December 2011 Editor's Note

As I write this, it's the thick of the local reptile show season here in Southern California. The North American Reptile Breeders Conference (NARBC) in Anaheim was last week, and we had both the San Diego and Pomona Reptile Super Shows. Of course, a few weeks ago I made my annual pilgrimage to Daytona Beach for the National Reptile Breeders' Expo. Next up for me is the Canadian Reptile Breeder's Expo in Toronto.

Wandering the aisles of reptile shows and being impressed by the animals on display always gets me to thinking about the different outlets where one can buy reptiles. The American Pet Products Assocation (APPA) conducts a biennial survey of pet owners, and according to the latest one (2010-2011), the majority of people buy reptiles at pet stores. I have no reason to doubt that. Curiously, reptile expos don't appear as a source in the survey, unless they're included in the tallies for flea markets or independent breeders. There is no hint as to whether or not they are. 

Other pet reptile sources listed in the survey include fairs and carnivals, friends or relatives, wild-caught animals, humane societies and more, but none approach the 44-percent figure the pet stores command.

With such varied sources for pet reptiles, be sure to check out as many as you can — and don't forget the adoption option!