Why Reptile Expos & Shows are Terrible

Today I recount my experiences at 7 years of exotic pet reptile events as both an attendee and a seller. Although I've seen and met many great people and animals at these shows, it seems most people ignore or try to hide the overwhelming amount of problems from a lack of quality control to pressuring people into impulse purchases using lies and plenty in between. What are your experiences - good or bad?
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Edited by: / cynicaljustin
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Music from: www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
0:00 Intro
0:35 Escaped animals
1:20 In containers for 5+ days
2:55 Convicted animal abusers
4:00 Rules & regulations ignored
5:05 Selling exclusivity
5:56 Reptile flipping
6:45 Wild caught animals
7:25 No quality control
7:55 Trades & reselling
8:38 Constant stress
9:37 Lies about animals
10:06 Lies about husbandry
10:50 Inflated prices
11:18 Mites, ticks, parasites
12:13 Forcing impulse buys
13:37 No paper trail
14:39 Fake rescues
15:23 Lack of accountability
16:00 Scams & suspicious offers
17:11 Some good stuff!
17:40 My conclusion
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[@GoHerping]

Do you have any pictures (good or bad) from reptile shows? Post them on Instagram and tag #GoHerpingExpo. I have many more pictures and experiences to share, and this way I can see and include yours. Leave your reptile expo stories here on the video too!

[@ballpythonsarecool5437]

I want to go to an expo but where I live they don't do them much

[@krimz8139]

@@ballpythonsarecool5437 I don’t think they’re hosting anymore cause the pandemic

[@Beth_Amphetamine]

@@krimz8139 they had one here a couple months ago. I was going to go but my dad got hospitalized and I forgot.

[@ballpythonsarecool5437]

@@krimz8139 yeah but even before that where I live there was very little and when there was one it was very far from where I live

[@krimz8139]

@@Beth_Amphetamine well where I live they’re closed cause of it

[@designateddoser7651]

You should go into a reptile expo “undercover” and say you don’t know anything about reptiles and are looking to buy and need some advice, and see just how terrible of advice they give.

[@GoHerping]

I'd have to literally get a disguise lol. Too many people stop me

[@Trinidadianlove]

Oh my gosh yes please!

[@AVspectre]

You can hire or recruit someone to do for you. Set them up with a camera and mic. Can even use wireless headphones that have a mic so you can be in a call with the questioner. You can suggest questions they can ask, and overhear from the mic. It will look like they are just listening to music as the walk around.

[@emmasnyder2154]

@@GoHerping I would do it for you lmao. I’ve never gone to a pet expo before and I’d br happy to go undercover.

[@LorLor246]

@@GoHerping get a friend to go for you with a notepad maybe? And then you can go over everything thats wrong with them

[@slashbat2375]

This reminds me of when a friend of snake discovery found a snake without eyes at an expo and the seller didn't even know the snake didn't have eyes

[@brookejohansen1681]

I was thinking the exact same thing!! Luckily they bought the snake and gave it Emily who’s gotten it eating!!

[@maxcovfefe]

That's so sad. How do you have a snake and NOT notice its eyes or lack thereof? One of the main attractions about snakes is their beautiful, weird eyes. I can't imagine being in this business without an appreciation for how gorgeous these animals are. I don't even own a snake, kinda scared of 'em tbh, but even I appreciate their beauty.

[@darckhajiit7948]

Was this snake discovery itself that was selling or?

[@slashbat2375]

@@darckhajiit7948 I would have said when snake discovery sold a snake without eyes if that were the case

[@searchfield]

@@darckhajiit7948 No, it was someone else selling it. Snake Discovery own it now, it's a beautiful brazilian rainbow boa.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

And that's why we don't host reptile expos

[@GoHerping]

finally a good leader

[@zacharybarker9613]

Damn of all places to see you I wouldn’t expect it would be here

[@adiktadoalamusika]

@@zacharybarker9613 I guess he has some reptiles in his home

[@The_Real_Adachi]

69 likes noice

[@LLLLogicccc]

Is this the real Kim Jung Un?

[@perlommel8312]

Here in Denmark the expos only last one day(5 hours) and 90% of the seller’s are well known and respected. Also Denmark is pretty small so there’s not a lot of trawling involved

[@GoHerping]

It's the wild west around me

[@I_love_dr_stone]

That's good! I was wondering about the scene around here, only just got into reptiles last year and, well, kind of haven't had the chance to go for obvious reasons

[@simplyserpents7254]

@@I_love_dr_stone please go to some of the good expos and don’t listen to this kid.

[@lemoni8623]

@@GoHerping same 'ere, same 'ere.....

[@beegreentoday]

Similar procedures here in Sweden and I think there’s only three expos or something every year and They Are quite small also.

[@Kacikacikaci5454]

My Grandpa goes to bird expos. Last July, he got me a kitten there. I did NOT want another cat, but I had no choice, and fell in love with her really soon. Luckily, my other cat loves her and they even recently befriended our grumpy old terrier. But please, DON'T BUY PETS AS SURPRISE GIFTS!

[@SpinexF7]

Buying pets as suprise gifts (especially non-dogs and cats) is like buying a pet for someone to see if it dies

[@Xx.Im.just.fckin.peachy.xX.]

Why was there kittens at a bird expo

[@starry1668]

@@Xx.Im.just.fckin.peachy.xX. my thoughts exactly. are they like for if they wanna sacrifice the birds or some shit

[@mastercrazyyyd7699]

if somebody gifts you something like a reptile, fish, or amphibian you are so screwed. These are animals that need such specific homes, care, heating, uvb, water quality, et cetera. It just makes me sad that these animals get this treatment because it usually are the cheaper animals; they are still living animals!

[@CherryzB]

Just had a flashback to a vendor arguing with me about how safe live feeders are while holding a snake covered in scars and then telling me about snakes he had to put down due to injuries. wtf.

[@fuckitongod4177]

I have also had a similar experience with a farmer who, while holding their burnt and scarred corn snake, went on to explain how heat rocks are the best heating supply for reptiles and that they get a lot of mental fulfillment from live feeding. I also talked to a breeder who, very literally, wondered why her juvenile success rate was so low while proceeding to explain that she cohabs litters of baby boas, which she live feeds together. I also had to tell a breeder I knew for a while that his 24w x 16l x 6h rack system wasn't nearly big enough for the adult female ball pythons he had in them. Also had someone at an expo basically trying to pawn off (I think they definitely had a disease or something) 3 corn snakes onto literally every passerby in the expo. Yeah, it's a bad world here in florida

[@mattblake9936]

Gotta agree with this one, that side of the hobby is weird

[@themotions5967]

In my experience it’s the mid size expos are usually the problematic ones. They are too big to be organized like the small local based ones, and too small To have the the proper funding and staffing to assure quality breeders like the really big ones. In my experience the best expos I’ve been to were locally established get togethers in small communities. Friendly good people who are usually in the hobby or are in a biology/herpetology/zoology related field and everyone genuinely cares about the animals. Ones I’ve been to had large temporary enclosures, good prices on supplies, helpful breeders, free care guides, and healthy animals. One of the few good things about living in a small podunk town imo

[@imin2461]

Theyre probably not even hobbyist, just salesman

[@Dehalove]

Weird? I don’t think weird is a strong enough term

[@carolusrex2407]

I feel like the real issue is the lack of control. Better quality control would terminate almost all of the issues you mentioned.

