Daytona Nation Reptile Breeders Expo

yeah i grew up in the expo buisness. Hahaha mostly slept under a table in the booth all day. I origanly wanted to go on sunday because i knew i could get stuff cheaper but wanted to be able to see everything they had to offer. I just dont want to drive 3 hours there and have to drive back there the next day. :(

Just dont know what to expect on the first day. Never went to a reptile expo before. Should i expect to pay the listed prices or are they negotiable?

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Originally Posted by DakotaB

yeah i grew up in the expo buisness. Hahaha mostly slept under a table in the booth all day. I origanly wanted to go on sunday because i knew i could get stuff cheaper but wanted to be able to see everything they had to offer. I just dont want to drive 3 hours there and have to drive back there the next day. :(

Just dont know what to expect on the first day. Never went to a reptile expo before. Should i expect to pay the listed prices or are they negotiable?

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I didn't pay listed price for my Buffy, whom I got there when I first went to the show a couple of years ago. I don't remember haggling for the tank accessories I bought the same day, though, but most things already had decent prices.

It looks like I'll be heading up there on my bike Saturday morning, arriving around lunch time, then returning home that evening. I'm mostly going for the little road trip, and to see some cool herps. I doubt I'll make any big purchases.

You can haggle, as long as you do it nicely. If you walk up, sneer at the animals and say "I can get better ones than these way cheaper." Then I wouldn't expect you to get anything but a boot to the rear. LOL. And... yes, I've seen people do that. Not that I think YOU would... but it's funny what some people think will get them lower prices.

But a lot of sellers will negociate for cheaper. Last year I got a $110 gecko + 500 crickets for $70. I didn't OFFER $70. It was sunday and I asked to see a gecko, saw the price, and happened to say "I only have $70 to spend...." and he offered it to me for $70. When I hesitated, saying well... I do have to get some crickets too... he pulled out a box of crix to add to it for free. I never expected such a deal, and wouldn't have ever "low-balled" his prices. I was more thinking that he might have a different gecko at a lower price, not that I'd get THAT gecko so low.

So a lot of sellers will lower prices or do group deals. Some will be firm on prices. If I ask if they'd take $XX, and they say no, then I usually compliment the animal and then move on. Being polite and complimenting someone's animals NEVER hurts.

By the way, I'll have a Wolfyhound name tag on. If you see me.. say Hi!

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

You can haggle, as long as you do it nicely. If you walk up, sneer at the animals and say "I can get better ones than these way cheaper." Then I wouldn't expect you to get anything but a boot to the rear. LOL. And... yes, I've seen people do that. Not that I think YOU would... but it's funny what some people think will get them lower prices.

But a lot of sellers will negociate for cheaper. Last year I got a $110 gecko + 500 crickets for $70. I didn't OFFER $70. It was sunday and I asked to see a gecko, saw the price, and happened to say "I only have $70 to spend...." and he offered it to me for $70. When I hesitated, saying well... I do have to get some crickets too... he pulled out a box of crix to add to it for free. I never expected such a deal, and wouldn't have ever "low-balled" his prices. I was more thinking that he might have a different gecko at a lower price, not that I'd get THAT gecko so low.

So a lot of sellers will lower prices or do group deals. Some will be firm on prices. If I ask if they'd take $XX, and they say no, then I usually compliment the animal and then move on. Being polite and complimenting someone's animals NEVER hurts.

By the way, I'll have a Wolfyhound name tag on. If you see me.. say Hi!

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Hahaha yeah Im not sayin hey ill buy that for 50% or anything. I dont like lowballing people, if i see something i like ill throw out what i believe to be a reasonabile price (cash only of course) if they say no, well, Thanks for talking with me wish i could afford it have a nice day.

You got it, if i see ur tag ill say hey.

So I am debating on going to the expo tomorrow. i was going to go today but didnt have the time. Is it worth it to go for just the last day? Was there any good stuff there this year?

I'm not there, but a friend of mine is, and texted me that it's pretty lame this year - but you have to remember that we used to go when it was at its height as the show to go to. However, I would say if you've never been to a reptile show, it's probably worth checking out.

Daytona was my first reptile show back in 2006, it was awesome! I flew down from Wisconsin, I haven't been back since. I have a breeder friend there right now, he is picking up a bunch of nice stuff.

I hope you found/find what you were looking for.

Daytona is smaller than before. It's still larger than any other show *I* have attended. But now it's about twice? as large as the larger regional shows.

There is a TON of really cool stuff I've never seen though. I saw several "highway" balls, several "leopard" balls and a lot of really great examples of morphs like Fireflys and such. I can't even remember everything I saw.

I met up with a few BP.net folks and our "local" rescue group that's so awesome.

Got my pic taken with a gator, just cause I've handled so many over the years of growing up in Florida but never had a pic!

I took some pictures of stuff, and some people took their picture with Lil Beachie. I drove down after work, so it was tiring, and on the way home it was a looooong drive.

I'll be back up there tomorrow! I have a name tag with "Wolfyhound" on it. So say hi!

Well I am still thinking about it, and very well may go tomorrow. It will be my first pure reptile expo I am going to attend. I wish I could have gone for the full weekend instead of just the last day.

Sundays are the BEST day to get deals though!