Question about reptile expo's

Im looking to get a snake at my local reptile expo this October and hav ea couple questions.

Are the prices at an expo more, less, or the same as a petstore or a breeder?

Do they have supplies like substrate, tanks, heaters, thermostats etc.?

Is it best to buy a snake early to get first picks, or would it be better to wait till the end of the expo and get a discounted price on unsold reptiles?

Anything else i need to know?

Thanks in advance for answering some or all my questions : )


Trevor

The prices are amazing at expos. I get a het lavender, hypo, and like 2 other things from a local breeder in austin (texas) for 15 dollars. At a local expo I went to they were selling frozen mice, some were selling tanks, and books on reptiles.

Expo prices are way better than petstores, usually better than off breeders websites cause of the convienience of the sale. You can pretty much get everything you will possibly need from a good expo and then some. I am a firm believer that when you see something you like, get it. If you snooze you lose!!!

Depends on the expo and your knowledge. Also, sometimes waiting until the show is about to be over works. People tend to drop their prices drastically towards the end of the show. Prices are far better than a local pet store and the collection of everything you can get there is AMAZING!

Prices at expos are GReat.
Ideally,
I'd say, I prefer to be at the expo the first day EARLY..
to get good deals before someone else does.
AND, to come back the end of the day the last day..
as some will drop prices to avoid taking stock home.
but that's a lil obssesive..

I went to one here 2 weeks a go and come home with a new addition to the family as well as frozen feeders. They had evrything you could need there to. I will say that if you are looking for something special you best get there early and don't wait till the last day. I also was able to make an offer on my new addition and not pay the asking price. Good deals can be had without waiting til the last day if you are in the mood to negotiate...

Even the smallest expos I've been to have always had someone selling dry goods such as enclosures and substrates, as well as at least one feeder vendor.

As for when to make the best deals...I think you'll have to work that out yourself once you see what's there. I agree with the "get there early" philosophy. Check out every table and see if there's an animal that really captures your heart. If there is, I would not hesitate to buy it because if you don't, someone else may buy it before you get a chance. You can still try to negotiate for a lower price.

But...if you just want "a snake" and are not too particular about which one it is, then waiting until the last hour or so of the show is also a very good option, because as noted, some vendors are more willing to make very good deals then in order to carry less stock home with them.

And sometimes a combination of those two strategies is good, if you consider buying more than one animal.....which....you know.....could happen...with these addictive little creatures! :P

This is a great thread, I'm going to my first reptile expo April 3rd. I soooo can't wait to bring a friend home lol.

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Originally Posted by JLC

As for when to make the best deals...I think you'll have to work that out yourself once you see what's there. I agree with the "get there early" philosophy. Check out every table and see if there's an animal that really captures your heart. If there is, I would not hesitate to buy it because if you don't, someone else may buy it before you get a chance. You can still try to negotiate for a lower price.

But...if you just want "a snake" and are not too particular about which one it is, then waiting until the last hour or so of the show is also a very good option, because as noted, some vendors are more willing to make very good deals then in order to carry less stock home with them.

And sometimes a combination of those two strategies is good, if you consider buying more than one animal.....which....you know.....could happen...with these addictive little creatures! :P

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Good point, that's what I did made the rounds early and then went straight back to the one I wanted and started asking the questions. I don't believe if I would have waited any longer I would have gotten the little guy and I was set on finding only one type that day...

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Originally Posted by LGray23

This is a great thread, I'm going to my first reptile expo April 3rd. I soooo can't wait to bring a friend home lol.

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Are you hitting the one in Manchester, NH at the Radisson Hotel?