# Classifieds > Testimonials >  Hamburg Reptile Expo

## Deku

Okay so I didnt know where to post this so I figured why not here. 
I have been trying to wonder what does this expo ussually carry. Like what types of amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates can I expect to find here? More importantly...

Which is the best vendor to go to for frogs and toads? 
I imagine they sell turtles here too. So I was wondering if they ever sell 3stripped mud turtles. 

Also what kind of equipment can I hope to find here? Like cages and such. Are expo animals and equipment cheaper than stores?

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## Deku

This literary is my first reptile expo. So I want to get filled in on all the details of what I should expect to find here and what I should do. Can I bring my own food  just in case or can I expect to find a court in there? Also, do they accept credit cards? How much money would you say I should bring? I was hoping to get either a couple of toads or a couple of treefrogs and I wish to find a stripped mud turtle. Have been looking for them like crazy!

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## Kurt

OK this will be my second time at Hamburg and just to let you know it is a lot different than any other show I have been too. First of all venomous snakes are for sale. Its really cool to see mambas, rattlesnakes, vipers, and cobras for sale in deli cups! Second we saw ****-loads of baby turtles for sale. Some where cheap (Florida soft-shells, RES, painted turtles and so on), others not so much (Chinese box turtles come to mind).  
There is (people) food available on the site. 
Here is the vendor list for the show - http://hamburgreptileshow.com/index....pper&Itemid=73 The dealer tables I plan on hitting are Glades, Rainforest Junky's, Frogs n Things, Josh's frogs, Above Average Amphibians, Heath's Frog Farm, and Komodo Reptiles. Things are genrally cheaper at shows than they are at pet stores and for the most part the vendors and breeders you are buying from know what they are talking about. Keep in mind some vendors accept credit cards and some don't. If they accept them on their web site, chances are they will at the show as well. As to what you will find, just click on the vendors links above. Glades currently has marine, rococo, Colorado River, southern, oak, and smooth-sided toads listed for sale on their site. For the most part they are all wild caught, but Glades has a very good reputation. They also have CB striped mud turtles listed for $35, only two left. I would expect them to be tiny. 
Know your state laws before making any purchases. 


There will also be vendors that sell supplies exclusively. Komodo, for instance, sells loads of feeder insects of all types.

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## Deku

Im trying to think what I would get. Honestly Iam thinking about just reading up a TON of reptiles and amphibians before going there. Im thinking I may bring 200bucks just in case. Cause if I dont find anything good I could always get a pair of geckos(my friends been nudging me to get some hes a gecko authority in canada XD). I was thinking of trying to look for: oak toads, southern toads, smooth sideds, etc. I would love to see chorus frogs. In fact if I can even atleast see one  up close id be in froggy heaven. XDD I love their tunes. Im also going to check out the lizards. Here is what I will be looking for:
-Turtles<---Defenitely I have more than enough space in my 55g which Iam upgrading in a year or so to 130. 


-Toads, tree frogs and just frogs.
-Geckos: Crested geckos(Halloween morph), day gecko, house geckos
-Lizards:Skinks, assorteds


If I still by this time have enough money which I should cause iam only buying 2-4 animals most. Then I will head off save some moolah for food. And whatever is rest I will try to get equipments. if these people sell plants I will obviously buy some. Or if they sell "terrarium" backgrounds, I would also like to buy some. 

In general the animals that I look for is something that seems "personable". Iam interested in the oak toads because they are so small that I could keep a few in my tank with great ease. Down sides is I will have to probably find  fruit flies. I hate, with a burning passion fruit flies. Reason being is that Iam extremely clumsy.  Bought a batches once. Let them all loose by accident when trying to open container. Parents got ultra mad and screamed off their lungs saying NO MORE FLIES! 

