Welcome to Danelle’s Critters! We’re so glad you found us.
Our family’s critter journey started in 2019 when our then 10-year-old daughter told us she wanted a reptile. We told her she could get one—as long as she did all the research and saved for it herself.
She chose a bearded dragon and spent months telling anyone who would listen all about them. Then one day in 2020, she came to me and said, “Mom, I think I’m too lazy for a bearded dragon. They eat every day and poop a lot.”
I was so proud that she recognized that the bearded dragon wasn’t for her and was mature enough to pivot. So, she dove into researching snakes instead and set her heart on a ball python. She saved all year long, and by Christmas she had everything ready—except enough for the snake itself. That’s when we surprised her with Oak, our very first reptile: a normal ball python. And that’s when everything changed.
🦎 How We Grew
I’ve always loved critters, but I didn’t know the reptile hobby even existed until we started looking into it with our daughter. In 2021, I added my first reptile, a leopard gecko, and then in 2022 we brought home a baby crested gecko named Splat. Splat’s breeder saw my excitement and said, “You should really think about breeding.” That little push sparked what would eventually become Danelle’s Critters.
At first, I thought I’d stick to just gargoyle geckos. But then I found a breeder who was getting out of cresteds who sold me his whole group—and suddenly we were breeding both. By 2023, I jumped into corn snakes (thanks to a package deal purchased from Brian Barczyk, who I’d been watching for years). From there, things have only gotten crazier and cooler.
🐍 Meet the Family
- Danelle (that’s me!) – I handle a little bit of everything: care, breeding, education, and connecting with customers. My success is when you are successful.
- Peter – My husband and our primary snake guy. He’s hands-on with the snakes, helps at shows, and joins me on live streams.
- Son (19) – Our son, who’s stepping up in a big way behind the scenes: updating critter postings, social media, and video editing.
- Daughter (16) – Our daughter, who started it all. In the beginning, she helped with reptile shows. While she doesn’t do shows much anymore, she’s building her own business creating bioactive enclosures—and she’s graciously accepted our growing zoo!
Peter and I work together to give the critters the best life possible and to meet the needs of our customers.
🌱 What We Believe
At Danelle’s Critters, our mission is simple:
- To raise and provide healthy, thriving animals.
- To give you the education and tools you need to feel confident as a keeper.
- To be honest and transparent in everything we do.
If you’re looking for an extra calm critter (or even an extra spicy one!), I’ll always do my best to meet that need with complete honesty. Our goal isn’t just to make a sale—it’s to make sure you and your new critter are the right match.
🦋 Education & Community
We’re big believers that good animal care starts with good information. That’s why we put so much time into YouTube videos, care guides, and live streams. Whether it’s your first gecko or your tenth snake, we want you to feel supported and part of the critter community.
🛒 Join Us
We’d love for you to be part of our story, too. Take a look at our available critters, explore our care guides, or join our mailing list to get updates on new critters, shows, and educational content.
At the end of the day, Danelle’s Critters is more than just a business—it’s our family, our passion, and our way of sharing the joy of critters with you.