[@sleepyfucker09]

honestly, better quality control would solve a lot of issues in general.

[@eyadjamus7126]

That's horrible. Making a sale isn't worth abusing the animals in such a manner.

[@Nory86]

@eyadjamus completely agree it’s terrible what these people do, at least there are some good people out there

[@godsix1069]

Then how will people buy reptiles then though?

[@rae-sv3rh]

@@godsix1069 they should stop buying or breeding them.

[@godsix1069]

@@rae-sv3rh Bruh idiot, wild caught will get the species endangered tho

[@godsix1069]

@@rae-sv3rh And stop buying reptiles is your saying basically? Then how will first time reptiles owners get a frickin let reptile tho.

[@ohnoyoucantmakeanamethislo7569]

I feel like there should just be stricter precautions for who can and can’t sell reptiles at expos. So that it lowers the chance of bad breeders and everything else you talked about in the video

[@argonautilus9540]

In the arts & crafts show world, there’s a thing called “juried expos.” A board of people in charge of the expo vets vendors to make sure their goods are unique, show solid craftsmanship, and, sometimes, that their reputation is solid. While this can lead to elitism, drama, and higher table costs, I think it’s a small price to pay to avoid dodgy vendors. To me, the bare minimum of that should be required for animal expos. At least run background checks to make sure your vendors aren’t convicted animal abusers, for goodness’ sake... (Edit for grammar)

[@cattfishing]

Or, how about just being stricter on the rules in general. If the person cant follow those rules, usually means they're not good breeders/sellers anyway and they wont be able to sell there. Because how would one go about judging who is allowed to sell or not? By rumor/what others say/believe about the person? several people who dont a person can makes up things to ban that person, or that person could be banned because of misunderstanding etc. So, instead, it's better to set a standard, if those standards cant be met. Then that seller shouldn't be able to sell.

[@cattfishing]

@@argonautilus9540 I dont see how elitism, drama, and higher prices are a "small price to pay" when just banning dodgy sellers could solve the issue entirely without the elitism etc. So, if those set of gatekeepers just dont like you or your product, you're not able to sell? When it should be up to the buyers to choose whether or not your craftmanship is what they're looking for. Ihe point is to avoid dodgy sellers, wouldn't/shouldn't they be vetting these people by their history, and if they had any trouble with "dodgy" behavior in the past? And if the seller is new to the entire craft business, shouldn't they get a chance to prove whether or not they are an honest craftsman? Not being judged by a select handful of people to being able to sell their products to the public? I suppose since many of these expos are ran privately those in charge can do whatever they want. But there are also many expos and craft fairs that are ran by and paid for by local government (tax payers) on public lands like parks and recreation buildings etc.

[@MarinesMalevolentRule69]

@@cattfishing banning dodgy sellers will make them sneak-sell or find loopholes

[@emmakerr4312]

Keeping "dodgy" breeders out causes the elitism and higher prices. Higher prices, 2 reasons. 1. Figuring out if people are "dodgy" costs money and takes time. And time drives up administrative costs as it calls for much more planning. It also requires more people to enforce the rules and monitor the event. I run background checks for a living. They aren't cheap and the more in-depth the search, the more expensive they are. In the case of a person who was charged with a crime but not found guilty, in my state it is illegal to report that to a client if it is older than seven years. So even background checks wouldn't keep bad breeders out forever. And in my experience 90% of Assault and Battery cases, against *humans* are dismissed (meaning they are not found guilty, usually for lack of prosecution) So unless animal abuse is incredibly heinous, it will not be prosecuted and they'll probably just be fined at worst. 2. Exclusivity always comes with a price tag. If your expo keeps out bad sellers, its a more desirable expo, and therefore even if you didn't have to mark up the price, you can. And as we see in this video, if people can make more money, they will. Elitism Deciding what "dodgy" means. This would be easy if the only thing that made them "dodgy" was a criminal record. But not all sellers with bad selling habits are charged criminals. So keeping out all "dodgy sellers" would require a set of requirements that they must meet to get into the expo. Would they have to detail the way they care for their animals while at the expo? At home? Prove where they came from? Those things would also likely cost the sellers more time and money to meet those standards and provide the necessary evidence. Or if they had to go to the expo early to have their animals inspected for mites, that'd be more time and money from the sellers and those running the expo. And people would still fall through the cracks. As time goes on, these requirements will likely grow more stringent and more exclusive and sellers would have to prove more and more that they are reputable, to the point where some sellers that aren't "dodgy" aren't able to get in. Whether it requires time and money that hobbyists don't have, or simply because the burden of proving that they are legitimate is difficult when you are inexperienced. For example, as he said in the video, he started out getting his animals from people on craigslist; something that likely wouldn't be acceptable in order to keep out "dodgy" people. And he wasn't even aware that one of his animals was imported. If that was an animal he'd intended to sell it's not likely one that he'd be able to bring with him to the expo despite her being taken care of well. If you have to prove where your animals come from and the Expo is deciding whether that source is good enough, there is no way that you don't get elitism. But all of that being said, I agree that it's a small price to pay. But you can't have your cake and eat it too unfortunately.

[@aechlowen4517]

This man is the D’Angelo Wallace of reptiles

[@InnerAtanih]

Don’t insult him like that

[@Trollestiatumblur]

@@InnerAtanih Insult who?? Alex or D’Angelo??

[@tei4724]

@@InnerAtanih I'm... confused..? They're both P great...

[@jennlam319]

I was thinking of the Office and not the youruber

[@aneurysm.865]

@@jennlam319 No no, that’s Deangelo Vickers.

[@Nukenai]

I feel like I really lucked out with my local expo! It's only been going for a few years, but they make it very clear on their website that they heavily vet EVERY single vendor, to make sure that they're only selling captive bred and healthy animals. I think it only goes for one day, but they hold it twice a year (in non-pandemic times obviously). I was really impressed with the nice displays, and I didn't see a single animal that looked remotely unhealthy. It's the only reptile expo I've been to, but since it was so nice I don't think I'd want to go to any others since I don't trust them (and I've heard so many bad stories). They also had a local reptile rescue organization there who I've seen at events around here before. They showed off many of their rescued animals and educated people on things like sulcata tortoises, and how often they get abandoned because people don't realize the care they need. I got my red eyed tree frog from that expo last year and he's still doing great. Very healthy little guy. For the record, I also live in New York (upstate), and our state has stricter guidelines than a lot of others when it comes to exotic animals. Lots of what I call "snake bros" complain about the regulation a lot (legit, "why can't I own venomous snakes like cobras!"), but in my opinion, it's led to better welfare for the animals, which I think should always be the priority.

