THE ENQUIRER (Cinnicinnati, Ohio) 09 January 11 Lizards, snakes stars of this show - Reptiles grab attention of almost 2,000 at Cin City Reptile Show (Paul McKibben)

Union TWP: It wasn't exactly a zoo, but a large crowd and lots of animals filled a hotel conference room on Sunday for the Cin City Reptile Show.

Derrick Burnett, a shareholder with the show, said he was blown away by the crowd.

"We started planning this about five months ago and a good show would have been 600 people," he said. Final attendance, he said, was just shy of 2,000.

During the afternoon, a line of people stretched nearly to the doorway of the Holiday Inn & Suites Cincinnati Eastgate near Eastgate Mall.

Burnett said organizers were scheduled for a monthly show. The show included vendors. Attendees also saw two non-reptiles: a coatimundi and a red kangaroo. The coatimundi looks something like a raccoon. Those two animals were there for display.

Union Township resident Mike McMullen, 49, was among the vendors who attended. He brought about 20 ball pythons. His house includes a room full of snakes. He said he has had snakes as pets for 32 years and calls the slithering animals fascinating.

McMullen recommends the ball python as a pet.

"They're not aggressive. ... They don't get big. (They) don't get much over 4 feet," he said. "They're easy to handle because they're a thick snake."

Michelle Kostoff, 40, of Colerain Township, took advantage of the show to purchase some items. The reptiles she has at home include bearded dragons, a type of lizard.

She's had reptiles as pets for three or four years. She loves them.

"The bearded dragons are real friendly. You can put them on your shoulders," she said. "You can take them outside. You just got to be careful because they're fast."

The show happened just days after outgoing Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland issued an emergency executive order about exotic pets.

The order is effective for 90 days.

It bans the future ownership, breeding, sale, trade or barter of wild animals that are dangerous to humans.

People who already own exotic pets will have to register them with the state.

Owners can't breed or sell animals such as boa constrictors.

Burnett said his initial opinion is that the order was not necessarily in the best interest of Ohioans. But he said he is "not saying that there's not need for some regulation."
Lizards, snakes stars of this show

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