Guys you ready?
Never feel more alive
than when I'm on the end of something that could potentially kill me.
I've been bitten probably 100,000 times by snakes
The truth is that I get to live my dream everyday
Ready Carl? Come on you want to go in?
Come on in this is the reptarium I can't wait to show you guys around,
I'll tell you what?
This is basically the compilation
of my dreams here.
My name is Brian Barczyk
and I own over 1000 reptiles.
Yes we have this crazy snake right here,
that’s right they have two heads.
This is the Ben and that’s Jerry,
Ben and Jerry the two headed snake
My main mission in life
is to get people to love the animals that are often feared and hated
and that’s of course reptiles.
This is Sunrise, this is an albino Burmese python
and she’s a puppy dog and loves kids, loves being handled
we’ve got frogs we’ve got this cool chameleon
super cool,
even more big snakes on this side, this is Lucy,
she’s a 20 foot reticulated python,
not always in the best of moods
we have flaming hot Cheeto the bearded dragon from Australia
Zombie the Chilean rose haired tarantula.
Argentine blue tegu
he just loves to lick your hand.
This is Matilda
she’s going to live up to 200 hundred years.
So my great grandchildren will one day be taking care of Matilda.
People ask me all the time if I have a favorite animal
and I always tell people it’s like asking a mother of three
who their favorite kid is.
each animal is special to me
but I will say the one animal that really has my heart
is Bella the rhino iguana.
She’s like my cat,
have you ever seen a reptile come to her name before?
That’s right that’s what Bella does
she’s just loves being petted.
Later today we’re going to be moving some animals
into new exhibits.
I’ve been working with reptiles as my main full time job
for 32 years.
I’ve been bitten probably
100,000 times by snakes.
Working with animals, you’re going to get bit
that’s part of it.
I’ve been passionate about reptiles since I was two years old
I saw a snake at a local zoo
and I’ve been obsessed ever since
I always tell people
"Sometimes you’re just born with the gene," right?
I couldn’t imagine life without
everyday working with my family.
I met my wife Lori when I was 18 years old
and she was afraid of reptiles.
She wouldn’t even come in my basement.
Lori: I have been working with animals
ever since I met Brian.
prior to that I never really messed with
or liked reptiles at all.
Brian: When my kids were born
they actually were just kind of part of the crew.
My son has worked with us ever since he could walk.
Noah: I’m 20 years old now and the business has been around
for over 30 plus years.
So right when I came out the womb, I was handling snakes.
Brian: He’s learning.
Noah: All right guys today we’re going to be working with some alligators.
Brian: Noah hasn’t been as excited about alligators
but he’s getting much better.
Noah: So what would happen say if I was trying to grab one of these gators
and like it grabbed my finger or something?
Brian: I made the mistake one time with a gator this size
just wanting to see how it would be to get bit, right?
And so I put my index finger in one of its mouths,
I wouldn’t suggest anyone doing that.
When you start working with alligators
you have to be careful because of course there could be a danger.
Brian: Careful.
Noah: I just got bit by one of them.
Okay
are we ready?
Brian: Look out, you’re hesitating, don’t hesitate, don’t hesitate there you go …
Noah: Look at that,
gator boss right here,
you see that?
Wow I’m actually impressed with myself here.
Brian: All right well let's try to get another one
Noah: Was this not good enough?
Brian: Careful,
You’re going to have to be on top of it so,
Noah: Oh really that's going to be my job?
Brian: Yeah why not?
Noah: Okay sounds good.
Brian: There you go, there it is.
Noah: And I got this one now.
All right I'm going to put this guy back now.
Brian: You did really good.
I think that the fact that you're stepping up
is fantastic.
Noah: Awesome.
Brian: It's really about overcoming that fear.
Noah: Do I still want to take over the business from my dad the day he retires?
I definitely will, it'll be a part of my life forever.
Brian: Hey good morning everybody, welcome to the vlog
today we’re going to be moving a bunch of animals into their new enclosures.
I started YouTube in 2008.
And I had no idea what was going to happen
it’s been life changing to me
really YouTube is my primary job.
But just wait to see what some of these enclosures are going to look like.
It is so next level it’s going to be absolutely ridiculous.
We’ve been working on this Reptarium expansion for the last four months.
I mean diligently 18 hours a day for the last four months without a day off.
The first time we opened the first Reptarium
we were a little bit on a budget.
This time we decided to go like full on zoo cage.
An enclosure like this
is about 15,000 dollars
but we can move animals in get some waters in here
and then the fun begins.
We have a few animals
like our albino alligator
that is just getting a little larger for her enclosure
so she’ll probably be the first one I move in.
All right time to move salt and pepper.
Of course salt is the albino alligator,
just really gentle,
Now pepper is not as nice.
So this one doesn’t like to be handled
you have to be a little careful because
this guy will nip you,
and it at that size where its not fun to get bit by,
But it’s going to love its new enclosure
Pepper is a monster but I love this animal.
Now they’re going to get an opportunity to have a pretty …
a pretty large enclosure
I’m just going to go ahead and release pepper first,
pepper hey calm down,
there you go,
come on now
go there it is.
there it is oh yeah that is awesome
let’s go ahead and release salt now. Come on salty,
ready to girl? Come on
you want to go in?
There you go sweetheart and away they go.
Now look at how much space they have.
Pepper is just swimming around like crazy.
Oh my gosh that is so absolutely incredible.
My dream is to coming true every minute that we put a new animal in.
ultimately the grand finale is moving the anaconda.
It’s got a mind and a will of her own
come on big girl,
come on baby
Noah you got her?
Noah: Yeah I got the front.
Brian: You know you don't really know with an anaconda how it’s going to go.
These are big strong powerful animals.
There's certainly areas in the Philippines where as much as 20%
of the male population have been attacked by reticulated pythons.
When you get into a 20 foot constrictor
it has the power to really be dangerous.
You guys ready?
Ready
Okay you guys hold the back for a second.
Come on big girl here you go sweetheart, there you go baby
oh my gosh I don't even know where she’s going.
I’m going to put her in the water I just have to see if she’s going to like it.
Come on sweet heart come on baby.
All right guys…
Brian: We did it we got the animals roofed
and the place really comes to life now that there’s animals in their habitats
and can’t wait to open and show people the new part,
people are going to freak out and its awesome, its wild to think that
just started with this vision of it and now here we are
but this is absolutely a dream come true.
Noah: I just want it to be big well known people when they think of reptiles
I want them to think about the Reptarium.
Lori: Brian is one that literary everyday has another idea
so for the life of me I don’t even want to think about what the future could hold
but I know whatever it is it’ll definitely be an adventure.
Brian: I mean I couldn’t have imagined a normal life going to a normal job
I get to live my dream every day
and I love the fact that I don't conform to what people think I should do
I get to do what I love and I couldn’t imagine it any other way.