# South florida froggers and brom areas...



## Philsuma

Just got into town (Ft Lauderdale) and I'm looking to possibly see some hobbyists and / or collections in the entire SoFl area.

Anything south of Tampa and Daytona is do-able.

Tropiflora and Michaels broms are on tap for later in the week as well as Fairchild gardens and Deering Estates.

SNDF currently does not have many in stock animals at this time, pending a Panama trip in the week couple weeks.

Please let me know if you have any animals or ideas.

Thanks guys!

Phil
[email protected]


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## GSXR_MURRHEE

I'm over in Royal Pam Beach. If your looking to pick up some new critters I have Leucs, Azureus, and a couple of mancreeks left.


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## Philsuma

Hi Sean,

I remember talking to you a year or so ago....about looking for some Carpet Chameleons that are established in your area, I think.

Do you know of anyone down here in FtL that is a breeder? I seem to remember someone down here being heavy into Tinc species.

I may be interested in some Man Creeks......


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## RachelRiot

I am in Tampa and I suggest staying away from this city until after the superbowl. Its nuts here!


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## Philsuma

Yeah.....I consider Tampa pretty far north actually. Too cold up there as well.

There were a couple Orlando area froggers and one guy in Holiday on the coast, but that was a couple years ago and I think both guys sold their collections and got out of frogs....


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## RachelRiot

I am actually going to Orlando on Saturday for the Repticon show. I am excited.  Have fun in Florida!


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## GSXR_MURRHEE

Yep thats me, I was living over by Fort Myers then. Now I'm over here on the east side, lol. I know theres a breeder over in Ft Lauderdale but unfortunatly, I can't remember his name. One of the breeders in Orlando (Mark) got out of frogs. I think the guy down in Holiday still posts on here, but only every great once in a while. Sorry I don't have better news for ya.


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## RarePlantBroker

I live between Vero Beach and Fort Pierce on the East coast. 

I'm headed to the Repticon show on Saturday myself. There's also a plant sale/show in Vero Beach this weekend. Tropiflora comes over every year and brings a nice selection of bromeliads.

The Miami orchid show is also this weekend. I guess everyone wants to take money from the "Superbowl Widows".

There's a nursery in Boynton Beach called Tropical Worlds. Bruce usually has some interesting plants, and a pretty good selection of bromeliads--unfortunately the selection that are vivarium sized are pretty limited. There are a few other good bromeliad, aroid, and orchid nurseries in the Miami/Homestead area--but they're wholesale only. Send me a PM and we might be able to arrange a "field trip."

Also, in May, is the Redlands International Orchid festival. Quite a few of the vendors have a selection of miniature orchids--and some of the growers from South America will bring up orders you place ahead of the show. I've purchased quite a few vivarium plants from Ecuagenera and Orquedas de Valle as well as Andy's orchids.


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## swampfoxjjr

Hey man, welcome to town! There are breeders in the area who all supply some local herp shops. You will mostly find the common well established morphs though so if you are looking for something rare it may be a bit tougher to acquire. The good news is you now live in a place where the temperature is always right for shipping.

Again, welcome to SoFlo. The more we get down here the more we can stop envying the new englander's organization with all their fancy frog fests and meetings. Just playing.


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## Philsuma

Thanks for the replies guys.......

I'll be at Repticon in Orlando this Sat. I'm told it's big and I remember going to the first ever Breeder Expo way back in the 80's.

See some of you guys there and keep the info coming in.

I got 4 PM's that I returned, so please check out your messages!

Thanks!

Phil


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## beachbabe18509

Everyone is going to Repticon Saturday..  I have to work and then Sunday is the superbowl.... I bet half the vendors wont show


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## Philsuma

beachbabe18509 said:


> Everyone is going to Repticon Saturday..  I bet half the vendors wont show


Now Amanda...why do you think half the vendors won't show?

That's a scary statement


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## beachbabe18509

LOL I meant for so Say "I bet half the vendor's wont show Sunday" I guess I completed the thought in my head and my finders weren't keeping up...


Let me Try again... "Everyone's going to the Repitcon show Saturday, but I have to work  , and Sunday is the superbowl so I bet half the vendor's wont show...."

