Snakes, Lizards, and Other Creepy Crawlies at Repticon FireExpo Going On Now
by James Coulter
More than 60 vendors showcased scaley creatures of all sorts ranging from snakes and lizards to turtles and frogs at this year’s Repticon FireExpo (FIRExpo = the Florida International Reptile Expo) in Lakeland.
The annual reptile show is being hosted this weekend at the RP Funding Center. The event continues today from 9 am to 4pm. Admission is $15 for adults and children $6. Children under 4 are free. More details: click here
Attendees were able to peruse various reptile providers for both pets and supplies.
“This year we had about 60 vendors,” explained Lisa Parker.“You can come here, buy a pet, and everything that goes with it so you can bring them home with everything you need.”
For more than 20 years, this annual reptile show has been hosted in Central Florida. Attendees keep returning time and again for a diverse selection of reptiles provided by reputable providers.
“Everyone is having a great time,” Parker said. “The morale is high and everyone in there is very educated about their animals. It is a decent turnout. The passion of the guests and the vendors has allowed the event to be as successful as it has been.”
Scott Wisneski, owner of Family Reptiles in Lakeland, has served as the main provider and sponsor of the event. He enjoys being able to connect with new customers and other reptile enthusiasts.
“As always, wonderful to be back here at our hometown show,” he said. “We are excited to reconnect with a lot of our different customers and a lot of our reptile community. It has been steady and good, especially coming off of the holiday season. Usually,the shows are a little slower but we are seeing a lot of our regular customers, as you can see, there are a lot of people in the building, so things are great.”
For more than 20 years, the event has remained the premier reptile show in Central Florida. Wisneski owes its success to the overall reputation of the venue and the vendors who attend, ensuring that attendees have access to reputable providers.
“Repticon has been hosting this event for 20 years in Florida, so it has been establishing a lot of reptile enthusiasts and the ability to pack the show full of vendors with reptiles and supplies,” he explained. “They will know there is a good selection with a lot of great knowledge.”
