Scores of frogs, lizards, geckos and tarantulas will creep on down to Edmonton this weekend for one of the region's biggest reptile shows.
About 2,000 people are expected to come to the Sands Hotel in Edmonton today and tomorrow for the Edmonton Reptile & Amphibian Society's annual Spring Show and Sale. The show is one of two the group holds each year to teach the public about slimy, slithery and scaly pets.
It's great fun for the kids and educational for the whole family, says Adrian Theroux, who will represent St. Albert's Paradise Pet Centre at the show. Visitors should expect plenty of expert breeders on hand to answer questions, as well as some beautiful breeds of frog, snake, toad, lizard, scorpion and millipede.
Reptiles make great pets because they're hypoallergenic and low-maintenance, says Theroux, who has about 30 of them in his home.
"They're an excellent tool to teach kids responsibility," he continues, as they don't eat as much as a dog or cat.
But it's important to do your research before you get such a pet lest they end up in an animal shelter, says Tim Petit, president of the Edmonton Reptile and Amphibian Society.
"Read a lot of care-sheets," he says, and talk to the breeders at places like this weekend's show.
Lizards of Alberta
Alberta has 10 amphibian, six snake and one lizard and turtle species, says Peter Daly, a City of Edmonton biologist who will be at this weekend's show.
"This time of year is the peak time for hearing a lot of our native amphibians," he notes, as most will be trying to mate.
You're most likely to hear the boreal chorus frog at this time of year. These tiny creatures top out at three centimetres long and make a call that sounds like running your thumb along the teeth of a comb next to a megaphone.
"They make a tremendous racket," Daly says.
Listen carefully, and you might also hear the wood frog, which sounds like a duck with a sore throat, Daly says.
Out in the country, you might stumble across a boreal toad, which peeps like a chick when you pick it up. If you see a snake, it's probably a red-sided garter snake.
It's illegal to keep these native species as pets, so you won't find any of them at this weekend's show, Daly says.
You won't see any green iguanas either, since they grow to six feet long and make poor pets, Theroux says. Ball pythons, which come in a rainbow of colours, should be in abundance. Poison dart frogs shouldn't be there, as they're soon-to-be-illegal, but you might spot a fire-bellied toad.
Pet reptiles and amphibians should never be let loose in the wild, as none are adapted to Alberta's climate and some carry diseases that can harm native species, Daly says.
"You're more than likely dooming the reptile or amphibian to a death sentence."
The show runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 to 4 Sunday. Tickets are $4 to $6. Visit www.edmontonreptiles.com/expo.html for details.
