# Hamm reptile show 30.05.09 - Show report!



## Agkistrodon (Dec 12, 2008)

So, we went to the latest Hamm show with a bunch of people off of here and a few from further afield I believe. And what an awesome trip! Coach service was prompt but flexible, regular toilet, cigarette and food breaks, everyone was really really friendly, and the show itself was amazing. Best of all, all our animals got back 100% intact and alive, despite the journey from the show. What a great day. It basically went like this:

29/05/09
20.15 - We pulled out of Ashford and started our journey. Headed off to the tunnel, sped through on the train and made good time through France into Belgium, with a stop in Belgium for duty free, the loos and a leg-stretch at about 22.30.

30/05/09
00.00 - We could be in Germany by now...I'm not sure, I was asleep:blush:. Once again we sped off Hamm-wards. Made good time on the Autobahn, once again with regular stops for provisions and whatnot - kudos to our drivers for that, was great at how flexible it was.

05.00 - We arrive at the show centre in Hamm, five hours before opening. Over the next three hours or so, some of us sleep, some of us chat, and others wander around trying to find the cafe for half an hour, end up walking into a random German supermarket, turn around, finally discover the cafe and then realise it was closed. At about 7.30ish a bunch of us wandered in to get morning teas and have a chat.

8.45 - complimentary breakfast  It was awesome.

9.45 - We shove our way to the front of the queue with our pre-bought tickets and get in amongst the first 100 people or so. After ten minutes of browsing some monitors I make a beeline for the venomous room, promptly get ID'd on entry and then wander around for a bit before picking up some bargains for a friend (pictures to follow tomorrow hopefully!).

12.00 - After touching base with some other members of the coach trip and watching a "heated bartering exchange" with Bob Clark:lol: I then went and picked myself up a pair of african pygmy hedgehogs and a 35 euro ball python. I also splashed out on some hooks and feeding tongs, as well as other general equipment that I'd wanted for a while.

3.30 - Complimentary lunch! With strong German beer! It was also awesome.

5.15 - The show closes and we all head off on the coach.

10.30 - We make it to the tunnel, make it through a relatively customs-lax security check and then go into the tunnel at 11.45

31/05/09
00.00 - We arrive back at Ashford truck stop, and pile off the coach. A friend of mine picks me up, and we head off and get everything into water and set up. I head home and go to bed, and boy do I hum, 2 days on a coach isn't the best thing for personal hygeine:2thumb:

All in all, I had a great couple of days! Met some ace people, everyone was really nice and really helpful. I earnt the nickname "venom" from people, and everything got back alive and well and is still all good this morning! I'd love to get some facebooks or what have you from people who were on the coach, my name is Chris Loaring if you want to find me.

Overall, an awesome time! Pictures to follow.


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

was perfect trip all went great will be doing again here some pics of what i picked up at hamm


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

Love those praries, all looks good, i ended up getting

60 Retics
60 Linothele megatheloides
80 H.maculata
40 P.bridgii
100 C.hunari (spelling)
!00 L.difficils (spelling)
30 Trinidad snails to be identified
3 species of crayfish and loads of other bits, hopefully get piccys up later


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## slowmo-no1 (Jan 14, 2009)

it was a great trip,bit unconfy but ill live. heres a pic of wat i got.


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## Astritos (Feb 7, 2009)

Loveing all the pics of what people got they all look great.
Hope to go myself one day.

Dan


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

How did you get the mammals back? I know rodents dont require quarantine but Im pretty sure hedgepiggies do? Crikey, might be worth going one day for mammals...Were the squiggles expensive?


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## Agkistrodon (Dec 12, 2008)

tarantulabarn said:


> Love those praries, all looks good, i ended up getting
> 
> 60 Retics
> 60 Linothele megatheloides
> ...


Yeah, that was impressive, you got all sixty of those retics into one tub!


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## penfold (Sep 9, 2007)

its ilegal to bring hedge hogs back:bash:


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

ah good im not going mad then :lol2:

But squiggles are legal..riiiiiiiiight? riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?


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## Mrs dirtydozen (Sep 5, 2008)

i got told it was iilegal to bring any sort of rodents back, did you bring those praries back on the coach


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

I know when I was looking at importing a while back rodents were exempt from quarantine, not sure how it works bringing them over on the eurostar though


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

alot of mammals are not a problem to bring back as long as food water is in with them at all times unlike reptiles/inverts. some need licences so on but most do not mind you im not so clued up on it only with things im after. in the usa its harder as they need licences in some states to keep and breed and import so on


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

spider_duck said:


> I know when I was looking at importing a while back rodents were exempt from quarantine, not sure how it works bringing them over on the eurostar though


 thats correct:2thumb:


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## penfold (Sep 9, 2007)

the ground squirels are ok pretty sure euro tunnel does not allow animals false stop unless they have pass ports


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

philipniceguy said:


> alot of mammals are not a problem to bring back as long as food water is in with them at all times unlike reptiles/inverts. some need licences so on but most do not mind you im not so clued up on it only with things im after. in the usa its harder as they need licences in some states to keep and breed and import so on


 but quarantine rules still apply :S

Were youre squiggles expensive? Theyre bloody gorgeous :flrt:


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

Mrs dirtydozen said:


> i got told it was iilegal to bring any sort of rodents back, did you bring those praries back on the coach


they are not praries they are richardson ground squirrels, they are rodents and rodents do not quarantine in order to import them. 100% legal i never looked into hedges but in usa laws are in place for it all but unlike reptiles its more relaxed laws on most mammals here than there, quarantine rules apply for most mammals mind you but not rodents at the moment


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## Agkistrodon (Dec 12, 2008)

penfold said:


> its ilegal to bring hedge hogs back:bash:


No it's not. They were declared at customs and passed through fine.