If they sell grasshoppers, locusts, butterworms. Iam DEFENITELY bringing some for my turtle. Itll be her little gift. XD I would love to find medicines for frogs over there too. I wanna find parasites and protozoan meds so I can possibly use them as preventative on  my turtle to make sure. 
Three years ago I wanted southern toads, but didnt know much about em. More information surfaced and as it turns out they are shy as hell. Worse than my toad I heard. I really couldnt own something like that. xD I want something with atleast some personality. Like my toad is sassy but she still has a bit of personality. Even my treefrog. I never personally seen an oak toad so I will be happy. But I saw a picture of them. So I can say they are cute as a button! 

I k now IAm ranting but yeah I am overly excited. I just posted up some video games for sale so I should have atleast enough money for the expo!  :Big Grin:

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## Deku

OMFG I just looked them up, I was wowed. I youtubed them, they are cute as a button! Absolutely adorable! And their call is pretty sweet. Turns out their diurnal. SO leads me to question. How long can they live? How much can they go for and glades wouldnt sell me one thats over 1 or 2 years old right? Cause thats kinda unfair. xD

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## Kurt

If they are wild caught there is really no way of know the exact age of the animal.

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## Deku

> If they are wild caught there is really no way of know the exact age of the animal.


Would it be a good idea to try to breed them? Is it hard to breed these toads? I guess the only way to tell age is if they have smaller oak toads. Ill buy the smaller they have. If thats possible. But now my rationality is making me fearful. Small animal means its more fragile,  in the sense it could easily die from stress factors and such.

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## Kurt

I have never bred Bufonids, so I can't advise you there. And not all small frogs are so delicate. _Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis_ have a tendency to be real hardy as do most Bufonids.

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## Deku

> I have never bred Bufonids, so I can't advise you there. And not all small frogs are so delicate. _Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis_ have a tendency to be real hardy as do most Bufonids.


I will try to breed them. Hopefully if they lay eggs. Will you help me along the process that I could never accomplish? I grew tadpoles but when they were toadlets I put them in a large jar with a damp towel as a bottom so I can easily clean it and they can see their food easier. They never ate it. Few days later they all died off. :[

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## Deku

BTW! I got a few more  questions reguarding this festival( i call it that cause its a happy time for us all). What kinds of snakes will I be able to see? See I love snakes by my dad is a big panzee and is afraid of snakes and would NEVER in the world EVER allow me to keep one in our house. But I atleast wanted to see some upclose. It would make me mighty fine happy. Also, reguarding lizards. Any idea if they carry skinks?Like pacific blue tailed skinks? Always wanted to see one upclose. Where I lived in puertorico we used to see occassionally something that looked like a tegu/skink. It was 1-3feet long ussually. I cant remember but it was BIG it was brown colored and it looked like an armadillo. Like the skin. Like  not the body just the skin. I dont know what it was. Cause I used to see it around my house over there and they would always run away fast. I was afraid to get bit cause i was only 10. But it was cool. I wanted to know what heck it is. Anywho anywho. So I get that glades is the best frog seller as well is josh. But does anyone know whose a good reputable turtle seller? And skink seller? Iam planning on getting one or two muds or musks. I definetely want captive bred turtles. No wild ones. Iam strictly against taking wild turtles for obvious reasons(they actually seem to be depressed in tanks, they may die easy, etc) 
Also I think with luck Iam planning to become the first toad breeder eventually. Im thinking when I learn more and more and m ore to the point that Iam an "expert" like kurt or john. xD I just wanna be a toad expert. Thatd be nice.

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## Kurt

Hit the books then!

As to what you will see? Glades stock usually refects whats availble at most shows. For snakes you will see anything frog corn snakes to cobras. Pythons to vipers. California kingsnakes to copperheads. The most commonly captive bred snakes are corn snakes, California kingsnakes, milk snakes (sinaloan, Honduran, & Nelson's), Boa constictors, ball pythons, burmese pythons, rosy boas, Kenyan sand boas, & western hognose snakes. Commonly seen CB lizards are leopard geckos, bearded dragons, and crested geckos. For skinks, most of which are wild caught, you are likely to see fire, blue-tongue, & Schneider's.

