When most people think of pets, they picture loyal and playful dogs, or lazy cats to cuddle. But there’s a whole other world of pet owners who prefer the exotic, and seemingly dangerous allure of reptiles. I attended Repticon, a convention for reptiles and other animals like amphibians and tarantulas.

  For a niche market, the building was packed with people of all ages, including children with snakes around their shoulders.

  The majority of vendors were selling boas, bearded dragons, or leopard geckos. Most stalls were dominated by rows of tubs with snakes inside or plastic tubs full of other animals. Other vendors carried chameleons, monitor lizards, turtles, iguanas and tegus.

  There were some spider retailers that I did not spend much time with, including one who let a boa vendor hold a couple of spiders. The only mammals in the room besides humans were three marmoset monkeys and a few hedgehogs.

  As a former reptile owner, I understand why people would want one. There’s a kind of connection for some people with the scaly animals. They aren’t the average pet. They’re interesting to look at, and holding one is like holding a tiny dinosaur. The larger ones do seem to have some kind of awareness, like Jethro the monitor lizard, who seemed interested in my camera. Although, I will never understand why people keep tarantulas. But everyone finds different animals interesting and pet-worthy. But for me, having eight hairy legs crawling around is too much. An issue with these pets is when people get bored with them. Most are not native species, and if we learned anything from the boa constrictor infestation in the Everglades, exotic animals can harm our native ecosystems.

  The convention was held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in the Entertainment Hall. Most of the vendors are based nearby, like Family Reptiles in Lakeland, or J&T Reptiles and Exotics, who ship from Brooksville. If you want a pet that isn’t exactly affectionate or playful, and may scare off dating prospects, check out the Repticon website for a list of vendors in the Tampa area.