— Small, black and fuzzy with pink toes might sound like an adorable pet – once you get past the fangs, eight legs and eight eyes.

But beauty is always in the eye of the beholder and therein lies Natasha McMurtray’s marketing philosophy.

McMurtray owns Scales-N-Tails Pet Shop at 120 N. 5th St., where the offering is largely reptilian with more than a few arachnids like scorpions and tarantulas tossed in for good measure.

The store, which opened Dec. 15, also sells parakeets, canaries, fish, turtles and rodents.

Granted, your average dog or cat owner may not immediately grasp the pet potential of a tarantula or scorpion. But those are among the hottest sellers in the inventory.

“You’d be surprised,” McMurtray confided, adding the store has sold about 15 scorpions since it opened. “That’s quite a bit for just Chickasha.”

The black emperor scorpions available at Scales-N-Tails grow up to six inches in length and have an average lifespan of six to eight years. Though capable of inflicting a sting, they are not considered a danger to humans other than those faint of heart or who may be allergic to their venom. One online source notes emperor scorpions are “quiet, clean and easy to care for.”

“You can handle them,” McMurtray said of the black emperor scorpions.

Maybe so, but will they bring you your slippers or gaze at you with a dog’s complete devotion?

“A lot of people buy them just to look at,” she added.

McMurtray even has a stingerless scorpion for sale. Although technically, the harmless whip-tail scorpion isn’t a true scorpion.

Again, that human-animal bond may be a bit tenuous when the animal in question is an arachnid. Ever see “Arachnophobia?”

The store sells ball pythons, which McMurtray ranks as a “beginner snake.”

The constrictor is generally docile and gets its name from its trademark reaction to stress or danger – hissing loudly and curling its body into a tight ball around its head.

Scales-N-Tails offers a variety of lizards, as well.

McMurtray considers the green anole a top pick for a beginner.

“It’s what I sell the most of for kids,” she said. “It’s easy to take care of.”

Another good choice is the Golden gecko.

“It’s the lowest maintenance lizard,” she continued. “It doesn’t require a special light and the temperature can be cooler than for a lot of lizards.”

In fact, the Golden gecko’s needs can be summed up in just three words – food and water.

One lizard that won’t be found in Scales-N-Tails is the Tokay gecko.

“They are vicious, very mean. They bite every chance they get,” McMurtray said.

And once those lizard lips clamp onto something, they don’t turn loose. Thus the Tokay’s reputation as one cold-blooded pit bull.

Other lizards do make good pets, however. Iguanas, Bearded dragons and Leopard geckos, to name a few.

Pet Talk, a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M Univeristy, reports either the Bearded dragon or Leopard gecko is a good beginner lizard, while intermediate lizard owners may opt for Chinese water dragons or Blue-tongue skinks.

Some species like the Argentian tegu or Savannah monitor can be leash-trained, but Pet Talk cautions they are for the experienced owner only.

“It’s always best to research the animal you want to keep,” said Teresa Shisk-Saling, a registered veterinary technician at Texas A&M. “The worst reason to buy a lizard is because it’s cheap. Some of the meanest animals available (Nile monitors and Tokay geckos) are very inexpensive.”

For Chickasha-area residents, making an informed choice when buying a reptile or other exotic pet is as simple as stopping by Scales-N-Tails to visit with McMurtray, who has spent her life in and around pet stores.

“My Mom had a pet store in El Reno when I was growing up,” she said. “She had everything I have here, except she had more fish.”