Repticon Dallas, Part 1: The When, Where, and Who Was There?

Let's start with some background info...

The Repticon banner over the door of the KJT Auditorium.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Repticon is one of the largest (if not THE largest) reptile and exotic pet convention in the States. Herp hobbyists can find a Repticon show happening nearly every weekend in one of their over 40 show sites across 18 states within the continental US. Paying homage to its beginnings*, the lion's share of Repticon shows are hosted in Florida--including Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando, Pensacola, Tallahassee, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. These shows are sponsored by two of the main reptile product manufacturers--Exo Terra and Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.--and often feature door prizes and good bags from these companies. (See "Repticon Dallas, Part 2" for more info on this!) Smaller Repticon Expos usually have a dozen or so vendors selling a good selection of herps, other exotic pets, pet care supplies, books, and gift merchandise. Whereas, larger Repticon Expos are a grand experience with over 50 vendors making available everything a herp enthusiast could ever ask for.

[*Author note: I've been told by different people that the first 2003 Repticon show was in Tampa, Orlando, and Ft. Myers. According to the Repticon Ft. Myers webpage, Ft. Myers was actually the second reptile show held by Repticon. I've been able to confirm that both the Tampa and Orlando shows were first held in 2003, but I am still unsure which of these was the FIRST Repticon Expo. If anyone knows, please comment below.]

Repticon "postcard" ad.

The When and Where...

Repticon Dallas is actually held in the small city of Ennis, TX. This is about a 40 minute drive south (along I-75/45) from downtown Dallas. Those coming from the Fort Worth area or north of Dallas, should give themselves at least an hour to travel to the show site at Ennis' KJT Auditorium. This small event venue tucked in a residential area is a tad difficult to find from the highway and "Reptile Show" signs weren't present until right outside the show site, so plan to put the address into a GPS device or you will likely miss the turn onto Paris Street...like I did.

Repticon Dallas (Ennis) was first held in February 2012 at the Texas Motorplex off US-287 in Ennis, TX. With a bigger venue and approximately 20 vendors, the two Repticon Dallas shows scheduled for 2013 have certainly gotten the attention of herp hobbyists in the DFW metroplex. The first show of 2013 was held this past weekend on Saturday, April 13th, at 10am-5pm (with early entrance for VIP ticket holders) and Sunday, April 14th, at 10am-4pm. VIP tickets could be purchased online prior to the show date for $12 and included entrance to both days of the show. (More info on the VIP experience in  "Repticon Dallas, Part 2".) Two-day tickets were available at the door for $15 (adult) or $5 (kids ages 5-12). Single day tickets could only be purchased at the door for $10 (adult) or $5 (kids). Students and educators are eligible for discounts on regular tickets. (Search the Repticon website for the corresponding coupon.)

The entrance of Repticon featured a blow-up snake mouth that you walk through to enter the main show area.

 Who Was There...

The April 2013 edition of Repticon Dallas featured 20 vendors from across Texas and Oklahoma. These vendors ranged from exotic pet stores (such as S&S Exotics, The Ark, Southern Serpents Reptile Co., Critters Exotic Pets, J&W Exotics) to a variety of specialty herp breeders/dealers (such as Crossbone Corns, Night Glow Reptiles, Python in a Pear Tree, and Crazy Eyes Chams). Several vendors offered herp enclosures (such as Cen-Tex Custom Reptile Cages) and a selection of herp supplies (such as The Texas Reptile Exchange and The Ark).  A variety of great herp-related books could be found at the booths of Cobraland* and J&W Exotics (who also had DVDs for sale). A selection of feeders for your herps could be purchased from The Feeder Source. Repticon is a venomous-included expo with several vendors offering venomous snakes (such as Custom Reptile & Exotics and Cobraland*) and safe handling equipment (such as Lynn's Bearded Dragons). Rise Against Rattlesnake Roundups and N.E.W.T.S (Natures Exotic Wildlife Tee Shirts) teamed up to provide an educational booth, several informative talks, and a silent auction to raise funds for the Leander Rattlesnake Fest. Herp enthusiasts interested in furthering their education would have found the Texas A&M Commerce of particular interest and enjoyed speaking with herpetology students. And, last but certainly not least, my favorite booth was that of DFW Reptile Rescue, featuring several of their adoptable herps and informative talks on how to choose the right herp for you. 

[*Author note: I could not find a link for Cobraland. If anyone knows the website URL or other contact information for them, please comment below.] 

Over the course of the next week...or so...I'll be posting detailed information and pictures about several of the vendors. In the meantime, check out "Repticon Dallas, Part 2: What's Inside the Zoo Med VIP Bag?"

[Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Repticon, Exo Terra, Zoo Med, or any of the other sponsors of Repticon. I was not asked to write these blog posts and was not compensated for them. Everything in these articles are my own observations and opinions.]