• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

REPTICON / Super Pet Expo (NOT GOOD)

Since when is 'several' different than 3?

To say that there were more vendors at the 3rd show than the 1st is an absolute farce.

I was there for the Gila Productions show in October of 2003 and that show put to shame any Repticon show in Tallahassee, period. That show in what I'm guessing was April of 2004 was decent, but the one last year was a complete abysmal joke.

You can say what you wish, but that show had about 10 vendors, and was dead. I couldn't believe that I actually spent $10 to get into that show. The only two vendors I can even remember were Bay Area Reptiles (lmao) and Northwest Florida Herp---and those guys own a pet shop over on Tharpe. Bay Area had a sizeable table---and that was about it.

Honestly, you're doing a great disservice to the herp industry by putting on shows with 10 vendors. Either drastically increase the number of vendors or stop putting on the shows. You single handedly forced the Gila Productions show out of Tallahassee because of how crappy the Repticon shows did. People expected the Gila show to be the same so they opted to stop coming.
 
I don't see how that really pertains to this thread Cathy. Maybe if Matt was the only one with anything negative to say I could see why you would want to discredit his info based on his other problems. But, there are many others here who have posted a negative experience with repticon shows.

Are you going to try and deflect the focus of what they had to say by digging up dirt on them as well? :(
 
No Not at All Sam... What I have a problem with is him coming here and posting his LIES. Even though some of what he was the trueth like, he was in Atlanta, he did make $300 before he left Sat, there were 2 missing vendors in Atlanta and Billy did call him a name, but the rest was nothing but lies..

We would like to thank the rest of you for posting and we are taking steps to makesure that the up comming Orlando Show and the March Chantilly VA show and the Spartanburg SC Show are quality shows!
 
In those steps that you are taking.... I would suggest that you have someone on staff in their "bright yellow" shirts to actually look at what is being put on the tables. That person or persons should make sure that the animals are in good condition before they are brought in for sale.


Just a piece of advice that may help your image.


What you tolerate is what you will become.
 
Cathy you can bring up all the old dirt you want to. Fact is that I paid for the loss of both of those animals. So what is the big deal. All of my animals are healthy and are well taken care of. Those animals are mishaps and are not my fault. It is merely shipping errors and was out of my hands. I refunded both of those snakes. You might want to refund some money to the people walking through for your dead shows. You are robbing them blind.
About me not being behind my tables??!?!?!? Anyone who knows me knows that I buy a lot of animals from other vender's for the purpose of resale and I am always looking for a deal. I always have knowledgeable staff behind my tables to take care of customers. It wouldn't matter anyway no one was buying anything at your kiddy show anyhow. BTW, Tom Marino is never behind his 15 tables, you wouldn't say this about him.
Tina. I did do the Fort Myers show. I vended next to Nick Mole with fcreptiles. We played quarters the second day because of the severe lack of attendees. He paid 50 dollars for 2 tables and I paid 165 for my two tables?!?!?!?

GILA PRODUCTIONS RULE !?!?!?!?!?!?!
Matt White
706 888 6287
 
Matt, seriously...Don't rag on the shows because you got mad in Atlanta. 1) Plenty of people sold animals and made money at the show - just not you, I guess 2) Tom Marino was behind his table the majority of the time 3) If you are so against Repticon shows, then why have you done so many????

No one forced you to do the show, and no one forced you to leave. You took it upon yourself to be there, and to exit. Just let it all go and enjoy the shows put on by Gila Productions. I'm sure no feelings will be hurt.

Everyone always feels the need to rag on a show when they don't make any money. My wife and I do shows because we love reptiles, we love the people, and we have loads of fun, money or not!

As for the NJ show...that was the first time Repticon brought their name up north. I'm sure every promoter has a bad show, especially when they are not an established name in that area. How many people go to the movie theater and ask for a refund because the movie sucked? My guess is not many.

Anyone who wants to see some photos of the Repticon show in Atlanta go to
www.imageevent.com/wncherps/atlantareptileshow

Just my 2cents

SAL @ WNCHerps
 
idioteque4444 said:
As for the NJ show...that was the first time Repticon brought their name up north. I'm sure every promoter has a bad show, especially when they are not an established name in that area. How many people go to the movie theater and ask for a refund because the movie sucked? My guess is not many.

Just my 2cents

SAL @ WNCHerps
Click to expand...

Let me ask you this, if you went to the movies and after the first preview they turned the lights on in the theater and the screen went blank, would you be happy? Well, that's what the NJ show was like for those of us that paid to see a show that advertised "shop from thousands of reptiles"... :rolleyes:
 
billy, I'm getting my $12 back, period.

If I don't get a refund I will make it my personal mission to picket outside your next show with as many other ripped off forum members as there are in the tri state area. If it costs me a thousand dollars to get back the $12 I was swindled out of, then so be it.
 
Wasn't there a big controversy over a show Repticon put on in Nashville some time ago? It sounds like RetiCON is a good moniker for these charlatans!
 
