The following article was written by Fred Tarnaski of Pennsylvania (also known as Fred the Snakeman on Facebook, a name bestowed upon him by children who have attended his snake presentations). Because it contains good information regarding a feared reptile, we have reprinted it here with his kind permission: 1. Rattlesnakes do not lay …
Everyone who has worked hard deserves to retire at some point. And this, we feel, goes for snakes as well. Our kingsnake, Spike, is approaching 24 years old, and we feel it’s time to give him a well-deserved rest. Spike has been instrumental in converting people from fearing snakes to respecting snakes. For many, just …
“Do you have any pets?” our neighbor asked as we settled our rig into the site we planned to occupy for four months at an RV resort near Phoenix, Arizona. The man’s Jack Russell terrier left his side to retrieve a toy in hopes of engaging us in play. “Uh……no,” we responded, wondering how he …
Throughout our years of volunteering with U.S. Fish & Wildlife, we have been in many areas frequented by a number of potentially dangerous animals such as moose, bears, mountain lions, and venomous snakes. However, the only animal that has ever tried to attack me was a dog in a residential neighborhood. That is, until now. …
“Snakes will be coming out soon,” we were told by a long-time employee of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. “There’ll be lots of them!” Not many people relish the idea of snakes emerging and slithering in all directions. We may be some of the few. So when we heard that we’ll be seeing them in …
Once again we viewed a website of well-intentioned reptile lovers who insist on placing large pythons around audience members’ necks. While they may deliver excellent information, as well as attempting to instill a respect for these misunderstood creatures, their message degrades into showmanship. We’ve written previous articles that promote respect for the animal, as well …
Occasionally, people refer to our snakes as our “pets.” While we value them and care for them, we never consider them as pets. Instead they are our “education animals.” When a child tells us, after our reptile program, that he (we’ve never had this thought from a girl) thinks it would be cool to have …