NY Metro Reptile Show - Report

If you are interested in reading my report on the NY Metro Reptile Show of September 13th - go here.

All the best,
Glenn B

The 19th Annual Long Island Herpetological Society Reptile Expo

Yes folks the time is almost upon us for the 19th Annual LIHS reptile Expo. I think I have been there for all but one or two or three of them over the years. I am pretty sure I was there for the first one way back when; but if not then I was definitely there for the 2nd.

You see, keeping reptiles and amphibians has been a passion with me since I got my first Red Eared Slider turtle back when I was a mere young lad of about 8 or 9; maybe even younger. Since then herps (reptiles and amphibians) have been a passion with me. I have collected them from the wild, bought them in stores and at herp expos, traded them with friends, adopted them from other keepers who could not keep em any longer, kept them in captivity, and bred them. Why? I guess because when I was a young kid I could not have a dog or a cat - house rules. Somehow though my mom allowed in that first turtle that my Uncle Ken let me pick out at a pet shop. Both my brother and I got one, but only I was hooked and became a reptile and amphibian junkie for life. Not a bad addiction though as things go. My passion has had me see things out in nature, heck even in the middle of cities, that other folks don't know even exists; and I have met and made the acquaintance of lots of good people through my pursuit of this hobby. Heck I have even made some great friends like those at the LIHS.

If you live on Long Island, or if you are close to the area, and you have any interest in these magnificent creatures at all, why not stop by our show on October 04, 2008 at SUNY Farmingdale, and make sure to bring along the kids. It will be held from 10AM - 4PM in Roosevelt Hall. The admission price is well worth it, there should be more herps on display than you would see at the Bronx Zoo Reptile House in a visit there. There are herps and herp keeping accessories for sale, and there is also a judged show. By the way, anyone can enter an animal into the show, you do not need to be a society member. Prizes include ribbons and some pretty impressive trophies. Who knows, maybe you will become a herp junkie too.

If you want more info about the show, go to this link: http://www.lihs.org/files/events.htm .

All the best,

Glenn B

Weekend Shows - Guns & Reptiles...

...will be the prominent features of my upcoming weekend. First of all I will be attending a gun show sponsored by NorthEastGunShows.com. This show will be held at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Middletown, NY on Saturday September 6th from 9-5, and on Sunday September 7th from 9-3. On Saturday the plan is for Brendan and I to be out the door by 8, at my friend Richie's house by 0830, and at the show by 10 to meet up with friends Charlie and Pete. These three good friends have all retired from government service, and all three were firearms instructors on my job. In fact Richie retired from the NYPD, then became the primary firearms instructor for my office, worked there for many years, and has since retired from that job too. It will be a nice reunion. Hopefully we can drag Hubert along too (another co-worker who also had duties as a firearms instructor).

Brendan and I will only be at the gun show on Saturday. I am not planning on buying any guns because I don't have the cash, that is unless I see the bargain of the century and for that they make plastique. We may pick up some accessories, or some ammo since there are sometimes good deals, but I will readily point out that at the last one I attended there was little ammo on sale and prices for it were sky high. Still though we may find something, and just going to the show is a decent way to spend part of the day. Combine that with our little reunion, and it will be all the better. After the show we will probably all have lunch together, and we may also hit Cabelas. If Cabelas had any sense they would run a sale on days that there is a gun show in Middletown, they get lots of spillover customers from the show. I only plan to pick up some shiners and crayfish there - turtle food for my Musk Turtle.

Speaking of turtles, and other reptiles, the New York Metro Reptile Expo will be held this weekend on Sunday the 7th from 10 - 4 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY. I plan to spend my day there, helping to man the Long Island Herpetological Society table. I may try to sell some animals there. I have not had any luck trying to sell anything lately to supplement the hobby, but maybe my luck will change this time around.

With two shows to attend this weekend, I guess that means any chores I had planned for this weekend had best get done on Friday evening, because it looks as if time will be short to do them otherwise. Gotta keep the wife happy somehow.

All the best,
Glenn B