NATIONAL REPTILE BREEDERS EXPO -- 2011

The old saying is: "Time flies when you are having fun".  Well, I don't know about the "fun" part, but I do know the older I get, it does seem that life is somehow speeding up.

It was a week ago today that I returned from my four-day trip to Florida.  It's an annual trip; to attend the National Reptile Breeders Expo in Daytona Beach  & pay a visit to my Mother in Wildwood, Florida.

I have to admit the "visit" is also a chance to ... check up on her.  Living so distant from each other, I often have to "assume" she is doing okay & "taking care of herself".  She's going to be 84 in a few weeks & she lives alone.  The visit with Hilda -- no matter how quick -- provides me some self assurance that she is in good health & not digressing into some old person, who's abnormalities will soon be appearing on some sort of low rated cable TV show.

 Not to worry.  All is okay in Wildwood.  Actually, despite the 20 year differences in our ages, I sometimes think Mom has more energy than me.  She informed me during our visit, she had booked airline tickets to go to England in a few weeks to visit her sister.  Also, she wants to come to Arkansas -- again -- for Christmas this year. What can I say ??  One member of the Burnett family sure likes to travel.

After my "inspection", it was off to Daytona Beach & the focus returning to reptiles by the thousands.

 The "host" hotel each year is the Hilton.  It's very nice, with all sorts of "resort" amenities.  I always enjoy staying there & it is the one time a year in which I do ... "bad things".  That would be eating all sorts of non-normal food -- think, scrambled eggs, sausage links & fried potatoes -- for breakfast each day, food not on my menu during the other 51 weeks, nor in my kitchen. [I do work out in the hotel fitness center each morning.]

 The beach & ocean were in fine form this year.  I spent Saturday morning at the beach, enjoying "Floridays -- blue sky's & ultra violet rays". [For those not hip to the fact ... "Floridays" is a Jimmy Buffett song.]

The Expo is held in the Ocean Center, which is the auditorium & convention complex directly across A1A from the Hilton.  In the photo above, the Expo is located in the back, center (huge) building.

 This year, there were over 500 vendors.  Some are major companies & many others, just hobbyists who raise reptiles & hope to make a few bucks by selling the offspring of the reptiles they breed. [No "wild caught" animals can be sold at the Expo.]

 With the large venue, there is plenty of room to look, browse & buy.

 For me, the Expo becomes a day & a half of walking ... looking ... walking ... & looking some more.  So much to see.  So many people to visit & talk with.

 Petsmart had a display, with a 'spin the wheel game' for a prize. They also gave out coupons for free live crickets at any of their stores.  I'll use the coupon -- for my geckos -- but I would have liked some off-price coupon for cat food. [That would be a different show.]

The Turtle Source is a high-end turtle breeder, which has a lot of quality animals, at those high-end prices.  Of all the animals I looked at for my time at this years Expo, this was the only seller who had a turtle I was interested in buying. However, the price -- $595.00 -- was a bit more than I wanted to pay.

 Exo-Terra -- a manufacturer of cages & reptile supplies -- had a very nice display & some interesting & informative people staffing it.

The baby turtles at this display are covered by a screen.  This helps prevent any "five-fingered discounts".

 I talk each year with the fella who sells the baby African tortoises shown above. I like his display because it keeps the tortoises active & "cute".  And if you buy a couple & raise them to adults -- so you can breed them & come to the Expo & sell the results -- consider the adult tortoises would be almost three foot long & weigh close to 100 pounds.  One reason I never buy any of these "cuties".

 Of course, the Expo has snakes.  Literally thousands are on display & for sale.  Most snake breeders are raising "color morphs" never found in the wild.  The more unique the color/pattern, the higher the price to buy one.  I just like to "look".

 More snakes.  Lots of albinos.

 The above are African Fat-Tailed Geckos.  They are a favorite of mine & at one time, I had a large breeding colony.  They are another reptile being raised with unique color variations & thus, unique price ranges to buy them.

As every year, for the past 20 years straight, I enjoyed my time at the National Reptile Breeders Expo. It's fun to see what is "new" & to visit with old friends & make new friends.

One thing different this year.  I didn't buy any animals to bring home with me.  Nothing stood out as a "must have".  So this year, my total expenses at the Expo itself totaled just $24.00. That's $20.00 for two books & $4.00 for a Cherry Coke in the food court. [It didn't taste that good.]

And for all those folks reading this, who hate snakes, find them scary & threatening & will run screaming at the sight of one: ENJOY !!