Reptile Man slithers into Sandpoint
ERIC WELCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 months, 2 weeks AGO
Scott "The Reptile Man" Peterson shows off the gripping ability of a many-colored brush anole at City Beach on July 25.
Photo by ERIC WELCH
Peterson places a bearded dragon lizard on the shoulder of a young spectator.
Peterson holds a boa constrictor before the audience.
Peterson gently causes an American alligator to pass out in front of the crowd.
Peterson shows spectators "Shelly," an African spurred tortoise.
Peterson holds up a harmless milk snake for the audience.
Peterson shows spectators "Sheila," a venomous Gila monster lizard.
SANDPOINT — On Thursday evening, Scott “The Reptile Man” Peterson stopped by City Beach — and brought some cold-blooded friends with him.
“This is my favorite lizard, Sheila the Gila,” said Peterson as he introduced a venomous Gila Monster lizard to a crowd of close to a hundred people at the park. “When they bite you, you won't die, but you'll be crying for two days,” he added, holding the animal in his hand. “They say this is the most painful animal bite on Earth.”
Peterson left his job as a high school biology teacher to found the Reptile Zoo in Monroe, Wash., in 1996. Since then, he has hosted hundreds of species at the facility and presented animals at schools and other venues across the Northwest.
For his first visit to Sandpoint in eight years, Peterson brought snakes, lizards, and an African spurred tortoise.
“If you have painted fingernails, don’t put painted nails in front of a tortoise’s face,” warned Peterson as he brought out the reptile. “They might think they’re strawberries.”
As the zookeeper held up “Lucy,” the young American alligator suddenly became nervous and relieved itself over the front row of spectators.
“Alligator pee doesn't smell, and there are no germs in it. You can drink it and it won't hurt you,” Peterson reassured the crowd. “She can't hold it — they don't have a bladder. It just comes out every couple of minutes.”
After bringing out “Betty” the Boa constrictor, Peterson ended his presentation and allowed onlookers to come up and handle the animals.
Peterson’s visit to Sandpoint was sponsored and organized by Sandpoint Parks and Recreation and the East Bonner County Library District.
Peterson places a bearded dragon lizard on the shoulder of a young spectator.
Peterson holds a boa constrictor before the audience.
Peterson gently causes an American alligator to pass out in front of the crowd.
Peterson shows spectators "Shelly," an African spurred tortoise.
Peterson holds up a harmless milk snake for the audience.
Peterson shows spectators "Sheila," a venomous Gila monster lizard.MORE FRONT-PAGE-SLIDER STORIES
Endurance, perseverance highlighted at Moses Lake High School graduation
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 11 months, 4 weeks ago
ARTICLES BY ERIC WELCH
City personnel, community members discuss options as James E. Russell Center costs exceed revenue
Community planning and development director Jason Welker, who oversees Sandpoint’s parks and recreation programs and facilities, suggested that the city could either maintain its current approach at the facility, shrink the center’s operating hours, install new modular playing surfaces for mixed sports use on some of the courts, or recruit a nonprofit organization to operate the facility.
‘Expressions’ courses fill non-school art void
Teens participating in Gentry’s class practiced printmaking, painting and design to create works including a pop art-inspired self-portrait. “My goal when I'm teaching the kids is to just show them lots of different ways that you can make really cool art. It doesn't have to be just traditional,” she said. “The kind of art they do with me, they get to just express themselves, and it doesn't have to be perfection.”
City of Sandpoint sheds light on sewage incident outcome
On the morning of Feb. 24, an electrical control system failure caused pumps to shut off unexpectedly at Sandpoint’s municipal wastewater treatment plant — a city-owned facility that removes contaminants from sewage before discharging it into the Pend Oreille River.