[@bubbakittle6999]

I think I went to the same expo. I'm in upstate NY as well and the one I went to was also a one day thing that they do twice a year for only the last few years. I've only been once and it was just before the shutdown. The one I went to seemed pretty decent (certainly no reptiles running loose). For the most part it was a pleasant experience and I hope to go again sometime when times are a little better and things like expos can happen again.

[@horsebookworm]

What’s the name of it?

[@hanthonyc]

Oh hey, also in upstate NY. I had been planning to go to an expo this year before obvious circumstances, I'll try to scout the one you're probably talking about. I can help verify ;) But in all seriousness, this video makes a lot of sense, as sad as it is. Local *anything* has a much better chance of having a stricter look at who is following the rules.

[@bubbakittle6999]

@@horsebookworm The one I went to was the Saratoga Reptile Expo. I went to the one last March.

[@SY-xk3gs]

What expo did you go to? I live in downstate NY and I haven’t heard of any here.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Got my beardie at a reptile expo in White Plains, NY back in 2013 all he wanted to do was move around the moment we put him in his new home. Him being curious was so cute. He's missing a nail but he's still going strong

[@systemiclizard3101]

i went to the white plains one in i think in 2019...? 2018? i can't remember when the last big one was. hope your boy's doing well, and that he has a great time with you!

[@slothy_the_turtle3874]

i remember going to white Plains it was my first reptile show, I forgot when but I was 5 or something. I didn't get anything tho but it was very cool

[@soabtanmnl]

Got my Ball python from the White plains expo back in 2017. It was my first time at an expo, but honestly I didn't see/notice half these problems (not saying this wasn't happening). Overall seller was good and informative (he bred the snake) and I was pleased with the transaction. My python is still doing well and haven't had any health problems with him. Sad to hear there is so much more possible going on in the background of these types of expos

[@debayeuxchats5607]

I may have been there, too! Heya, other WP bros!

[@cassidy7684]

@@soabtanmnl i got my ball python from the 2017 white plains expo too!

[@rachk4556]

once at an expo there was an entire plastic container of d*ad baby leopard geckos ON DISPLAY next to the delis of ones for sale and it was 🙂🙂🙂 traumatizing 🙂 so glad i’m not the only one to feel weird about them

[@ANPC-pi9vu]

Should have reported them for animal abuse, tbh.

[@DingoTheDemon]

Were they taxidermied or did they just fight each other until they were dead?

[@yikes4946]

@@Brevenator youtube is being a bitch about certain words

[@theyeetus1428]

@@yikes4946 Only for creators though.

[@bugbrainzz]

Omg that's terrible

[@cryosoleil]

I definitely think expos are like zoos - some really bad ones and some really good ones. Luckily, both expos in my area list every single breeder going to the expo so you can do research on them beforehand. Not a single random person can sell their animals there.

[@crazygirlontheblock311]

Exactly. I’m going to my first expo in June and I’m only going for bugs and a tree frog (can’t find any near me). My friend runs a reptile rescue and agrees but disagrees at the same time. She thinks it’s great people can talk to others about the hobby but she wishes more people would rehome reptiles.

[@reizak8966]

I like going to expos to get supplies, because you can get bulk for really good prices. I have two BP's that are rescues (from Radiant Reptilia) and I refuse to get any new additions to my family any other way. I don't discourage people from breeding, but some people really just look at reptiles like objects that can make them money, and it saddens me. Thanks for this. Too many people ignore ethical issues with reptiles because they're not "cute and cuddly".

[@buibuiopolismayor7329]

I don’t get the need to massively breed them either. Ball pythons aren’t hamsters, in captivity they can live up to an average of 30 years so your going to take care of it for at least 30 years. Don’t know why people breed and buy these snakes as if they are hamsters that die in 2-3 years.

[@jagoldenpyrenees491]

I beg to differ. They are too cute and cuddly!

[@autumnrayne21]

@@buibuiopolismayor7329 I agree that BPs and other reptiles don't need to be mass produced like they are. But I feel like there's more of a mass breeding issue with hamsters. Yes they have a shorter lifespan but because of that they are treated like a disposable pet. And the way they are marketed towards kids because they are "cute and cuddly" gets people to overlook their actual needs. (You'll be pissed if you look into the space they actually need vs. the cutesy shit with tubes from the pet store. Usually not even a fifth of the space they need) I rescued a pregnant hamster bc some kids decided more hamsters =more fun. She had 11 babies and when one was about 3 weeks old it just curled up and died. Nothing wrong with them on the outside, likely just a side effect of inbreeding. And that's just how it goes because they're treated like they're disposable. Can't imagine what it would be like in the mills (._.)

[@autumnrayne21]

And I'm sorry for ranting like that. Just a little 🍃 🍃 and I miss that poor little guy so much. He was the sweetest out of all of them 😭

[@narutoisstrongerthansasuke3326]

where should i get my cornsnake then😞

[@benv7164]

I wanna know the horrible person still allowed to sell after having dead ones in pillowcases name.

[@alicegunter6872]

if you google enough he'll come up pretty quickly

[@hebebebe139]

My money's on Brian Barczyk

[@alicegunter6872]

@@hebebebe139 nop but i wouldnt be surprised

[@sheogorath1524]

@@hebebebe139 brian barczyk hasn't been caught yet

[@kwiggy5091]

@@alicegunter6872 Feel free to share with the class

[@mirandapantoja7153]

Wow I’m surprised people leave reptiles in the deli’s for so long

[@GoHerping]

I've seen a couple tables actually take animals out each day, but they're the small minority for sure

[@stevenhall8964]

@@GoHerping Bullshit! Most have larger tubs the animals are put in at night and the people get there early to feed and get them back out in the smaller containers for the day. And if the animal is healthy (and they are more so than not ) they do perfectly well in those containers, even if they are in them for multiple days. THATS HOW THEY COME WHEN THEY ARE SHIPPED UNLESS THEY ARE TO LARGE, THEN THEY COME IN BAGS TIED AND TAPED SHUT! AND YOU KNOW THIS !! ANYBODY WHO HAS EVER HAD A GECKO SHIPPED TO THEM KNOWS THIS!! AND DURING SHIPPING THEY CAN BE IN THOSE CONTAINERS FOR 5 DAYS OR EVEN 7. Any more then that is definitely not a good thing but for people traveling to the show they are usually in those containers for less time then they are in the average mail order shipment .

[@IDontLikeGinger]

@@stevenhall8964 Shhhhhh your willful ignorance is showing.

[@gargwinvinesnake6961]

@@stevenhall8964 when shipped they aren't intended to be in the shipping containers for a weekend. Kittens and small puppies could survive in shoe box sized Rubbermaids for 5 days straight, that doesn't make it right. You are speaking from your experiences and what you've seen with many vendors moving animals to larger tubs in the evening. He is speaking to what he's seen about many vendors not moving animals to larger tubs in the evening. Neither of your opinions based on your experiences is wrong.

