Mrs. Toad's Depot

Mrs. Toad's Depot in Perry, Georgia is a family-run pet shop that has earned fierce loyalty across central Georgia — not through flashy marketing, but through genuine care for animals and the people who love them. Owner Melissa and her sons run the operation with hands-on expertise that spans reptiles, birds, small mammals, and a solid freshwater fish section that keeps aquarists coming back.

The fish side of the business, while not the store's sole focus, has developed a devoted following. Staff member Joseph earned particular praise for his deep knowledge of African cichlids during a phone consultation, and the store carries species like golden dojo loaches that customers have reported thriving long after purchase. Reviewers mention coming back repeatedly for fish tank needs, and the staff takes care in bagging and dividing fish purchases — small touches that matter when you're trusting someone with live animals.

The store's real strength is its breadth. Ball pythons, bearded dragons, tortoises, cockatiels, Indian ringnecks, red-bellied parrots, guinea pigs, ferrets, hamsters, rats, and tarantulas (including rose hair Ts that one customer had been hunting for) all share space in what multiple reviewers describe as a clean, well-organized shop. Animals consistently look healthy and well-socialized, from the birds playing in their water bowls to the friendly bearded dragons ready for adoption.

The staff — Stephanie, Kari, Joseph, Carrie, and others — come up by name repeatedly in reviews, which says something about the personal connections being built here. Kari helped a customer set up layaway for a tortoise. Joseph guided a family toward adopting an adult beardie instead of a baby, complete with habitat.

These aren't transactions; they're relationships. Mrs. Toad's also accepts animal surrenders and offers a layaway program, making pet ownership more accessible.

For Perry and the surrounding central Georgia area, this shop delivers something big-box stores simply cannot: people who genuinely know and care about every species on their shelves.