Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I went to my first reptile show today. Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologists (or something similar)
What a major disappointment. I am glad I was just going to look and not hoping to buy something. There were only about 20 vendors and not a Pituophis in the place. My second love, tortoises, there was only one - a single juvenile Sulcata. If you wanted a dragon, gecko, boa or python you were in luck. There were tons of these.

I thought shows were a good place to find a good deal…everything seemed overpriced to me. Frozen rodents for more than I have bought them online, normal corn hatchlings for $50.00, shoebox sized plastic bins with lids for $5.00….

Someone please tell me this was a bad day, or is this a bad show in general? Or can I expect similar from all local shows?

Shari

I can't comment on the NOAH show since I've never attended one but, in general, the Ohio area seems to lack pits at any show. I regularly attend the Taylor, MI show (close to my area) and once or twice a year the big monthly show in Columbus OH. There are far more pits at the Columbus show but still not many to choose from. Some albino sonorans and I found a pair of northern pines for a buddy. I'm not sure why pits don't seem as popular around here but I'm trying

Some of the last gophers I purchased were from ENVY and are remarkable animals (thank you Jason)! I never thought I'd buy an animal sight-unseen but with his outfit I am not disappointed. The only drawback is the added cost of shipping.

As for the $50 normal corns, that's pretty outrageous. These are regularly sold for $10-15 at the shows I already mentioned. Maybe some one was new to the snake vendor business? Yes, I agree that for boa fans you have quite a choice.

Shari,
I have been to several shows around the country. I have noticed that pits aren't available in many of the shows. I have been asked to attend a local show here (Wisconsin) since I would be the only person with pits available, unfortunately I don't think my eggs will hatch on time. The good news is you can't go wrong buying pits from any of the reputable breeders that post here. They all produce quality animals and sell for reasonable prices. Don't give up on the shows, you may have just went at a bad time. Ron
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The Crawl Space

Yeah.......it is sometimes hit or miss with shows. I was just at a show yesterday in TX, and it was pretty good. My friends did real well selling, but as far as pits....there were 3 I saw. Two great basins and one southern pine.

Pits are of course not as common and popular as boas or pythons, which were there by the hundreds.

I think that the particular show you went to was not representative of a good show. Price wise and selection wise. Sorry you were dissapointed, as I have been there myself. Now....after seeing which shows down here have certain breeders selling there, I know which one may have some things I would like, thus there are ones I go to and ones I don't.

I do see what you are saying about the prices being really high. There have been a few times I would see unusually high priced rodents at these shows, when I could get them cheaper by ordering online. Thing is......I know that the tables are trying to be paid for by these vendors, so some may mark up things to help pay for that. Since the product is AT the show, customers may be more likely to buy them at whatever price due to the convenience of the products being available right then and there. Accessories in any field sometimes can be pricy. Kind of like the music instrument world, me being a drummer. I can go buy a drumset for a great price, but then little things like stands, hardware, heads, etc. can blow me away financially. The reptile industry makes a killing maybe on caging, accesories, etc. A purchase of a $25 cal king maybe be going up to a lot more if caging and supplies are purchased at the show, if the customer chooses to do so, which in itself is not bad, but just an example of how things can cost at shows.

Like..I usually don't buy water bowls or hides at shows. I can go to Wal Mart and get water bowls for cheaper. If I can't find a certain hide though...I may get one at a show if I am all out of boxes at home. LOL!

In all....shows can vary with location. My fave is Daytona, where I have always gotten the best prices on the best selection of pits I may ever see at any show. Then....the ETHS show in Houston is really good as well. I always usually score with something at these shows. Price wise and selection.

Take care!

Billy

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Genesis 1:1

Don't get me started on the musician thing I live with three of them. My husband is a guitar player - owns two acoustics, an electric and a 12 string. My 17 year old son is a drummer and he would like to be a guitar player, if he can ever get one away from hubby. My 13 year old plays Clarinet and Tenor sax. He would like to take up another instrument or two, but mom has said no until the other two are paid off.

And to bring this back to topic. I did not plan to buy anything at the show. (I have already talked to a couple of breeders) I just wanted to see in person some of the really cool snakes I keep seeing pictures of; Red Bulls, Red Northern Pines, Black Pines......
No such luck,
Shari

I'm also planning on going my first show this weekend in Deerfield Beach.I'm also not looking to buy but am interested in seeing what is available and how prices compare.Doubt I'll buy for a while,I'll having too much fun out trying to collect.

Anybody know where to catch Fl. Pines? I had one in college in the 70's and it was a great snake......

Lloyd Heilbrunn
Palm Beach Gardens,Fl.

Ive been to shows out here in California and prices seem to be good. Maybe the prices are due to less competition, as you said there werent many vendors right? Try to find the bigger shows. I dont see many pits here either, someone had some cape gophers at the last show I was and that was a pretty small show. I found out that a vendor was going to a show with albino sonorans and the like but I missed that show. There is going to be a new larger show out here in sept and Im hoping its better than the last "big" show which I wasnt too pleased with last time.

Sorry you had a bad experience with the show, realize several things about shows.

First you have several type vendors - one the small breeder who makes one show a year or so and is looking to dump the animals he has left over after he has sold the picks to his/her friends etc., the other is a small breeder that wants to make one show a year and move his/her offspring so the food bill does not sky rocket. Then you have the large breeders who use the shows as a advertizing media and will bring cutting edge animals knowing they will probally not sell them at the show. The first guy you will get great deals on at cut rate prices even taking in the quality of the animals and the second guy you will be able to find some bargains on gre3at animals. Either way though it is hit or miss as far as catching either one of them at the right show.

Daytona stands on its own, but with the other shows we do each year it is usually a break even or only slightly profitable situation. We go to meet folks show off our animals and basically fool around with a lot of other herpers, a fun weekend at the worst.

Some of the shows I can recomend to you are the ETHS, Daytona, DFW Bob Clark shows, IRBA, Kansas City, and a couple of the Chiago shows.

As far as the pricing, we price our animals the same at the shows as we do at home. The guy with the 50.00 corns was dreaming those days went out over 5 years ago. The average price for a normal corn with nothing special is 15 - 20.00 at most shows.

Keep looking a lot of the fun is in the hunt. LOL.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

Cherryville Farms - Reptiles

So do you do any California shows? I absolutly love your animals. I plan to breed and attend a few shows one day as a vendor myself.

In the past we have come out for the IRBA show and to see some of our friends from out there like limburg etc. But I don't have any planned right now, maybe next year. I am contemplating making Daytona, Fire, Kansas City and the IRBA shows in addtion to the ones here in Texas.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

PS Thanks for the kudo's.

Cherryville Farms - Reptiles

I just went to my first show in Columbus OH. I had a great time! I had low expectations, but was plesantly supprised. While pits werent in the top 10, there was several. One fella had a huge proven female northern, it was at least 6 foot and very thick for $100. There was a black pine of the same size, but didnt ask how much.
I ended up buying a 03 black pine for $50, it is a awsome snake! very tame, I think it will soon be my favoret. I got a 03 gopher for $30, its a little jumpy, but seams to have a good attitude. Both of these inhaled 2 mice each last night after a 6 hour drive, and all that stress.
I also got 2 florida snapper hatchlings for $12 each.
I passes on a very tame 4 foot gopher for $25. I had a great time, talked to alot of knoledgable peaple, and am looking forward to my next show.
Doug