Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Day camp Reptile Educational Show.

I did a second Reptile Educational Show for the Burns Harbor Day Camp today. The kids love seeing and touching the snakes. I had my two older boys help me with the show and my older son took all the pictures for me. Anyway here are the pictures from the show.

Take care
Tom
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McCarthyBoas.com

Hopefully some of those kids will be turn out to be future herpers! Great work as always Tom, love the pics. I also appreciate the fact how you handle the snakes with the kids, controlling the head (the bitey parts) while still letting the kids get the experience. Very cool. That girl holding the retic by herself looks excited and nervous at the same time.
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'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow

Just curious about a few things How big was the large boa in your other post, Lenght/weight? and regarding the animals you bring in for the education programs (awesome educational opportunity for the kids etc), how often do you handle them?

I have one animal I trust enough that I would like to bring into a similar setting, she is calm, never showed any discomfort or nervousness etc but just curious about how you choose which animals you bring?

The big boa is a female BCI that is 7 feet long and around 30 lbs and 10 years old. I only handle my snakes about one or two times a week now. I have had boa for over 33 years now so I feel confident that I can feel / know there attitude. Also some of the snakes I own have been in my collection for some time now so I know them very well and what the will put up with. Now Tigger and do handle weekly just to keep her very tame. When I do these show there are a few snakes I bring only for show and I don't let anyone touch them.

Now here is some info I have posted about Tigger before as she was very mean when I first got her. This is good info anyone could use to tame most snake down with.

When I first got Tigger in 9 / 2005 she was not tame at all. It took me about 3 months to tame her. Here is how I worked with her to tame her down.

For the first week I used the snake hook to touch her a few times and I would just put my hand on her body and the hook holding her head. I did this for about 2 or 3 minutes a day. I also put my shirt I was wearing in her cage at night so she would get use to my scent. I did the shirt trick for about 3 1/2 weeks.

The next 2 1/2 weeks I would use the hook by her head and pet her on her body. She would jerk her body and throw my hand off but I would put it right back on her. I did this for about 15 minutes a day.

Then after the 2 1/2 weeks I still did the same thing but I would also pet her head. I did this for about 5 to 7 days.

Then I started to take her out of the cage for about 10 to 15 minutes every day. I would let her go just about any ware she wanted to but I would not put her down. I did this for about a week. I still would pet her in her cage just about every day.

The next week I started to let her crawl around on the floor. But I had to use the snake hook to pick her up as she would strike at me.

After about 1 or 2 weeks she was fine with me then I started letting my kids pet her when I had her out in the house.

The first time I took her outside (this was about 6 to 7 months after I got her) she when right back to wanting to strike at me so I had to use the hook with her.
After about 2 weeks she was fine outside with me and I even let my kids pet her too.

I still use the hook every time I open her cage to take her out. All I have to do is touch her head now and she knows it is not feeding time.

The only time I would not do anything with her was on feeding day and the day after. Tigger use to stays in feeding mode for about 1 to 2 days back then now only a few hours after she eaten.

Tigger has only bitten me one time in 2006 and it was just a little bump on my hand and it was to let me know she did not want to come out as she was deep in shed. The bite did not even bleed, just 2 or 3 little marks in my hand. When she is deep in shed I will not take her out of her cage but I can open it up and pet her. Tigger has become one of my tamest snakes I own, and she is not head shy at all. I believe this is because when I first got her I would pet her head allot. I don't even have to use a snake hook any more when I open her cage. She does have bad shed allot so after she starts to shed I put her in my bath tub and help pull all the old skin off of her. I think she does this on propose as it seems like she like it.

I always mess with Tigger's head at home when I have her out so she is use to people touching her head. I can even slap her on her side or even hold her head and give it a good shake and she don't care any more. I have done this for years with her. I even let my kids at home play with Tigger allot to help her get use to children. When ever a snake person is over at my home they can't believe how tame she is and the stuff she will put up with. After owning snakes for 33 years I feel I can read most snakes attitude pretty good at least the ones I own.

Update 7 / 2009
Tigger is probably the tamest snake I own now and I don't even need to use a hook on her any more to get her out of her cage.
She is now 15 feet long and 75 to 80 lbs.

Take care
Tom McCarthy
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McCarthyBoas.com

I have commented before how important it is to give positive exposure to our community....thank you!

I don't know you but I know you are a "good guy"

Your son looks so very proud....you speak volumes to him with out saying a word, you showed him how important he is to you by taking the time and making him part of the presentation...what a self esteem boost...you just can't buy that
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Joel Thomas

Don't tread on me!