Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Have any of you take your snakes out of the house, not just in the back yard but back to the store for a show and tell kind of thing or to a school for show and tell?
Towards the end of the school year my kids want to bring a snake and a dragon to school, Ill be there to monitor everything of course but Ive never taken them out like that before.

I do educational programs once in a while, but only with snakes I've had for years. Even then, I don't let anybody hold them, and I clear it with all "authorities" ahead of time.

You know how legal-minded folks can be these days ... can you imagine a parent complaining about their child who was in close proximity to a vicious snake?

99% of the kids / parents would enjoy such an experience. It's the 1% you have to take into account.

I refer you to the 7 P's.

Proper planning prevents painfully poor performance.

One, two, three, four ... okay, so there's only six P's.

I'm sure it will be fine. Just talk it over with people before hand. Education is golden.

Good luck!

-Brandon
www.nosnakeban.org

>>I do educational programs once in a while, but only with snakes I've had for years. Even then, I don't let anybody hold them, and I clear it with all "authorities" ahead of time.
>>
>>You know how legal-minded folks can be these days ... can you imagine a parent complaining about their child who was in close proximity to a vicious snake?
>>
>>99% of the kids / parents would enjoy such an experience. It's the 1% you have to take into account.
>>
>>I refer you to the 7 P's.
>>
>>Proper planning prevents painfully poor performance.
>>
>>One, two, three, four ... okay, so there's only six P's.
>>
>>I'm sure it will be fine. Just talk it over with people before hand. Education is golden.
>>
>>Good luck!
>>
>>-Brandon
>> www.nosnakeban.org

Ill try to post again and have text with it!
I had taken my leo gecko to my daughters class last year and I had her do up a information sheet and a question sheet, made her do a small presentation to go with it. I never let them handle the gecko just because I was scared of the tail falling off. That would have flipped everyone and me out*L* But your right, I shouldnt let them handle the snake either. I was thinking of it but its probably not a great idea.
I do think its great to show them and educate them, not many kids get to see a snake or reptile close up and learn about them.
At home I never clean out any enclosures on the same day or handle more than one animal on the same day. Im always worried about cross contamination. Maybe Im being too careful? Along with the snake I was going to bring my bearded dragon or the salamander, how do you go from animal to animal in a school setting? is it ok to handle each without washing between?

>>I do educational programs once in a while, but only with snakes I've had for years. Even then, I don't let anybody hold them, and I clear it with all "authorities" ahead of time.
>>
>>You know how legal-minded folks can be these days ... can you imagine a parent complaining about their child who was in close proximity to a vicious snake?
>>
>>99% of the kids / parents would enjoy such an experience. It's the 1% you have to take into account.
>>
>>I refer you to the 7 P's.
>>
>>Proper planning prevents painfully poor performance.
>>
>>One, two, three, four ... okay, so there's only six P's.
>>
>>I'm sure it will be fine. Just talk it over with people before hand. Education is golden.
>>
>>Good luck!
>>
>>-Brandon
>> www.nosnakeban.org

IMHO

To school yes, to the pet store no, you never know what the animal might pic up from the store (ie mites or worst). Remember it the snake is young to much handling or traveling can cause excess stress that might even kill the snake. If the snake is older this shouldn't be a problem.

tom

Make sure all's well with everyone involved. I took 2 of my snakes to my work. Some were ok with it some were not. The people I work with the most loved to see them, one girl was not. She can't even look at a photo of a snake. I only had them out of their enclosures for a couple hours. Not all day.
Oh, by the way........be sure you have them in something SECURE! Don't want to get there without them. :0)

I brought a bunch of my snakes to the school where I work about a month ago. The fifth grade science classes were just finishing up on a genetics lesson. I did clear it with all the proper people, and warned all the kids ahead of time. One little girl who is deathly afraid of snakes got so shook up she had to go home, poor thing. Aside from that all the kids had a great time. Some who were scared of snakes are no more. They got to see all the different colors a corn snake can be. I think they liked the pythons and boas more though. Any way they got a little taste of the world of snakes, and I'm working on a client base when my snakes start breeding. They now have a juvie texas rat snake that I gave them in the class room. I've gone from Mr Teague, to the snake man. Only problem now is all the lower school and pre school teachers want me to bring snakes to their class rooms. I'm going to have to figure out how to work it into my schedule without loosing my real job. And by the way, It might have stressed the snakes a little, not too sure. They seemed Ok. They sure were hungry that night.
-----
1,0 snow
1,0 amel

1,0 aney stripe motley
0,1 normal
0,1 anery
0,1 motley
1,1 oketee
1,1 tx rat
4,4 ball python
1,1 dumerils boa
1,0 columbian red tail boa
1,1 green iguana
1,0 leopard gecko
1,3 dogs
freezer full of mice & rats

