Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Cold-blooded pets for the warm-hearted
Hector Van Dyck with the Colombian black and white Tagu he purchased at ReptiDay on Saturday. Reptile enthusiasts gathered in Fort Lauderdale to see live animals from around the world, and to purchase pets and pet products.
Finding a mate for an adult male, about 5 feet, at breeding weight, with a preference for blondes was the aim of one attendee at a Saturday gathering.
At least that’s how Andrew Carlson, 37, wanted it to happen for his yet-unnamed 3-year-old ivory ball python.
“I want (the offspring) to stand out,” said Carlson, of Fort Lauderdale. He was looking over the tables at ReptiDay, a reptile show that comes to Fort Lauderdale every quarter, with exhibitors showing off their reptile-related products and expertise.
“Something in the whites or the yellows, light-colored,” Carlson added.
The shows have become more controversial recently as invasive Burmese pythons — thought to be the progeny of abandoned exotic pets — have been blamed for an Everglades invasion. Some scientists attribute a 90 percent drop in nocturnal mammals over the past 20 years in the Everglades on non-native species becoming established there.
Bob King, an exhibitor who was selling the pythons at Saturday’s event, said he believes the threat has been overstated.
“It’s a small problem,” he said. “It’s nowhere near what it’s been made out to be.”
King said domestic cats have done far worse damage to the ecosystem, to less hubbub, because “cats are cute and furry.”
Nevertheless, Burmese pythons have been the target of state-sanctioned hunts.
Debbie Leahy, manager of captive wildlife protection for the Humane Society of the United States, says Florida is home to the largest number of invasive reptiles and amphibians because of shows like Saturday’s event.
“What the reptile industry does is market these animals as low-maintenance, inexpensive pets. But in fact, they require highly specialized care,” Healy said. “Irresponsible people get tired of dealing with these animals and turn them loose.”
Next to the plastic cases containing varieties of curled-up snakes of all colors, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff members were at the show distributing pamphlets on how to safely stop being a reptile owner.
Representatives of the Florida Herp Society said they drive all over Florida picking up pet reptiles so they don’t become part of the outdoors. They were showing off a red-tailed boa constrictor that had just arrived at an animal shelter in West Palm Beach to be part of Saturday’s event.
Attendees were taking selfies, posing with the 20-pound, 4-foot snake.
“She’s a hugger,” said Ethan Johnson, 13, of Boca Raton.