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## Deku

> Hit the books then!
> 
> As to what you will see? Glades stock usually refects whats availble at most shows. For snakes you will see anything frog corn snakes to cobras. Pythons to vipers. California kingsnakes to copperheads. The most commonly captive bred snakes are corn snakes, California kingsnakes, milk snakes (sinaloan, Honduran, & Nelson's), Boa constictors, ball pythons, burmese pythons, rosy boas, Kenyan sand boas, & western hognose snakes. Commonly seen CB lizards are leopard geckos, bearded dragons, and crested geckos. For skinks, most of which are wild caught, you are likely to see fire, blue-tongue, & Schneider's.


I defenitely know that blue tongues are ussually captive bred. As for wild caught animals, hopefully they de-worm them and stuff. Cause itd be somewhat unfair to not do that. Idk itskinda of a personal opinion on that. xD I hope there are alot of frog breeders. Btw, if I want to buy frogs and toads and animals. When should I buy them? When I leave? Or like at the beginning? When I get them what should I do with them? I kinda dont want to just get there, get the animals and bolt. I wanted to go there get the animals, talk to some people, eat, look at more animals on display and sale, maybe buy some equipment and then leave. :U You know? Like be there for 2hours atleast. xD Or more. I wish I could see all my favorite animals. Like rococo toads, desert toads, toads in general, dart frogs and mantellas, rare treefrogs and frogs, tons of turtles, snakes, etc. Hopefully I can get what I want before anyone takes them all. XD Ima hit glades first, cause as of  now thatll be my first priority. I will be hitting books. Iam going to the library sometime this week, I have some books but I want to read as many as possible.

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## Kurt

I would bring a cooler or styroform box, especially if its a hot day. I would put a cool bottle in it before leaving the house. You want to keep amphibians cool for the trip home. If you have a therometer, but that in to monitor the temperature.

When you buy animals is up to you. You might want to walk around first and see who has what and what are they selling them for. Some of the rarer stuff you might want to buy immediately. I usually buy from certain vendors and generally buy immediately. I know what I am looking for and know what to pay for it. I plan on paying between $25 & $35 for clown treefrogs, around $10 or $15 for western green toads, and $45 for marbled newts.

 Most of the amphibian breeders will be selling mostly darts. Some will be selling red-eyes, various kinds of monkeys, and in the case of Michael Schrom, newts and salamanders. But like I said the majority of CB amphibians will be dart frogs.

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## Deku

> I would bring a cooler or styroform box, especially if its a hot day. I would put a cool bottle in it before leaving the house. You want to keep amphibians cool for the trip home. If you have a therometer, but that in to monitor the temperature.
> 
> When you buy animals is up to you. You might want to walk around first and see who has what and what are they selling them for. Some of the rarer stuff you might want to buy immediately. I usually buy from certain vendors and generally buy immediately. I know what I am looking for and know what to pay for it. I plan on paying between $25 & $35 for clown treefrogs, around $10 or $15 for western green toads, and $45 for marbled newts.
> 
>  Most of the amphibian breeders will be selling mostly darts. Some will be selling red-eyes, various kinds of monkeys, and in the case of Michael Schrom, newts and salamanders. But like I said the majority of CB amphibians will be dart frogs.


Hmm well, when you saw the little toads I mentioned earlier. Did you ever see the price? Or do you know their site so I can call them right away? Also, who mainly sells the turtles? I want to make sure I go to the toads first then the turtles. Which another question is. Can I put the turtle in the same cooler? Like if they are in those plastic containers and I try to put a "divider" could I put both in? Should I fill the cooler up with ice or something?

