Looks like Repticon is limiting sand boa dealers now.
http://www.iherp.com/Public/Blog/Detail.aspx?UID=96946
Sadly, they also just recently started limiting rodent dealers as well. For the past several years, I've ALWAYS purchased my feeder rodents from Ted Williams with Raging Rodents. He always has the sizes I need, at a price that's more than competitive. Heck, if he didn't have exactly what I needed, I've literally watched him go over to another vendor, and BUY what it was I needed, just to make sure he had a happy customer. However, starting at the Atlanta Repticon show, Ted was no longer allowed to sell frozen rodents because Mice Direct has some exclusivity clause. (It may actually have been before Atlanta, that was just the first show I went to and noticed he wasn't there.) So, I was dismayed that I couldn't support the business that I had been thrilled to be supporting for quite some time. But I decided I would at least give Mice Direct a shot, and went and checked out their tables. Not only were their prices significantly higher than Raging Rodents (not to mention some of the other vendors usually there as well), but they didn't even have Rabbits. I don't use a lot of rabbits, but I've NEVER had an issue getting them at a show before. So, needless to say, I left that show a little more than disappointed.
This is pulled directly off of Repticon's site (under Vendor Rules)
"Frozen Rodents: Mice Direct is the exclusive provider of frozen rodents at all Repticon shows. No other vendor may offer frozen rodents, promote frozen rodent sales, or bring a freezer into any Repticon show without the approval of Mice Direct."
So, is Mice Direct running Repticon now? Why in the world would a rodent business have to get permission from Mice Direct to be a vendor? Their table money isn't going to Mice Direct, it's going to Repticon, right? Certainly sounds like the result of some kind of back room, shady dealings. It's bad enough that (in my opinion) Repticon shows have been steadily going down hill for the past couple years. But now they're running out locally owned small businesses that are located closely to some of their shows? Why? Is Mice Direct worried about a little healthy competition? I guess Repticon should just go ahead and sign some exclusivity deals on Ball Pythons, Bearded Dragons, and Leopard Geckos too. I mean really, why not go ahead and have an exclusive provider for ALL the major pet reptile species.
Don't get me wrong, I understand wanting to make sure your shows are covered when it comes to feeders (or sand boas, or whatever else) but wouldn't it stand to reason that if they opened the playing field, coverage wouldn't be an issue in the first place? I know at the Columbia SC Repticon show in....2010 I believe...there were like 6 or 7 frozen rodent vendors there. ALL of which, seemed to be making a good deal of money, and had a pretty steady customer flow. It seems like a boneheaded business move on Repticon's part (unless Mice Direct is paying them some large sum of money to maintain their contract). Think about it, 4 or 5 rodent vendors, each paying for lets say a minimum of 2 tables a piece? In ADDITION to the tables Mice Direct would already be paying for. You're looking at 8+ tables, and around $650. I'm not naive enough to think that Repticon is going to make it or break it on $650. But I'm also not stupid enough to turn down any extra money coming my way, OR the opportunity to serve a larger client base.
Now, again, they're a private business, and they can run their shows however they want to. I however, will take my money elsewhere.
