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  1. #21
    BPnet Lifer dakski's Avatar
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    Re: Riverside Reptiles Education Center - Enfield, CT

    Katie and I took our niece, Meghan, to a snake event at riverside reptiles.

    We saw everything from an Eastern Rat Snake to an Emerald Tree Boa and a 120 pound reticulated python. All in all, we got to see up close and touch 7 snakes and one legless lizard. Honestly, the legless lizards creep me out a little. They are not quite a lizard and not quite a snake. Weird. I did pet this particular female who was rather friendly and calm. Very rough skin/scales.

    The highlight to me was an eastern copperhead that the owner has had for 10 years and was born in his care. She was in a plexiglass box, but he did bring it around and we all got to see her up very close. WOW. She was stunning. Amazing eyes too. It happened pretty quick, so I didn't get a picture of her, but it was very cool.

    While we were there, we checked out the Green Mamba enclosure. He now has a male in with the female and we caught the female in the act of shedding. That was pretty cool if for no other reason than to see her amazing freshly shed bright green scales!

    Last edited by dakski; 08-02-2021 at 11:53 PM.

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  3. #22
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    What a great day! Getting to watch that mamba up in those branches to shed, how great is that!

    And copperheads are gorgeous snakes, for sure. So many great snakes, so little time (& energy & space & money...sigh!)
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 08-03-2021 at 12:08 AM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  5. #23
    BPnet Lifer dakski's Avatar
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    Re: Riverside Reptiles Education Center - Enfield, CT

    Riverside Reptiles took my two Rhaco's (Ezzy and Ferry) as a donation as that was the best thing for all. I discuss this in another thread, but basically, they were a lot if work and with my health where it is, along with other time constraints, it made sense to find them a great home.

    They are doing amazing and being well cared for.

    Anyway, in exchange for the "donation" of Ezzy and Ferry and their tanks, Brian (who owns and runs Riverside Reptiles) agreed to let my niece Meghan (pictured throughout this site) have a day as a zookeeper and for Katie (aka Sunshinewalker), my wonderful wife, to have a tortoise feeding experience. Meghan had a wonderful time and Katie had a great time as well. Brian even let me feed the tortoises! I had a great time, but Katie especially did.

    Below are pics of Katie feeding the tortoises. I wasn't able to go to Meghan's zookeeper day so I don't have pics of that.


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  7. #24
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    I'll say this was an AWESOME day! Nothing beats interacting with these animals, either as "zoo-keeper for a day" or feeding that huge beautiful tortoise. Way to go!

    Glad to hear your "Rhacos" are doing well there too- I'd be surprised if they weren't- it looks like an excellent facility, & that was a difficult but wise decision on your part.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  9. #25
    BPnet Lifer dakski's Avatar
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    Re: Riverside Reptiles Education Center - Enfield, CT

    Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    I'll say this was an AWESOME day! Nothing beats interacting with these animals, either as "zoo-keeper for a day" or feeding that huge beautiful tortoise. Way to go!

    Glad to hear your "Rhacos" are doing well there too- I'd be surprised if they weren't- it looks like an excellent facility, & that was a difficult but wise decision on your part.
    Most of the pics are of Katie feeding "Tank" and "Dozer." She had an awesome time and was smiling the entire feeding.

    It was a tough decision to re-home Ferry and Ezzy, but it's great to see them continuing to thrive and for me to have a little more time with the 9 reptiles I still have. I am glad I made the decision and made it before (potentially) they or the rest of my collection suffered. They were in great health and cared for when I gave them to Brian and Riverside Reptiles, and they are still doing great. That makes me happy. Sadly, Brian was shocked at how well they were doing and how clean the enclosures were, etc. He was expecting much worse, which seems to be the norm when someone wants to re-home an animal, especially, a reptile.

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  11. #26
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    Re: Riverside Reptiles Education Center - Enfield, CT

    Quote Originally Posted by dakski View Post
    ... Sadly, Brian was shocked at how well they were doing and how clean the enclosures were, etc. He was expecting much worse, which seems to be the norm when someone wants to re-home an animal, especially, a reptile.
    That's a very typical & sad truth, I agree. People lose interest & totally neglect to clean or sometimes even feed pets. And they often wait too long to re-home reptiles- hey, reptiles can't "complain" (they don't whine or cry like cats & dogs, & don't squawk like birds do)- they're just quiet prisoners if they end up with the wrong owner.

    When I got into rattlesnakes years back, I had some turned over to me that really smelled horrible- it wasn't their fault, they'd been kept in filthy cages for a long time. I quickly figured out how to safely bathe them & you could tell they really appreciated being clean- they just felt better. But some people think nothing of keeping them that way.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  13. #27
    BPnet Lifer dakski's Avatar
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    Re: Riverside Reptiles Education Center - Enfield, CT

    Katie and I had a paint night date at the Reptile Zoo!

    I got some cool shots of the Spitting Cobra after shed, the Green Mambas, and the Dwarf Caiman.

    We had a great time and Katie painted Yafe (CP) onto a whiskey bottle while I painted the two green mambas smoking cigars. Clearly, Katie has the artistic abilities, but what I lack for in skill, I make up for ingenuity?


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  15. #28
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Don't you know that smoking is bad for snakes? I've convinced myself that they're eating Repti-links instead.
    Great pics! Looks like a fun outing.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 08-27-2022 at 11:37 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  17. #29
    BPnet Lifer dakski's Avatar
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    Re: Riverside Reptiles Education Center - Enfield, CT

    Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    Don't you know that smoking is bad for snakes? I've convinced myself that they eating Repti-links instead.
    Great pics! Looks like a fun outing.
    Smoking cigars is bad for me too, but I still do it (not every day or anything). Yeah, with one working lung, probably very bad for the snakes. I encourage people not to smoke or even use strong cleaning scents or ingredients near reptiles.

    I never smoke in the house.

    It was a lot of fun. It's a good outlet for Katie who loves to paint and as you can see, is quite good at it.

    Eve, the Cobra, was hiding but many of the danger noodles were out and looking amazing. From the Albino Eastern Diamondback to the Timber Rattler. Should have gotten more pics. I will next time. I was focusing on my art this time!

    The 17FT retic female laid eggs and I went in the other day and it was very quiet. End of the day and a weekday. Brian (the owner of the zoo) let me hold one of the (at the time) 2 week old tiger retic babies. Still as big as a grown corn snake. They were very inquisitive and those orange eyes with the black pupil are stunning. Way too big a snake for me in the long run (also not legal here in CT without a permit). Tonight they did bring in one of their young female burmese to show us. She was about 4 years old and as big as I'd like any snake in my house to be. Total sweetheart, but it doesn't fool me, she will be huge.

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  19. #30
    BPnet Lifer Albert Clark's Avatar
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    Re: Riverside Reptiles Education Center - Enfield, CT

    Thank you dakski! What a spectacular center for reptile education, the animals, the clientele, all seem like a must see. My wife and I are surely going to book a visit there. Already friended them on Facebook. Your photos and explanation of the facility make it so appealing and interesting as well. Can’t wait to get there!
    Stay in peace and not pieces.

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