Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I attended the Expo (for about an hour) yesterday, and it was a real ZOO... there were so many people there that finding a parking place at 10:30 was difficult, and by the time I left, impossible....

I guess this is good news for the organizers and vendors, but it was shoulder to shoulder in the event, and I could barely wait to take care of business and get out of there LOL... I HATE crowds.

I went to the show to pick up a few animals that I had reserved prior to the event, and to meet a few people I had only spoken with through email previously... It was good to shake hands with the folks I met, and I apologise to those who either had people at their table three-deep, or that I just didn't get time to get around to meet.... I did a one-day drive down and back (730 miles round-trip) and I had a stop to make in central North Carolina on the way back home again... so I was pressed for time.

Some of the most impressive animals at the show were at David Cornerly's (apologies if I butchered the spelling) table. He had a dozen or so of the most beautiful little tree vipers I've ever seen... Derek Morgan had some beautiful animals at his table but he was busy when I finally found him on my way out and I didn't distract him from a possible sale...

I saw a lot of wild caught and sick looking animals there too, unfortunately, but I can only hope those animals either found good homes or went back with the people who brought them...

The good news is that captive bred VENOMOUS snakes are actually starting to command the higher prices they should bring, and individuals in the hobby are beginning to make the move toward paying for quality over quantity, as they should. I hope that many of the attendees will be encouraged to try breeding snakes of their own so that more captive bred animals will be available in the future to help reduce the imports and locally collected animals.

I spent most of my time (the time I didn't spend searching for folks) speaking with the Southeastern Hot Herp Society members, and managed to meet Karl & Cindi Betz, Chris (shaved head and all) Harper, Chad Minter and Jerod Watts. I have to tell you that few people can pull off the shaved head look, but Chris wears it well The SHHS folks were gracious and professional... true ambassadors for the hobby. I picked up some snakes from Karl (thank you VERY much) and Jerod (thank you to you too)... Jerod's snakes never made it all the way home, as when I stopped at a friends house in North Carolina, he had to have them.... so I gave them up

My only regrets are that I didn't have unlimited funds to spend, more time with which to seek fellow keepers out to talk snakes, and that this show only happens one time per year... maybe if we put the pressure on Tony Cueto he'll schedule another date for us in the spring......

Tom
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"Seek first to understand, then to be understood"

Tom,
Since I wasn't able to make the show, thanks for the report.
It doesn't sound as if the local/fed F&G people were all over the place, obviously a good thing.
Bill Huseth
kcf

I didn't see any Fish & Gane types there. That doesn't mean they weren't in plain clothes... The rules were well laid out... no venomous could leave without escort... and if someone wanted to probe or visually inspect a snake outside of the container they had to go to a "hot" room to do so.

I saw one vendor open the deli container with a mangrove snake in it to probe for a customer and he was cautioned not to do it again by Rourk Ferguson... I've never had a mangrove try to bite while it was daylight, so I didn't see what all the fuss was about, but rules are rules...

I wish I would have had more time to spend meeting the folks I went to see, but I certainly didn't regret leaving all the madness of that crowd behind me

I moved to the country to avoid large groups of people and traffic. It is hard for me to be in a place that is so crowded now... and the way people parked was crazy... they were parking three-deep, blocking vehicles in, right before I got out. I drive a '93 caprice and I told Karl Betz that it was a good thing no one pulled that crap on me LOL... I'd have pushed my way out with the old chev.....

I hope to have more time to spend at the next Columbia show. I'm sure it is the best venomous show south of the Mason-Dixon line...

Tom
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"Seek first to understand, then to be understood"

Howdy!

It just so happens I talked to Tony, and he decided for sure that Columbia will be going to twice a year.

Next years fall show will definitely be October 1&2, and he's working on a spring date. I'm not sure if he meant this coming spring or after the October 1&2 one.

The show was *awesome*. I only took home one baby EDB that Karl gave me. I have managed to sell/trade/give away my stuff down to a reasonable and sane number of snakes now. I went from a peak of around 80 snakes two years ago to 7 now.

It was great seeing everyone, I cut out a little early sunday to do some herping sunday around columbia with Brad Kalota and Brian Smith.

We found an awesome Greenish ratsnake, and a couple of DOR's. one was a gorgeous copperhead and an as yet unidentified one that was mutilated beyond recognition.

I am so glad that show is becoming as successful as it is.

I think I'm gonna open a christmas club account this week for next years show, and I'll be able to walk in and plop down some cash for something *really* nice.

Happy Herping, and all that,

Chad
(SwampY)