Live reptiles and birds of various shapes and sizes were carted into South City Campus on Monday, Jan. 23 as students, families and kids of all ages joined Student Life and Leadership for an evening of slithering fun.
- Scales and Tails, a traveling animal show, visited the South City Campus.
- The event was sponsored by Student Life and Leadership.
- Kids were treated to a hands-on experience with a variety of animals, including reptiles, spiders, and birds.
Scales and Tails, a local traveling bird and reptilian show, visited the campus and fascinated audience members with an array of animals.
“I gear these events like the Zoo Lights and Corn Maze towards my son,” says Amanda Goss, family activities chair for Student Life and Leadership. “I think about what kids will like as well as adults and how they can all interact together.”
Scales and Tails is a hands-on interactive live show with information about the cold-blooded and winged creatures.
This free event was a way to give students a chance to learn something new and provide entertainment for their families.
Audience members all had the chance to hold and pet the live animals during the show. Creatures as small as a scorpion were present, as well as large ones like an Albino Burmese Python, which took three audience members to hold.
‘That’s not a bunny!’
Catch more Student News Updates at radio.slcc.edu
Knowledge seemed to be the overall message of this event, as it was full of interesting facts and information about each animal.
The show included entertainment by one of the reptile charmers, Austin Earley, who asked the audience if they wanted to first see something furry and pink.
When he surprised the audience with an eight legged furry creature, a little girl on front row shouted, “He got it wrong! That’s not a bunny!” It turned out to be a tarantula named Dracula instead.
Earley also talked about the disadvantages of keeping various reptiles as pets.
One pet he discouraged ownership of was a baby alligator named Gatorade. This alligator can grow up to 13 feet and weigh up to 1,000 pounds.
The main reason Early said why this reptile would not make a good pet is that “he can eat you and turn you into poo.”
Kids all laughed but some of the parents in the front row seemed a bit nervous as he held the animal tightly and kept talking about how dangerous it was.
Noisy birds
The bird show abounded with squawking parrots, chatty cockatoos and other feathery friends.
Shirley Bybee was the handler for the bird portion of the show. Her birds had more to say and were louder at saying it than she was.
Some of the birds talked, and others waved and danced. Kids were invited up to help hold, feed and pet the birds.
Goss hopes to have more family friendly activities like Scales and Tails in the future. The next event will be tie-dyeing and is planned for March.
Scales and Tails is also available for birthday parties, fairs, schools and corporate events.