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## Deku

I finally found their site and checked the pricelist. They only have 10oak toads. D: Does th at mean by the time our festival comes they may not have any? D: They were cheap but yeah. So I saw the southern toads. I may look at care for them too just in case. But I really would like to stick to the oaks. They have a show in houston texas june 2. Oh wait nevermind XD I think that already passed. xDD Uhh but what if they get all bought before then? D: I also saw the stripped muds they were up for 35!  :Big Grin:  which is a good thing! Ima try to get a pair of them. They also have alot of other muds and musks. The oaks were up for 6bucks. Which is a steal! Btw, are oak toads found more in the southern regions? Or can they be found high up as close to new jersey? Im curious.

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## Deku

Also, my mom said she wants my terrarium and that I can get a new one soon(month or two). So when I get that larger terrarrium she wants to put in her potted plants in it. And a pair of singing frogs. Im thinking a green treefrog is hardiest and easiest? and wont trample her plants?  :] 
On a side note. Iam going to nyc. Going to the chinese district and then visiting the reptile exhibit they have at I think its a museum, or a zoo or something. xD Anyways Ima see if I can find a large attraction of that sort. Ill try to take some pictures of the frogs, treefrogs, toads, and other critters that I see. Post up good pics when I can and if you guys want to use em for anything. ;} 

Btw in the expo is there going to be national geographic photographers and people of that sort? :] I would so like to meet one.

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## Kurt

OK the oak toad's range stops in SE Virginia. Which is a good thing, because if it ranged into Pennsylvania they would not be able to bring them. It's illegal to seel native PA animals at the show.
You could e-mail Glades earlier in the week before the show to make sure they are bringing what you want. BTW their next show is June 5 & 6, basically next weekend.

Don't put ice in your cooler, just a bottle of cool tap water. You just want to keep them from over heating, not freeze them.

Whatever animal you buy will come in deli cups, so as long as the cooler is big enough for the all your deli cups to fit in, you will be fine. Leave the cooler in the car. Carrying it around the show will be a pain in the *** as the hall is usually quite crowded.

Last time I went I bought an albino Woodhouse's toad for $50. Sadly it died a month later.

That lizard and snake exhibit was a traveling exhibit by Clyde Peeling. It traveled all over the country and I saw it in Boston. My vet got to work on the mamba. The last exhibit that Clyde Peeling sent out was on frogs. I saw it in Boston's Museum of Science. Here is the link to his traveling exhibits - http://www.reptiland.com/exhibit.html

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## Deku

> OK the oak toad's range stops in SE Virginia. Which is a good thing, because if it ranged into Pennsylvania they would not be able to bring them. It's illegal to seel native PA animals at the show.
> You could e-mail Glades earlier in the week before the show to make sure they are bringing what you want. BTW their next show is June 5 & 6, basically next weekend.
> 
> Don't put ice in your cooler, just a bottle of cool tap water. You just want to keep them from over heating, not freeze them.
> 
> Whatever animal you buy will come in deli cups, so as long as the cooler is big enough for the all your deli cups to fit in, you will be fine. Leave the cooler in the car. Carrying it around the show will be a pain in the *** as the hall is usually quite crowded.
> 
> Last time I went I bought an albino Woodhouse's toad for $50. Sadly it died a month later.
> 
> That lizard and snake exhibit was a traveling exhibit by Clyde Peeling. It traveled all over the country and I saw it in Boston. My vet got to work on the mamba. The last exhibit that Clyde Peeling sent out was on frogs. I saw it in Boston's Museum of Science. Here is the link to his traveling exhibits - http://www.reptiland.com/exhibit.html


So we are going to have to keep the cooler in the car? Hmm I wanna get there as soon as it open(9am), will it be overcrowded then? D: I will have to push people to get what I want(not hard xD) Lol good thing Iam bulky. XDD Ill be the @$$ plowing through people, jk jk. Hopefully I dont get purposely pushed like in the mall. xD But yeah. Also is the stock in their site is that the stock they will be carrying? Because they dont have much in stock. So when it this weekend in texas prolly most of them will be gone. D: Ill be soo po'd if I cant find anything. Especially those 3stripped mud turtles. Iam like dying to get a pair. I do not want to go online and buy. Its pointless especially since one of them died a week later and never got replaced(long story). Hmm. Iam kinda worried. Dx because there will be aLOT of people. So what if they take all of what Iam looking for. Like what if someone gets greedy? Although I do have a large list. So if I cant find oak toads I still have back up plans. But yeh.

