This Burmese python is just one of the many exotic pets on display. Adrian St.Onge/CHAT News

By Adrian St.Onge

Medicine Hat sees more exotic animals as Western Canadian Reptile and Plant Expo takes over Cypress Center

Jun 23, 2024 | 9:35 AM

Most Medicine Hat households would think that a puppy or a kitten would make for a great first pet. While that may be true, more obscure pet ideas hit the Hat this weekend as the 2nd Annual Western Canadian Reptile and Plant Expo took over the Cypress Center.

Snakes, turtles, lizards and spiders are some of the pets currently being offered.

Snake breeder Ray Zich said that foot traffic this year has been down compared to last year, but that true reptile fans young and old make up the bulk of the roughly 900 Saturday attendees.

“The kids are the future and they’ve got to have a connection with these animals. We’re losing more and more of them [reptiles] every day,” Zich said.

“It’s important that they get to touch these animals, build a connection with them, and so they realize that these things aren’t scary creatures. These are animals that have a place in the world and they belong to be here with us.”

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Organizers said that this isn’t the first forray into Medicine Hat.

Tyrone Smith, a Medicine Hat vendor, said that he hopes that educating the community, even if they don’t adopt, leads to less misconceptions.

“I think the biggest thing is education. Having these people come talk to the breeders and the pet stores and learning all the right information,” Smith said.

“There’s so much misinformation on the internet, it’s nice to get it right from the source and get the right information.”

Some snakes, like a bull python, tends to have the ability to adapt to various temperatures and humidity levels. According to Expo organizer Greg West, others are more fickle.

“There’s a huge variety from a beginner reptile to a more advanced species. So you can come here for your very first time and find that animal that would be perfect, that’s easy to care for,” West said.

“A lot of these animals are easier to care for than dogs and cats, so they’re perfect companions.”

The Expo continues Sunday and more information about how to adopt can be found on their website.