Monthly gathering lets Western Pa.'s reptile lovers bond
When Joanne George's children wanted reptiles for pets, one word came to her mind: “Ew.”
Much has changed since that first impression for George, who now has a few reptiles of her own, including lizards and a nearly 6-foot-long ball python she affectionately calls “my baby.”
For the past 18 years, George, a 67-year-old resident of New Alexandria, has organized the monthly Pittsburgh Reptile Show and Sale that takes place at the Harmar House in Harmar Township.
Once a month, roughly 40 vendors dot the aisles with colorful tanks and containers featuring hundreds of frogs, turtles, lizards and coiled snakes.
“(Reptiles) are the ultimate low-maintenance pet,” says Desiree Brown, co-owner of Off the Hook Exotic Pet Shop in Coraopolis. “This is not something that you have to potty-train, this is not something you have to walk for 30 minutes every day. They're very easy to deal with.”
Slippery Rock resident Dave Villotti and his son, Ayden, bond over their reptiles. Dave, who at one time traveled to local schools for educational exhibitions, says he has had various reptiles over the past 25 years and currently has six. Ayden, who already had a few turtles, took home a giant land mullet — a smooth-scale lizard about 10 inches long.
Reptiles are not just pets for the Villottis. They also teach responsibility.
“This is going in (Ayden's) room, so he has to take care of everything,” Dave Villotti says.
Brown says that ball pythons make a great beginner pet. The Villottis recommend turtles and smaller lizards.
For the more experienced crowd, exotic pets such as alligators and venomous snakes are available.
A vendor from West Virginia who asked to be referred to simply as “Bubba” had a table that ran the gamut from beginner to experienced reptile owner. His table included baby turtles, which he says are his best-seller, as well as an alligator, a 9-foot boa constrictor and spitting cobras that are shipped from overseas.
Venomous reptiles displayed at the show must be clearly marked in tanks with a lid that is either secured by a lock or duct tape.
Bubba says he performs the best background check he can by asking detailed questions of potential buyers and making sure they are older than 18.
For Bubba, handling a potentially deadly reptile is just part of his everyday life.
“To be honest, I'm more afraid of dogs,” he says. “I'd much rather pet a snake than a dog.”
It is legal to own a venomous reptile in the state, with a few caveats. According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission website, “So long as these animals are not released into the wild, there are no state regulations regarding their ownership.
Likewise, there is no state permit required to possess these animals. However, there may be local municipal ordinances, which regulate the ownership of ‘dangerous animals,' and you should check with your local government before purchasing such an animal.”
Also for sale are items such as live and frozen food and habitat equipment. For humans, there are finger foods and even a bar.
Ed Phillips is a contributing writer for Trib Total Media.