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## Kurt

Always have a back up plan and chill. Like I said there were ****loads of baby turtles for sale when last I went. I don't Glades will sell out of everything at the Texas show. I would e-mail them to make sure they actaully bring what you want to the show. If you don't they might not actually bring it, thinking no one will want these, so leave them home. Remember Glades is based in Florida, so they will not be bringing everything up with them.

If you get there first thing in the morning, chances are you will have to stand in line to get in. Definitely leave your cooler inside the trunk of your car. The place is tight and the cooler will just be in the way. If its a cool day, temps in the 60's or low 70's you may not even need one.

If you don't find what you want this time, keep in mind Hamburg is every other month. So come August there will be another show. Manchester on the other hand, is only twice a year.  :Frown:  There is also White Plains (NY) too.

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## Deku

> Always have a back up plan and chill. Like I said there were ****loads of baby turtles for sale when last I went. I don't Glades will sell out of everything at the Texas show. I would e-mail them to make sure they actaully bring what you want to the show. If you don't they might not actually bring it, thinking no one will want these, so leave them home. Remember Glades is based in Florida, so they will not be bringing everything up with them.
> 
> If you get there first thing in the morning, chances are you will have to stand in line to get in. Definitely leave your cooler inside the trunk of your car. The place is tight and the cooler will just be in the way. If its a cool day, temps in the 60's or low 70's you may not even need one.
> 
> If you don't find what you want this time, keep in mind Hamburg is every other month. So come August there will be another show. Manchester on the other hand, is only twice a year.  There is also White Plains (NY) too.


My dad is extremely old fashioned he would be screaming at me saying "muchacho tu estas loco!?" lololol. xD So Iam taking this as my last for a while. :P But if I can come in august if not to buy that would be great. I may just go buy cages, and supplies in august.

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## Kurt

Whats wrong with being crazy? Estamos todos un poco locos

White Plains is July 11 http://www.reptileexpo.com/nyfirst.htm

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## Deku

> Whats wrong with being crazy? Estamos todos un poco loco
> 
> White Plains is July 11 http://www.reptileexpo.com/nyfirst.htm


*cough* I took the S out of "locos" cause you say it with one. :P But good spanish! kids over here talk like their high when they try to speak it. It annoys me cause they do it purposely. xD  Anywho yeah I will check that one out too. xD But Iam hoping for this one. Btw have you ever seen childrens python for sale over here? Which would be a good snake breeder than handles a wide r ange of snakes? Sides glades. I wanna have opts. for everything. But if its a snake id rather it be  captive bred or captive born. Because c.b. and c.brn.  tend to fare well in captivity and also tend to be friendlier well ussually. xD  Oh you know whats funny? In my old store Idk wth happened but there was a pair of ball pythons and they were NASTY like they were the meanest ***tards ever! Like I got bit a few times just trying to clean the cage. They were aiming for the face too. Thank god I was  wearing a jacket. So I dont think these are "begginner" snakes like people say they are. :P I like the  milk snakes you know the ones t hat are red, and white patterend? Cause I like seeing patterns rather than just something allover the place like a corn snake. Though I do like corn snakes. Sadly generally snakes do nothing. Just sit there like a lump. Atleast when frogs and toads sit there like a lump its kinda cute and adorable. Though I do love the shape of the ball pythons head. It attracts me somewhat. when i used to buy reptiles and amphibians younger I used to go for shapes and color. Which was okay because it led me to a turtle. Which now I know they are one of the best pets for devoted people  and those who have time. Uhh anywho anywho. I hope I see alot of skinks too. I like the fire skinks but not as much as the blue tongues. I like the fire skinks bright red and black. And how it looks like a dragon. Like if you use your imagination, some animals can look like mythical creatures. Treefrog look like "guardians of the forest", like look at how they are built and colored. Idk about frogs. xD But uhh umm toads look like trolls to an extent. Anywho aare expos like the first hour every animal will be gone? I can see some greedy people out there that would buy like 5-9 diff animals at same time. xD 
Sorry I just woke up.

