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Info Kalamazoo Reptile Show

jsrocket

jsrocket

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Went to this show. At the door, where you pay your $5 admission, there is a zit faced 15 year old boy, hocking American Alligators. "They are so cute", etc. WTF? Encouraging an impulse buy of a reptile that you will never be able to care for to adulthood?

I will NEVER attend, or support this show again. The Collison bunch can kiss my you know what...
 
oh jim, such an atrocious attitude will get you no where along with your lack of proof of your claims of "a zit faced 15 year old boy, hocking American Alligators. " You have enough posts on here to know that your claims will need to be back up with some kind of proof. Instead, you accuse my studliness of being some 15 y/o zit ridden kid. I think your thread here belongs in the trash along with your smug attitude, cheers!!
 
Jim Ritchie... if you want people to take you seriously I would try to be more professional. That being said roughly 2/3 of all of the reptile shows/expos Ive been to have had baby alligators for sale and use the same "cute" sales pitch. I dont agree with the practice and feel that 99% of people have no business ever owning an alligator. Ive been going to the Kalamazoo show for some time and have talked with the Collisons and done business with them. Tony and Kari are both very professional, friendly, good hearted people.

I will continue to go to the show, vend there, and do business with the Collisons.
 
I also go to the Kalamazoo show. It isn't a bad place to go. It isn't that big and some of the reptiles are a bit pricey but it isn't a bad place at all. Also, that 15 year old kid isn't always at the door "hocking" gators to everyone. Also, anyone with commone sense isn't going to buy a gator because they know what it will grow to be. I don't see anything wrong with the show and I have done business there as well. They have a lot of decent animals at the show. I will keep going to the show.
 
Morelia4life said:
I also go to the Kalamazoo show. It isn't a bad place to go. It isn't that big and some of the reptiles are a bit pricey but it isn't a bad place at all. Also, that 15 year old kid isn't always at the door "hocking" gators to everyone. Also, anyone with commone sense isn't going to buy a gator because they know what it will grow to be. I don't see anything wrong with the show and I have done business there as well. They have a lot of decent animals at the show. I will keep going to the show.
Click to expand...

That's exactly the problem. They end up in the hands of people with no common sense. More bad press, more ridiculous laws...... the world keeps turning.
 
garweft said:
That's exactly the problem. They end up in the hands of people with no common sense. More bad press, more ridiculous laws...... the world keeps turning.
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Yeah, you hit that one dead on. I swear, this hobby needs reptile police or something. It is sad that people care more about a dollar then they care about people being able to properly care for reptiles.
 
Morelia4life said:
anyone with commone sense isn't going to buy a gator because they know what it will grow to be.
Click to expand...

garweft said:
That's exactly the problem. They end up in the hands of people with no common sense. More bad press, more ridiculous laws...... the world keeps turning.
Click to expand...
Hmmm - that seems to be an awfully broad stroke to use. I used to have a number of crocodilians. Could it be that I have no common sense?

I do understand the point...but let's keep this on the subject of the Kalamazoo show. If Jim Ritchie doesn't want to support the show for whatever reason - that is his option.
Personally, I don't find the age, skin condition, hair length, race, etc of the various people to be of much importance. Alligators being available? :shrug01: I lived in that house, I'm in no position to cast those stones. Irresponsible behavior on the part of the vendor, or the person he had helping? Perhaps, but this is by no means a rare situation.
Of course, one could always take up the sword and fight ignorance with education - whether it be about the size and relative lack of pet qualities (in some people's opinions) of alligators...or even about acne treatment, if the zits are truely that disturbing.
 
You have tons of common sense Harald. Anyways, enough sucking up. Back to the point. If he doesn't want to go to the show anymore then.... Ok?? One person isn't going to make or break the expo. Sorry you had a bad experience. Next...
 
This is what i see as SAD. "he" had a bad experience, or "they are not att eh fornt door at every show". Must have flew over everyone heads. Pretty easy to see his point. Letting young teens "hock" baby gators right at the entrance. Sorry, but you don't have to be a scientist to see with all the bad press, that this is a DUMB move. Put another log on the fire. For what $30 profit and another animal that will be dumped baout 5-6 times (if it's lucky) before it's 3 years old.
 
What's also a dumb move, is to accept at face value that Jim knows the age of the "kid" at the door. 15 could be thrown out there for shock value. Unless Jim posts proof that this kid is 15, and he's the one selling the gator's, then all this post does is show how immature Jim is.

The "kid" at the door could have been in his 20's, and just had the gator out on display. Then what? Is Jim saying that an adult in his 20's can't have proper husbandry for an alligator?
 
Utta said:
What's also a dumb move, is to accept at face value that Jim knows the age of the "kid" at the door. 15 could be thrown out there for shock value. Unless Jim posts proof that this kid is 15, and he's the one selling the gator's, then all this thread does is show how immature Jim is.

The "kid" at the door could have been in his 20's, and just had the gator out on display. Then what? Is Jim saying that an adult in his 20's can't have proper husbandry for an alligator?
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Apologies for the typo.
 
To be honest Ive never actually seen alligators for sale at the show. I go there almost every month and I do see a small alligator at the admission booth that is on display. Maybe there were alligators for sale when Jim went but it isn't a common practice.
 
gonna take a trip there next month and see first hand for myself....I know a few people and vendors there and they know me......the thread should not have even been started with out any proof....this is all just a bunch of hearsay....but then the public demands that people like Jimmy start doo doo
I have a zit.......does that make me zitfaced....I vend at taylor.....come state your opinions to me and my buddy Dave
 
Been to the Kalamazoo show once. Very disappointing for a several hour drive. Very few vendors, but don't recall any gators being offered. I agree go to the Taylor show and if ya do stop by my table as well and give your opinion.
 
I have no proof the guy was EXACTLY 15. He may have been 14 or a young looking 20 year old. I estimated his age.

Nobody is denying this occurred, and if it hadn't, I would not have written it.

I have also done business with the Collisons, and always found them basically fair, I just think it is very bad form to be pushing baby alligators at the door, in hopes of an impulse buy.

And, Harald, I think we would all agree that you would be the exception to the rule on commitment to care of gators in the LONG run. If someone really wants a gator, and is prepared for the long term care of one, they will easily acquire one without it being pushed in their face at a reptile show.
 
Morph2187 said:
To be honest Ive never actually seen alligators for sale at the show. I go there almost every month and I do see a small alligator at the admission booth that is on display. Maybe there were alligators for sale when Jim went but it isn't a common practice.
Click to expand...

This is entirely possible, but there was definitely a teenage male pushing baby gators at the door when I was there.
 
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