Several years ago at the fair I saw Scales and Tails put on one heck of a reptile show. It was so fun and interactive I forgot I abhor reptiles. Through the years I became aware they have family night on Monday nights where you can see them feed the reptiles. As I am always looking for new things to do with my children I made a mental note and the time finally came to check out this hidden Utah gem.
Now here is something you will need to know if you choose to do this...YOU WILL BE HANDLING REPTILES!!! It is probably best that I did not know this prior to attending. It is a three hour open house setting so feel free to come and go as you please. Very relaxed. Very entertaining. Very educational. And just so everyone knows: I am fairly certain I am never going again. Did I mention you HANDLE THE REPTILES? Just writing this post nearly caused me to hyperventilate. Again. Yep. I barely made it through the family night event. If there is anyone who wonders how I feel about snakes please see this post.
So the night started with a worker holding an alligator. Yes. An alligator. Steve and I touched its tail. It feels surprisingly smooth and soft. FYI: the fins on his tail? Don't press them together because when I did Gatorade began thrashing and the worker had a dickens of a time holding on to him.
Turns out Steve loves snakes. I did not know this. If he had disclosed this any earlier in our relationship I think I would have run for the hills.
Meet Nanners a 14 foot python weighing in at over 100 lbs. D apparently shares Steve's love of snakes. This was unfortunate to learn.
The boy had no fear. Thankfully, Mommy had enough for everyone.
M made quick friends with the tortoises.
A tarantula. I forgot its name. Mostly because Steve was holding a TARANTULA. One cute thing the worker did was pull silk from the spider's spinnerets, hand the gossamer threads to D, and held the spider in the air and told the kids it was a spider kite. At least it would have been cute if I could have stopped freaking out about all the spider touching.
The tortoises were a fan favorite.
This is the moment Steve began asking for a snake and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
But this was the moment I actually jumped out of my skin and clearly out of my mind. Couple things happening here...1) I AM HOLDING A SNAKE!!! I gave into husband/daughter pressure. If you look to the right you will see M watching me. This is because we had been telling her she should try holding one, but she wouldn't do it until she saw Mommy do it. She is gauging my reaction to see if she should try it. The whole time I am breaking into a cold sweat and trying to slow my racing heart rate because I am pretty sure snakes smell fear and I was reeking. 2) If you look to your left you will see D (who has no fear) with his hands on Darth Gator's (the large aligator) enclosure. No one was to touch the tank because he has a nasty habit of biting anything that disturbs his space. I was so focused on that stupid snake I did not notice D in harm's way until writing this post. Sooooo glad nothing happened.
Steve is a crazy person.
Meet Peaches. He is wrapped around the worker. I cannot handle this.
M finally got brave and touched a snake. This is why I sacrificed myself (and unknowingly D).
Peaches wrapped around Steve. I repeat, I married a crazy man.
Passing Peaches off for the night.
What a night and a neat opportunity, but it will have to be one we remember because I do not think there will be a repeat.
Now here is something you will need to know if you choose to do this...YOU WILL BE HANDLING REPTILES!!! It is probably best that I did not know this prior to attending. It is a three hour open house setting so feel free to come and go as you please. Very relaxed. Very entertaining. Very educational. And just so everyone knows: I am fairly certain I am never going again. Did I mention you HANDLE THE REPTILES? Just writing this post nearly caused me to hyperventilate. Again. Yep. I barely made it through the family night event. If there is anyone who wonders how I feel about snakes please see this post.
So the night started with a worker holding an alligator. Yes. An alligator. Steve and I touched its tail. It feels surprisingly smooth and soft. FYI: the fins on his tail? Don't press them together because when I did Gatorade began thrashing and the worker had a dickens of a time holding on to him.
Turns out Steve loves snakes. I did not know this. If he had disclosed this any earlier in our relationship I think I would have run for the hills.
Meet Nanners a 14 foot python weighing in at over 100 lbs. D apparently shares Steve's love of snakes. This was unfortunate to learn.
The boy had no fear. Thankfully, Mommy had enough for everyone.
M made quick friends with the tortoises.
A tarantula. I forgot its name. Mostly because Steve was holding a TARANTULA. One cute thing the worker did was pull silk from the spider's spinnerets, hand the gossamer threads to D, and held the spider in the air and told the kids it was a spider kite. At least it would have been cute if I could have stopped freaking out about all the spider touching.
The tortoises were a fan favorite.
This is the moment Steve began asking for a snake and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
But this was the moment I actually jumped out of my skin and clearly out of my mind. Couple things happening here...1) I AM HOLDING A SNAKE!!! I gave into husband/daughter pressure. If you look to the right you will see M watching me. This is because we had been telling her she should try holding one, but she wouldn't do it until she saw Mommy do it. She is gauging my reaction to see if she should try it. The whole time I am breaking into a cold sweat and trying to slow my racing heart rate because I am pretty sure snakes smell fear and I was reeking. 2) If you look to your left you will see D (who has no fear) with his hands on Darth Gator's (the large aligator) enclosure. No one was to touch the tank because he has a nasty habit of biting anything that disturbs his space. I was so focused on that stupid snake I did not notice D in harm's way until writing this post. Sooooo glad nothing happened.
Steve is a crazy person.
Meet Peaches. He is wrapped around the worker. I cannot handle this.
M finally got brave and touched a snake. This is why I sacrificed myself (and unknowingly D).
Peaches wrapped around Steve. I repeat, I married a crazy man.
Passing Peaches off for the night.
What a night and a neat opportunity, but it will have to be one we remember because I do not think there will be a repeat.
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