Friday, July 8, 2011

Oh My! Live SSSSSnake Feedings at Local SSSSSerpentarium!

This past weekend my son's Boy Scout Pack met at our local serpentarium to see all kinds of rare and exotic snakes, crocodiles, lizards, and other interesting creatures found all over the world.

We saw these beautiful birds as we entered the building. 

Python

Giant Anacondas live in South America and is the largest snake in the world, reaching a max length of 25 feet!


Nile Monitor Lizard

  There is information about each creature as pictured below.  If the snakes are venomous then it will have red skull graphics as in the right corner in photo below to tell the reader just how venomous the snakes are with 5 skulls being the most venomous.  So the Western Green Mamba is 5 skulls and its venom is neurotoxic.  The bite can be painless and victims often don't know they have been bitten until they have terrifying symptoms including fatal respiratory paralysis!  Yikes!


The Western Green Mamba is found in West Africa.

King Cobra striking a pose at the glass

My son engaging in a staring contest with the King Cobra.  On a previous trip to this serpentarium, the King Cobra actually struck at the glass and made my son jump, needless to say! But, my son was determined to stare one down again! Boys!

Each Saturday and Sunday afternoon the serpentarium feeds their slithery and slimy friends and crocodiles and we were there this past Saturday afternoon to witness how they are fed! Yuck-O, but Cool-O all at the same time!

So the workers set up wire gates around the snakes' cages and we stood behind the gates, of course!  Here is a gate that we are behind with the worker in the green shirt inside the gate trying to feed a King Cobra. The guy said this is the worst snake to feed because King Cobra's are known to chase after victims.  The man in the photo is feeding the snake with the glass cover open as he tries to get the snake to grab his dinner.  King Cobra's only eat other snakes so they fool them by putting a drop of snake's blood on turkey meat to make the snake think they are eating another snake.  

In the photo below the man on the left side of the photo has a metal claw with a dead white rat at the end and he is trying to entice this Puff Adder to eat it, but this snake was not hungry so the cage is closed and we were off to see the next feeding.

This cobra was hungry and snatched the white rat. Lovely isn't?  :)

Here's a Bushmaster (very venomous), with a rat's tail hanging out of it's mouth. Yummy!  :)  

Then it was time to feed the reticulated pythons that wrap their prey and strangle them.  On the menu today is this big (already dead) hare.  You can see the head of the snake between the logs.

The snake grabs hold and snatches the hare from the worker's hand. 

This is a Saltwater Crocodile that lives in Southeast Asia, Northern Australia.  This crocodile is lovingly named "Bubble-Boy" and was fed raw chicken, but the presenter said that these crocks munch on people too and they have found jewelry in this type of crock dating back to the 1940s!
 
Going...

Going...

Gone!

Below is a Siamese Crocodile that lives in Southeast Asia.  These crocodiles are endangered or extinct through most if their range.  This big guy snatched 3 whole raw chickens for its meal.  In the top photo a long pole with a claw at the end is holding the chicken in the air.

Dinner is served!

I'm linking this post to Anna-Marie's Field Trip Blog Hop!



Come join NOBH!  Click button below for details and fun!




 

22 comments:

WOW how neat to see them feeding the reptiles. I showed this to my kids and they loved the picture of the cobra standing upright:) Thanks for joining in the Field trip Hop Voted for you today

Mom2Seven said...

I hate snakes! We get copperheads in our yard from time to time. My kids love the exhibits of the snakes at the zoo, though. I'm quivering just looking at these pictures! Good teaching post... I'm going to share with my kids later, especially my 6 y/o son, who will think it is cool! +JMJ+

My boys loves snakes...I, on another hand - NOT!
Looks like lots of fun though!

Angela said...

We've been there! But we've never seen feeding time. My daughter LOVES the serpentarium. We went when it had 1st opened and the king cobra (i guess wasn't used to being in a glass enclosure) struck at the glass when we walked by...very frightening and awesome at the same time!

Neat pics. Our zoo doesn't announce when the feedings for the snakes are but we have caught them a couple times. We watched the anaconda finish eating what looked like a rabbit. We only saw the back legs.

Laurie said...

I admit to being slightly horrified at a field trip that would involve these slithery creatures, but my boys would so love it! Great pictures.

My son had a boa. Feeding it was . . . scary. I think I would much rather watch someone else do it! Someone who knew what they were doing . . . Thanks for sharing!

Gardenia said...

what a cool field trip, but yikes those snakes are scary.

Sparklee said...

Awesome field trip!!! I think snakes are cool, but I wouldn't want to have that man's job! Eeew!

I would rather see snakes behind glass than run into one of the occasional rattlers we see in our neighborhood. But I don't know if I could watch them eat...definitely yuck-o and cool-o at the same time!

I love the photo of your son staring down the cobra!

noreen said...

Hi Tracy, what a fabulous trip for a boy! Girls too if they're not squeamish. My son would have loved to visit and watch the feedings. Me, not so much! Or at least, from a good distance. I realize some animals feed on other animals but I end up always feeling bad for the prey. Can't help it, but I do :)

Wow. I don't think I could have watched so many have their dinner! A couple maybe... but I would have had to stop at the gators. They make me nervous.

You did a fabulous job capturing those pictures.

Hi Anna-Marie,
So glad you were able to show your kids this post and that they enjoyed the photos too! It was a memorable experience for sure! So glad to be able to add this post to your Field Trip hop :)

Hi Annita,
Yeah, I'm not a big fan of snakes either, especially ones that aren't behind glass in their cage! But, since these snakes were not running wild, I tried to relax and enjoy the show :) Hope your son liked the pictures!

Hi Elena at Little Badgers Academy!
My son loves snakes more than me for sure! Thanks for stopping in and commenting! :)

Hi Angela!
Oh that's so neat that you have been to this same serpentarium! As my son was staring down the cobra I kept wondering if it would strike again! Thank goodness it didn't! Thanks for your comment!

Hi Christine,
That's neat that you've been able to see some feedings! The rabbit in my picture was big as the snake wrapped around it to kill it (again). Thanks for stopping in and commenting!

HI Lori,
There were some horrifying moments for sure on this trip, but it was awesome at the same time. My kids and their friends couldn't get enough of this type of entertainment :) Thanks for stopping in and commenting!

HI Diane,
Ok you are braver than me to actually own a boa and have to feed it! WOW! My son says he wants a snake, but he'll just have to settle at admiring them somewhere else :) Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

HI Gardenia,
Yes, the snakes were scary, but fascinating at the same time! Thanks for commenting!

HI Sparklee,
I agree, I would not want that man's job either and seeing them behind glass is so much more enjoyable than in nature for sure :) Thanks for visiting this post and commenting!

HI Noreen,
Yes, I felt bad for the rabbit that was being strangled. Of course it was already dead, but the snake was doing what was in his nature to kill it. It was amazing to see all the snakes snatch their meals so quickly! Thanks for stopping by!

HI "Beloved's Bride"
I know, it was intense and made me anxious to see the workers so close to these deadly snakes! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

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