> the ground squirels are ok pretty sure euro tunnel does not allow animals false stop unless they have pass ports


The tunnel is fine with animals. Everything was declared. Eurostar across europe doesn't allow animals. If you check the law, reptiles, rodents, inverts and amphibians are all fine to bring back, it's only domesticated and large exotics animals that can't be transported.


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

Hedgehogs arent rodents, theyre insectivores in the erinaceinae family


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## Mrs dirtydozen (Sep 5, 2008)

so i got told a load of crap then, i was told you were not allowed to bring back rodents as they needed quaranteen


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

Mrs dirtydozen said:


> so i got told a load of crap then, i was told you were not allowed to bring back rodents as they needed quaranteen


you can defo bring rodents back without quarantine : victory:


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

Agkistrodon said:


> No it's not. They were declared at customs and passed through fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The tunnel is fine with animals. Everything was declared. Eurostar across europe doesn't allow animals. If you check the law, reptiles, rodents, inverts and amphibians are all fine to bring back, it's only domesticated and large exotics animals that can't be transported.


as you put customs stopped us checked list with them on so on no problems if they needed anything then surely they would of said so right then which they did not so all legal and happy:2thumb:


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## RobKellaway (Nov 10, 2008)

Fantastic trip, very well organised.

Really freindly atmosphere on the bus and the animals were all transported at a very high standard.

Got to see 60 retic's in one box as well, what a sight!


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

Really glad you all had a good time, considering this was the first May hamm show i think it was brilliant and better prices than usual,


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## rockgex (Aug 5, 2008)

Well finally recovered (just about), Excellent trip and incredibly well organised. :notworthy: Show had plenty of stock and not too many visitors so bargains to be had. Got loads of dart frogs and a few reps all doing really well and totally unaffected by the journey. To everyone on the bus a true pleasure to meet you all and to the organisers top job. This was my third trip and the best yet. 60 retics in a plastic tub was an interesting sight Steve, they all fed yet? 
:2thumb:


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

Allmost all of them, just a few to go, glad you enjoyed it


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

rockgex said:


> Well finally recovered (just about), Excellent trip and incredibly well organised. :notworthy: Show had plenty of stock and not too many visitors so bargains to be had. Got loads of dart frogs and a few reps all doing really well and totally unaffected by the journey. To everyone on the bus a true pleasure to meet you all and to the organisers top job. This was my third trip and the best yet. 60 retics in a plastic tub was an interesting sight Steve, they all fed yet?
> :2thumb:


 your right there was alot of bargains at the end as well like my 24 euro female burmese. if i had more cash/space could came home with so much:lol2:


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## Caz (May 24, 2007)

Nice Uromasyx on pg1.
You were lucky customs missed the hedgehogs... Could have put a downer on future trips.


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

Caz said:


> Nice Uromasyx on pg1.
> You were lucky customs missed the hedgehogs... Could have put a downer on future trips.


They didnt miss them they were all declared on the customs forms everyone filled in


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## slowmo-no1 (Jan 14, 2009)

Caz said:


> Nice Uromasyx on pg1.
> You were lucky customs missed the hedgehogs... Could have put a downer on future trips.


:blush:thanks m8:2thumb:: victory:
but *ALL* animals were declared


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## kingsnake (Mar 23, 2007)

Customs made a big boo boo with the hedgehogs! They are covered by rabies order and have to be quarantined for 6 months on entry to the UK from the EU. They can also catch foot and mouth. Don't shout too loud you've got them.


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## Hamish (Jun 17, 2007)

first hamm trip i have missed in 2 years and it sounds like it was great :devil:


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## Victoria_O (Jan 11, 2009)

RobKellaway said:


> Fantastic trip, very well organised.
> 
> Really freindly atmosphere on the bus and the animals were all transported at a very high standard.
> 
> Got to see 60 retic's in one box as well, what a sight!


Are we talking about retic retics? As is Python Reticulatus? If so i want to see photos of 60 in a box lol

Vicki x


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

Hamish said:


> first hamm trip i have missed in 2 years and it sounds like it was great :devil:


And tou WERE missed..still youve got september and the hotel one in december


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## Tropic Exotics (May 5, 2009)

has any one organised another coach for september show on the twelth, want to go to get a pair of retics and stuff.


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

Victoria_O said:


> Are we talking about retic retics? As is Python Reticulatus? If so i want to see photos of 60 in a box lol
> 
> Vicki x


No, Achatina reticulata snails (babies)


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## matt1993 (Jul 7, 2009)

philipniceguy said:


> was perfect trip all went great will be doing again here some pics of what i picked up at hamm
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Hamish (Jun 17, 2007)

Tropic Exotics said:


> has any one organised another coach for september show on the twelth, want to go to get a pair of retics and stuff.


Yes there are people organising coaches but RFUK doesnt allow a certain company to advertise here anymore as there have been harsh words between them.
So if you want to get a COACH TO THE hamm SHOW for future hamm shows then yo will need to google it :whistling2:


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