Northern Virginia Reptile Expo

Anyone going to the Northern Virginia Reptile Expo on 26 July? Any breeders gonna' be there? I've gone to a couple local shows (In Northern Virginia) and they are a little lacking...surprising considering how large the reptile, and especially ball python, community is around here. I've seen lot's of breeders with NoVa addresses, but not many show up to shows.

I've got money burning a hole in my pocket and would love to see a decent selection of balls to pick from! :banana:

I plan on going to that show, but I'm not a breeder.

I've heard that the shows tends to get a little busier with more selection during hatching season, so I'm hoping to see lots of interesting stuff.

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Originally Posted by kc261

I've heard that the shows tends to get a little busier with more selection during hatching season, so I'm hoping to see lots of interesting stuff.

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Hope you're right...I'd love to see some good stuff too...

If that's the Manassas show, I'd probably save your gas money. I've been to it a couple of times and never seen a decent selection of anything, much less a decent selection of ball pythons. I'm sure that Outback Retiles will be there, but they don't seem to bring a lot of the nicer stock to shows anymore.

Lots of imported stuff and inverts at the Manassas show too....

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

If that's the Manassas show, I'd probably save your gas money. I've been to it a couple of times and never seen a decent selection of anything, much less a decent selection of ball pythons. I'm sure that Outback Retiles will be there, but they don't seem to bring a lot of the nicer stock to shows anymore.

Lots of imported stuff and inverts at the Manassas show too....

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I've been a couple times and that seems to be the norm. I guess I just don't understand why it doesn't have a better turnout from breeders. Seems to be a pretty good population of BP folks around here and several big breeders in the area as well....:confused:

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Originally Posted by sho220

I've been a couple times and that seems to be the norm. I guess I just don't understand why it doesn't have a better turnout from breeders. Seems to be a pretty good population of BP folks around here and several big breeders in the area as well....:confused:

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Its probably because people wanting high-end BPs don't always go to shows to look for them - usually people know what they want and who they can get it from - so breeders don't have to go to the shows to sell snakes. Web sites, classifieds, etc are usually better avenues for selling nicer stuff.

A lot of breeders don't like bringing their nicer stock to shows...too risky and stressful on the animals.

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Its probably because people wanting high-end BPs don't always go to shows to look for them - usually people know what they want and who they can get it from - so breeders don't have to go to the shows to sell snakes. Web sites, classifieds, etc are usually better avenues for selling nicer stuff.

A lot of breeders don't like bringing their nicer stock to shows...too risky and stressful on the animals.

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Classifieds, i.e. KS and Fauna are pretty good, but not many breeders maintain a current website. I can't blame them though as 6 adults and 1 (only one!) clutch this season has kept me busy enough along with work, kids, chores, etc. Website's are probably pretty low on the list of priorities for most breeders.

I wonder if breeders would be open to visits for people looking for new additions. There are several local ones I wouldn't mind checking out. I may have to make some phone calls. :)

I was hoping to go. Its not a very big show, but hey, its the only reptile show I can go to around here. I haven't been to a reptile show since March, so it would be nice to go to one, if only to look. I have some money burning a hole in my pocket for a new snake, but I'm not sure what I want just yet.

I was gonna go but I dont think I am going to make it. Got my eye on a hypo tho. LOL

We will be there, Brian Sharp and Ian G. are usually there too.

Thanks,

Rich

Is it worth me going? I'm looking for a normal female hatchling or juvenile BP. This will be my first BP and my 2nd snake. I'm really anxious to buy, and am a bit leary of making purchases online. The shows are my only real options.

PS> Rich, thanks for the quick email reply:)

branson,
I have gotten a bp from rich at the show. hes a good guy to deal with. he also has so nice snakes to browse through too

Any experiences with Larry Kenton, the guy from MD Reptile Farm that puts on the shows? I figure that even if the show is small, someone's gotta be selling a nice normal female. Right?

I am a really bad person and cannot recall the person that sold her to me, but I bought my normal female from that show. She was around 90g and I fell in love with her. She is now over 600g (an '07) and never misses a meal. You can find a good normal female there. The morph selection just isn't that great.

Its worth going to its kinda small but its cool.

Well, I suppose I'll head up there then. I'm really hoping to find something nice and get my first BP there. No one's done business with Larry Kenton, then?

So who went? We went and had a good time. Came close to buying a few different things but ended up coming home empty handed except for frozen feeders.

I hope someone who went can give me contact info for some people that were from Warrenton, VA. I think it must have fallen out of my pocket. :( They had a small table in the back left.

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Originally Posted by kc261

I hope someone who went can give me contact info for some people that were from Warrenton, VA. I think it must have fallen out of my pocket. :( They had a small table in the back left.

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Mark Doetzer? I purchased a spider and a pastel from him. Nice snakes, well started and ate on first offering.

Yes, it was Mark Doetzer. I got in contact with him. Thanks!

I went and purchased an 07 normal female from Larry Kenton. It was my first show. There weren't many vendors, but I was surprised at how many people were there.

It was a cool little show. Props to all the breeders that were there! It was a small show, but there were some very cool snakes to be seen, and they were reasonably priced. The really ultra-rare morphs are cool to see, but way out of my price range. I was glad to see a really good selection of under $1k animals. Also had several vendors with live and frozen feeders, as well as other miscellaneous critters. My son loves the turtles and lizards.