New York Metro Reptile Expo

[Malum Argenteum]

A couple more fun notes from the expo:

• I got to handle an Angolan python. Their scales weren't as strongly keeled as I had expected. He had a nice disposition though. Vendor told me that he has a fatty deposit in his neck. I didn't notice it. I wasn't considering buying it, but I appreciate the forthright disclosure. It's the kind of thing that makes me trust a vendor.
• I asked a vendor to tell me about his Chinese King Snake. He responded like he had been waiting his whole life for someone to ask him that question. It wasn't salesmanship. It was pure passion. And it was infectious. I'm still not considering getting one, but, now, I feel like I'm missing out.
• I caught the tail-end of a negotiation for an adult black-headed python. Beautiful animal. The price was $3500. She said she really ought to talk to her spouse first. The salesman responded, "It's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission." She started to walk away. The price dropped to $3000. Though it clearly pained her, she kept going.

These are some great observations on the variety of expo experiences that you can't get from online discussions and transactions.

Interesting that the first bullet and the last one seem to be at opposite ends of the 'trustworthiness' spectrum -- the first seems like an honest vendor who is there to spread good vibes and make positive waves, and the last looks a lot like someone trying to slip something by a buyer (responding to reluctance over snap decisionmaking with a price drop is sketchy). And that second point is something that I probably do when I'm behind the table more than I realize -- I get all excited about Black Milks (mentioned earlier), since they're the coolest snake that I feel comfortable selling to a keeper of any skill level.