my first and last reptile show

I'm not a big fan of crowds either, but I do love to see all of the different breeds and morphs at the shows. Many of the reptiles are snakes that I would never get to see in real life, and you can get an idea of just how large some of them can get. Reading and watching videos somehow doesn't really compare to seeing a snake or lizard face to face.

The first time I saw a Rainbow Boa, the colors just blew me away. I had seen pictures, but a photo doesn't really capture the true colors. You really have to see some of these magnificent snakes in person, and for my money, the stress of the crowd is worth what you take away from it.

I've never been to a reptile show as I've never trusted myself with so many snakes and a credit card ALTHOUGH we are seriously thinking abiut going to one in the coming months , just need to save some money up ..

I bought my BP about a week before I went to my first reptile show. I expected to have buyers remorse of sorts because of the amount of money I spent on my pastel, but I ended up feeling extremely relieved! I would have been so overwhelmed if I was trying to actually buy a snake. The hardest part would have been trying to figure out who to buy from. Some of the booths looked pretty sketchy. I did get some business cards so if and when I'm ready to buy another snake (or lizard, as my daughter seemed to love the geckos she saw) I'll be in a less stressful environment! AND I can research the different breeders/pet shops ahead of time.

I was all set to be a little bit proud of myself for dealing with the large crowd, bustling human contact, and noise of the first Expo I went to... and then I had a panic attack when I tried to take a purchase and their connection declined my card (they re-ran it by punching it in manually, begrudgingly, and it went through fine). I did not purchase anything at my second Expo, and I am not sure whether I will ever work up the courage to do so again - the social anxiety is real (but the in-case-of-panic-take-one's are legit af). But I will still enjoy going as a spectator, at the very least!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aercadia

I was all set to be a little bit proud of myself for dealing with the large crowd, bustling human contact, and noise of the first Expo I went to... and then I had a panic attack when I tried to take a purchase and their connection declined my card (they re-ran it by punching it in manually, begrudgingly, and it went through fine). I did not purchase anything at my second Expo, and I am not sure whether I will ever work up the courage to do so again - the social anxiety is real (but the in-case-of-panic-take-one's are legit af). But I will still enjoy going as a spectator, at the very least!

---

That fear is why I always bring cash. That also helps prevent me from over purchasing.

Cash solves all problems. Cept when you run out. Lol!

If you know what you want, shows are great. We usually go to the White Plains NY one once a year as a fun trip. Crowds dont bother me, but rude pushy people do. The reason I like going to shows is for the reptile "stuff" you dont really see anywhere else - t shirts, jewelry, decals, art, etc. I collect BP stuff, and it can be hard to find sometimes, even online! I also love to meet my herper buddies there, and we usually do lunch afterwards. Ive been going to shows for 17 years, and I usually have an agenda when I go. I can see how newbies can be overwhelmed. But fun nonetheless for the experience.

Sent from my SGH-S970G using Tapatalk

Yeah I enjoy pumping into people and looking at snakes all day.

The one in Phoenix last fall was so crowded you could hardly squeeze between tables. Fortunately, I was able to squeeze into one and talk about chahoua with a breeder. The pine isle hatchling I bought from turned out to be a female, so in a year or two she'll be introduced to my male PI.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stickyalvinroll

Yeah I enjoy pumping into people and looking at snakes all day.

---

I think that's a different kind of expo [emoji13]