There are live insects on display at the expo, too: Giant Peppered Roaches, venomous Assassin Bugs, Peruvian Cave Roaches, huge crickets and hornworms. We feed them a mix of greens, what we call ‘dragon pellets’ and bugs.” “They are also very clean animals, easy to maintain. They are considered the lap dogs of the lizard world,” Gomez says. They are very mellow and aren’t at all aggressive. “They love to be around people and have wonderful, unique personalities. Sam Gomez from Watertown is happy to talk about why Bearded Dragons make “fantastic companions.” So I’d just make sure to introduce yourself to folks to put them at ease.” They want to make sure you aren’t from PETA,” says vendor Cindy Hiller, referring to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “Several of the vendors think it’s suspicious that you are asking so many questions and taking photos. It turns out, breeders of exotic pets can be sensitive about their hobby. “The habitat for these frogs is going to disappear before long and they might be lost forever.” “People got to know that we lose 3.5 million acres of rainforest every year due to deforestation,” Roberts says. Roberts says he keeps his prices low (around $35 a frog) because he considers breeding these endangered creatures a type of educational outreach. “One of these little guys, in the wild, has enough poison to kill three elephants and 50 men.” Only in the wild because they eat bugs that eat poisonous plants so they acquire an alkaline-based plant poison,” says Roberts. These quarter-sized amphibians were used by indigenous people in Colombia to make poison darts. John Roberts from Madison is the only vendor selling vibrantly colored frogs from Central and South America. “But once they get older and used to people, they are as friendly as dogs or any other pet.” “When snakes are young, they are skittish because they are new to the world and I’m a lot bigger than them,” Handeland adds. The more time you spend around them, the more you realize they are just friendly little reptiles,” says Handeland, who is holding Godzilla, a meaty 8-year-old python. “Some people see a snake and are totally freaked out. Now, he’s the proud parent of five snakes, three spiny-tailed lizards and a half-dozen Leopard Geckos.” It’s also a way to make a “little money.” Handeland always wanted a pet snake as a kid. Andrew Handeland from Waukesha says breeding Royal (or Ball) Pythons and geckos is a hobby he enjoys with his sons and wife Holly. Most of the vendors are small-scale breeders from Wisconsin and neighboring states. Royal Pythons were for sale at the Wisconsin Reptile Expo. Although vendors are also hawking terrariums, enclosures, reptile food and specialty pet supplies, the main draw is a chance to bring home a new cold-blooded friend. It’s filled with hundreds of animals, including snakes of every color and size, frogs and several species of lizards. The biannual Wisconsin Reptile Expo has taken over the dining room of the VFW. They just like to hang out wrapped around your neck. But I’ve seen dogs and cats that have caused a lot of more harm to their owners than a snake ever could.”Īrmstrong agrees. “Some people think reptiles, especially snakes, are dangerous.
Ours have been super chill and they’re just fun to have around,” Cardona says. But they’re at the VFW Post 7591 on Cottage Grove Road this Sunday afternoon in search of a new addition to the family - specifically, a Crested Gecko, native to New Caledonia in the South Pacific. A Bearded Dragon (left) lounges on Sam Gomez at the Wisconsin Reptile Expo.Ĭharlene Cardona and Phil Armstrong already have several pets including milk and corn snakes and a 2-foot-long Sand Boa.
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