POST AND COURIER (Charlston, N Carolina) 14 October 10 Warm-hearted over reptiles - Group leader works to dispel negative stereotypes of pets (Almar Flotildes)
In the pet world where dogs and cats have all the attention, reptiles need a voice, too, says Jake Burgett.
Burgett recently founded the Reptile Innovators of South Carolina, a group dedicated to educating people about reptiles and amphibians and to dispelling the negative myths that many people have about them.
"Dogs are a dime a dozen: Everyone's got one," said Burgett, who also has a golden retriever of his own. "Reptiles have become increasingly popular over the years. They're a different animal than anything else out there."
They're so different, they're feared by people and misunderstood, Burgett said, and that perception comes a lot from TV and movies, which many times portray reptiles in a negative light, such as in the movie "Snakes on a Plane."
"In the movie, they have snakes in there that aren't venomous, but they're lunging at you like they're ready to attack anything that moves," Burgett said. "That's just not true. Most reptiles are pretty docile."
Burgett says people he has introduced a snake to are impressed at how smooth and soft it can feel rather than the popular preconception that they're hard, slimy and aggressive.
"A lot of my fascination for the animals comes from how unique they are and misunderstood they are," Burgett said. "They just need a positive voice."
Burgett, 33, said he's had an interest in reptiles since he was a child, although he didn't own a snake until college. That was a ball python named Bogie that's now 12 years old. When he moved to Goose Creek from Illinois with his family in 2002, he brought it and his second reptilian pet, a leopard gecko named Pounce.
After arriving in South Carolina, Burgett started getting more into reptiles because of nearby attractions, including the Edisto Island Serpentarium, Alligator Adventure in Myrtle Beach and Roark's Reptile Safari in North Charleston.
Burgett became president of the South Carolina Herpetocultural Society in 2007, and he gradually started to acquire more reptiles, many of which he had taken in as rescues and ended up keeping. Now, he owns about 20, including two tortoises, two box turtles and a handful of snakes and lizards.
Eventually, Burgett broke away from the herpetocultural society because he said he wanted to do more outreach within the community. With his new group, Burgett says he's going to focus more on quashing the Hollywood myths about reptiles as well as teach people about conservation and how to be responsible pet owners.
The group is still in the works and doesn't have a large membership yet, but he's gotten help from a exotic pet shop in Summerville, Nature in Motion.
Burgett said owners Valerie and Brian Anderson have been supportive and helpful by letting him borrow animals for shows and presentations. The Andersons share his same love for the animals, Burgett said.
"They'll turn people down and give up the sale if they don't think the animal is a right fit for the person," Burgett said.
Both Burgett and the Andersons make it a point to encourage potential owners to educate themselves before making an impulse purchase in a pet store.
Otherwise, Brian Anderson said, "It'll be a bad relationship for the person and the animal."
Anderson said he wouldn't push an iguana or boa constrictor, for instance, as a starter pet for anyone. Iguanas can grow up to 6 feet long, so they can get expensive to house and feed.
And boas can live up to 30 years. Anderson recommends bearded dragons or ball pythons for people interested in owning their first reptile. He's been a longtime reptile lover himself and even owns several venomous snakes at his home.
"Owning reptiles is kind of contagious," Anderson said. "You always end up wanting to get more."
Warm-hearted over reptiles