[@haydenlucas2986]

I personally go to local expos I’ve had great experiences there but I can’t talk for larger expos

[@onespiceybbw]

I see large bps crammed into large delis. I commented to one of the sellers and he just shrugged and said they were only in there for a couple of days. These poor animals were so big that they were literally stuffed into the containers and could not move.

[@zebraloverbridget]

Ball Pythons love small spaces though so they likely didn't hate it as much as you'd think.

[@laurelh1975]

@@zebraloverbridget The issue isn't 'does the animal enjoy small spaces?', the issue is that the animal does not have the choice and cannot move if it wanted to. Especially seeing as the sellers themselves said "only a few days"..days! It would be unpleasant but perhaps overlookable if it was literally just a one-day expo, but several days? :/ and ball pythons like hiding in dark spaces.. being crammed into a container and then sitting on a table with bright lights and noise all the time.. Likely didn't enjoy it as much as you'd think.

[@michaelperry8054]

So how does shipping them work then?

[@autumnox2174]

@@michaelperry8054 Usually bps are put in a decent sized bag, I've seen. I can't fathom shoving a grown snake into a deli.

[@gargwinvinesnake6961]

Yea I keep my kitten taped in a shoebox over the weekends. It hasn't said anything about not liking it, so it's cool. She was shipped to me taped in a shoe box so that makes it ok.

[@emmiejensen8318]

Every time there's an expo or a pet store has a sale in my area, the amount of reptiles on Craigslist increases significantly in the next few months. And they're not just leos and ball pythons like there normally are, there are iguanas, tegus, boas, and more. It's honestly really sad to see the aftermath of all the impulse purchases.

[@peeblekitty5780]

I mean, the alternatives for getting reptiles are shipping live animals and pet shops, and being the lesser evil they're not so easily boycotted if people want reptiles. I think the best thing to do is to tell people to look out for bad sellers and give advice on how to spot them, and push for animal care quality control at expos, rather than insinuate it's bad to go to an expo altogether

[@oMuStiiA]

The alternative is regulation and accountability.

[@peeblekitty5780]

@@oMuStiiA The alternative to expos that currently exists, is what I mean. Regulation and accountability is what we should push for.

[@omatofi]

"shipping live animals" i wonder how they get the reptiles to the expo or pet shops. they just materialize or somethin'

[@joliezac3109]

I can agree with these statements. My father took my sister and I to an expo and we impulse bought 2 baby beardies, they were only an inch and a half long. My sister’s dragon was sickly and lethargic, and died a few months later. My dragon is now happy and healthy at the age of 7 years and his care has changed immensely since those first few months because of the terrible care sheet we were given. It’s really unfortunate that these sellers do this so I can agree with this video for sure.

[@johnrogers-thorn6504]

Really?, what kind of cage were you and your sister kept in? :d

[@joliezac3109]

We had them together in an 80 gallon when we first got them but after my sister’s dragon died we upgraded my dragon to the tank he has now which is 4x3x2 feet

[@Charlotte-vj2pg]

Glad to hear your beardie is doing well :)

[@rust-2450]

I remember someone selling spotted salamanders out of a dirty tub at one of our expos. Probably wild caught since they're native around here. He was trying his best to make them sound like they were the easiest pet ever. "Just stick them in a tub with some dirt, then just keep them under your bed! Just feed them sometimes and they'll thrive!" I feel bad for all the salamanders that man had and sold...

[@SpinexF7]

He basically just said "Come buy this wild lizard and neglect it until it dies or suffers its entire life!"

[@thephony1651]

That sounds like what I would do to try and keep wild frogs as pets while I was like five... at least I let them go after a while, damn

[@anonshi]

I have never been to one mainly from what I’ve seen. One thing that really bothered me was watching videos of a booth called ‘win a betta’. I was horrified. As if pet shops selling fish to people without a circulated tank wasn’t bad enough, having someone ‘win’ a fish literally guarantees that person won’t have a setup ready. I’m pretty sure 99% of all those fish are dead within days and that is so sad.

[@GoHerping]

lol I was watching random expo videos after uploading this and saw that. There are a lot of deals and giveaways, I assume the fish related ones definitely go wrong

[@matildesartstuff]

i love how "gun show" is in the same place as "reptile show" 12:28

[@dorotheamason6991]

Annnd...?

[@sese6227]

Why?

[@samn4942]

Repticon in Orlando, FL is right next to a gun show, what’s the issue?

[@genuineghoul3452]

For the people who don't understand why this is a problem are problem the problem. Correct me if I am wrong of course.

[@juliareut7635]

@@genuineghoul3452 not really....

[@britttttt8391]

Thisssss 👏🏻👏🏻 The the “breeders” will hate on chain pet stores like either are better.

[@kwiggy5091]

Chain pet store employee who provides impeccable care and is very well researched and experienced here. And uh, THIS. The local shops here with the disgusting or bone dry enclosures and dehydrated and thin animals also love to make sweeping negative generalizations. You know if an animal is sick or injured that we have to get them vet care within 24 hours and neglecting to do so can be a fire able offense. 🙄 I don't think we should sell live animals, breeding mills is highly problematic. But these local shops use the same vendors and provide worse care and have no space to talk.

[@Monika-gc2bk]

@@kwiggy5091 I work as a pet store as well and I don’t agree with everything, but god I’ve been to so many god awful local pet stores and no one says a thing about them. I’m talking full grown beardies in 20 gals, bird cages stacked on top of eachother, baby lizards on sand. And no one ever talks about this. It’s sad

[@kwiggy5091]

@@Monika-gc2bk I know. Plus, we have a LLL Reptile here that also supplies Reptiles N'Reefs, mind you LLL Reptiles sister company is Vista, who supplies both those stores AND chain stores. Like. The local stores aren't much better for buying live animals. At least mine are given vet care.

[@rebeccahughes8048]

I got my BP at the local Petco..... that wasn’t the plan, I was just going in to check out supplies before ordering from a breeder. But I saw they had some BPmorphs and talked to the associate that cared for the reptiles, and she was simply gushing over them like a proud mama. She told me so much of their history (the one we bought had been there for several months), eating habits, etc and even her feeding log had cute personal notes scribbled for each feed - obviously she cared a great deal about these animals. So.... just goes to show, sometimes pet stores aren’t so bad! Our Petco BP (banana pinstripe) is very healthy and happy!

[@PinkPenPlays]

2nd vending experience: Me: Forgot a black cloth over my stuff (I sell artwork/jewelry from shed) Expo lady: *a n g e r e y* Nearby vendor: *sells sickly looking ackie monitors in filthy cups* Expo lady: *kalm* She also didn’t say anything when some adults would wander off without a mask like sure they get upset at how the black cloth is missing where I sanitized everything. But people showing their full face in a crowded building that could make the health department go bonkers or selling sick/dying animals to them isn’t their problem apparently. Maybe it was cuz I looked young, idk but it’s frustrating still

[@aquajuwel7098]

I can’t imagine the stress and absolute terror the animals must feel at those shows. People standing over them, holding them, taking selfies with them, they are in small containers for hours and hours or even days. I have been at one show, never again! I’m glad you put a spotlight on this. You have a lot of great points!