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## Kurt

There will be plenty of animals at the end of the day. At that time you may be able to talk a vendor down in price, so he doesn't have to take it back with him.

I can't tell you who to buy snakes from other than Glades. Most of my snakes came from private breeders and I am sure you will find a few of those at the show. Last time I was there I was talking to a breeder who was selling tri-color hognose snakes (_Lystrophis sp_.) and red-spotted vipers (_Protobothrops jerdonii_) that he bred in his bedroom. I bought my albino Nelson's milk snake at Hamburg.

Ball or royal pythons, _Python regius_ are generally very mild-mannered. Rarely do they bite. I don't recomend them because they can go off feed for no aparent reason. You will most likely see so high end balls for sale. A buddy of mine, Kevin McCurley breeds them. 

The best beginner snake, hands down, is the corn snake, _Pantherophis guttatus guttatus_. Easy dipostion, hardy, and a good eater. They come is a wide variety of colors and patterns. However they are illegal in NJ last time I checked.

Just to let you know, milk snakes, Lampropeltis triangulum ssp. are skittish by nature. Rarely will they be content to just sit in your hand, without trying to escape. Some can actually be quite bitey.

Yes, I have seen Children's pythons for sale. Personally I am not a fan of them. As they age the pattern fades, unlike the spotted whick keeps its pattern.

RIght now I have eight snakes, a coastal rosy boa, a spotted python, a sunbeam snake, a trinket snake, a striped California kingsnake, a Mexican black kingsnake, an eastern milk snake, and an albino Nelson's milk snake.

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## Deku

> There will be plenty of animals at the end of the day. At that time you may be able to talk a vendor down in price, so he doesn't have to take it back with him.
> 
> I can't tell you who to buy snakes from other than Glades. Most of my snakes came from private breeders and I am sure you will find a few of those at the show. Last time I was there I was talking to a breeder who was selling tri-color hognose snakes (_Lystrophis sp_.) and red-spotted vipers (_Protobothrops jerdonii_) that he bred in his bedroom. I bought my albino Nelson's milk snake at Hamburg.
> 
> Ball or royal pythons, _Python regius_ are generally very mild-mannered. Rarely do they bite. I don't recomend them because they can go off feed for no aparent reason. You will most likely see so high end balls for sale. A buddy of mine, Kevin McCurley breeds them. 
> 
> The best beginner snake, hands down, is the corn snake, _Pantherophis guttatus guttatus_. Easy dipostion, hardy, and a good eater. They come is a wide variety of colors and patterns. However they are illegal in NJ last time I checked.
> 
> Just to let you know, milk snakes, Lampropeltis triangulum ssp. are skittish by nature. Rarely will they be content to just sit in your hand, without trying to escape. Some can actually be quite bitey.
> ...


I know this will make me sound like a little kid. But uhh. Would the breeders let me pet them even if I dont buy them? :P I kinda always wanted to pet a python. I like how the scales of a snake feel on my hands. 
I wanna see tarantulas, even though I probably will never ever buy one for good reason. But I think some are pretty.

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## Kurt

There will be arachnids there as well. Don't know about petting though.

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## Deku

> There will be arachnids there as well. Don't know about petting though.


Yeah thought so.. xD I wanted to pet a snake or a blue tongue skink. Sooo badddddly. Dx This is going to sound wrong. xD But petting one felt soo good. Like the texture. Its leatherish/scale-ish

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## Kurt

Try working with crocs.  :Big Grin:

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## Deku

> Try working with crocs.


Hahaha hell no. xD Crazy b***ards would try to flip on me and try chomp me. :P

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