TIPTON – The sign in front of the new pet store Creatures of the Night in downtown Tipton declares it's “Not your ordinary kind of pet store.” A brief survey of the interior quickly confirms the claim.
Kyra Carter and Lindsey Glassburn try to coax a large red iguana back into it's cage at Creatures of the Night, a new pet store in Tipton that specializes in creepy, crawly things like snakes, lizards and spiders.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim BathTerrariums along the walls boast lizards, snakes and more. Large tubs of water hold turtles and tortoises. Small cages hold tarantulas and scorpions.
Owner Ron Billingsley, a Noblesville resident, said he hopes to provide accessibility for pet owners who need some out-of-the-ordinary supplies and to provide education to their customers who purchase some of his creepy-crawly wares.
Billingsley noted that he has wanted to open a store for a while now, and was looking around the area where he lives in Hamilton County for a spot, but wasn’t able to find something in his price range. That’s when a friend drove through Tipton and noticed the sign at 138 S. Main St. saying the building was available for lease. It was a perfect fit, he said.
Billingsley said he has owned and worked with animals throughout his life, handling exotic animals like lions, monkeys and sloths. He owned a store once before, but time constraints didn’t allow him to keep it open.
Having a brick and mortar storefront allows him to do business with more product providers while participating in trade shows – something Billingsley said he does frequently.
One of the unusual animals at Tipton's new pet store Creatures of the Night is a mata mata turtle.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath“To be honest, I’m not stopping here,” he said, adding his goal is to open several more locations in various Indiana towns.
In the future, Billingsley said he plans to seek further certification that will allow him to sell mammals – adding that the plan is to carry animals like hedgehogs, hamsters and sugar gliders.
The store opened its doors in time for the Tipton Pork Festival, and although Billingsley said he was at a trade show at the time, pictures of the interior showed a packed building, with people checking out the unique animals on display.
During an interview, Billingsley noted that purchases through the store itself are not being accepted yet until final details are ironed out. However, the store’s doors are open for people to take a look at the animals and supplies and talk to the staff.
“You’d be surprised the amount of people nowadays that keep stuff like that,” said Billingsley of the variety of animals.
Some of the rare animals at Creatures of the Night include caiman lizards from Peru. In the wild, he said the lizards eat snails, but the ones raised in captivity have been trained to instead eat white fish and tuna.
Another rare animal at the shop is the mata mata turtle, native to the Amazon. The already large turtle – which Billingsley said will get larger with age – has a head naturally camouflaged to resemble a leaf. When fish approach, it extends its neck and grabs the unsuspecting fish.
Billingsley said they sell the proper supplies to take care of each animal, and he’s willing to provide information for how to care for them.
“Our main thing is accessibility for people and education – we’re here to educate people,” he said.
Creatures of the Night can be reached at 765-675-7900.
