• 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....

Bad Guy Repticon- Friend or Foe to the Reptile Industry?

statecollegeherps said:
REPTICON Aint got nothing on the Daytona Intl Show!!!!
Click to expand...

I have to disagree there. I go to the repticon show in Timonium (baltimore) Maryland every year and this past year I went down to Daytona. I scrimped and saved to go to the "greatest" reptile show and I was HUGELY dissapointed. Nothing special at that show for sure. It was big..but blah. I found much more interesting and much better prices at the local Repticon!
 
Tara,

Last year was the first year for a Repti-con show at Timonium, but you are right about them having better prices from some of their vendors.

I think Repti-con puts on a good Reptile show, when it is just that. I have heard bad things about the ones they piggy back on with the pet expos, they should just drop those and concentrate on straight up reptile shows.

They will be back in Baltimore for 2 shows this year now that there is no more MARS... in Baltimore. This area needs someone like Repti-con to come in and put on a few good shows to CLEAN-UP the show circuit from the few 12 vendor, 100 people thru the door venues that seem to plague this area.

Repti-con is a friend in this neck of the woods. If they can put on a good, clean show, with quality vendors and animals im all for it.
 
whippet said:
I have to disagree there. I go to the repticon show in Timonium (baltimore) Maryland every year and this past year I went down to Daytona. I scrimped and saved to go to the "greatest" reptile show and I was HUGELY dissapointed. Nothing special at that show for sure. It was big..but blah. I found much more interesting and much better prices at the local Repticon!
Click to expand...

I agree. The NRBE in Daytona is nowhere near where it used to be. The times I went in 2008 and 2010 were fairly disappointing from the times I went over a decade back when it was in Tampa.

And when I was reading comments on how much Repticon charged for their tables, I almost laughed. I've seen better prices at small local shows, but Repticon's $95 to NRBE's $300? And according to Wayne Hill, one is "privileged" to pay that 300 to vend at the so-called "largest reptile expo in the world." Baloney. I'd rather pay the same amount of money to vend at 3 different Repticons in Florida than vend at Daytona.

The NRBE's day in the sun has set, mostly due to the recent legislative changes in the state, but also to the show's coordinator lofty attitude, and other prominent shows like the NRABC is rivaling it for size and quality.
 
I dont feel that $95 is that bad for a table at Repti-con. The smaller shows in this area may only charge $35-50 per table, but like I said before, they are held in sub-standard buildings, are poorly advertised and promoted, attract a handful of vendors, and even a smaller amount of patrons.

For $95 a table, you get alot more bang for your buck in my opinion. Better venues, more advertisement etc.. Repti-con also offers tablr discounts (4-$250), you cant really beat that in my opinion.

As a buyer, I welcome Repti-con to my area
 
MDC_Ophiuchus said:
I agree. The NRBE in Daytona is nowhere near where it used to be. The times I went in 2008 and 2010 were fairly disappointing from the times I went over a decade back when it was in Tampa.

And when I was reading comments on how much Repticon charged for their tables, I almost laughed. I've seen better prices at small local shows, but Repticon's $95 to NRBE's $300? And according to Wayne Hill, one is "privileged" to pay that 300 to vend at the so-called "largest reptile expo in the world." Baloney. I'd rather pay the same amount of money to vend at 3 different Repticons in Florida than vend at Daytona.

The NRBE's day in the sun has set, mostly due to the recent legislative changes in the state, but also to the show's coordinator lofty attitude, and other prominent shows like the NRABC is rivaling it for size and quality.
Click to expand...

The NRBE was NEVER in Tampa.
 
I prefer Repticon over NRBE, mostly because the environment and less congestion in traffic and people attending. They both are great but I fell Repticon is where I am most comfortable.
 
I honestly believe both parties need to move on. There is enough room in this world for as many shows/expos as anyone wants to start. When you open a business, there will ALWAYS be competition. If you can't handle it then (sorry to say) opening a business just isn't the place for you. Everyone will always try to be on top and that's life, just make due and be the better one. I'm not picking sides or saying who is better, just simple facts that any businessman should know. Hope things work out for both parties.
 
MDC_Ophiuchus said:
Well, mercy me, my argument has been blown to smithereens. :rolleyes:

Forgive me...wherever it was in the mid-90s, it was still better at that time then it is now.
Click to expand...

The NRBE show was in Orlando at the Twin Towers prior to relocating to Daytona Beach.
 
Yaz,

I agree with you that there is always plenty of room in the world for someone to start as many shows as they want to, and with any business a little competition is good. I do also realize that in some parts of the country there are less shows available, and possibly a need for more. HOWEVER..........

On the East coast, especially the Tri-state area (Md, Pa, Va), it has been taken over and completely over run with shows. There is no need for anymore. Basically if you attended all these shows, it could be one or possibly even two every weekend. Most are within only a few hours of each other, therefore you generally see the majority of the same vendors and same faces at each show. Vendors have to do twice as many little shows to equal one good show.

I can remember when the Mid-Atlantic show was one of the premier shows around, vendors from all over would come to set up (including the webslave), and it was a great, jam packed, kick butt show. But as time went by, and more and more shows popped up, vendors didnt have to travel as much to do a show, and the Mid-Atlantic slowly went from being an Icon in the industry to a typical run of the mill show that was hardly worth attending much less vending. It no longer exists.

So, as a business owner I am all up for competition, but when the competition gets to be to extreme, the industry is what suffers in the end
 
serena wise said:
I dont feel that $95 is that bad for a table at Repti-con. The smaller shows in this area may only charge $35-50 per table, but like I said before, they are held in sub-standard buildings, are poorly advertised and promoted, attract a handful of vendors, and even a smaller amount of patrons.

For $95 a table, you get alot more bang for your buck in my opinion. Better venues, more advertisement etc.. Repti-con also offers tablr discounts (4-$250), you cant really beat that in my opinion.

As a buyer, I welcome Repti-con to my area
Click to expand...

Serena you are 100% right.

Baltimore is well within driving distance for a lot of people (Baltimore, Columbia, DC, Rockville, NoVa, etc etc). I briefly read what the Repticon guy wrote in this thread but he appears to be serious... so I bet he has the numbers on the amount of people in the markets that are within the range of the Baltimore Repticon show. I have not gone to a reptile show in the past three or four years but I think I am going to attend this show in Baltimore next month.

Sad to learn that MARS is gone... but as we learned in school: "Nature abhors a vacuum."
 
I was a vendor at the first Repti-con show in Baltimore last year and was happy with the end result of the show. I did hear that some of the vendors, especially some of the southern vendors did not do as well as anticipated.

Take into consideration it was the first repti-con show in the area, it was held in May (not a whole left for sale or available in May if your a breeder). So hopefully this years May show might be a little bit better for everyone. Another benefit will be the October show this year. It should be a good one since MARS wont be having their September show.

I look forward to vending again this year
 
More shows equals more growth in our beloved industry, and increases local commerce in general. I hope both shows that weekend (Charleston and Myrtle Beach) have a fabulous turnout.

Joel Ebarb
Northwest Reptile Expos
Portland, OR & Seattle, WA
NWReptileExpos.com
 
Nothing for nothing but I've heard REPTICON referenced in a movie called "THE SASQUATCH GANG". You know you've made it when your dialogue in a movie. Repticon rocks balls and will only become more popular and well known in the industry.
 
Yeah, I have been told by several larger vendors at other shows that MARS is done as well. Not sure how true it is, but did check their site, and it does say no shows sceduled for this year.
 
Thanks Serena. :) I also agree that when businesses have too much competition all of them end up suffering in some way or another. Hope things work out for the best.
 
Back
Top