Face painting, pictures, and give-aways were the highlight of Sunday’s reptile expo.
The Fourth Annual Konza Reptile Breeders Expo took place at the Clarion Hotel on Richards Drive.
The expo not only featured reptiles of all kinds, but also displayed several insects from the Kansas State University Insect Zoo.
“You could spend anywhere from $20 to $20,000 on some of these creatures,” Expo Coordinator Allison Karnowski says. “You can either get something that is very high maintenance or something very low maintenance.”
Karnowski commented that she had seen many bearded dragons as well as leopard geckos being sold when customers left the expo room.
States like Kansas have limitations on exactly who can own or breed these exotic reptiles.
“Unless you have a permit, you are not allowed to actually captively breed or sell reptiles native to Kansas,” Karnowski says. “Originally a lot of these things were wild caught and then people started learning how to take better care of them in captivity.
Businesses like Manhattan Aquarium Company were also in attendance with large raffle giveaways being drawn throughout the day.
“We are gave away a glass aquarium with a sliding lid as well as lighting, bedding, and the whole setup,” Owner Mike Bonella says. “We also gave away a new product by United Pet Group that’s a glass terrarium with sliding doors and it’s a little more pricey.”
Karnowski estimated approximate total of 1,500 people attended the expo.
