Lizards & Snakes

I admit that I was not really looking forward to what was billed as a hands-on live reptile show, the featured attraction for my step great grandson's second birthday party last weekend.

I considered the birthday celebration a yes. The live reptile hands-on show was a no.

Boy pholks, was I wrong.

I really do appreciate reptiles, except snakes. They are important, intriguing, sometimes pretty and amazing and important to nature, the environment and whatever.

But even though I know a few things about reptiles, I came away from great-grandson Anthony Sanchez' party with more knowledge of some of them and perhaps a little motivation for more study, except for snakes.
With the exception of worms, I have never been keen on any creature which has no legs.

But the presentation by Eric Johnson was entertaining, fun and exciting for the two dozen kids ranging from infant to teenagers, along with two dozen adults at the party in Woodlake. All creatures, human and otherwise, seemed to have a great time.

Johnson and his wife, Michelle, operate E&M's Reptile Family from their home and headquarters in Springville. Eric is quite the showman and he uses his voice and dialogue to take his audiences to a few other counties for a few moments while combining education and entertainment in his show. Great stage presence and a honed sense of humor go a long way.

Eric encourages youngsters to first read about or ask question about creatures which draw their attention. His frogs, lizards, snakes and assorted other creatures are attention grabbers at birthday parties, classrooms and assemblies for schools, libraries, daycares, summer camps and various other functions.

Although they have been in Springville since 2005, the Johnsons are not newcomers to the world of exotic and everyday creatures of the reptile world. Eric and Michelle were high school sweethearts in Southern California where godparents, Chrissy and Joe Martin, operated “The Reptile Family” in the Venice Beach area.

Eric attended Moorpark College and graduated from the American Teaching Zoo in 2003 and began his own enterprise.

The E&M Reptile Family home base is located on two and one-half acres in Springville where a temperature and climate-controlled, barn-like building is home for dozens of creatures, many of them rescued or adopted.

Caring for and nurturing abandoned, abused or neglected reptiles is an important part of the E&M Reptile Family operation, Eric says. Word of mouth and networking with others in the field are keys to rescue and rehabilitation of many of his creatures, he explained.

The Johnsons feed their “pets” only dead meals, like rats, chickens and other members of the food chain. Having a non-moving menu greatly reduces a reptile's attraction to moving items, like young children's fingers, hands and arms, Johnson explained.

Although he slips in an occasional loud voice to add a little spice to the show, Johnson repeatedly cites caution, kindness and respect for his crawly, slinky and hopping cast.

He doesn't have much trouble getting volunteers in the holding portion of the show, even though the braveness shown is a little thin at times.

He also notes that creatures like turtles, tortoises and some lizards have extremely long life spans or can grow to extreme size, leading to abandonment by owners.

Touching the reptiles is part of the show and, of course, a highlight of the day.

When the snakes were taken out of their wicker baskets, my wife, Kathy, headed for the hallway which was near enough to see the show but far away from the “volunteers” who were passing the wiggly things around for “petting.”

Although I did touch a couple docile large lizards, one at least two feet long, I said no thank you to the snakes while keeping on eye out just making sure Kathy had left enough room for me in her safety zone.

We share a dislike for snakes and Kathy's encounter this summer with a rattlesnake at our home in Knight's Ferry is still pretty fresh.

Even though Johnson has no poisonous creatures in his show, the snakes are unsettling for some pholks.

Of course the closing act is with an eight- to 10-foot snake which is put in the hands of volunteers and family member of the birthday celebrant.

Little Anthony didn't really like that part and but there was only a minor crying problem.

It was a great party. I never had one like that, which probably is a good thing considering my feelings about snakes.