[@GoHerping]

I do think it's alright to subject them to some stress (shipping them overnight, letting some people handle, etc) but it definitely feels over the top at shows

[@BlueNinjaEG02]

Emerald Scale should start a certification system for reptile sellers

[@simplyserpents7254]

Please don’t be serious.

[@emileegernt9112]

@@simplyserpents7254 you afraid you won't pass?

[@Abbanellie]

@@emileegernt9112 oop-

[@OliviaLannon]

Ooo I'd love that c: We need more of that, especially if each seller (should they pass) gets an entire article written about them detailing how they treat their animals and all that good stuff.

[@Dehalove]

It always bums me out that the U.S doesn’t care about animal abuse

[@pandafish3522]

It’s because everyone has the toxic mentality of “humans are sentient beings while animals are just property with nothing of much value” Here in the Us if you get your animal stolen you can press charges on the thief. But do you know what the courts label animals? “Stolen property”. Like items. It makes me sick and I hate the US but unfortunately I have to live here.

[@abbyglass4565]

Except when it comes to dogs and cats because apparently they're the only animals that matter :/

[@minabrunkhorst9954]

I mean, the US doesn't even care about their citizens.

[@Dehalove]

@@minabrunkhorst9954 lmfao you right

[@claypu8243]

Its not only the US

[@DeidarasLilStudent]

I remember seeing FRESHLY hatched ball pythons once. UMBILLICAL CORD still attached NO first shed NO MEALS Who thinks that's okay? .-.

[@Workieplz]

Sorry to be nit picking but snakes umbilical cords don’t come out of the body since they are reptiles and are hatched out of eggs.

[@litaraduodox5799]

@@Workieplz the umbilical cord here is a smaller version with another name (umbillucum) that forms from the inervations of the egg and attached to the yolk. When reptiles hatch, they usually have some leftover innervation from the yolk, such as the umbilical cord have some innervation to the placenta. That is, technically, umbilical cord. Look for newborn snakes, they may have a little bump you can see for yourself :)

[@BasedWop]

@@Workieplz also not all snakes come from eggs some give live birth like boas and anacondas

[@gingerbridgewater7079]

I was actually looking forward to the reptile expo in Ontario. It’s so hard to find reputable breeders when you live in a small town

[@GoHerping]

I'd definitely still say you should go, just be mindful of the sellers and animals and not take anything at face value

[@purplishcoda]

Ones ive been in in Canada have been good and only last a day or two!

[@ReptilesXtremeGaming]

I’d say Just do your research and be mindful of the companies there. Some don’t push sales and have great healthy animals. Others.... not so much.. plus there’s the whole wild caught argument etc.

[@Tigenraam]

Our canadian expos I would say are excellent. I've never seen mites or loose animals in either the smaller semi monthly expos or the big CRB expos in Ontario. I'm sure there's been less reputable flippers that people have had issues with but on the whole I would say it's a much better experience than some of the states side shows. What specifically are you looking for?

[@snowballil3133]

I bought a Savannah monitor for 20$ at a reptile expo and hes really nice.

[@Jennynewton3129]

Wow our expo’s in my town are only two days long then all the breeders go home so far my expo’s are awesome

[@aligaterr5137]

Interesting, expos in my country don't last more than 8 hours

[@themotions5967]

Same here and they cycle there animal around by the time of day so no one animal is stressed to much

[@aligaterr5137]

@@themotions5967 they don't do that here at all, because the supply of reptiles isn't that big (even at the biggest expo in the capitali) compared to the demand (the fact that most of reptiles, amphibians, crabs and other are sold relatively fast is also the main reason for the short lenght of expos)

[@dan_ta_lion]

I honestly haven't heard reptile expos operating for 5 days.

[@_paleodude_6186]

@@dan_ta_lion He didn't say they lasted for 5 days, he said that the travel could take a day or over so its more like 3 days

[@waitnformyedward]

It’s interesting to hear your experiences, and they’re not like almost the opposite of mine. I live in the Midwest, and both of the expos here are small, and only 1 day. The same vendors go to all the shows, and I would say 99% are local. I’ve gotten 2 reptiles from expos, both from local breeders. I’m been very happy with my experiences, though I’ve never sold at one. But I’m sure a huge part of it is that the expos here are so small that everyone knows the vendors so it’s harder to be sketchy lol

[@salamannader]

Midwest here also- typically one day expos as well and usually have pretty good prices on supplies. I would say 90% of the breeders I've met at these smaller expos tend to be decent, a couple sketchy ones. I usually just like to talk in-depth with the breeder on how they are kept, etc. Otherwise I would rather get from a breeder individually rather than buying at an expo.

[@victoriamancillas171]

I love how transparent you are, it really gets your opinion/ point across. Also makes your videos 10x better :)

[@kawaiife]

The community should expose them and try to improve this kind of behaviors...

[@drozycoder2007]

I think there aren't enough people who care sadly

[@JK-vy8vh]

All the others are small time niche breeders or you tubers sadly at least he got over 190k views. That’s a lot of ppl and the nature of this vid shows ppl are interested so this is huge.

[@XavMak]

Am I the only one uncomfortable with that orange thing peeping though his chair holes🤣

[@bugloverspiderlover8490]

Xav Mak maybe it's a HOODIE!

[@Trinidadianlove]

I'm so glad someone else noticed it!

[@carto4028]

Went to one of these for some lights for my tortoises, it was a kind of really upsetting seeing all the reptiles in little tiny plastic containers. The reptiles were so freaked out.

[@doodskwid]

Tip of the day. Don't eat babies

[@mlem6951]

But ...

[@doodskwid]

@@mlem6951 no. No exceptions Don't eat babies

[@mlem6951]

@@doodskwid Okay u,u

[@johnrogers-thorn6504]

Even Jelly babies ?.

[@doodskwid]

@@johnrogers-thorn6504 ALL Bãbįə§

[@CasparChance]

The honesty. I would have never guessed this was happening if it weren't for you. I would've thought that side of the hobby would consist of the better half that really care about the animals, not the other way around.

[@ReptileTrainerJi]

Never have gone to an expo and mostly because i don't want to be packed in with that many people. Also because after having mites once you are pretty paranoid about it and it always seemed like thousands of keepers who you don't know bringing in god knows what...always gives me chills thinking about what i might bring back home lol.

[@krakeddreams08]

Mites!!! I bought a baby Blue tongue from a breeder at an expo, got him home? COVERED in Mites and had such a horrible respiratory infection that you couldn't hear in the roar of the expo :( he's doing fantastic now, but how can you sell someone a sick animal? How can you not get care for it!!

