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Reptile shows: Policy on handling?

Snake Dave

Snake Dave

Schrödinger's cat
Hey everyone

Some of you may know that I'm going to Hamm in March. I thought I'd ask because I'm sure many of you have been to reptile expos or have even sold animals there. Are you allowed to handle the animals at all? I assumed that you would be able to handle them because obviously they see you as a potential customer and you want to inspect the animal.

Any help would be appreciated :)

Thanks

David
 
Of course, just ask the seller first. I wouldn't buy a snake I wasn't allowed to handle (unless it was venomous... but I wouldn't go for a venomous anyway!)
Have fun! I love reptile expos!
 
Yep. Remember to ask the seller first. If they have that alcohol hand wash stuff at their table, use that first. And don't assume it doesn't bite just because someone said you can hold it. I learned that one real quick.
 
I don't know about Hamm, here it is up to the indvidual seller. I used to let people handle the snakes, but too many people bring their kids to these shows with no intention of purchasing. It started to feel like I was running a free petting zoo. Not to knock little kids but they often have sticky hands, or squeeze too tight, or go running off with the snake to show their mom lol. This is stressful for hatchlings...I do keep the hand sanitizer on the table but I don't trust that stuff to be 100% effective as a barrier against snake diseases. At one point I tried using an older, very mellow snake as 'sacrificial lamb' so people who wanted to handle one would have that opportunity. But even the mellowest of snakes have their limits, and this snake that had never bitten in her life struck at a kid. With a closed mouth, mind you, and no damage done, but it did make me rethink the handling thing because the child began to cry as if the snake had bitten off his finger! Luckily for me the parents were nice about it. So I kind of try to only let the serious buyers hold snakes anymore, maybe it has cost me a sale or two, I don't know...
 
I am not a seller, but never thought any different than to ask the seller of a snake I was interested in if I could handle it. I'd back any seller in that regard as well.

Best of luck with sales in the new year everyone (assuming this effects you)
 
Take your own sanitizer (get it in Asda or Tesco, it's cheap) After all you want to know the snake you pick up for home hasn't got something you just gave it off another you just handled..
MIKE
 
Thanks for all the advice guys, I'll bear all this in mind. They have such wonderful creatures at Hamm, I'm just hoping that I'll be able to handle lots :D

Oh and yeah, I will take a bottle of hand sanitizer, just in case.
 
Well my feeling is that it's ok to ask as long as you're actually looking to buy.
A lot of people are just like "oooh wanna hold" but they have no intention what so ever of buying. When it comes to that I don't blame the breeders for not wanting to subject their animals.

At the show I go to in Maryland they hand you a flier when you come in the door about reptile diseases and every stand has a thing of hand santizer. Nagini was the honly snake I handled at the show but the breeder made sure I sanitized before and after.
 
I have never sold snakes at a show, but I would say don't allow anyone under 16 to hold your snake. Pet maybe...but not hold. Simple rule to save heartache. And then yeah...follow what everyone else said.
 
Excluding shows with hots, most vendors will allow you to hold their snakes. Some do not, for the reasons Shed'n has said. And most vendors are very hesitant to let you hold known problem snakes, due to them being afraid of losing a sale.

What I've found to work best on vendors who balk a little at holding, is to butter them up first and don't ask to hold every snake they've got (I know, it's tempting).

Stand in front of the snake you want to hold for several minutes, admiring it through the display. When the vendor is free, ask a few questions about the individual that aren't asked by 'some kid who just wants to hold'. Questions you'd ask if you were normally interested in buying the snake.

Make sure to comment on how striking it is a few times. Normally after that the vendor will offer to let you hold it, but if not, just ask them. I've had a few vendors tell me 'no' even after acting (or really being) very interested in the snake.

The last show I went to the guy lost the sale of a gorgeous Hog Island Boa because I couldn't hold it. But that happens, I guess...
 
Hand sanitizer doesn't get rid of the bacteria/virus's that kill off reptile collections. It's a good prevention for general bacteria, but it is not something that will prevent the spreading of disease that are of a real concern.

I watch the show goers and if I notice that an individual was handling animals from the wholesalers/jobbers of the show, I will not allow them to touch my animals (but politely explain why). I've also made the decision since last show season that I will not allow the handling of hatchlings (except BPs & Boas, they're easy enough to handle). It's too stressful on them with all the show going ons and it's a pain to wrangle them back into their cups. If a customer can't understand that, then they aren't really interested in the well being of the animals.
 
I think most of us on here have no beef whatsoever with the sellers choice on the matter. I can respect the sellers reasons why not and the buyers reason to want to. But, with so many people wanting to hold but not buy I would say the cons outweigh the pros.

On the other hand, if a dealer where to choose not to allow me personally to handle an animal before purchase it would not be a determining factor on whether or not to make the purchase. If there was suspicion of an un-healthy animal, unless the price was right, I would likely just look for a more healthy "looking" animal. This is why having an effective quarantine is so inportant action to take. I mention this as it recently came up in a thread on reptilechannel.com where a decent number of responces have said that they do not quarantine or feel the need to. Which again leans toward why not to allow the handling of animals you may have for sale.

Again, I hope this is a very enjoyable and profitable year for all,
Chris
 
...un-healthy animal, unless the price was right,...and the threat minimal...I would likely just look for a ....
 
We vend at several shows a year. I used to let people hold my animals all the time. However, it is a petting zoo for too many of them. Unless someone is going to buy the animal they don't touch anything...I explain all of this and honestly I don't think I've lost a sale because of it. Most people that are really interested in buying the animals appreciate this policy.
 
Well personally like I said I don't even ask to hold the animal unless I'm intending on buying it anyway, hah.
I know it's a waste of time and effort to be taking animals out just to look at them. I look with my eyes not my hands ;)
 
Corny Noob said:
Well personally like I said I don't even ask to hold the animal unless I'm intending on buying it anyway, hah.
I know it's a waste of time and effort to be taking animals out just to look at them. I look with my eyes not my hands ;)
Click to expand...

x2
Ive seen how big of a pain in the rear it is to get some hatchlings back into the little display thing haha when I purchased Aiden little classic striped corns were flying all over the place! Then he wouldent go into the damn little cup thing. Ha a troublemaker from day one!

but I completly agree with what you said about only handling the animals you are considering buying, The only snakes I held at the last expo were Aiden and one other of his siblings, and Lana and one of her siblings deciding between the two.

I hated when I was looking at this little opal a few times then the old lady vending it was like OH HERE TAKE IT OUT HES A NICE LITTLE SNAKE!!! It was litterally shooting off in 9348 directions at once, and got away from her twice. I was like ...lady, I dont have the money or space anymore anyway ahaha
 
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