Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just back from the expo and it is a tale of opposites. The Non-Venemous show was great. I picked up almost everything I was looking for and ran into lots of old friends plus some I only know from here.

The Venomous show was disappointing. Less dealers this year and lots of duplication. Not being a cobra buff I briefly admired the ones I saw there (of which there was a variety). There were a few Palm Vipers and Tri-macs but I was there for Eyelash.

In the whole show there were only two. The male was a typical green. The other was a beautiful yellow with strawberry spots. The bad news was she was very big and I had the impression that she was an old breeder. Worse the $450 price tag guarrenteed she was not going home with me.

Still I did leave with booty. I found a small adult female sidewinde to pair my male with. A very pale modestus (Mad. Hognose) and a fiesty baby massasauga.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Sounds like a fantastic show!... I guess it's what you're used too

Actually it dpended on what you were looking for. With half the vendors of last years it wasn't that hot a hot show.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Frank:

I agree that it was not as good as I was expecting, the usual vendor and the usual snakes. There were a few specimens that I ordered ahead of time for pick-up and a few that I was looking for and found. Many more vendors would make it a much better event, just no variety, very few notables at all.

As I said I did get what I came for.....

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"Fighting on the forums is like competing in the Special Olympics, even if you win, you're still retarded."

DH June 2005

Well with a smile like that (referring to the first pic) you know he likes his new home. Nice additions Al.
-Chance
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Chance Duncan
www.rivervalleyexotics.com

the dwarf Bitis...you get that beaut from Hank Molt? I know he's had a LOT of the Bitis species listed lately, 13 I believe...great animal Al.

Yes, If you want uncommon snakes, Hanks the man! I saw many of the species Hank listed and some NOT! Since I don't Rob banks for a living I had a limit of what I was going to buy. Took some pictures of others but it was in a hurry and not perfect pictures. Will post some more as time permit this week.

Al

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"Fighting on the forums is like competing in the Special Olympics, even if you win, you're still retarded."

DH June 2005

A find like those does take the sting off the disappointments. I walked out without the two main snakes I was looking for and both species are common.

Count yourself lucky I didn't get to those pretty babies first! (lol)

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Wow! Common ones? That's really disappointing Frank. Email me with what you were looking for and I'll keep my ears open and pass off the lead to you.

I am lucky but not in a sense, I could not land the big fish. I was approached by the origional owner of the collection back in the early spring. 9 species of dwarf Bitis, 72 specimens, that priced out about $46K. I could not come up with BIG $$ like that. I knew Hank had them and contacted him early. Wish I could have bought the whole collection but I did get a few. They have a few more gravid Caudalis that should drop this week or so..

I really think the Dealers that did not attend this year really let us all down, not to mention Hank. Yeah, last year was a disaster but none of us can control the weather.

Al
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"Fighting on the forums is like competing in the Special Olympics, even if you win, you're still retarded."

DH June 2005

I can understand your disappointment at not finding eyelashes.
I would have to guess that the reason for that is still the backlash from the first show two years ago (this being the third show).
Florida F & G were very strict during that first show and all the vendors had shown up not knowing what to expect after the wide open shows at Columbia and Hamburg.
The Cornelli eyelashes were at the first show and I have not seem them back since then. They had some of the most beautiful animals I have ever seen but they were VERY unhappy with the turnout and the "harrassment" at that show.
I have no idea why the bigger vendors didn't bring things like eyelash vipers. Seems like Strictly and Glades Herp should have had them.
Karl H. Betz