Snakes, Gators, Turtles... Oh My!
One of the stops that the kids just had to visit was the Reptile Gardens in Rapid City, SD. It houses the largest collection of venomous snakes in the country, maybe the world. The kids are quite fond of their four pet snakes and thought it would be cool to visit a place that specializes in reptiles.
For me, that close, face to face with things that can kill you.... Ugh!
King Cobra
Needless to say, it made for a fun afternoon. We visited the Reptile Gardens and there was so much to see even in the after season. While crocks and alligators where not on display outside, they did provide great up close views of these wonderful beasts.
Their snake display is quite awesome. I truly have never seen so many different, and yet deadly snakes all in one place. Being only feet away and face to face from the King Cobra was a little unnerving. I truly expected that the snakes would try to strike the class and get me. However, I think that the snakes are rather tame at this point and are used to seeing so many humans in close proximity to them.
Getting Imprisoned at Reptile Gardens
After roaming about, we attended a snake show where one of the handlers brought out a display of snakes for the kids. It was fun to watch the kids get so excited. The handler asked questions about snakes and I was so proud that my kids had the right answer. Do you know the difference between poisonous and venomous? My kids do!
Face to face with a Cotton Mouth...
When the handler brought out the venomous snakes, it was interesting to watch how he tried to interact with the crowd, keep an eye on the snake, and keep it all entertaining. At the end, I did see him start to sweat and it was pretty cool outside. I think the snakes where a little testy, and the crowd filled with kids were asking him a million questions. In the end, no snake handlers were injured in the production of the snake show.
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