Store of the Month – October 2025

Our store of the month for October is Nature Box Pet Emporium in Aurora, Colorado. Chad New first opened this pet store almost 10 years ago as a dream to pursue his hobby and “retire from the real world.” This is the largest pet store in Colorado and boasts 7500 square feet of space devoted to reptiles, amphibians, insects, freshwater aquatics, and small mammals.

When you first walk in, you’re greeted by a huge terrarium that is literally a Nature Box. It’s Madagascar-themed and contains several species of mantellas. Near this stunning terrarium are several other display tanks housing Gidgee skinks and banana iguanas, a sulcata tortoise pen, and an aquarium housing their store mascot, Wilbur the fly river turtle.

Nature Box breeds several species in-house, including knobtail geckos, crested geckos, ball pythons, corn snakes, isopods, and feeder rodents. They also have many common and unusual species for all levels of hobbyists in their store, including chameleons like fork-nosed chameleons, geckos like Uroplatus sikorae (mossy leaf-tailed geckos), skinks like red-eyed crocodile skinks, freshwater fish like Senegal bichirs, mountain horned dragons, sunbeam snakes, mint Phyllobates terribilis, bearded dragons, boas, colubrids, tortoises, turtles, inverts, and much more!

Chad enjoys micro geckos and unusual lizards like Sri Lankan Pygmy Lizards and believes those animals may increase in popularity in the next few years. Chad used to breed chameleons before opening a pet store and those still hold a soft spot in his heart (especially Furcifer minor). Now he still keeps several pets outside of work, including chickens, turkeys, donkeys, pigs, and dogs.

Nature Box is a proponent of bioactive setups, and one unique part of the store is their shelf of grab-and-go premade terrariums and aquariums. If a hobbyist is overwhelmed by the process of setting up a habitat or doesn’t have a creative eye, Nature Box will help them get started with these premade setups.

Nature Box is known for its exceptional customer service, animal care recommendations, and community involvement. They host terrarium-building workshops, reptile care workshops, seasonal community events, and a Christmas Toy Drive. They keep a diverse selection of unique animals and are truly an unforgettable experience to visit. If you’re near Aurora, Colorado, make sure to give them a visit!