So a little background info here. My mom is not a fan of reptiles, although growing up she didn't mind me having numerous box turtles that I kept in the back yard. Turtles she doesn't mind the most since they dont slither or do "creepy things" like lizards and snakes "do". So what else is her favorite son to do? Well...I brought her to a reptile expo!

As sort of a Mother's Day thing, last Saturday we went to a reptile expo here in town and then I took her out to lunch. My objective was to show her that most people that keep reptiles aren't these crazy tatt'ed/pierced lunatics with crazy hair colors! My objective was simple, education. So I prepared a simple reptile scavenger hunt for her to do while we were at the expo. It made her approach vendors with questions about animals, and even handle some, and discuss various qualities. The scavenger hunt is probably the easiest thing for most people here on this forum to do...but she had a lot of fun and now has a totally different outlook on reptiles....insomuch that she thinks bearded dragons are freakin cool and even helped me pick one out (look at the pictures of my Leucistic Bearded Dragon on the forums here in the Beardie section)

Here is the fun lil scavenger hunt that I typed up for her that she had a blast doing:

Dearest Mother,

Thank you for attending the ETHS Reptile Expo with me the day before Mother's Day. As a token of my gratitude I have decided to provide you with an educational scavenger hunt of sorts so that you can get the best our of your day with your favorite son as he drags you through the rows and rows of tables inhabited by reptile breeders showing off their finest stock.

The below items can be answered by perusing the tables, asking the merchants, or getting hints from your favorite son.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.


1. What is the defining difference between a "Python" and a "Boa Constrictor"?

2. Regarding the boa constrictor and the answer to #1, what is this called?

3. Hold at least one specie of Turtle or tortoise, lizard, and snake. What were the animals you held?

Turtle:

Lizard:

Snake:

4. What is the bottom section of a tortoise's shell called?

5. List 5 different "Morphs" of ball pythons you saw.

6. Why are these different morphs come in such a wide range of prices?

7. How did Bearded Dragons get their name?

8. What do all reptiles have in common that defines a "reptile" as a "reptile"?

9. Why do female reptiles cost more to purchase than males?

10. What is the largest species of snake in the world? Is it legal to own?

11. What is the largest species of tortoise in the world? Is it legal to own?

12. Do all reptiles have scales? Name one species of mammal that has scales also. (Hint: Think roadkill!)

13. Did your son buy an animal today? If so, what kind of reptile was it? What did he name it?
The scavenger hunt was written up on the spur of the moment... I'm sure there are dozens of more questions we could all think of that we could expand on this.

Needless to say...my mom got home from the expo and started posting on facebook about the great day she had with her son and that she enjoyed learning all about reptiles and even posted pictures of my baby Beardie!