ReptiDay Returns to Fort Myers
ReptiDay returns to Fort Myers on September 5, 2026 at the Caloosa Convention Center, bringing reptile lovers, families, and first-time keepers together for a one-day expo. The episode also spotlights local vendors like Agocs Exotics and SoFlo Reptiles while exploring how in-person events support better education, responsible ownership, and animal welfare.
Chapter 1
Ft Myers ReptiDay Returns to Caloosa Convention Center
Jay Tacey
September 5th, 2026. Put that date on your calendar because ReptiDay is coming right back to Fort Myers, Florida.
Michael Arnold
Man, I love a good ReptiDay show. It is at the Caloosa Convention Center, right on 1375 Monroe Street. It is just a packed, single day pop up expo, but the energy in those rooms is unreal.
Jay Tacey
It really is, um, from a zoological perspective, a single day event like this does something very special for a local community. It brings curious first timers, young families, and veteran herpetologists together in one shared room. When you create an accessible space where people can see animals thriving up close, that is where genuine animal first stewardship actually begins.
Michael Arnold
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, think about how most people look at exotic pets these days. They scroll on a website, they look at a picture, click buy, and a box shows up on their doorstep. But standing two feet away from a live animal, talking directly to the person who bred it? You just cannot replicate that online.
Jay Tacey
Exactly. In person, you can evaluate the animal's physical condition, watch its movements, sense its overall temperament, and get immediate, face to face answers about its environmental and nutritional needs. That live interaction bridges the gap between seeing a creature as a novelty and understanding it as a living responsibility.
Michael Arnold
Right, right. You get to ask, hey, what is this specific snake eating, how are you maintaining humidity, what kind of enclosure footprint does it need as an adult? You know, the stuff that saves a new owner from making big mistakes on day one.
Jay Tacey
And for young kids especially, seeing a well cared for reptile in person, meeting the experts who dedicate their lives to these species, it builds memories that connect emotion to conservation. It sparks curiosity in a totally safe, structured environment.
Chapter 2
Vendor Spotlight Agocs Exotics and SoFlo Reptiles
Michael Arnold
Oh, and speaking of experts, the vendor floor in Fort Myers is going to be stacked. We have to highlight Agocs Exotics. They are a local, family owned exotic shop right out of North Fort Myers, Florida.
Jay Tacey
Agocs brings a fantastic variety, do they not? Everything from arachnids and geckos to ball pythons, colubrids, and various lizards, plus all the necessary live feeders and habitat supplies.
Michael Arnold
Yeah, they really do cover the full spectrum. Whether you need a starter setup or live feeders for the week, they have got you covered. And then, um, on the gecko side, you have got SoFlo Reptiles, which was founded by Ethan Rogge out of Naples, Florida.
Jay Tacey
SoFlo Reptiles has built an incredible reputation, particularly with New Caledonian geckos. They show up with practically every color and morph of crested gecko you can imagine.
Michael Arnold
Oh man, crested geckos are unbelievable right now. But, you know, for someone walking into the expo for the first time, comparing a crested gecko to, say, a colubrid or a terrestrial python, the habitat setup is completely different.
Jay Tacey
That is a crucial distinction. A tropical, arboreal species like a crested gecko requires vertical space, higher relative humidity, foliage for cover, and controlled ventilation. Compare that to a terrestrial snake, which prioritizes floor surface area, warm gradient hide zones, and specific substrate depth. Choosing an animal starts with understanding which micro habitat fits your home life.
Michael Arnold
Yeah, and that is where breeder mentorship comes in. When you buy from folks like Ethan at SoFlo or the team at Agocs, you are not just walking away with an animal. You are gaining a contact, someone you can reach out to weeks later when you have a question about shedding or temperatures. That long term connection gives new keepers so much confidence.
Jay Tacey
It ensures both guest satisfaction and, most importantly, animal welfare for years down the road. September 5th at the Caloosa Convention Center is going to be an outstanding day for Florida herpetology.
Michael Arnold
See you all on the show floor.