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A Snakes-N-Scales presentation is always fun, always safe, and above all, always professional. Follow the pictures through the program and read the captions. The purpose here is not to give you the information of the show but to discuss the style, professionalism and expertise that goes into one. This program took place at Countryside Child Care in Ringwood, NJ in June 2010.
	The children are instructed on the rules and what we expect, but the atmosphere is relaxed to encourage curiosity and fun!
	Handling is always done gently, to appear almost absentminded. But we are always keenly aware.
	The animals are used to what will happen. So much so that very often they do what is expected of them without our having to coax or even touch them. Look at Bill’s face.

	Look at Bill’s face again. See how he can convey meaning in addition to what he’s saying. Realize that he’s thinking about the condition and position of the animal, the information he’s talking about, how’s he’s presenting it, where the children are physically and how they are responding emotionally and intellectually to what is being said.
	Notice the relaxed hands of the expert handler. He reads the animal as he handles him, anticipating what needs to be next. The gator is put into his lap and remains there for 10 minutes.
	Look at how little strength is needed to hold the 100 pound gator in place.
	His hands aren’t closed around the lizard, he cradles it like a baby. Which is exactly how he thinks of them.
	He points out the regrown tail to the class while his hands monitor the animal’s demeanor.
	Size notwithstanding, gentleness and supreme understanding, not force. That is a 45 pound water monitor, behaving like a well trained dog.
	The lizard knows what she can do and what she can’t. After hundreds of times with him, she behaves as required.
	Gentleness, not force. He conveys ease, fun, understanding and expertise. The children look at the animals through his eyes and at themselves through the animal’s.
	They say it all with their wrapped attention. They barely blink, much less move.
	Can you still be scared of a snapping turtle while Bill looks you with the face of a clown? And yet no one would confuse his antics with senseless clowning.
	He deftly holds the snapper, in spite of its claws, even touching close to it’s face. One attendee called him the “turtle whisperer!”
	Bill has a 4 year old daughter, Becky. This was her class’ show, so she got to help. Notice that he has the head and full control of the animal even though she has most of the body.
	Faces that convey fun and learning combined with an extremely experienced touch.
	That Burmese Python weighs nearly 100 pounds, but is no challenge for Bill.
	The children watch as the massive snake is removed from it’s box and no one is afraid because the tone has been set, there is no need.

The “payoff” of all the patience from the kids is to be able to sit with the giant snake. Everyone takes it at their own speed. Bill never loses focus on the animals or the kids.
And the show is over. This show had only three touchable animals, the children were 4 years old and everyone had a wonderful time. The shows generally have more touchables than that but the concept that you cannot instruct small children with large animals, unless they touch them, is clearly false. But it does require a talented, qualified and professional instructor.