While much of Manchester was enjoying the St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 30, 2025, just blocks away at the DoubleTree Hotel, countless snakes, turtles, and geckos were being sold at the Reptile Expo — many of them packed into plastic deli containers and handed over to buyers with little or no knowledge of how to care for them.
NHARL held a peaceful protest outside the event to expose the hidden cruelty of the pet reptile trade. Holding signs reading “Animals Are Not Merchandise” and “Skip the Reptile Expo,” we urged attendees to reconsider the ethics of keeping wild animals in captivity.
We stood on the corner of Elm and Pleasant St., where the parade ended, so our signs were seen by everyone in the parade!
The cruelty of reptile shows
Reptile shows exploit reptiles and amphibians for profit, disregarding animal welfare, public health, and conservation concerns.
These expos pack convention centers with vendors who confine snakes, lizards, tortoises, frogs, and other animals in tiny containers — treating them as products rather than living beings.
Beyond the immediate stress and suffering animals endure at the show, reptile expos fuel the harmful captive reptile trade, leading to widespread animal neglect and ecological harm.
Rewards to Raise Awareness
At our Let’s Talk Turtles! event in March, wildlife biologist Josh Megyesy explained that the illegal pet trade poses a serious threat to New Hampshire’s turtle populations, with endangered species commanding especially high prices.
We put the reptile dealers on alert by handing out close to 200 of these postcards to individuals and groups headed to the Reptile Expo. A generous NHARL member is funding the rewards.
Uninformed Buyers, Unintended Cruelty
A big concern with reptile shows is how how easily reptiles are sold to people with little understanding of their complex needs.
When we asked a young boy where the crested gecko he had just purchased came from, he said, “I have no idea.”
We saw people walking out with snakes tucked inside their sweatshirts — not even in containers.
Two men carrying a tortoise to their car admitted it was an impulse buy.
Animals are not products — they are sentient beings who have a right not to be taken from their natural home and held captive.
A Behind-the-Scenes Report
From a friend of NHARL:
I used to work these [reptile expos] 15 years ago and will tell you first hand that the reptile trade is AWFUL. So sad.
- Tons of wild caught that don’t make it in transport. When they do make it, good luck getting them to eat.
- Captive bred has their own issues. Breeding for looks and ignoring health issues associated with it. For example, when I was doing animal shows, ball python morphs were super popular. The spider morph will literally wobble and spin around, but ppl [people] bred for looks and didn’t care.
- Wild or captive – selling baby snakes that haven’t even had their first meal yet.
- Selling animals to anyone as long as they pay. Sure there are great people who love the animals, but the bad outweighs the good. Two great examples:
- Monocled Cobras, gaboon vipers, rattlesnakes, etc. in a plastic takeaway container, wrapped in duct tape for “security.” $75
- Vegetarian lizards being fed meat so they’re bigger for more money.
- Tons of animals not even making it to the show. Seen tons of this, and the animals are just tossed.
- Exotics being traded under the tables. I’ve seen skunks, toucans, opossums, monkeys, tons of crocodilians, etc.
- People wanting to “look cool” by owning reptiles without educating themselves or even purchasing for kids who will neglect the animal.
- I’m not gonna speak for all, but most will sell even if you have no set up or any idea what they’re doing.
- …I worked at an exotic vet clinic for over ten years and reptiles are always treated the worst. Their husbandry is so specific and expensive, they’re crammed into tiny enclosures, since reptiles don’t ask for food etc., more than not, they’re thin, malnourished, sick. They’re also good at hiding illnesses. Impaction, rot, bone disease, etc.
Long story short, there is absolutely no reason for the ordinary person to “keep” reptiles in cages. Definitely not any reason that benefits them, unless it’s conservation efforts, or a rescue situation.
And this is not that.I think people think they’re “rescuing” an animal by purchasing it. But your purchase directly funds their practices. They will replace the one you buy with another deli cup they have waiting in line under their table. Trust me.
Imagine spending your entire life alone in a tank — unable to fully stretch your limbs, go for a walk, or engage in other natural behaviors.