We are always happy to recommend good products and customer service driven companies. The Bean Farm in Washington is one I highly recommend The Bean Farm.

Heating Devices

Pro Product Radiant Heat Panels: There is no doubt that this is the finest heating product on the market; period. We use them almost exclusively to heat our various exhibits. Whether it’s a leopard gecko, panther chameleon, tortoise or Burmese python, there’s a heat panel appropriate for your reptile. These panels are mounted on the inside roof of the cage and they will not burn your pet on contact. Radiant heat is by far the best method. These panels can be hooked up to a quality thermostat. We recommend Spyder Robotics thermostats.

Lighting

Zoo Med’s iguana lights are perhaps the best fluorescent UV lights on the market. We use them for just about all of our animals. Although we are still understanding UV needs of snakes, and, we also know that many thrive without any special lighting, we have noticed subtle benefits from using them with our snakes (and they are a must with diurnal herps such as certain types of lizards turtles and tortoises, crocodilians, etc.). There is still a lot we need to learn and some folks have kept many diurnal, sun loving herps long term (including successful breeding) without any special lighting. Obviously, factors such as exposure to natural sunlight, vitamin/mineral supplementation, diet and others will dictate what level of success you will have.

Power Sun Halogen Lamps: This heat lamp doubles as a quality UV source. They are ideal for heating/lighting large enclosures. We use these for our monitors, rhino iguanas, tegus and turtles and tortoises. These bulbs come in 100watt and 160 watt sizes. There are many good brands out there but for the most part, we prefer Zoo Med’s Power Sun bulbs.

Thermostats

We recommend connecting all heating devices to a quality thermostat. This will ensure that your enclosure will not overheat, or, become too cold. Don’t guess on temperatures! There are many thermostats on the market and we’ve tried ‘em all but right now, we are very happy with Spyder Robotics and we know that you’ll like them too.

Temperature Guns

In addition to a quality thermostat, we also recommend using a quality temperature gun to monitor basking sites, cool zones, etc. Raytek is the best on the market and we’ve been using them for years. One model is over 20 years old and still going strong! Pay a little more and get something that will outlast everything else. ProExotics also sells a real nice, and, very economical, temperature reading device that we highly recommend. You can purchase those directly from them.

Feeder Animals

For mice, rats, rabbits, quail and chicken, we recommend using RodentPro.com they are by far and away the best we have ever seen. For insects, we recommend using Timberline.

Reptile Handling & Capture Equipment

We have tried a number of products from a number of manufacturers. You can’t go wrong with any product offered by Tongs.com (Midwest Suppliers). They sell various snake hooks, tongs, hemostats, gloves, etc. We use their products almost exclusively.

Reptile Supplies & Equipment

As I said before, if you are looking for one stop shopping, we recommend checking out The Bean Farm (TheBeanFarm.com) . They sell just about everything you can possibly imagine to keep your herp in tip, top shape. We use them almost exclusively for all of our needs: vitamins/minerals, cage furnishings, lights, and much more.

To pay for an animal, here are your options:

• Cash (for pick up only!)
• Check (must clear bank before animal is shipped)
• Money Order or Cashier’s Check
• Paypal
• We are working on getting hooked up for Visa/MasterCard payments!

We can ship two ways: Delta Dash, or, UPS; both work well and both are very dependable. We typically recommend going Delta as the animals will arrive faster and we have never experience any problems with this method. Shipping fees will range from $50-100 (includes boxing fees). We pay the shipping on our end so it will be added to the total price of the animal. All snakes must go Delta while lizards can go UPS. When shipping, I will need:

• Your full name
• Your mailing address
• Your cell phone (or a number that Delta Officials can get in contact with you)
• Nearest major commercial airport

Once you know what you want, just drop me an email and let me know which animal you want to purchase once its available. You will go on a list in the order that emails come in. If, for example, you are number 10 and I only get 9 eggs, you will go on a wait list and get first crack once one is available.

