Snakes in the Library

A couple of weeks ago for our summer reading program we had an animal expert bring an assortment of wild life into our library to show the kids. He brought scorpions, a tarantula, a skink, monitor lizards, tortoises, and other fun bugs. But what the kids were really salivating for was snakes.

He asked for a volunteer and a girl about aged 10 raised her hand. He then brought out a large albino boa. He wrapped it around her neck. The girl froze. She wasn't expected to be a volunteer for this. The boa's head kept creeping up to her face and she kept hitting it down again. I was getting really nervous. I didn't think it was good to hit a boa in the face. She continued to do this 5-6 times. The animal expert did not notice she was so nervous and she was swatting the boa in the face. The audience was gasping. Finally, he saw that she was petrified and took the boa off. She didn't volunteer again.

Disaster was averted that time but then he brought out a ten foot reticulated python. He had eight kids stand up and hold the python from head to tail. They were okay for about three seconds. Then the python started moving and the girl at the front dropped its head. The other kids couldn't support the weight of the heavy python and they started falling. The kids were desperately trying to hold onto this python while they were holding themselves up but then they fell into the black backdrop hiding the other animals and knocked it down dropping some of the ten foot python on the floor. Luckily, this particular python was a professional and did not attack anyone. I don't know if any of those kids from the audience will be volunteering at any more animal programs any time soon.