Exotic Plants and Reptiles

Chris with a Python
West Palm Beach, FL
July 19, 2025

 We did something very different yesterday. You might have guessed from the banner; Chris and I attended a Reptile & Exotic Plant Supershow. We had no idea! I have never seen so many lizards, snakes, tortoises, and a few other animals in one place even in a zoo.

Eyelash Gecko in Chris' Hands
West Palm Beach, FL
July 19, 2025

Chris really enjoyed the whole scene. She held a gecko, petter a snake or three, and even met and stroked a skunk!

We had a good time walking arounds and enjoying how the crowds, made up of a lot of boys with their families, were fascinated in the reptiles. The plant part of the show was interesting, but not nearly as fascinating as the replies. And there were a lot of lizards and snakes! And there were snakes of all kinds. 

I did not think the prices were too terrible, if someone really wanted a reptile or snake as a pet. Of course, there are a lot of extras required to keep a snake or reptile alive and writing of alive, that seems to mean live food. 

Chris and the Skunk
West Palm Beach, FL
July 19, 2025

We wandered around for a while enjoying the displays and the animals. For our amusement there was also a sloth and a joey prepared for a hands-on experience. 

Chameleon
West Palm Beach, FL
July 19, 2025

As for the skunk--he was a sad case but had landed in a good place. His first owners overfed him and kept him in a small enclosure. He developed hip problems and can barely walk. His current life, though, is as a therapy animal and he is very soft! And cuddly, but we could not pick him up. He definitely enjoyed the attention.

Just for completeness, there was a tropical fish section of the show and there was a pig was in attendance as another exotic pet. Also, not all of the animals were constrained. There was one exhibit with chameleons in potted plants. They were colorful. 

OK, so we had fun. It was something we had never done and it was definitely worth the price of admission!

And for those of you wondering, yes, there was a lot of hand sanitizer available. Some of the exhibitors wanted people to sanitize their hands before handling the animals--to protect the animals!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL