- I had a friend who had a snake,
and I was still always scared of it!
- That's like the largest group of
one group of people that have ever come to visit.
- Whoa!
Whoa!
That's crazy.
(upbeat music with dynamic sounds)
- Hey, good morning everybody.
Welcome to the vlog.
I hope the start of your day
is absolutely incredible.
As for me, I get to do what I love today
which is share my passion of animals with people.
I actually have two tours this morning,
we are open at the Reptarium tonight.
So we get to hang out with people
just talk about animals, show animals,
get excited about animals, I mean
what more can you possibly ask for?
Let's say that the next 12, 15 minutes,
however long this vlog is,
we push our problems aside
and just have a great time together.
(scattering)
I'm continuing to try to work with my
baby Rhino Iguanas..
I tell you what guys
it's not as easy as I thought.
Oh, there he goes.
(laughing)
It's not as easy as I thought it would be.
I mean, they are getting better,
they definitely are but it's gonna
take some time before they become
little Bellas, that's for sure.
But again, just doing this every day
trying to habituate them to handling,
I think, is the way to go.
I mean, look at how beautiful it is
and this of course is Donkey Kong Jr.
or Diddy Kong, I don't think we've quite decided.
Go down in the comments and let me know
what you guys think, should it be
Donkey Kong Jr. or Diddy Kong?
I'm not sure.
Regardless, he is absolutely amazing.
Every time I see Night Fury here,
I am just absolutely blown away.
It seems like every day it gets bigger
and it gets even more beautiful.
Oh my gosh, this thing is incredible.
And you can see Predida in the background here,
she's pretty spectacular too.
I mean, Casper, Predida, Night Fury,
all together, what a combination, right?
You've got Casper the pure white snake,
you've got Night Fury the black snake
and then you've got Predida kinda in between.
Oh my God, I love Reticulated Pythons.
It's amazing how far Reticulated Pythons
have come when it comes to paint jobs
just in the last 10 or 12 years.
My first tour of the day should be here
any minute, ready to have a good time with them.
How you doing?
How's it going?
- How're you doing?
- Hi, how are you?
- Hi guys.
Hi it's nice to meet you all.
- It's nice to meet you.
- Thank you so much, thank you so much.
- Where are you guys from?
- Howell.
Howell, okay great. Well, welcome.
- Birthday Boy!
Birthday Boy! Happy Birthday!
- How old are ya?
- Twenty-three.
- Twenty-three, alright, Happy Birthday.
We're gonna have a good time, alright?
- Alright, cool.
- Cool.
- It just amazes me how strong they are,
how strong their grip is.
- Yeah. I got my guy potato here.
You said you have a blue tongue Merauke.
- Yep.
- So this, you know, similar,
it's a different species obviously.
But, similar as far as the blue tongue.
These guys are a little more chill probably
than your but Meraukes are a little bit more feisty.
So, but Potato's amazing.
Of course Bell's always wanting her pets.
(laughs)
Bella you're so cute.
I had my camera laying down and Elvis
was absolutely just obsessed with the microphone.
He's like "What is that?"
He sees me having the camera a lot.
But I don't think he's ever been able to get near it
where he's smelling it. Right Elvis? Do you like it?
Do you like that little fuzzy thing?
(jazzy up-tempo music)
(laughs)
It's just amazing to see a lizard
that's just so curious and has absolutely
no fear whatsoever.
(upbeat jazz music)
- He's definitely way more active
than the white one, than Casper.
- You mentioned that you wanted to get
a Carpet Python for your next snake.
You have a Mojave and a Stink now.
So, here we go, this is Darwin.
He's actually a Centralian Carpet Python.
One of the bigger species of Carpet Pythons
to be honest with you.
Also known to be one of the tamer ones
to be honest with you.
So, he's a beauty.
Sweetie, the Blood Python is doing
absolutely incredible.
And it's cool that you can handle him now
just like no problem.
It's not all the time that you can take out
a big Blood Python and just know
that it's gonna be bullet-proof
and not bite anyone.
So Sweetie is doing really good.
Alright guys, thank you so much for coming.
Seriously you guys are amazing.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday in just a little while to you too.
- Yep. So thank you guys. Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas. Thanks for having us.
I always say like the whole idea of my tours
is not only to educate,
but to also have people have a great time.
I just want people to leave and go,
Oh my God that was so amazing!
That is my goal is to just make it
that type of experience. And I'll be honest with you,
as much as I want people to enjoy it, I really enjoy it.
I get an opportunity to pull animals out
that I'm excited about.
And we share each other's stories and stuff like that.
So first tour done, absolutely incredible.
What a really great family.
And I know I always say that, but it's really true!
Every time I have people come I'm just like,
Oh, such great people!
We have one more tour that's gonna be here
any minute, and then we have maybe an hour
before the Reptarium opens and then we have
five hours of fun at the Reptarium tonight,
open to the public.
I have a really quick package sent to me today
so I want to go ahead and show you what it was.
This actually says, absolutely love
following your videos.
My five-year-old son always noticed
that you wear a bunch of funny shirts,
so we wanted to send you one for your collection!
Keep being amazing,
Kirsten Gonzales and her son.