Disclaimer: I want to make it clear that the venomous herps that I work with reside at my wildlife center: The Wildlife Discovery Center. This facility is a department of the City of Lake Forest’s Parks & Recreation Department. It is ILLEGAL to keep venomous snakes in Illinois as a private individual.

I have been working with venomous reptiles professionally for the past 20 years. I’ve had many great mentors along the way and the one thing I have learned when working with dangerous animals is that “you never get a second chance to make a first mistake”. Although as humans we are far from perfect, when it comes to working with venomous reptiles, that is our primary goal. So far, the good Lord has protected me from any harm and I hope to enjoy many more years without a bite. There’s an old saying out there that goes something like this: “There are only two kind of people who keep venomous reptiles, those that have been bit and those that will be bitten.” By taking the proper precautions, I believe that this statement is one that I will never have to model myself after.

Here are the keys to working safely with venomous reptiles:

• Live a clean lifestyle: I don’t smoke or drink (just the occasional glass of wine with dinner and when that happens, I don’t work with anything venomous until the next day). I am a firm believe in trying to keep fit and I exercise on a daily basis. Clean body, mind and spirit!….no, I’m not perfect but I feel my perfect track record is owed to these factors.
• Having a clear mind: Before working with our venomous reptiles, I use various visualization techniques to go over every possible scenario when working with a tricky species (or a tricky technique). I clear my mind of everything so that I can just focus on the task at hand. If I am under a lot of stress, or, have a lot on my mind, then I just wait a day to work with the venomous collection.
• Using proper techniques and the right kinds of tools: I don’t showboat with my animals; that’s irresponsible and it’s how many keepers in the private sector get bit (and killed). Although I do work very closely with many venomous reptile species (cobras, mambas, various vipers, rattlesnakes, etc.), I always assume that they are going to try something when I am working with them; this keeps me sharp. It’s usually when you let your guard down for a split second that something can go wrong. Many people can’t have this kind of mental discipline day in and day out but it is vital if you are going to safely work with them. My equipment such as hooks, tongs, hemostats, etc are simply extensions of my hands and arms. You just have to understand that the objective to working safely with hots is to keep your hands out of their mouth! A much tougher question one has to ask when considering working with venomous reptiles is “are you willing to die for the sake of keeping a venomous reptile”? That’s a difficult question to answer but it’s something one must keep in mind…every bite can be a lethal bite no matter what venomous reptile you are dealing with. I only use top quality equipment when “handling” my venomous reptiles. There is no skimping in this department and by using them properly, every encounter with a venomous herp should be fairly uneventful (but that is not always the case!).
• Emergency Preparedness: Every keeper should have an emergency plan in place when working with venomous reptiles. Nearby hospitals should know that you keep venomous reptiles (in states that allow it…..Illinois doesn’t). Additionally, it is YOUR responsibility to keep your own supply of antivenin – this can be very expensive but it’s your responsibility. You should know the proper techniques of treating a bite while waiting for emergency support.
• Minimizing Risk: every move that I do whether it’s changing a water bowl, feeding a fast moving mamba, taking some stuck eyecaps off a very aggressive puff adder, and other day to day tasks, I consider all of the various risks involved in those single actions. By minimizing risk, I am minimizing my chances of getting bit and I consider my job in working with venomous reptiles as safe as any occupation. That’s what a being a professional is all about: have a passion for what you do, take what you do seriously, take the time to learn the proper techniques and master them, always be willing to learn new things (no one is a true expert!), always be prepared (even worse case and remote scenarios), and be willing to share your knowledge with others. That’s what I strive for.

IMPORTANT: I do not advocate the keeping of venomous reptiles by the private sector UNLESS you meet the above criteria (and even then, I find myself not supporting it due to the many irresponsible acts of the private sector). Some of my closest friends are those that keep hots and I feel that they should be allowed to do so because they do take it very seriously and do it the right way. For that reason, a system should be in place to protect their rights and the rights of private individuals who are willing to responsibly keep venomous herps. In Illinois, you cannot legally keep venomous reptiles so I should also say that you should only keep them in states, counties and municipalities where it is legal…DON’T BREAK THE LAW!

