Reptile Shows and Bugging Out...

...are two things on my mind today, and both are definitely related. I am pretty sure I have already posted something about this weekend's upcoming Long Island Herpetological Society's 17th Annual Reptile Show (if you want more info click on the link) It takes place this Saturday, October 7, at SUNY Farmingdale in Farmingdale, NY.

Today, though home from work not feeling too well, I still decided to get some things ready for the show since I don't want to wait until the last minute tomorrow night. One of the things I had to do was to get the bugs ready. Yes I said bugs, and yes they have something to do with the reptile and amphibian show.

A little while ago, DHL dropped of 28 boxes of bugs at my front door. In those boxes are contained about 31,500 insects. I hope none of the boxes have any holes in them, because if they do I am in trouble with my wife big-time. The insects are mostly crickets, followed by superworms, mealworms, waxworms and redworms. They are all meant to be reptile and amphibian food, and I'll sell them at the show to help raise money for the LIHS.

Now if you are wondering why I am writing about all of this here, well I don't rightly know, I guess I just felt like it. The herps (reptiles and amphibians) are a hobby of mine, have been since I was a young kid. Now my son enjoys the hobby too. He will be at the show on Saturday with me all day. That is a good thing, my 16 year old son still spending time with me involved in something in which we share our enjoyment.

Now while all those bugs, and the love of herps may have seemed crazy to you a few moments ago, maybe now you are thinking it is not so crazy even if you don't like bugs or herps. It is not so crazy because it helps keep my son out of trouble, gives him an interesting hobby, and may lead to a career choice for him later down the road (he wants to become a veterinarian that specializes in herps); it also allows me to spend some quality time with him. Of course, maybe you still think it is all crazy. I have to say though, that this hobby is one that has been good for us. Keeping pets is great to learn about animals, breeding them is interesting and requires that you have kept healthy animals, selling the offspring helps our hobby to somewhat support itself and gives my son some experience at business so to speak (even though we are not in business as it is a hobby), and we share our interests with others who like the same thing at the LIHS. This hobby has even gotten us out together on field trips wherein we have caught, and usually released wild herps. Not a bad way to kill a summer afternoon if the fish are not biting.

We have other hobbies too. Some we share, some we do not. The thing is it really helps make your kids and you get along better if you share a hobby. Try something - whatever you pick for a hobby should be okay - and do it together.

All the best,
Glenn B