So, thank you so much!
Let's go ahead and see what this shirt is.
Okay so we have, never Forget.
Of course we have a floppy disk, a VHS,
and a cassette, so thank you so much.
And by the way, I love crazy shirts.
So if you so happen to choose to send me a crazy shirt,
I'll put my P.O. Box in the description.
Or you can send it to the Reptarium,
the address is on the website.
So, thank you Kirsten!
I really do appreciate it.
Alright, so my next crew is here.
I've got the birthday girl here with Sunrise
we're gonna have an absolutely amazing time,
lets' get started.
- That's the first snake you've ever held I take it, right?
- Actually, no, I had a friend who had a snake
and I was still always scared of it!
- You're fine, you're fine, you're fine.
You're doing good.
You did good.
- Hello!
- Is she strong, she was like grabbing my hand.
- Really moving!
- Hello! Hi! Oh!
- So we have Potato out playing,
we have Cheeto out, we have the Ball Python out,
and we had an alligator out.
It's going well.
(laughing)
- I've been chosen!
- Oh he's killing you!
- What up? What up Toothless?
- It is so cute.
- I know but still.
- Who are you wearing on the red carpet?
- A snake.
- Yeah.
- You gonna hold it?
- Yeah, I want to, I'm terrified.
- If I laid down do you think he would just
crawl all over my face?
- That's the first time I've seen Speedy
crawl out at somebody.
- And also like-
- We are wrapping up here.
Thank you guys for coming, happy birthday to you.
Come back and see me any time.
By the way, I'm impressed, this guy here
he went from being a little bit not so,
he did really good actually.
(applause, cheering)
Wrapped up that tour.
And it's really interesting. I've always said this,
every tour is so different
and different age groups can be really different.
So I wasn't really sure
how this was gonna go. When the group first came in
I was like, are they gonna like reptiles?
I'm not sure what's goin' on!
A couple of them were a little bit
kinda squeamish about it and then all of a sudden
they just really warmed up and they loved it.
It was a really fun group.
I mean really, extremely fun.
They absolutely fell in love
with so many animals so that was awesome.
So we are just getting together, you can see
Kelsey's over here.
- Hi guys!
(laughs)
Jessica is working away as always.
Bruce just showed up so he's getting things together.
We only have less than an hour before we open
for the Reptarium for the night,
so we have a lot of work to get done.
Every once in a while I wanna keep on
giving you guys updates on these amazing
Gray-Banded King Snakes.
Because every time I look at them,
I just think they get prettier and prettier.
Take a look at this!
I mean it's really crazy.
It was funny when we were down in Florida,
Noah actually saw the Banded Rock Rattlesnakes,
which don't look like the Blair's Gray-Bands
but they do look like the Alterna Gray-Bands
and he was like, oh my God,
that is so cool! He goes, I think I need to
see those Gray-Bands more,
because they are absolutely crazy!
I guess it's just I'm always so blown away
by Mother Nature, I mean, take a look at this
No Block Eye, or what they call a
Tarahumara Mountain King Snake.
I mean that thing is just crazy!
And that's the thing about snakes,
I mean there are thousands and thousands
and thousands of different types of snakes.
You could never get bored!
I mean, even 30 years
of working with these guys I still am just amazed
every time I look at them!
Take a look at this,
Granite San Luis Potosi King snakes
or what they would call a Mex Mex.
I mean, it's crazy!
And really, the San Luis Potosi
and the Gray-Bands are pretty closely related.
You can kinda see the similarities,
although these guys are a little different.
Obviously from a different area of the world.
These are from San Luis Potosi,
whereas the Gray-Bands are actually
West Texas animals, but nevertheless.
Just absolutely stunning!
I'm so happy that I do something that
even after all these years, I never get bored of!
I mean, just take a look at this
beautiful Butter Tessera Corn Snake.
Oh my gosh, these things are so absolutely adorable.
Of course the Butter is actually an
Albino Caramel, which is two
double-recessive mutations and the Tessera
is actually a co-dominant mutation,
which is that pattern mutation.
You mix them together and that's just
an absolutely stunning snake.
Well, guys, I have a decision to make.
The Reptarium's about to open up
in about 20 minutes or so and I just got a call
from my buddy David Dobrick.
He's out in Chicago, which is about
a four and a half, five hour drive.
He wants me to come out tonight
to do some video stuff.
I don't know what I'm gonna do.
I mean it's almost 3 o'clock in the afternoon,
I've just been traveling like crazy.
I'm kinda wore out.
Do I drive five hours, go hang out with David,
'cause I absolutely love working with him,
and I love his whole crew,
or do I just hang out at the Reptarium?
I know by the time you guys watch this you're already
gonna know what happened.
But I don't know what to do!
- Lori, I have kind of a dilemma.
- What?
- I don't know what to do.
Dobrick just called, he said he wants me to
come out to Chicago.
Noah said he would wanna go out too,
so we could hang out with him.
But it's honestly, you know, I just got back.
I mean, what do you think I should do?
- You don't wanna know what I want!
(laughs)
- Tell me what you think I should do! I want your opinion.
- He okay, how about-this is easier.