So why do I enjoy working with venomous reptiles in my job? It’s NOT for the adrenaline rush, or, the “oh wow” factor. Anyone keeping venomous reptiles for those reasons, shouldn’t. Instead, here is why I enjoy working with them:

• They are some of the most beautiful creatures on earth. Take a few minutes and look at the skin of a gaboon viper; it will leave you breathless! Many venomous herps are some of the most magnificently colored animals on earth!
• Many venomous herps show incredibly interesting behavior that I love to watch and observe.
• The challenge of keeping and breeding a species that few other facilities have done. There’s so much that we still don’t know and I enjoy adding to our base of knowledge.
• Collaborating and networking with other professionals (and a handful of very dedicated hobbyist who I have the world of respect for): Some of my best friends are those that do the same thing as me; we are a close knit bunch and we openly provide information to one another. We are always there for each other in our time of need and I am thankful for their friendship.
• The bottom line is that I find them absolutely fascinating; their advanced systems for dispatching prey, the complicated make up of venom, the knowledge that certain proteins in venom can help eradicate some of the worst known diseases on earth including cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and much more.

It may be a tough sell, but Rob Carmichael wants Lake county to embrace rattlesnakes.

Carmichael, curator of the Wildlife Discovery Center at Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, makes his case in "The Grass Is Rattling," billed as the nation’s largest exhibit of reptiles.

Curators collected their snakes from some novel sources. While some were bought from zoos, museums or private sellers, many came from agencies that confiscated them from poachers or even drug dealers, who sometimes stash narcotics in the snakes’ cages.

"Most people only see rattlesnakes as animals that kill people, even though very very few people actually die from the bite of a rattlesnake," Carmichael said. "In fact, rattlesnakes are timid creatures that would rather back away than fight."

The exhibit, which opened last month, will display about 30 of the center’s 100 vipers, including a sidewinder and rare snakes from Central and South America, plus the rare eastern massasauga, the only rattler native to the Chicago area.

Seen by many as fierce and deadly, rattlesnakes are misunderstood and actually are useful to the enviornment, Carmichael said.

"They are very important for rodent control," he explained. "Also, researchers are discovering very amazing medicinal properties of snake venom," including potential treaments for cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

Carmichael and his coleagues have bred the eastern massasauga in captivity, and he hopes to reintroduce them into the wild.

Naturally, he realizes releasing rattlesnakes may provoke hissy fits from his fellow Lake County residents, but he hopes his education program will allay fears and make it possible.

"These animals pose little to no threat to the public," he said. "There’re secretive, not aggressive. Most people will never ever see one anyway."

Staffers included Carmicael’s office while building the exhibit in their old administration quarters. "The snakes have taken over," he said, "but that’s how I wanted it."

M. Daniel Gibbard
Tribune photo by David Trotman-Wilkins
Photo caption reads "Rob Carmichael removes a timber rattlesnake from its cage at Wildlife Discovery Center".

The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm in Lake Forest, Illinios, offers a unique look at rattlesnakes. the exhibit, called "The Grass is Rattling," displays 25 species of rattlesnakes indigenous to North, Central and South America, and is one of the largest rattlesnake displays in the country.

Several endangered species are showcased, including timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) and the eastern massasauga (Sistrurus c. catenatus). Other nonvenomous snakes and birds are also displayed.

The exhibit features inveractive displays and educational material, with an emphasis on environmental conservation and the ecological importance of rattlesnakes. Students have the change to use high-tech gizmos, such as GPS locators and radiotelemtry equipment, to study the animals.

A grant from TAP Pharmaceutical made this exhibit possible. For more information, visit www.cityoflakeforest.com.

(City of Lake Forest press release, February 11, 2005)