Anyone ever been to the All MD Reptile show?

[Miykael81]

So I am thinking of taking my son to the All MD Reptile show in Havre de-Grace MD. It seems like the location where the show is being held has this show almost every month.

This will be our first reptile show(my son is 4, almost 5).

Anyone have any experiences with this particular show? I am thinking about picking up a baby Leo when I go down and I am thinking of going to the November 6th show.

1) Do you think that there will be Leo breeders there?(this might be silly but I've never been to a show before).
2) Will there be anything particularly interesting for a child to do there? He loves holding snakes (but mommy says no way, so we can't bring any home )
3) Are there any supplies that I am better off picking up at a show vs online/retail?
4) Does anyone have any suggestions or sagely advise about these shows for a newcomer?

I am gonig to soon have the terrarium finished and tested for temps so that it is fully prepared before bringing home a new family member, so I figure I'll have most basic equipment already.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

 

[RAlbrecht]

This show isn't bad at all for a first time show... There will most likely be 2-3 Leopard Gecko Vendors and Max Pet (dry goods) is set up dead center. What I would suggest when looking around is to pick a larger gecko, instead of a itty bitty one. Some vendors will have leo's grouped up in one container and sell them for 2/$25... it sounds like a good deal but most of the time they don't last. A vendor/breeder that I could suggest for a Great Gecko is Jim Randolph, he has a lot of morphs and prices aren't bad at all. He will be the shorter guy with a pony tail and some crazy shirt on with a ton of leo's. Hope this helps

 

[Miykael81]

Thank you, this is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

Can you think of anything(products, accessories, tools, etc) that I would be best served getting at a show vs retail/online?

I plan to have the enclosure complete and tested for a few days(temps) PRIOR to getting a Leo, but I am coming back to reptiles after a LOONG break(I was a kid when i last kept reptiles) so a lot has changed. I have been keeping amphibians lately, which have far less heating/lighting requirements in general.

Also, about taking my son. Anything fun for kids to do there (other than obviously seeing all the reptiles). I know he will go crazy over seeing snakes and lizards up close, that is going to be great, but I didn't know if there was anything I should look for that is fun for little ones.

 

[Miykael81]

Ok, another follow-up question.

I was at the pet store today picking up a few last items for the terrarium when the cashier happened to ask what the items were for. When I told her she mentioned that she had been to the Havre De-Grace show.

I asked her how big it was and she said "pretty good size, about as big as this store".

Now if I had been at a petshop like ones that end in smart or co then I might not have been too taken aback, but this was a store in a shopping mall, maybe the store is the size of a large radio shack.

Is it really that small?

I have a 2 hour drive ahead of me and I'd hate to go all that way for something I'd be done exploring in 15 minutes.