There complete thought.. I think read back over it a couple times and it looks ok to me


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## beachbabe18509

beachbabe18509 said:


> then Sunday is the superbowl.... I bet half the vendors wont show


Well Maybe they'll show up but leave early... most of the guys I know atleast have to get their Suberbowl fix "on a screen of at least 52" preferably in HD" and I just don't see this being an option at the show


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## markpulawski

So how was the show, anything good dart frog or terrarium wise?


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## Philsuma

markpulawski said:


> So how was the show, anything good dart frog or terrarium wise?


Hungry for another one of my famous reviews eh?

The show was small but INTERESTING.

1. Only @ 50 vendors...no HOTS, or HOTZ for you TeXt GuYz. Some cool hooks and tong sets though. Field house at Orlando fairgrounds was decent with ample parking.

2. The show allows for one feeder venfor, in this case Lucky Lure Crix. I'm sure they pay handsomely for this exclusivness but I can't help thinking there is something smacking of Communism or perhaps Mafioso with that 

3.And now for the CRUSHING BAD NEWS. Not a single dart frog to be had! Very low on all Amphibians as well. I am starting to think that the south / central Florida herp hobbyists are way partial to reptiles. Am I off base here guys?

4. Some cool all glass cages and vivs with nicely cut tops of many unusual sizes.

5.NO PLANTS to speak of and no broms!? 

If it wasn't for meeting Alasdair, who is very knowledagble @ tropical plants and an all round cool guy (RarePlantBroker on DB), it would have been...a...not...too ..good 3 hour journey for me.

Saving grace was a lot of cool small CB Monitor lizards of different speices that I never see up north. LOTS of cool and reasonably priced Tortoises too.


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## beachbabe18509

Thats really dissapointing usually there is atleast one person there with darts.... But plants I can't recall seeing any when I went to Repticon last year... 
Every one definatly seems WAAAAY partial to reptiles down here... I'm not too sure why, darts are way cooler...


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## Philsuma

More insight and obsevations......

I saw a LOT of peeps walking around with animals draped on them. A LOT more than ANY Hamburg show EVER. 

Little 10 year old girl actually cuddling an Iguana to her cheek

A Guy with a Leucistic Alligator of about 3 feet slung on his shoulder. I think it had some electrical tape on it's snout but one can never be too sure at shows like this, can one?

Numerous Boids and Pythons worn around necks.

These people like their big boy animals, and I will hazard a guess that they probably look down on small colourful frogs and the like...pity.

I wonder if it's a macho thing or something?

I'm 6' 220lbs, play Hockey and like frogs and small lizards..but then again, I have always been secure about my intellect and manhood


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## markpulawski

I think a good dart vendor loses money on a show like this, darts are not impulse buys and money is so tight these days for everyone.


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## melas

Haha! Well your post just inspired me to order some plants from Antone @ Spring Valley Tropicals! I was hoping you could bring some amazing plants back! Sounds like a cool show though for reptile guys - especially ones that like their macho giants  I keep the big ones because they work the best for the large group presentations that I do. I'm a 5'11" hockey player, TKD brown belt, cross-country running pole vaulter who likes the big AND small critters


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## Philsuma

melas said:


> I'm a 5'11" hockey player, TKD brown belt, cross-country running pole vaulter who likes the big AND small critters


No need to overly justify your interest in the big animals Matt. Whatever gets you thru the day....you probably own a 44 cal handgun too 

Just kidding buddy! 

There are all sorts of Broms hanging from trees ect down here. And tons of nurseries and gardens ect but I didn't see many smallish Terrarium friendly broms. Most are the big jumbo yard landscaping variety but I made a bunch or contacts with exotic plants...so don't worry. I will be your hook up for these soon enough.


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## beachbabe18509

Have you made it to tropiflora yet?


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## RecycledAgain

How was the Orlando show? I almost went today and talked myself out of it.
Dan


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## Philsuma

RecycledAgain said:


> How was the Orlando show? I almost went today and talked myself out of it.
> Dan


 
Dan,

See my review @ post # 16 above. I was there on Sat for a few hours.