[@ReptileTrainerJi]

@@krakeddreams08 Idk man I can't ever bring myself to go to one to find out lol

[@reubendaly827]

Goherping: supplies are overpriced The corkbark hide I bought at an expo for my isopods for one dollar: am I a joke to you?

[@nicholasbrandon8463]

I just want to thank you for all the reliable information and help you provide to us reptile keepers. As far as I can tell, you genuinely care about these animals, as do most of the people watching, hopefully. Keep up the great work in inspiring people like me to keep doing better in this hobby.

[@nicholasbrandon8463]

I apologize if this was off topic..

[@emorose120]

There just 2 days here. Most of the sellers typically have heat lamps over the delis and most are in nice glass cases rather than the delis. Idk some sellers are sketchy though... legit a tubberware full of baby beardies though seemed weird.... Every booth at our expo seemed like a decent business no just random people selling animals. I got a millions business cards one from each booth I visited. All the people were pretty nice too.^-^

[@Tsuchiyomi]

I was too scared to transport my chem with me to my new home (a two day trip) and decided to just re-home rather than risk her health. I miss her.

[@OliviaLannon]

awww I'm sorry :C for future reference, trust me, that drive is nothing. In the reptile community, we literally ship our reptiles to our new homes via Fedex, they get put on planes, trucks, etc, sometimes there are ice storm delays, they go through a lot, and they come through totally fine. Being in a container on a car ride will not hurt them, especially since reptiles aren't like mammals (cats, dogs,) that need to eat and drink every day. They'd just chill, I promise. If you ever worry about water, just have a spray bottle on hand and spray em down once in a while.

[@uicornpoorainbows]

I really like one tarantula seller. They didn't push us to buy. Actually told us we need to have a set up before buying. Talked to us about proper care and housing. Gave us their card for when we are ready to buy.

[@NicholeParker]

The more I watch these videos the more I realize how lucky I was when I bought my ball python from an expo. The seller had pictures of the animals with him and his kids (cause I was a newbie and nervous so he was trying to show me the snakes are used to being handled), pretty large (compared to other tables) containers, breeding history (or whatever the word is for what his parents morphs were), a serial number and feeding history so if I had questions after purchase he could pull up the specific snake and knew the frequency of feedings as well as the sizes of mouse. And yeah they could’ve been lying I guess but we walked away from the table and looked him up and he had pretty great and consistent reviews. And me and my boyfriend did research for months and months, id been doing it for years. I feel like you really can’t be prepared until you have a reptile and for that I’m so happy I got such a good snake. He’s a consistent eater, great temperament, and I couldn’t have gotten a better first if I tried.

[@rachelgraham444]

Alex always coming through and saving my boring quarantine days with new videos 🦎

[@krissywastaken1165]

In Australia, you have to have a license to own most reptiles and they keep record of most purchases and where you purchase the reptile from in log books.

[@achjulchen3541]

I was always thinking „there must be something wrong with reptile expos“, but every pet youtuber loves them.. THANK YOU!

[@tibicenlinnei4014]

Last expo, I walked around with a poor, probably terrified crestie on the back of my shirt for likely hours. I'm so glad I didn't smush him or something like that. Took ALL DAY to find where he belonged. Apparently he escaped a prospective buyer and I guess he decided I was his get-away-car.

[@alisonhughes6476]

Informative video from you again , thank you ! Many people need to see this video x

[@lemoni8623]

"You might see them at the next expo and beat them up, or something" - Alex, 2021

[@GoHerping]

just talkin from first hand threats

[@lemoni8623]

@@GoHerping .....ok...

[@breezyncj]

I wish every single reptile breeder operated like Snake Discovery. Wouldn't that just be lovely?

[@alicegunter6872]

it'd be the same industry lol

[@JA-ux1rz]

Don't they breed scaleless snakes? If so they're not exactly the best example.

[@breezyncj]

@@JA-ux1rz They're certainly one of the best examples. I personally don't believe the scaleless gene is problematic if the belly scales are still there.

[@alicegunter6872]

@@breezyncj it's definitely a problematic gene. There are plenty of resources to find out why the production of this gene is so terrible. I recommend looking into it further.. If you need evidence of their shit keeping, check out their videos where they show the Reticulated python enclosures. Generally, their enclosures are way too small, but those set ups are absolutely ridiculous. SD has also spread things in videos telling people to put pennies in water bowls to reduce bacteria, which will just leech copper into the water (toxic to animals).

[@breezyncj]

@@alicegunter6872 I've looked into it, and at this point in time my opinion on the scaleless gene stands. You are completely entitled to your own opinion. As far as their enclosures, they're building an entire facility to house their pets and animals used in education, which is success that is amazing to see. I see nothing wrong with the husbandry of the snakes they use to breed. As far as what I've seen on KZbin, their style of keeping (as it pertains to their breeding stock) is definitely a step above most others. They are in the business of breeding, after all. It's a business, not just a hobby, and they do an exceptional job of it in my opinion.

[@florencetheunicorn]

Ngl, I'm 99% decided that my first reptile is going to be from Emerald Scales. I trust and respect your knowledge and I know that you actually care about the animals.

[@simplyserpents7254]

Please research better breeders

[@simplyserpents7254]

@Speff I am triggered by his lack of knowledge on certain topics but yet speaks as if he is an expert on the subject. Then he has many impressionable children watching his videos and taking his bad opinions as fact.

[@lionarmy12]

I would recommend an animal from nerd or another respectable breeder. This guy is okay but at the of the day most of his videos are Opinions and his own experiences. There are a variety of local and well known breeders that have been at this hobby since the beginning and have done so much for the hobby as a whole.

[@OliviaLannon]

@@simplyserpents7254 It really isn't your place to tell the OP to do anything. If they want to buy from Emerald Scales, that's their choice and you should respect that. The OP does not necessarily care what you or anyone thinks; they did not ask for recommendations or opinions. As someone who gets the opinions of others shoved down my throat daily, it pisses me off seeing it happen to others.

[@OliviaLannon]

@@lionarmy12 The OP did not ask for a recommendation, they said they wanted to buy from Emerald Scales. Let them alone. It just annoys me seeing others try to add their own personal thoughts when it's not asked for. If they wanted an opinion, they'd ask. As someone who gets the opinions of others shoved down my throat daily, it pisses me off seeing it happen to others.

[@MandMREPTILS]

I love videos like this especially from such positive influences as yourself. This is how we make advancements in the herptalogical community

[@vwtyty]

Great video. For whatever it's worth, what you are describing is an issue with all types of shows/expos and really important for anyone getting into a new hobby to be aware of!

[@tomaytotomahto9906]

I definitely noticed this when I attended a repticon- I’d been used to the locally hosted expo in my area and was really surprised at the drop in quality control/ethical sellers. Some expos can be really great depending on where you are (I later discovered that our local one legitimately blacklisted every single vendor who sells at repticon), but a lot are also... not so great.

