SCRANTON — Reptile enthusiasts gathered Sunday inside the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center to sell and trade snakes and lizards and educate guests about the animals.
After growing tired of early mornings and long trips to attend similar events in other parts of the state, Matthew Helring brought the Electric City Reptile Expo to Scranton for first time in March 2023.
The event was a hit from the start and remains popular more than three years and 10 shows later, Helring said.
“My wife and I were going to the shows, we were vending at the shows, and we were waking up at 3 a.m.,” he said. “We were like, ‘I wish there was one closer to home.’ Immediately, it was just pedal to the metal. We were getting tons of people and tons of interest because there is nowhere around here for reptile people to congregate. People don’t understand how many people in (their) neighborhood are into this kind of thing.”
Helring noted the event has grown to include 50 to 60 vendors from throughout Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Maryland, and about 1,000 guests each time.
Michelle McClintock of IDeal Boas and Second Chance exotic pet rescue sports a Sharp Albino BCI around her neck during the Electric City Reptile Expo Sunday at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE/STAFF PHOTO)
Peter Rushton, owner of Cresco-based P.T. Reptiles PA, stands next to a variety of snakes Sunday during the Electric City Reptile Expo at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE/STAFF PHOTO)
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Michelle McClintock of IDeal Boas and Second Chance exotic pet rescue sports a Sharp Albino BCI around her neck during the Electric City Reptile Expo Sunday at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE/STAFF PHOTO)
In addition to the retail component, several educators offered advice.
“Pretty much anything that is reptile or cold-blooded related, we have somebody here to help out,” Helring said.
Among the most popular reptiles at the events are ball pythons and crested geckos, he added.
“Ball pythons are awesome because it’s one species of snake that is the most polymorphic animal on the entire planet,” Helring said. “There’s no animal in the entire world that shows as much diversity in its appearance as the ball python. You can take two ball pythons that look totally different, breed them together, and get snakes that run a whole gamut of colors and patterns. It’s like opening a pack of Pokémon cards.”
Helring stressed that snakes and lizards make great pets and don’t need as much attention as some other traditional pets.
“If you need a companion animal but you don’t have time for your entire life to revolve around a creature, you can’t do any better than a reptile because they require way less maintenance than a fish and you basically interact with them on your own terms,” he said. “You can deal with them as much or as little as you want and they’re happy as a clam. They’re super low maintenance and easy to take care of.”
Peter Rushton of Cresco-based P.T. Reptiles — a vendor at the Scranton expo since the first event — runs hands-on educational programs and takes pride in sharing with the public his knowledge about all types of reptiles, including ball pythons, rainbow boas and Honduran milk snakes.
“When they come to one of these venues, or one of these events, they need to go away with a good, positive experience,” he said. “Knowledge is only power if you’re willing to share it.”
Rushton believes allowing people to interact with snakes up close in a safe, controlled environment helps educate them about their true nature.
“They can touch them, hold them, and learn that they’re not what people think they are — they’re not cold-blooded killers,” he said.
Michelle McClintock of IDeal Boas and Second Chance exotic pet rescue in Newberrytown, York County, typically fares well during her trips to Scranton.
“This is one of my best shows,” she said. “It’s one of the heavy hitters.”
However, McClintock also enjoys the candid conversations shared with guests during the expo events.
“So many things about reptiles are misunderstood, or are old wives’ tales,” she said. “To be able to be here, one-on-one with the community, and educate them is an amazing thing. Maybe they’re not leaving loving (them), but they’re leaving with a different perspective and appreciation that all of these animals have their place in the world.”
While owning reptiles as a pet may still be a bit of a taboo subject, Helring believes an initial encounter may spark an affinity.
“Snakes are not for everybody, but with an open mind and an open heart, they could be for anybody,” he said. “All it really takes is for somebody to interact with one for the first time. It’s kind of a magical experience.”
Brian Mennig, 6, of North Abington Twp., handles a ball python during the Electric City Reptile Expo Sunday at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE/STAFF PHOTO)