Reptile expo focuses on education and responsible care

There were plenty of reptiles and exotic animals on hand Sunday at the Acadia Rec Centre.

Alberta Reptile and exotic animal lovers spent the weekend learning about, purchasing and even handling some slimy critters.

The Acadia Rec Centre hosted the Western Canadian Reptile Expo on Saturday and Sunday.

Almost 10,000 people took in the family-friendly event to shop from breeders and vendors offering snakes, geckos, lizards, plants and more.

Organizers said the expo is known for its strong focus on education and responsible reptile care.

“The goal of our organization is to pull in that younger generation and get them excited about this stuff. But also make sure they have the right information, the right cages, the right enclosures — learn from the breeders and then make sure they’re started down the right path," said Reptile Expo owner Tyrone Smith.

And it wasn’t only reptiles.

Also on sight were exotic animals like porcupines, kangaroos and even a few sloths.

With files from CTV News’ Timm Bruch