I don't know how the small pet stores make any money. Our local non-chain store specializes in saltwater fish and reef tanks. He has a small reptile area with some snakes and lizards. None of them look healthy and they are all in bare cases with water dishes. I'm sure he must lose quite a few of them and probably doesn't sell enough to break even. It's not much trouble to set up proper enclosures and a healthy animal in a cool terrarium would certainly sell better.