Everywhere you turn, there’s a reptile expo right now!
It’s going to be a short blog today, folks, because I’m trying to wrap up stuff prior to leaving the office today (it’s Wednesday as I write this) because tomorrow I’m heading to Florida for the National Reptile Breeders Expo in Daytona Beach. For newbies who may not know, the Daytona show is the country’s largest reptile expo. It’s a biggie, to be sure, and in addition to the show itself, which runs this Saturday and Sunday, there are chameleon, turtle and Morelia talks on Friday night, a USARK meeting Friday afternoon and the big auction – a Daytona tradition – on Saturday night. REPTILES magazine sponsors a pre-auction reception with free finger food, so Sales Manager Sandy Quinn and I are usually doing a fair amount of running around and setting up prior to the reception. If you’re going to be attending the Daytona show, be sure to come to the auction. There are always lots of great items on the block, including live animals, and the proceeds this year go to USARK to help battle restrictive reptilekeeping legislation.
Just two weeks ago I was at the Reptile Super Show in Pomona, and not too long before that the one in San Diego. And three weeks after the Daytona show, on September 11 and 12, the Anaheim NARBC (National Amphibian and Reptile Breeders Conference and Trade Show) hits. All these shows I’ve mentioned are tried-and-true shows that you can be assured will be worthwhile. One show that’s on the horizon that I’m curious about is the Kody’s Reptile Expo on October 16 and 17. It’s a new show, so it will be interesting to see how that one goes. Hopefully, it’ll be great!
You’ve got to admire the stamina of some of the vendors that hit a bunch of shows. I know I get worn out, and all I do is show up and walk around to meet people, take photos, etc. The amount of work that breeders such as Brian Barczyk or Mark and Kim Bell, or the gangs at LLL Reptile, Zoo Med, Exo Terra and other companies – people who are actually at the shows to sell their wares – that’s a ton of work. I guess I get off lightly in that the REPTILES subscription tables are manned by people other than myself (though I have been known to hold down the fort on occasion, if necessary). Kudos to all the sellers at the expos who work so hard to bring the best to their customers!
This blog gets posted on Thursday, so if you’re reading it that day I’m probably on my way to Daytona, likely passed out in a cramped airline seat because I medicate myself to the point of unconsciousness when I fly. I have definitely had no shortage of expos to attend, have you? If you haven’t been to any reptile expos yet, don’t worry, there are dozens more still on the horizon for the coming months. Always remember to use our reptile event listings to schedule your reptile expo trips accordingly!
