Mice, Snake Breeder to Consolidate in White County
By Amber Allen
John Callaham Jr. (left) and
Heath Biggers, co-owners of
MiceDirect, stand with
Rebecca Pye, an animal nutritionist with
Zoo Atlanta. The White County residents’ business have recently added the zoo to their list of clients.
Biggers and Callaham, co-owners of MiceDirect, are currently building a 12,000-to-14,000-square-foot facility on Biggers family property on Tom Bell Road. It will be consolidated with a smaller, 2,700-square-foot building they maintain in White County for MiceDirect. MiceDirect raises and sells rats, mice, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, geckos and non-poisonous snakes.
“
It was our intention from the beginning to be in White County,” Callaham said. “
We never had an issue or complaints in White County. We still have no legitimate complaints (in Habersham County).” Callaham said their move to White County would be finalized June 1. MiceDirect has a 9,000-square-foot building in Habersham County that has been the target of complaints about its smell from neighboring residents and business owners.
Biggers and Callaham had been sentenced for 12 months' probation for violating the county's zoning rules, but a
Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court judge granted a continuance in the case last week. “
We appreciate White County supporting our business,” Callaham said. “
We've had a lot of support coming in, with people concerned about our business. We appreciate that.”
Despite their legal woes, he said the business is booming. “
We turn away tens of thousands (of requests) each week,” he said. “
We're set up quite differently than other companies. Most companies, they sell on a first-come, first-serve basis. We're run on a contractural basis. The bottom line is, we don't have enough to supply the needs.”
MiceDirect recently added Zoo Atlanta to its customer base and will have Walt Disney's Animal Kingdom on its list next year. Their animals can also be found at
Carolina Biological,
Petco and
PetsMart. “
There is a great need out there, and we're supplying it,” Callaham said. “
We're just filling a void that is just growing and growing.”
Next year, he expects the company's budget to be at just over $1 million, with gross sales exceeding $1.5 million.
Mice, Snake Breeder to Consolidate in White County
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