We had a lovely time running our snake encounters at the Summer Fair at Grazebrook Primary School London N16, we were well received and they allotted us a few extra volunteers which was great; we were positioned in a lovely fenced off space under trees (these keep the area cool for the snakes) and they gave out tickets for half hour time slots so that we weren’t too inundated with children asking to hold snakes. We often have too many children wishing to hold the snakes all at once even though we often take 20 or more snakes to these events.
We have to be so careful in the hot weather as the snakes cannot regulate their own temperatures and anything over 27c for the ratsnakes and 29c for the boas and pythons is too hot, people have the misconception that the snakes like heat but too hot can kill them just the same as any animal, our temperature is 10c higher than the snakes need to be and children often have particularly hot hands – it’s such a pleasure not to have to worry about the snakes overheating even in the hottest weather the shade of trees keep the snakes cool. We also take boxes and water so that we can place them in there if they feel to hot. Gazebos are fine but having been an experienced camper in the past tents are not cool and a gazebo is just a tent with no sides.
Here are some photos of our volunteers and children snuggling snakes, the last one is of Sophie helping to collect all the snakes up at the end of the day.
