makes a big difference for the fish when transferring them to a home aquarium if you live in the area. I'll continue to support Ray. If you'd like a place that's cleaner and a similar quality to Ray's shop, go to Oak Park Natural Pet and Fish. I believe the owners were tied into Scott's Petshop in Westchester. The difference between Oak Park and Ray is the price and advice. I feel bad for those of you who judge a book by its cover and don't understand the difference in quality. Your loss. read more

Has declined dramatically. Dead animals, unbearable stench, rude customer service. Do not recommend.

the animals were living in horrible conditions. the place was filthy, cages were beyond small and dirty. this poor turtle was living in a tiny glass box where it couldn't even turn around or move. glad this place closed. peta should have shut them down years ago. read more

This is the epitome of animal cruelty, don't own a pet shop if you can't give proper care to the animals you are keeping. These poor creatures are living and breathing and need to rely on the owners to care for them but unfortunately they will wither away (hopefully) like this shop. read more

Ray is great and very knowledge about reptiles, amphibians, and everything else! I always come here for my crickets, superworms, pinkies and any other reptile needs! The superworms are always huge and great quality compared to the typical bugs you would get it at a corporation pet store. His prices are also way better and he is the only store I can find live pinkies at! He takes great care of all of his reptiles and his stock. I would recommend Snails to Tails to any reptile owner! Any questions I have, Ray always helps me and answers with no hassle! Thank you for your great service, Snails to Tails! read more

Rays a good guy knows his animals and feeds them well. He's a one man old school operation

As soon as you walk in the ammonia smell is unbearable.Beta fish are being kept in regular 8 oz. glasses with half full of water.The place is dusty and filthy.Some fish in thanks are dead floating.I don't know how the people that work there just got adjusted to the smell.I won't be buying anything there. read more

Absolutely awful. Mice and rats were fighting for water spouts. It was dark, cramped, and smelled horrible. Never again, and I do not recommend that you visit this store. read more

You over privledged, ritzy white women have no idea what you're talking about. I've lived in Lyons for one year short of a decade and I've been needing a pet store like this way beyond 9 years! His pets will not only outlive those at your commercial pet stores, but he has better quality food for them at better prices which is infact well kept and fresh (I.E Crickets) He gets a lot of his feed from Brookfield Zoo for Christs sake. It pains me to see so many people rip on this local shop just because it looks on edge. Or it "Looks" not maintained enough. You'd be in awe to see the effort this one man puts in just by himself. May not look it. But these animals will live their span if nobody buys em. Unlike commercial. I'm not related to this guy. Don't really know HIM. I just know that he knows his stuff and loves his trade. He takes pride and care. He deserves a fortune for such a genius and genuine shop.... read more

I've been an animal lover all my life. This guy is not running a zoo it's a pet store. These animals are living in temporary enclosures until they can find a home. I'm also a huge reptile enthusiast and love this places selection. The other guy was right if you're a yuppy stay away and go buy a puppy. If you like exotic pets at a very fair price come here. read more

Terrible living conditions for the animals. Extremely dirty, the cages were ridiculously small and over crowded! The fish tanks were behind dirty and looked as if they hadn't been cleaned since they first got them! read more

The conditions in which we live have a massive impact on how our health/happiness/overall performance goes. This business should not be allowed to operate for even a second longer. The conditions in which these animals live is absolutely despicable. When you take on the responsibility of owning a pet, you are responsible for their health + happiness. When you take on the responsibility of owning a pet store, you take on the responsibility to raise animals in conditions that mimic, and influence what people should raise them in. This, simply put, is an excellent example of how not to raise your pets. Obviously money is more important the animals. A business owner should pride themselves on their work, and goods. Not the money in their pocket. This is sickening. read more

Absolutely filthy location, animals have bare minimums food, water, some bedding. Bedding is filthy and moldly, reeks of ammonia. Water bottle for the mice is covered in algae. Tanks are covered in grime and piss, overcrowding, sickness, and dead animals. Whole store is a health hazard and rats have clearly escaped. read more

I live all the way in Michigan but this store is so god damn disgusting that I had to review it. I've seen PetSmart house three ball pythons together and two had stuck shed and it was still better conditions than this store. I'd rather directly buy from a mass breeder than this store, and I've never even been to it. I have a pet store near me that specializes in birds and fish. They rescue various species of pet birds, and I wish they would do it outside of Michigan so they could come save the birds living at this store. No living thing should live like this. Whoever lets these conditions remain are disgusting people read more

I have no idea where to start honestly it's nice but horrible, I love how the food is natural and that the only thing I have nice to say about this place. The first time I walked in there I immediately felt sick because of the smell , as I was walking around I was looking at the hamsters, rats, and other little pets I was shocked when I saw the condition they were in , the were half dead and the other " live" ones were on it's death bed already there was no one there that I could see. I bent down to tie my shoe and saw a dead rat, when I saw that I ran out of there. I really wish I could give this place a good rating but I can't read more

Awful and cruel conditions of the animals... Enclosures too small/disgusting/live animals kept w/ dying or dead animals. Bird cages are covered in poop and have never been cleaned and they are on straight seed diet which is extremely unhealthy for birds (it's like a human living on junk food only) Most likely if you buy a pet from here they will become very ill due to the poor living conditions they're in. I cannot believe this hasn't been shut down. read more