[@WingedFish66]

I've never been to a reptile expo. Would like to go sometime with the intention of buying something (after I've already gotten a new enclosure fully set up at home of course) but, yeah the mites thing in particular has always been in the back of my mind ever since I started seriously considering it

[@GoHerping]

Super annoying - I've brought mites back twice before realizing how overly cautious you have to be

[@WingedFish66]

@@GoHerping I've thankfully not had to deal with reptile mites (only have a half year old ball python from an online breeder) but I did spend about a year dealing with mites on my chickens so I'm more than aware just how big of a pain in the rear the little buggers are no matter what species they're plaguing

[@laurelh1975]

I really enjoyed this video and appreciated the information! I've always heard great things about expos, a seemingly never-ending list of pros and barely any cons. The points you make in this are so reasonable and very.. "Oh duh, I guess that makes sense, why didn't that occur to me before?" Like the animals being in their delis for perhaps a week or longer, that had never occurred to me but logistically makes a lot of sense sadly.. I also like how non-confrontational you are in this video; instead of saying "Here's why expos are bad and you're bad for going to/buying from them", just a straight-forward "Here's the info, do what you will." Awesome. There's a localish expo where I moved to that I was interested in going to, but then pandemic happened.. But the expo was very upfront and shared all the information and pages of who was going to be selling there, so they had almost a virtual expo, spotlighting each seller's accounts online, so you can see all their pictures and reviews and contact information.

[@JoiIsakYT]

It's good to see the skeptical side of things. I hope to go to my first expo soon it will probably be small but it's cool to see what's "local" for me. Im in Canada so buying online/finding breaders is a little more limited/complicated

[@yesiwasbornyesterday8855]

Despite his lack of emotion(no offense) Alex truly is a great guy making it aware that reptiles at expos are in bad conditions. I'd hope to get a reptile one day, just wish they were treated better, nice vid 👍

[@trevor866]

These aren't expo issues, this is a broad analysis of the entire state of reptile keeping in North America. Animals are trading cards kept in sock drawers. They are inbred into the ground and kept in sterile non enriched environments. The hobby isn't about the animals now. It's about the convenience of the keeper. I stick to dealing with people over in Europe. For the most part they have a much "for the animal" approach to keeping and still often work with a lot of animals that used to be common on our side of the pond but are now considering garbage due to the morph craze.

[@7deadlyhexes]

I met you at repticon a few years ago. That one had bunnies out and letting people handle them. The bunnies were so stressed they were teeth grinding and hunched. There was someone pushing a pig in a stroller. Crazy place.

[@lucyb8802]

Thankyou for the info I'm glad I could learn this stuff from you and not the hard way 😂👍✨

[@grimmms]

These things make me sad .. but I must learn *sigh*

[@tavarishall2785]

I been watching you since I was 14 with my first snake good to see you still keeping the hobby relevant

[@XiongMaoPanda]

I'm also in NC and have gone to Repticon twice. It was nice to look around. Some vendors were annoyed to speak to people or answer questions. Another vendor was selling a Kenyan Sand Boa but it appeared to actually be an Arabian. When I asked about it they seemed annoyed. Then there was the abundance of impulse purchases. At the same time, there were some incredibly kind vendors who love to speak to visitors and answer their questions.

[@brayleemoore4316]

hey alex i’m kind of early today

[@GoHerping]

yay

[@Mizuchi_]

@@GoHerping agreed

[@basicburrito1157]

Ur not early ur on time

[@Mizuchi_]

@@basicburrito1157 agreed

[@ItsCounter]

thought he was saying deli and that they were eating the reptiles...

[@lidolbug]

deli *cups*

[@rainlily56]

Yo Alex, thanks for your input on things. I just got my first reptile -a ball python- from a show 3 months ago and, until now I never thought twice about what goes on in the background. I haven't been in the reptile community for very long but I'm doing my best learn everything I can so that I may be a good animal caretaker. Thanks for being a vital part of my learning experience. :>

[@lostfound8112]

very interesting info thanks for sharing!

[@SethRea]

Hello remember me I love your vids u inspire me have a good day😁

[@exquisitemorphs9308]

Great video as always

[@edgufler1122]

Enjoy your videos very much. Thank you for sharing them with us. You're a very cool guy. I'm in Central Florida and I went to a Exotic Bird Expo once.. I did one walk around and walked out. I felt very sad for the birds being sold there . I'll never go back to one.

[@quickbeam7361]

You should go to an expo and pretend to be new to reptile keeping and ask questions

[@MM-cp4fu]

so there have been a couple of these experiences with some expos I have been to but personally the ones i have been to (just repti-cons) the sellers have had reasonably medium enclosures (still WAY too small for a permanent tank) and they had heating. For some reason only the snakes and monitors had good enclosures and the rest like geckos were stuck with the s**t little containers.

[@johnrogers-thorn6504]

Once again a good and interesting video, thanks Alex, I've never attended an expo either here in England or elsewhere but you've certainly given me the heads up. I want to buy a female corn-snake to breed with my male so I will benefit from your advice. Keep them coming buddy and I hope things are better in your new home.

[@bytownboas7354]

Thanks for this ! I started reptile keeping during the pandemic (when ever that started feels like forever now lol) I've never got to experience an expo this is something I feel is not talked about the bad side. So thank you for making this video !

[@alexwall1041]

Hey Alex. My name is Alex. So that’s cool

[@AlexCanning]

Me too!, Alex gang

[@alexreid1173]

Hello Alexs!

[@alexwall1041]

Alex GANG

[@xilanthrophir13]

The Alex Gang! Woooo!!!

[@AlexCanning]

@@xilanthrophir13 best mfing gang

[@waxandsulfur]

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m in Canada and we have a lot smaller Expo circles, but my experience has really differed from yours! I’ve been going to expos for 10+ years and I’ve had an overly positive experience. There are importers but their animals are clearly labeled. The majority of breeders that attend are very professional and knowledgeable, not a lot of handling of animals and sanitizing between touching. Usually receipts are given even with cash. Also supplies are a lot cheaper at expos because main companies are actually there instead of paying a markup from a pet store. The worst experience I’ve had was with a reptile breeder with a lot of poorly kept bearded dragons, but they didn’t come back. Actually, the worst experience was when roaches/centipedes/stick bugs/mantids became illegal in Canada/ON and authorities came in and destroyed them all with no warning. That was pretty depressing.

[@rainyraelyn9649]

Thank you for this. I worked for someone who would go every weekend to a show.. alll over and it was not good.. I own my own reptile facility and I cannot imagine doing anything like that to mine the way most do..

[@beardedtexanfishing4665]

I bought frozen feeders last year at a big expo in arlington, and once i got them home and thawed a few to feed my snakes and the whole 50 were spoiled, and the company refused to refund me.

