How Much $ To Bring To Expo?

[chelsey0209]

Alright, so, this June I'm going to a reptile expo in Ajax and I plan on picking up a Ball Python. Obviously by that time I'll have money saved, but I don't want to take too much extra with me to the show because if I do I'll be tempted to wander away from my shopping list and may come home with more than I planned lol.

I have a list of morphs written out that I'm interested in, and what I'm wondering now, is how I can find out how much they usually sell for if they're male (would prefer a male to female, long story lol).
Then, next part, is how much extra to bring for any various supplies I may want? I'm gonna have a tank set up already, but I'd love to pick up an exoterra tank with the opening front (or something similar) to eventually switch my BP into later. Also may pick up feeders, extra decor, blah blah blah.

I've never been to an expo before so I'm not sure how much of the green stuff I should bring with me. People have told me I'm gonna get better prices (on supplies at least) at an expo than I will at a pet store, and other people have told me prices are about the same? I just wanna be prepared is all, and I wanna be able to set up a budget for myself and be able to stick to ot.

[nimblykimbly]

Bring ALLLLL the money!!!

Just kidding - that's a really tough question, but personally if bring as much extra as I know I could get away with and not put myself in debt, and then try my hardest (and probably fail miserably) not to sped it all. I'm sorry, I'm no help at all... but the last expo I went to, I had stars in my eyes and wanted to buy so much more than I did....

[Joshua Jasper]

I've learned the hard way, but my advice: set a budget, outline your pickup goals, and proceed with purpose.

The expos can be overwhelming, with vendor after vendor and beautiful new morph after morph. My fiance and me get overwhelmed and lose sight of what fits into our collection and plans.

Our policy: Walk the show, collect thoughts, and go to lunch. Outline our options, think about it, and go back and buy.

Just my opinion :-) I would say there are two stages, $100-300 and $600-900. I don't see much inbetween. Figure out what works for your budget :-)

[h00blah]

Well as far as how much to bring to spend on a ball python, it really depends on what you're going to buy and what the prices are. If you're going to buy a pastel, and pastels are priced around $100-$200 heavily depending on quality, you could bring $200 and tell yourself that it's for a pastel and only a pastel. I'm not sure about the other stuff. You should look online for prices on the supplies you're possibly going to buy, then add it up and bring a little bit more than that to be prepared. From what I've seen, prices are about the same.

[mebigbadbrat]

Hi there. I have been to a few expos. More in the past year then ever before. Money really depends on what you are looking for in a morph such as age, sex, quality, etc. I have also noticed that breeders will make you a better deal at the end of the show especially if they are wanting to place the snake. As for supplies, I found craigslist the cheapest then expos. It all depends on what you are wanting to buy. Fake plants for example in Michigan range from 5-15 plus bucks per plant. CL I have got a box full for $10. Again, venders at the expos will cut deals if you are buying more then usual. Is there any way you can go to an expo just to look around before June? That way you will have more of an idea for yourself.

Personally, I prefer to leave the check book at home as I usually over spend at expos. =l

Nichole

[Dracoluna]

The way I do it is to start planning weeks ahead of time and look at what I want online (check out FaunaClassifieds to get an idea of pricing for the ones you're looking at). Then, I figure out what I can reasonably afford and figure out which animals I'm going for at that point. For instance, I'm starting out with BEL complex with my focus on mojave and lessers. That means that though that desert I see might be gorgeous, it won't fit into my breeding program. If I can only afford $300 that show but I really want a pastave instead of a lesser, that means I have a choice. Either I save the money towards the next show in hopes that I can afford the pastave OR I take it with me and only if I find a lesser that really stuns me, do I pick it up.

I also only bring cash and my checkbook. I will stick to my cash and once that's gone, I'm done. However, let's say I find a spectacular lesser and I've decided that that's what I was going for but she's $25 more than what I have. I don't have to pass because I have my checkbook but I also know better than to overdraw my account (which keeps me from buying the really expensive, pretty morphs I see for a couple thousand). Not to mention, most vendors will take small checks if you're short on cash but if I tried to write one for $2,500, they'd probably say no which is a good thing.

As for looking around, I've learned to go after only 1 or 2 morphs a show. This allows me to quickly (and I mean speed walk) by each bp vendor and look for what I'm after. If I'm not sure, I'll ask if they have one and if the answer is no, I move on quickly. This lets me see my options. I wait to buy unless one just looks fantastic. For example, when I went looking for my pastave girl, there were only 2 in the entire show (Tinley Park, IL) which is a decent sized show. One was small and it was hard to see her coloring real well to me while the other was more expensive, but also about 300 grams. I stayed at that booth because I knew she was the one I wanted. She came home with me and was my first bp. Granted, I perfected this system while shopping for corns at expos (which I've found is less stressful as there are either tons of them or none compared to bps).

Find the system that works for you but make sure there are checks and balances. For me, I know I'd max out my card in a single show if I had it with me because I'd find some excuse that I had to have THAT snake or it was too good a deal to pass up but because I know that about myself, I keep to cash and a plan. I've walked out of several shows with nothing because I didn't find the one I was after. This way I don't have extra mouths to feed that I don't have a breeding plan for. The most important part of going to an expo though is to enjoy yourself and get to know people. Breeders love to talk about their animals otherwise they wouldn't be doing it.

[OsirisRa32]

I personally research the snake species/morphs I am interested in first and save up for whatever my target(s) is/are for that particular event.....

for BPs and most of the morphs I am into are $100-850$...I would usually bring another 200-400$ for "Opps too much fun stuff" money....the show I went to where I got my first BP I set a limit of 400 for...and hit that limit not including gas $ to get there and back....

[mike.shoe]

When I went to the crbe in september I brought 1200 planning on getting a clown male, instead I left with a special female, preventamite, two dvds and a het red adult female haha. Never know what deals might catch your eye. Bring enough for what you plan to buy and then some, theres always something else you're going to see that you should probably buy haha.

[FrankieCarbone]

As far as decor the only decor i'd buy in a expo is 3 things 1. Water dish 2. Two identical hides 3.that twistable vine. EVERYTHING else as far as fake plants, aint no place cheaper than MIchael's

[FrankieCarbone]

Oh and aspen bedding, thats a must at a expo