Quote Originally Posted by Inknsteel View Post
This is almost exactly what I was going to say. When I go to shows and I'm looking at animals I'm interested in buying, I start a conversation with the breeder. If that breeder is willing to give me five minutes of time just talking about potential projects, what I currently have in my collection, etc., I know that breeder is there because they have a passion for the animals, not just the almighty dollar. There are some big name breeders in the business, but I think if you go to reptile shows, you'll find that a growing number of "breeders" are just hobbyists who are using the shows as a venue to discuss their hobby, their passion, with other like-minded people.
This was exactly my experience yesterday at the Pomona show.
Everyone seemed so willing to chat, just chat. They had their animals up for sale, but they weren't trying to pressure a sale, they wanted to know what animals I had, how long I've had them, and how things are going. They wanted to chat about what I was interested in, experiences, etc. It was great! I didn't actually buy any snakes (husband did buy a bearded dragon though), but it was great seeing all the animals there and chatting with like minded people!