Horrible conditions for all the animals. Fish need oxygen and there should not be dead animals with live ones! There shouldn't be dead animals for sale in a pet store period. No animals had enough room to live and it was abusive conditions. read more

The vast majority people say about this place is just not true. Like saying the tanks are over crowded, all these dead fish floating around, and that the animals are abused is BS! It's made up, mean, and just straight up lies. At least speak the truth. The truth is the store is not very tidy which is why I am giving him 4 stars and it does smell like animals however it is a pet store people. The animals are very well feed, very well priced, and of good quality. The pricing is awesome and the food recommendations are excellent! I haven't changed food types since he recommended Omega. I have a lot pets in general and know what I'm talking about. I have a Beagle, Bernice mountain dog, two cats (one is a Maine-coon cat), 2 Leopard Geckos, Lop bunny, Red eared slider turtle, and about 50 fish including Discus, Frontosa's, Severums, etc. I love animals and so do my children. Tell me where else can you get 50 quality crickets for 5 bucks? My advice is if your a yuppie don't come here, go support big corp chain stores and rid of the little man read more

I called this company for a question about feeder mice and he was very rude on the phone. I would not consider even walking into this establishment if that was how I was treated on the phone when I asked a question. read more

Judging by the photos, this place is filthy and extremely rundown. If this place wants to stay in business, I suggest a deep clean - especially in the areas animals are kept. read more

Horrible living conditions for animals. They should not be living like that. The cages are all dirty and look like they barely get cleaned. Shut this place down. These animals need to be helped. read more

One of the only local places to get feeder rats. It may be a little rough around the edges, but I'm glad it's there. The owner is always very gracious and helpful. read more

I like this place alot. There is a great selection of all types of fish here. The owner was very helpful and nice.

The pictures say it all. Animals are kept in dirty, small enclosures. There's rat poop on the floor. Many animals are visit sick and dying, yet nothing is being done about it. Do not give this business your support. The conditions these animals are kept in are absolutely disgusting. read more

This store is absolutely horrible. The place is dirty and unkempt. The animals aren't being cared for properly, which is the most important thing to a pet store. The fish tanks, cages, birds, etc. something needs to change and the animals need to be removed from this so called pet store. read more

I am unsure whether this is truly a bad or good place. So I am going to pro and con the situation, so others can make their own decision. (Please read both as they are equally important.) PROS: -The 4 reptiles I have purchased from Ray have been VERY nice, easily handled and honestly the sweetest reptiles. In fact, the 3+ foot snake I got from him is by far the sweetest snake I have ever come into contact with. -Ray is very knowledgeable about a wide variety of animals. -The Brookfield Zoo gets their pinkies from him that they need to feed their birds of prey (in particular the young birds that they rehab and care for). If his shop was not there the cost of having to have them shipped in would be so large that they would most likely no longer be able to rehabilitate these birds or keep them. -Ray can honestly get you whatever animal you need. He has the resources and connections to get you just about any type of animal you could want. -If you need a lot insects and have to buy in bulk, like I do, he has better prices and healthier insects than most chain pet stores. -If you feed your reptiles live food, Ray's shop is the only one around that has both mice and rats of every size. In fact, he breeds his own, so he has a decent amount of them. -Ray goes in to the shop every day, even on holidays, to feed and water the animals. -Ray is the go-to person when authorities find an exotic animal and do not know what to do with them due to his connections and friends. People also often just leave animals in front of his shop for him to deal with. -Ray is close friends with a vet who apparently comes in when needed to check the animals. CONS: -The biggest con I have is the fact that the 2 bearded dragons I got from him ended up costing me $800-$1000 in vet bills. They both had metabolic bone disease from not receiving enough calcium. The one was also missing toes and covered in dirt. She smelled like the inside of a small animal cage that has not been cleaned in weeks. Both were underweight and dehydrated. -The place is DIRTY. There is dust, cobwebs, etc. all over. Since he breeds his own mice and rats, it smells like a giant mouse/rat cage. It is also fairly cramped in there and almost all of the products are old with dust on them. -Ray's personality and demeanor can be a bit brusque or blunt. If you are not used to this personality type then you could get easily upset by the way he talks to you. -Ray only takes cash, so you cannot use a card at his shop. -The cages that the animals, especially the small animals, are in are often fairly dirty and fairly packed with animals. -Ray keeps rabbits in old style metal wire cages. Which is not recommended for them since the wire bottom hurts their feet. -Ray told me one of the snakes I bought was a "peanut butter", when in fact he was a spider morph (as was the other one I got from him) and looked nothing like a "peanut butter". Originally, the snake had a tiny bit of a noticeable wobble. A month later the snake has a fairly decent wobble that is effecting his ability to eat. It is 50-50 whether it will continue to get worse or just stay at the current level. -Both snakes that I bought were being fed small mice (live). While the smaller snake was an appropriate size to eat small mice, the larger snake (3+ feet long) requires at least a medium rat due to her girth. Since they are spider morphs and both have the neurological issue called "Spider Wobble" they should only be fed frozen/thawed since the wobble inhibits their ability to catch prey. Which explains why the smaller one with the bad wobble is so underweight. read more

care is unacceptable. plain and simple. no one should sell pets if they are not in proper care. and this one is just soooooo bad... never buy here please. read more

I've been here lots of times,and the staff was friendly to me and has a lot of healthy animals. I go in for fish,and it is rare that even one tank had a problem of any kind,I like going here. read more