You tell me what you know I'm gonna tell you?
- Well, you're probably gonna say not to go
(laughs)
but I'm wondering if you say
No I think it would be a good idea, Brian!
You should go out there.
- Well, you were right the first time.
(laughs)
- What! Well, what if...I don't know what to do.
- I know, you never do.
- Oh my gosh, well you're never any help.
(laughs)
- Thanks!
- Well, the Reptarium is open and it's
your birthday?
And there's a whole group of people,
like 15, 16 people here.
- Yep. And we did Dairy Queen.
- Oh my God!
And then right across the street to here.
- Oh my God, that is awesome.
That's like the largest group of
one group of people that have ever come to visit
the Reptarium, so welcome!
Definitely a banger night here at the Reptarium,
having a really good time.
Hi Casper, you doing alright with Casper?
- Yeah.
- You look good!
(laughing)
(inaudible) - It's like I always say,
I love people to be able to have experience
at the Reptarium that they can't really have anywhere else.
And I can't imagine where else you could go
and hold little baby albino alligator,
right Chip?
- Yeah. - Look what the cat drug in.
Noah, made an appearance here at the Reptarium.
- You act like it's rare.
I come here every day.
No.
(laughs) - Oh, and by the way,
Noah hit 90k today,
which means that 10k from now,
you're doing the Lucy Challenge, right?
- Lucy challenge and I get that silver plaque.
I've been dreaming about it since I started.
I can see it.
(laughs)
- Unfortunately, he's gonna get the silver plaque
then he's not gonna last long
when he's in with Lucy.
So you can only enjoy it for about a week or so.
- Yeah.
(laughs)
- Got Verde out here, how's it goin' over here, Kelsey?
- Goin' alright, yeah! Super duper!
- Nice. You like her?
- Yeah.
- That's awesome.
- This is her first time holding a snake.
- Yeah.
- Oh my gosh, again!
First snake, Anaconda. Crazy. Crazy.
We ended up getting a new tarantula.
Is this just on loan, basically, is what it is?
- Yeah. So it's a male.
He was a breeder, but there's no more females.
Like I didn't have another pair for him.
So he's only gonna live about another year or so.
- So we ended up lending us to it.
This thing is ridiculous.
Andrea, what is it called?
- It's called Pamphobeteus species Flammifera
- I'm...I don't...wow.
- I don't know what that even means,
but can we see it do you think?
Do you think we can?
- Yeah!
- Oh no, wait, they're gonna pull it out?
- Yeah, you gotta reach in and get it.
- Whoa!
Whoa! It's purple!
- Isn't that crazy? It's purple!
- Dude, are you kidding me?
That is crazy!
Yo, I'm actually starting to like spiders more and more.
- That thing is ridiculous!
- I saw an all blue one on Instagram today.
- Well we have a blue one too.
- Yeah, our Gooty Sapphire, yeah.
- Yeah, Gooty Sapphire.
- Maybe that's what it was, I dunno.
- Oh my God, that thing is sick isn't it?
- That was cool.
- And again, what is it?
- It's a Pamphobeteus Flammifera.
- What she said.
(laughs)
- Just a little Dobrick update.
Me and him been goin' back and forth throughout the evening
and now it's seven o'clock.
It's a five hour drive.
So I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna go out there.
But knowing him, I might hear from him anytime.
He be like, get out here, quick!
We got some cool things!
So, still not sure.
But I'm leaning towards not heading to Chicago.
Wrapping up the night here at Reptarium.
It was really an absolutely fun night.
Look at Chicken Strip!
He is just getting so good.
We've been taking him out like literally
almost every single day.
What an absolute difference in personality,
I mean, he's still a little bit weird
when you first take him out,
but once you get him out for just a little bit of time
he just is absolutely a puppy dog.
And could just hang out I mean literally
sometimes I have him out for like an hour
just kinda letting' him hang out with me.
It is so cool, I mean, look at him!
Oh my gosh, I tell you what.
I need him to be tame when he's
five-foot I don't want Chicken Strip
to be another Abasuku.
Although, Abasuku's really not that bad,
just very food-driven.
Whereas Chicken Strip is just absolutely adorable.
And you know, a lot of albinos, including
the last albino, Nyle, that was down in Texas,
are oftentimes blind.
But Chicken Strip seems to see really good.
He definitely is always really perceptive
of everything going on.
Again, I don't know exactly how good his eyesight is,
all I know is that I can be
all the way across the way, when I come in,
he'll come right up and start looking at me.
So his eyes must be relatively good.
I think if you don't mind,
I am gonna go ahead and end the vlog
and wish you guys an absolutely amazing day,
evening, whenever you happen to be watching,
because your support means the world to me.
And I truly, truly love you guys so much.
Can you do me a couple favors before we get outta here?
Smash that like button!
You guys haven't been smashing that like button
as much as you usually do, so go ahead and do that for me.
While you're down there,
go ahead and leave a comment so I can read about
your beautiful faces.
And what the heck, while you're down there,
go ahead and turn on those post notifications
so you know when I upload a video.
Be kind to someone and I promise,
I will see you guys tomorrow.
(jazzy uptempo music)