Wow, how do you handle all those snakes and kids too?*L* I think one of the main questions I really have is what do you transport them in and what about heating? Im not planning to taking her to the school until summer so Im sure she will be ok but you never know what the weather might be like living in Ontario Canada!
Im really looking forward to it, not sure if its so I can show off my baby or if Im that excited to show the kids*LOL*

I just put the pythons and boas in a large rubbermaid tub together. They didn't seem to mind. The corns were secured in some tubs that I purchased my dumerils in. They are like deli cups except about 50 times bigger. We take the bigger snakes on rides in the car all the time. My wife takes her snakes with her like some people take their dogs. Its amazing what looks you get driving down the freeway with a boa hanging its head out the window. As far as keeping them warm, I live in Texas so its not near as hard for me as it is for you. I take a human heating pad and place it in the tub with the snakes. Just make sure your tub fits securly enough that they can't crawl out.
-----
1,0 snow
1,0 amel

1,0 aney stripe motley
0,1 normal
0,1 anery
0,1 motley
1,1 oketee
1,1 tx rat
4,4 ball python
1,1 dumerils boa
1,0 columbian red tail boa
1,1 green iguana
1,0 leopard gecko
1,3 dogs
freezer full of mice & rats

As far as keeping up with the snakes in the classroom. I work at a private school. The classes that I showed my snakes to are only 14 or 15 students at a time. I talked about a snake then handed it to a kid and so on till each kid got to hold one. There was at least two teachers in the room with me the whole time so it wasn't a problem. I know this may sound irresponsible to some, but I was real careful and kept an eye on everything while the snakes were out.
-----
1,0 snow
1,0 amel

1,0 aney stripe motley
0,1 normal
0,1 anery
0,1 motley
1,1 oketee
1,1 tx rat
4,4 ball python
1,1 dumerils boa
1,0 columbian red tail boa
1,1 green iguana
1,0 leopard gecko
1,3 dogs
freezer full of mice & rats

I wish I lived in Texas! Its been on average -32 here lately!
In the summer I would love to take my corn out with me but I would be worried she would get too stressed out. I could only do it a few times in the summer months so she wouldnt have a chance to really get use to it before it was too cold out again.
I do take my dog with me all the time but Im sure its not as interesting to see a Rotties head in the window compared to a boa*L* Would probably cause a few accidents around here!

>>I just put the pythons and boas in a large rubbermaid tub together. They didn't seem to mind. The corns were secured in some tubs that I purchased my dumerils in. They are like deli cups except about 50 times bigger. We take the bigger snakes on rides in the car all the time. My wife takes her snakes with her like some people take their dogs. Its amazing what looks you get driving down the freeway with a boa hanging its head out the window. As far as keeping them warm, I live in Texas so its not near as hard for me as it is for you. I take a human heating pad and place it in the tub with the snakes. Just make sure your tub fits securly enough that they can't crawl out.
>>-----
>>1,0 snow
>>1,0 amel
>>
>>1,0 aney stripe motley
>>0,1 normal
>>0,1 anery
>>0,1 motley
>>1,1 oketee
>>1,1 tx rat
>>4,4 ball python
>>1,1 dumerils boa
>>1,0 columbian red tail boa
>>1,1 green iguana
>>1,0 leopard gecko
>>1,3 dogs
>>freezer full of mice & rats

Ive thought of taking the snake to work to show the guys. I work at a garage so I work with all men and me being the only female. Two of them said they would rather not see a snake so I think on one of my days off Ill bring her in and just show her off in the office away from the ones who dont care to see her
I use to be terrified of snakes so I can really relate to those who are but given the chance, its amazing how many people can be converted from snake haters to snake lovers!

>>Make sure all's well with everyone involved. I took 2 of my snakes to my work. Some were ok with it some were not. The people I work with the most loved to see them, one girl was not. She can't even look at a photo of a snake. I only had them out of their enclosures for a couple hours. Not all day.
>>Oh, by the way........be sure you have them in something SECURE! Don't want to get there without them. :0)

Where is the school you are going too? i'm in ontario too and someday i may see if i can take my corn to my school to show the teachers. and being the student it will be funny teaching the teachers.

The school that my kids go to are all for the kids bringing in pets as long as they have rules set ahead of time. I use to bring one of my dogs in every few months for the kids to see then went to bringing in one of my lizards.
What would be a good idea is to make a presentation to go along with the snake. My daughter at 9 did that with her lizard then did a test for the kids before they were even allowed to see the lizard. That makes them more aware of what to expect and how to treat the animal.
Let us know if you do it and how it turns out.

>>Where is the school you are going too? i'm in ontario too and someday i may see if i can take my corn to my school to show the teachers. and being the student it will be funny teaching the teachers.
>>