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## Lucky

I went to the Repticon show in Palmetto last year and there was only two vendors who had PDFs, Azueres and Auratus, and one vendor had Mantella Crocea, which I purchased. That is the second Repticon show I have been to in the last 3 years and the one before only one vendor had some D. Auratus. There was a show two years ago that was at the Florida state fairgrounds in Tampa, it was the best show that I have been to, frogs of all kinds everywhere, but I do not know who put it on and did not come back last year, very sad, oh well. Just thought I would share my experience.


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## beachbabe18509

The last show I went to was at tampa, much much better show than the repticon show in orlando, I believe the show in March, Tampa Reptile Mania & Exotic Expo, is the same show as the last Tampa one I went to...


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## Lucky

Yes, that is the one, good job. I had not done a search in a while, but all my previous searches did not find that show. The Tampa Reptile Mania & Exotic Expo is the good one.


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## RarePlantBroker

Phil,
Your review was pretty much "spot on". The shows here are "interesting" to say the least. The vast majority of reptile and/or "herp" shows here have very little to offer in the way of amphibians (and I've been reminded by others that they are promoted as REPTILE shows). 
The trends in Florida herp keeping seems to swing from one end to the other (I've been keeping snakes, lizards, frogs, etc. for 25+ years now). About half of the people here seem to focus on the BIG animals (although the Florida Reptiles of Concern law seems to be making a big dent on that--as I don't see dozens of Anacondas for sale at every show any more). The other half tends to lean towards the lizard end of the spectrum in the last couple of years. 
But, in the past, I've seen shows with more turtles for sale than anything else. The trend towards "designer color pythons" seems to be alive and well, and makes me quite happy that dart frog breeders are keeping species bloodlines pure and not creating "designer colors".
The last show I went to in Tampa, there was one vendor there with bromeliads. There were a couple of plant vendors at the Daytona show last August. I've personally only known a couple of people here in Florida who keep live plants in any of their reptile enclosures.
If you live in Florida, and you want dart frogs (other than auratus/leucomelas/azureus), go to the Daytona show--or plan to order and have frogs shipped. 
I've mainly used shows as a source for needed supplies and parts (driftwood, light fixtures, feeder insects). 
My personal theory on the lack of popularity of dart frogs here is twofold: one, that they aren't the big, manly reptiles--and they have to eat live mice/rats to impress your friends; and two is simple laziness. Many people who are "into" reptiles here (and I've met MANY of them) want a pet that can live on their back porch, and only has to be fed once every week or two--and taking the time to construc a vivarium and dust and feed fruit flies every day or two is WAY too much work. 
Please don't send any hate mail based on my theories above. I do own three snakes (one of which is a 9' boa)--all of mine live in the house, and 2 of them have custom built enclosures. My son has leopard and crested geckos, and there are a number of fuzzy creatures around here as well.


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## Lucky

I would have to agree with you Alasdair, most people here seem to be into big snakes or leopard geckos, but there are some froggers around, but the reptile show at the state fair grounds in Tampa two years ago and they had quite a good selection of PDF's and Mantella, and alot of other frogs. They had a very good selection of every thing. I have went to two different Repticon shows and they both were pretty scarce when it came to PDF's and mantellas and frogs all together, they are mostly snakes and lizards. So I am planning on going to the 
The Tampa Reptile Mania & Exotic Expo in march, hopefully it will be a good one like it was before.


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## tarbo96

I know this link may be forgotten but I will add my two cents..

I use to sell at shows from Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota, and Ft Myers but noone was buying. I probably did a total of 6 shows and sold 10 frogs, and i had many species reasonably priced, atleast lower than others at the shows. Because I couldn't sell enough frogs I had to scale way back.


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## Jerm

SNDF used to do the F.I.R.E. show in Orlando and had a pretty good selection, but didn't last year and I don't think this he will year. Says its not worth it to come up here and stay. He will be at Daytona though. I only know of one other frog vendor that did the F.I.R.E. show and I haven't seen him lately either. Not worth it for them. I will possibly have a table at the October Orlando Repticon with darts and chameleons. I have worked most of the Tampa, Orlando and Daytona shows over the past few years selling chameleons at FL chams table and a couple of others. Darts seem to be dissappearing at these shows. If I do well enough I might start covering the shows here in Orlando. This repticon was a lot larger than the past ones, they have expanded. It used to be the small show, now it is catching up to the F.I.R.E. show.


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