[@ronnypiukkula8708]

One day I will be here early enough to get acknowledged, love all the videos

[@yasminweigand7341]

Seems like expos in germany are VERY different. I am surprised! My local expos only last 7-10 hours, and the vendors are only allowed to put up the displays 1-2 hours before the show opens. A Vet with reptile-experience checks everything before any visitors enter, never seen mites there, never heard of someone getting them. Animals need to be heated, amphibians need access to water, deli cups are only allowed for small enimals, most animals sit in larger containers. Since almost all animals need valid paperwork, you can't just take imports and sell them as captive bred. Every animal gets a label with the species, care requirements, it's origin (captive bred, wc, farmed) und gender on their container, and vets check for mistakes on those as well. When you buy for example a ball python, you talk at least 30 minutes with the seller, most of them will show you pictures of the parents if they bred the animal and go over the care you planned for the animal with you. Ball pythons need to come with a pedigree certificate that states who bred it, what the parents are (morphs, wc or cb), where the seller and/or breeder lives, what morphs the animal is carrying (if possible, pos. hets can't be guaranteed of course), the breeders phone number and many even hand you feeding-records. If you buy from a person that has not bred the animal, chances are the breeders number is on the paperwork and you can call them for verification. Selling animals with incorrect paperwork is fined and can be quite expensive, if someone finds out. And there are institutions for that which you can call in the case something seems suspicious. Also supplies are way cheaper there! About the same price range as amazon, with some things even cheaper. Also there's always a wood-supplier there where you can get massive branches for very cheap. Most of the people there are breeders, which you can often tell from their stock (siblings in a clutch will have overlap in morphs, that's how you can tell sometimes) that really care about where the animals go, with contact informations, websites and valid papers. And well, that the guy with 100 different gecko-species isn't a breeder is kinda obvious, but vets keep checking the animals on display troughout the expos and you can also walk up to them to get an opinion on the animals you might want to buy. You only get to touch animals you consider buying, and your hands will get desinfected by the seller before and after, so no infections spread. I dunno. US expos always seemed more like a spectacle and less like a serious get-together for actual reptile-keepers to me. I gues that's close to the truth. Can't speak on all the expos here, but my local ones are fine.

[@danielaarienti9511]

Yeah, imho in US the "not dogs or cats" animals proper care is not seen as a such a big priority as in most of Europe, sadly.

[@RoseProseFroze]

That... actually sounds incredible.

[@DarkKnight-vq7hb]

Thanks for making all your vids, you really are cool!!

[@mamaj4734]

Alex everything you said is absolutely TRUE! So glad you shared this. I have worked at expos in the past, I have worked with reptile breeders. I have seen first hand as a customer and a worker all the things you mentioned. On the negative side, I have seen vendors with half dead animals, mites, convicted animal abusers selling animals (one which I unknowingly bought from and the animal was dead a few weeks later and I had a lot of $$$ vet bills). As you mentioned there are "quote rules" but seem to be no verification of animal health. Many vendors are in it for profit and the animal itself is of little concern. It is heart breaking and yes days in deli cups! That being said there are some positives to see a lot of animals at once, find hard to get supplies and meet other hobbiest. Not every vendor at shows are bad. There are some good people and I have met some good friends. I do think shows are more concerning than used to be. Are they or are we just more aware? My question to you is where do hobbiest go? Obviously big box stores are bad, wild caught animals are bad, but good breeders are hard to find. I wish there were more people to advocate health of animals and help new hobbiest get set up for success. Thanks again for the video. Keep up good work.

[@trisha2286]

I actually enjoy expos of different kinds and have worked lots of them. I've attended reptile expos a few times and planning on working my first this yr (if any happen) or next yr...

[@emmaprince7279]

It makes me uncomfy that some of them just... trade animals? Girl what?

[@GoHerping]

I don't think trading is inherently bad, but the way it's done at expos tend to put me off

[@simplyserpents7254]

@@GoHerping that’s ridiculous. You need to not put out a video on topics you do not fully understand. The way you speak about expos proves you don’t actually know that much.

[@Sarydormi]

@@simplyserpents7254 lemme guess, you're one of these people?

[@simplyserpents7254]

@@Sarydormi I am a responsible breeder that vends high quality expos and has far more experience

[@Sarydormi]

@@simplyserpents7254 well, you are responsible, and expos you attended were high quality, but why GoHerping cannot do a vid with bad one with bad irresponsible breeders? I bet there are more bad expos than good ones, and at least people will know what to expect when they'll go there

[@ZITR0ENCHEN]

This was superinteresting, never thought about a few of these point you bring up. I've only ever been to one exoticon, basically to see cool animals, never crossed my mind that they might not have been let out of the cups in days...that's horrible...

[@whodis4531]

The reptile expo that used to be in Stockholm (now canceled cause of covid) was only for like 6 hours, not five whole days. It was pretty small.. the whole expo is in a basketball court, compared to dog expos that are huge

[@GameBoyPlayz]

This video comes out just as I bought my geko from an expo..

[@GoHerping]

there's the good and the bad, this video's for the rarely talked about latter

[@kelpso9382]

dude same

[@alchemists4443]

It’s okay! Now you know, mistakes happen. Give that geko a good life!

[@ashb.luvdeeply3745]

I was just telling my bf today that we should go to one and then you post this lol Now I know what to expect when I do go 🤗

[@Vaillle]

This a good reason to be picky and careful who you buy from. It’s nice that goherping brought these concerns up so people can be aware. Then only good sellers have a successful business and the others can be pushed out of the business organically by customers being more informed and encouraged to be responsible buyers.

[@plantingwithnat]

Thanks, Alex for a very informative video about mites. I was going to go to the expo in November, I have 2 cats, and the last thing I want to bring home to my babies after purchasing a beardie is mites.

[@ocxanamasternak6128]

Lol at my first repticon I went specifically to buy a ball python. And of course I'm looking around and I see a baby frilled lizard, which is one of my favorite lizards so I'm all excited. And the person at the booth tried to sell me the animal. I said I had no idea how to care for it, I came for a ball python. And he told me if you know how to care for a ball python you can definitely care for a frilled lizard, it's not too different. So yeah people will definitely lie to push sales.

[@SpinexF7]

bruh frilled lizards are expert level reptiles while ball pythons are begginer-intermediate, i hope that guy no longer sells reptiles

[@ocxanamasternak6128]

@@SpinexF7 To be fair he was quite young, maybe 14. I absolutely agree he either knew what he was saying was wrong or he really didn't know mucha about reptiles but in either case he shouldn't have been one of the ones selling to customers. The store is definitely still around and that's one of the reasons I don't usually stop at their table at repticon.

[@drozycoder2007]

Holy shit the zooms in and out. Really seems silly when you pay attention to them

[@drozycoder2007]

@cat snake that's why I said silly cause I knew someone would defend it if I said stupid or something instead. The fact that there's channels that do it worse doesn't matter, it doesn't make his look better.

[@Edgrrrr]

So should I buy it (Crested Gecko) at an expo or Petco/Petsmart? Idk any reptile store or breeder near me. I checked online and they’re all about 1 hour and a half away, I live in central new Jersey and can’t drive I’m 15 lol