Fun at the Denver Aquarium!

[Argentra]

Took a day for me yesterday and headed out to the aquarium. Before I even got to the front doors, I found a major bonus in the form of a reptile "petting zoo" out front under the trees, run and owned by a great guy who's been showing and educating with his collection for years. I spent a good three hours out there!

Here's me with the 4 year old male Ball Python, Jeff. He was really sweet.


These are mother and daughter albino Burms: 5 year old Chiquita, and 1 year old Banana. That big girl was an angel, but VERY heavy!


This is Scooter, their male Honduran Iguana. I never met such a people loving reptile.


Female Retic looking for a way out, complete with guy for size reference Gentlest retic I've ever been around, and she just ate the day before.


They had a bunch of others, including a leusistic snapping turtle, three adult sulcata tortoises, and two Blue tongue Skinks which I held for a long time.

[Argentra]

Then, there's the aquarium!

This is a friend of mine I met there feeding an enthusiastic Sting ray.


I finally got a decent shot of their Pacific Red Octopus...


A beautiful puffer in the restaurant tanks


One of their Sumatran Tigers chilling out


The Sea Nettle tank...my partner's favorite


And, of course, one of their Sand Tiger sharks. (sorry for the dark and flash shine, that room is really dark)


Too bad I don't know how to put camera videos on photobucket, or I could share the short one I took of the River Otters.

[SarahMB]

Very cool pics! I just wanna pet that cute kitty face

That reptile petting zoo is just an awesome idea, wish we had something like that around here. I'd spend hours there, too!

You could always post your video on youtube, it's easy to do.

[frankykeno]

Great shots!

[Alice]

That is so cool that they have a reptile petting zoo! What a great idea!


Great pics BTW

[JLC]

Awesome pictures! My aquarium shots never turn out at all. And, as others have already noted, that reptile petting zoo is a grand idea! Would LOVE to see more of those popping up around the country (properly managed, of course!) to help teach people how great these animals really are.

[Argentra]

Thanks for the comments, I'm glad my photo skills are improving.

I intend to start up something similar once I figure out exactly where and what kind of refuge I'll be able to run/own. Since my main focus will be exotics, and most exotics are reptiles and birds, I was thinking of including some sort of traveling 'troop' of well tamed and gentle animals for educational purposes.

We definitely need more great 'zoos' like his to show that reptiles aren't evil. Just in the three hours I was there, I felt like I was back at the zoo again when I used to help people get over reptile fears. Not bragging of course, but I love it when I can get a frightened (usually) lady to calm down and actually touch the snake or lizard to find out how nice they are. Of course, I always include talks on how they only get this nice when properly cared for and loved, just like dogs.

He'll be there at the aquarium all through August, and I certainly intend to go back at least once before school starts and spend the whole day there.