ROBSTOWN, Texas — "The reptile industry in the United States is almost a 4 billion dollar industry a year, so it's actually not as niche as you think," Shawn Gray, HERPS coordinator said.
Not only does the convention have reptiles for sale but all the supplies you could need for them.
It's perfect for people like Devin Garcia.
"I actually own two snakes, two aquatic turtles, two lizards and one tortoise and actually now a tarantula," Garcia said.
He says reptiles make great pets, but people are too afraid of them.
"I guess there is a lot of misconception about reptiles and I think that's mostly the reason people are scared of them," Garcia said.
That's where Laura Berg comes in.
She attends the HERPS expo to educate and advocate for reptiles.
Berg says once you actually handle a reptile a lot of the misconceptions go away.
"That's why we bring ones out that are tamed, the kids can interact and people can see that they are calm and they do make great pets," Berg said.
And as for wild reptiles, Gray says if you cross paths with one you're uncomfortable with, leave it alone.
If you didn't get a chance to stop by the expo on Saturday, they are going to be open on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
