White Plains Sunday the 23rd

[dkatz4]

I'm thinking of going for the first time and bringing my 5 year old son with me. Anyone else going?? I'm going to try to get there first thing and then visit with friends in the area in the afternoon; is that smart, or is the afternoon better than the morning??

[Kirks_Herps]

first thing in the morning the line to get in used to wrap around the building so keep that in mind in case of in-climate weather.

as far as in the show if your looking for something specific get there early. if your looking to get a deal go later

Kirk

[JoeNapoli]

I'm thinking of going for the first time and bringing my 5 year old son with me. Anyone else going?? I'm going to try to get there first thing and then visit with friends in the area in the afternoon; is that smart, or is the afternoon better than the morning??

We have gone to most of them during the last few years. Why are you going what are you looking for? It's held about every 2 months and Summers less crowed vs Winters. It's 95% Ball Pythons, no live rodents, crowded in the morning (even Summers) a 5yr old might have difficulty seeing the tables thru the throngs of people - carry him on your shoulders better. And yes Kirks_Herps is right the line can be long we found getting there 1/2hr after it starts to be the least waiting time. Pay the extra $10 for parking just 100' from the entrance. If not then bring an umbrella: https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/USNY1590:1:US

Hamburg show is so, so much better.

[dkatz4]

first thing in the morning the line to get in used to wrap around the building so keep that in mind in case of in-climate weather.

as far as in the show if your looking for something specific get there early. if your looking to get a deal go later

Kirk

good to know for future reference, this time we are just going as spectators (i think )

[Kirks_Herps]

"Hamburg better than white plains"
Couldn't disagree more

1. White plains has a/c
2. Better / bigger facility
3. More room in the isles
4. Doesn't stink
5. More vendors

Kirk

[JoeNapoli]

the organizers of the White Plains expo call it the "NY Metro Reptile Expo" which is a pathetic misnomer and should more accurately be titled the "NY Metro Ball Python Expo"

[Kirks_Herps]

please let us know what your experience was like at white plains show aka ny metro reptile expo aka "the best reptile expo on the east coast bar none"

Kirk

[dkatz4]

OH-KAY! Well, luckily i mentally prepared for the inevitable: hour and half drive, 5-year-old (who loves snakes) is bored to tears in 45 minutes. So i cant say i really got to experience all the expo had to offer but it was still fun and i do have some impressions to share.

• It was crowded as hell. We got there at about 10:30, waited 10 minutes in line to get in, and it really was kind of hard to see anything up close because there were so many other people to navigate. Not impossible, mind you, but lots of rubbing elbows.
• The facility seemed nice - i've not been to any other shows, but as mentioned above, the temperature was fine and there were no odors whatsoever, so thats always a good thing.
• Yes, there were an overwhelming number of ball pythons, which are not my particular interest.
• There also lots of boas, which i keep but am not looking for any more right now, strong selection of assorted colubrids, good supply of western hognoses which i think are adorable but i dont know if i'd be satisfied with one as a pet (they're sooo little), a few carpet pythons - lots of geckos some skinks, which are awesome but surprisingly expensive, a handful of monitors and tegus. I know there must have been some more, but i was being pulled around by a very impatient kid, i would have liked to have spent a couple of hours there at least. Even though i wasn't actually shopping for an animal there were also lots of vendors of cage decor and hides etc.
• I didn't see any BIG pythons which was disappointing, they may have been there, but i didn't see them and we did at least walk down all the aisles.

That being said, i was trying to imagine if i was actually looking for an animal, i liked the setting. something about actually having all the snakes actually there for you to see and such a variety. Honestly, i got my last boa in march (by mail) after scouring the internet for months. And dont get me wrong, i love her, but i saw at least 2 or 3 today that i would have taken first if i'd had the chance, i think i ended up browsing on-line endlessly b/c just the picture feels sort of theoretical, like "i guess i might like that snake" but when i actually saw them right in front of me i would have these very definite and instantaneous feelings of "not interested" or "i want it!".
So all-in-all, i'm not sure about going again before i'm ready to buy - definitely not with the kid although he did love it for a little while (incidentally, i saw it coming so i scheduled an afternoon visit with friends who live in the area).
I wasn't too upset by the $10 for just 45 minutes, but i am super happy that i parked next door at CVS instead of the paid lot. Fun Fact: i knew that was the place to park because i used to live in W'chester and i worked there 10 years ago when it was a CompUSA.




[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[Kirks_Herps]

glad to hear you had a good time ! ive been debating on taking my almost 7 year old daughter. i think shes ready we might go in september
looks like a heck of a crowd. my buddies who still vend there told me the attendance had been down recently. sure dont look like it !

"I didn't see any BIG pythons which was disappointing, they may have been there, but i didn't see them and we did at least walk down all the aisles."

NY prohibits the sale of Reticulated, African Rock, Burmese/Indian, and Amethystine Pythons, Anacondas, and Nile, Water, Black-throat, and White-throat Monitors.
so you didnt miss them, they werent there

"i parked next door at CVS instead of the paid lot"

biiiig no no they boot and tow from that lot during the show. you got very lucky

did vin russo have any crawl cay or hog island boas???

Thanks Kirk

[willow211986]

Hello,
I'm a vendor at the show and if you go again be very careful about parking in that CVS lot they time and tow over 10 cars from that lot every show and its $200 to get it out.