You deserve that money back Bryan. Dont rest until you get it back. You might be able to sue them for false advertising???
Matt White
 
Mattsgecko said:
You deserve that money back Bryan. Dont rest until you get it back. You might be able to sue them for false advertising???
Matt White
Click to expand...

Sue what? Nothing gets you Nothing! LOL...
 
I wanted to follow up to let everone know that I was offered & accepted a full refund from Billy @ REPTICON.. Which i thought was very admirable of him... Although, i still would not attend another REPTICON event..

I also sent an eMail to the people who run The Super Pet Expo who had a somewhat different take on the days events.. Below is a copy of the eMail i received from James Christopher.. Apparently he feels they did "OK" with the reptile portion of the New Jersey show??

What I am having trouble understanding is how the vendors did "VERY WELL" selling animals... Considering that there were only 2 vendors and they had no animals for sale???

I am thinking maybe James was not there?? :confused:

~ Mike Russo


Mr. Russo:
Thank you for taking the time to write to us. I know the Exotic Expo was very small and, being our first year having a reptile section, I feel we did OK. They exhibitors were very happy with the crowds and they did very well selling animals, etc.

Unfortunately we do not offer refunds but I would be happy to send you complimentary passes to next year’s show. Please pass along your address and I will send them to you.

James Christopher

301-564-4050
[email protected]
www.SuperPetExpo.com
 
Doomtrooper said:
The repticon show In Raleigh was a total waste of Time and money .. I asked for my money back and they said no !
Click to expand...

This show is always bad. IMO. And we found many snakes with mites the very first two times we sent. And they were on Sunglows back when the going price was around $800.

3 times I went there and will never go again.
 
I have been vending Repticon shows in South Florida for the past (4) years. The major problem with their shows is that they:

1. Have way to many shows, sometimes 3-4 per year at the same venue.
2. They charge to much for admission
3. They do not advertise to appropriate crowds, (I have seen more families attending recently that don't have a clue about Reptiles, they thought it was going to be a large petting zoo).
4. Some of their employees are great however, some of their employees are freakin clueless...No returned calls, No return emails, Can't book a reservation and usually find a way to screw something up!

Other than that...I think Shows are a thing of the past. Buyers are not saving their money to go to the shows like they did in years past. They go on facebook and bid on auctions now. Times have changed, It sucks, but its the truth!
 
I went to one show in Baltimore a few years back. It was terrible. I'm a turtle guy. There was 1 snapper and 1 sulcatta...that's it. There was a guy selling windows and another selling bathtubs at the show...unbelievable.
 
Same story @ their Omaha / Council Bluffs show recently! The wife and I paid the $10 each to get in the door and they had (3) vendors there! Total waste of my time and money! I could have went to PetCo and seen more selection of reptiles! Being a boa breeder in that local area, I didnt even know there was a show until a few days before! Piss poor!

Jeff Kuhl
Kuhl Exotics
 
Get Sum said:
I think Shows are a thing of the past. Buyers are not saving their money to go to the shows like they did in years past. They go on facebook and bid on auctions now. Times have changed, It sucks, but its the truth!
Click to expand...
This is true for more than just the reptile industry.

At most expos/shows these days - gun shows, HAM/Radio shows, motorcycle shows - the few attendees who do show up walk around with their smart phones comparing online/auction prices, where even with shipping and/or transfer fees they can buy stuff for $100 less than the marked prices on the tables. As a vendor why even bother setting up a table in that environment?

On top of that, with reptiles you have to deal with stressed animals, quarantining your for-sale animals from your holdbacks and breeders, and even mites when you go home. It's easier to just advertise online and ship.
 
Hmmm..

bcr229 said:
This is true for more than just the reptile industry.

At most expos/shows these days - gun shows, HAM/Radio shows, motorcycle shows - the few attendees who do show up walk around with their smart phones comparing online/auction prices, where even with shipping and/or transfer fees they can buy stuff for $100 less than the marked prices on the tables. As a vendor why even bother setting up a table in that environment?

On top of that, with reptiles you have to deal with stressed animals, quarantining your for-sale animals from your holdbacks and breeders, and even mites when you go home. It's easier to just advertise online and ship.
Click to expand...

It's pretty darn hard to have an animal contract something from a show if you follow certain protocol. 1. My enclosures our heated, 2. People do not bring their animals near my table, I won't allow it, 3. I will not set-up anywhere near anybody I do not know extremely well, 4. Use lots of hand sanitizer and only allow those looking to purchase to hold animals. I have no-problem handling this in a tactful way. Just ask them, "Are you seriously considering purchasing that animal or do you just want to hold it because it looks cool"? & "For the safety of the animals, I do not take them out of the displays for others to hold, only to be examined at point of sale".

Most (buyers) completely understand and actually appreciate that approach. It's only those that just want to hold something at every table that get upset.
 
Back
Top