Reptile Show Etiquette and Questions from a Newbie

[MootWorm]

Hello folks!

I will be attending my first show in about a week (the repticon in Atlanta on the 27th / 28th).

I'm very excited about going, but am a total newbie when it comes to what to expect at the show and what procedures / etiquette is expected by the vendors in attendance. With that in mind, I have a few questions to pose for you show-savy snake keepers.

1. Do most vendors expect you to pay in cash?

2. Is haggling expected, tolerated, encouraged, or frowned upon? (or is this dependent on if you buy multiple animals, etc.)?

3. When you go to a show, do you go to all the tables or do you have a "short list" of vendors that you visit first?

4. How do you transport / handle your new acquisitions while you're still at the show and on the trip home (we will have about 2.5 hours to go between when we leave the show and arrive at home..not sure if heating is necessary for the trip)?

5. When purchasing frozen rodents, I assume it is better to wait until you are about to leave the show? (I will have an ice-packed cooler in the car waiting for them)

Thank you so much for your time and help! If you think there's anything else I need to know about attending a show I would greatly appreciate your input!

Artgecko

First off, awesome questions. Some people at shows are rude and care nothing about what types of behavior are expected/tolerated. I've only been to a handful of shows but here's what I've experienced:

1. As others have stated, cash is king! That being said, many vendors have the little square CC processors on a tablet/phone. But they may charge an additional fee for that.

2. Many vendors set their prices a tad higher than what they expect to receive because haggling is usually a given. But even these prices are cheaper than what you'll find online, in a pet shop or wherever.

3. I usually go clockwise But sometimes I get distracted and then there's no telling where I'll end up. And at the last show, a little boy grabbed my hand and dragged me all over the place to show me everything that could fit in a 20 gal lol. It was adorable.

4. I just carry it around the show with me. But we purchased our frilled dragon in his setup, so the vendor slapped a 'sold' sign on it and let us keep it at the table til we were finished.

5. Buy them first thing and put your name on it. Otherwise there's a chance they'll sell out of the size you need by the end of the show (never happened to me, but better safe than sorry).

Also, talk to people!!! You might even make some new friends And don't be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they sound dumb. Most of the people at shows are freaking awesome! And they are more than happy to educate you on a species or product they're passionate about.