Necturus at New York Show

I just came back from the NY reptile show. I saw a lot of very nice animals there. Alfred Ojeda had some beautiful, and huge, mudpuppies. This is the first time I have seen on for sale. He had quite a few, and said that they had been eating. I unfortunately have no tanks set up for them at the time. Also at the show I saw my first Greater Siren for sale, they were only 15. Besides that, the salamander stock at this show was minimal. Lots of Palm Salamanders, only 3 fire salamanders, and some Parmesotriton. Hope there are more next show.

I was there. Mr. Ojeda is a really nice guy. We got in a conversation about Mike Shrom and I got a mudpuppy. (I have pictures in the Photo Gallery under "Necturus".)

"Rich's Exotics" was the vendor selling the Greater Sirens. I spent a great deal of time there, talking to one of the guys about sirens, who was surprised that I knew what they were. That vendor also had an adult amphiuma, though it wasn't out in the open and I only got to see it after we'd been talking about sirens.

Lots of vendors had Bolitos, Regal Reptiles, Reptile Depot and Alfred Ojeda, though when I got my mudpuppy, he was selling his only Bolitoglossid to someone. Reptile Depot was selling what they were claiming were Japanese Firebellies as well.

You must be joking, I must have been standing right next to you. I was there when he sold that Bolito for like 25 because it had a slight scratch. I got to newts, because I didn't have a sizable tank for the mudpuppies. I was happy and got to talking to Mr. Ojeda too. I can't wait to see what he has next show.

Heh, I was standing at the Necturus bin for quite some time ... Asian girl with glasses wearing a black hooded zip-up sweatshirt with "SOIA" across the front - that's me. The only person I remember seeing at Alfred's table was some kid wearing a backpack, but only because I kept seeing him everywhere.

Back in August, after I'd purchased two juvenile axolotls from Alfred, I was walking past his table again and noticed something large and salamander-shaped in a 10 gallon breeder ... turns out it was a hellbender, about a foot and a half long, maybe two feet. (The bender wasn't for sale, but as brought for show and was situated in the small tank while someone else set up a show tank for it.) He always seems to have quite an assortment of amphibians for sale.

(Message edited by dot on January 16, 2005)

I was the kid in the backpack. I was carrying around my lunbox full of amphibs.

Really? Awesome. Then you must've witnessed me staring absently at the bin of Necturus ...