Today we went to the Australian Reptile Park, really it was a hands-on zoo. First, we went to the Spider World Display and watched a guy named Kyle milk a spider. They don't extract milk they actually extract venom.
He had a vaccuum tube and attached a narrow glass tube to the end of it and then he started poking a Fennel Web Spider in a plastic container with a stick. The poison came to the spider's fangs ready to bite and the man sucked up the venom into the tube. Afterward they ship all the venom that is collected to Melbourne to make anti-venom to help people that get these poisonous spider bites.
He also told us what to do if you ever get bitten by a venomous spider or . . .
He had a vaccuum tube and attached a narrow glass tube to the end of it and then he started poking a Fennel Web Spider in a plastic container with a stick. The poison came to the spider's fangs ready to bite and the man sucked up the venom into the tube. Afterward they ship all the venom that is collected to Melbourne to make anti-venom to help people that get these poisonous spider bites.
He also told us what to do if you ever get bitten by a venomous spider or . . .
snake.
Step 1: Take off all jewelry and watches. For example if you had a bracelet around your wrist, and you got bitten, it would swell up and the doctor would not be able to remove the bracelet, your blood would be cut off and the doctor might have to cut your arm off.
Step 2: Where ever the bite is, wrap the whole limb in a bandage.
Step 3: Get to the hospital right away -- you only have an hour and a half to live.
***Don't put water on the bite so the doctors can take a swab and know what type of spider or snake bit you and get the proper anti-venom***
After the spider exihbit we went to the reptile room. We saw frogs, baby alligators, baby long-necked turtles and lots of snakes. We also saw a couple of lizards, including the frilled lizard and a cameleon. I am proud to say that I spotted the cameleon first.
Since the Galapogos Turtle talk was on, we headed over there. The Galapogos Giant Turtle is definitely what I would call GIANT. A lady fed "Dippy" the Giant turtle endive and apples. Dippy is named Dippy because he has a dip in his shell. The zoo keepers guess that when he was a baby, his egg was rolled over, causing him to be a bit deformed. It was so fun watching him eat!! He ated slowly and had such a big tongue.
Step 1: Take off all jewelry and watches. For example if you had a bracelet around your wrist, and you got bitten, it would swell up and the doctor would not be able to remove the bracelet, your blood would be cut off and the doctor might have to cut your arm off.
Step 2: Where ever the bite is, wrap the whole limb in a bandage.
Step 3: Get to the hospital right away -- you only have an hour and a half to live.
***Don't put water on the bite so the doctors can take a swab and know what type of spider or snake bit you and get the proper anti-venom***
After the spider exihbit we went to the reptile room. We saw frogs, baby alligators, baby long-necked turtles and lots of snakes. We also saw a couple of lizards, including the frilled lizard and a cameleon. I am proud to say that I spotted the cameleon first.
Since the Galapogos Turtle talk was on, we headed over there. The Galapogos Giant Turtle is definitely what I would call GIANT. A lady fed "Dippy" the Giant turtle endive and apples. Dippy is named Dippy because he has a dip in his shell. The zoo keepers guess that when he was a baby, his egg was rolled over, causing him to be a bit deformed. It was so fun watching him eat!! He ated slowly and had such a big tongue.
Afterward, we got a drink, saw Elvis the crocodile and went into the frog hut. The frogs came in many different sizes and colours and they all were slimey (or at least they looked slimey).
Then we went over to the show pit to see one of my favourite shows. They took out a medium-sized brown snake and walked around and let everyone pet it. He talked all about it, but I don't think he mentioned a name. Next he brought out an American snapping turtle. We weren't allowed to touch it because it could easilyu bite off all your fingers in one forbbidding bite. Besides, it ate baby alligators (in the wild) so I definitely was NOT going near it.
Then he anounced that his assistant was going to milk a snake! Again, it wasn't milk, it was venom. The assistant pinned down the snake's head ( a different snake than before) then he held a cup with saran wrap over the top, up to the snake's mouth. The snake punctured the saran wrap and produced it's venom. I saw a close-up picture later with a drop of venom dripping off one of it's fangs. Next he brought out a baby croc. He was yellow, green and black. The guy bent down and pretended to feed it to the snapping turtle and for a moment Birch believed it, but I know things wouldn't get bloody in front of pre-schoolers.
Last but not at all least, he brought out a python. I don't really remember what kind it was but it was big!! He talked about it a little and said that you could take a picture with any of the animals for $20.00. Out came some wombats, which look like small bears and I was close to spending my money and holding it but I resisted and eventually got to pet it for free.
Then we went over to the show pit to see one of my favourite shows. They took out a medium-sized brown snake and walked around and let everyone pet it. He talked all about it, but I don't think he mentioned a name. Next he brought out an American snapping turtle. We weren't allowed to touch it because it could easilyu bite off all your fingers in one forbbidding bite. Besides, it ate baby alligators (in the wild) so I definitely was NOT going near it.
Then he anounced that his assistant was going to milk a snake! Again, it wasn't milk, it was venom. The assistant pinned down the snake's head ( a different snake than before) then he held a cup with saran wrap over the top, up to the snake's mouth. The snake punctured the saran wrap and produced it's venom. I saw a close-up picture later with a drop of venom dripping off one of it's fangs. Next he brought out a baby croc. He was yellow, green and black. The guy bent down and pretended to feed it to the snapping turtle and for a moment Birch believed it, but I know things wouldn't get bloody in front of pre-schoolers.
Last but not at all least, he brought out a python. I don't really remember what kind it was but it was big!! He talked about it a little and said that you could take a picture with any of the animals for $20.00. Out came some wombats, which look like small bears and I was close to spending my money and holding it but I resisted and eventually got to pet it for free.
When we were heading over ot a picnic spot we saw Dippy being hosed off. He loved it, since it was such a hot day and kept coming closer to the lady hosing him off. He was cute in his own way.
We had lunch making sure we washed our hands before we ate. I heard an anouncement say that the koalas were at the show pit in five minutes. We took way longer than five minutes to finish lunch missing the talk but we could still pet it. Koalas are amazingly soft. This one clung to the lady with sharp claws, making holes in her shirt and stared at everyone with small beady eyes. His nose looked way to big for his small body. I think he was only one year old. After that Dad went to put away all the lunch supplies and Birch and I explored the rest of the park. We saw lots of bird cages and went on two walks, learning about the plants growing there. We met up with Dad at the platypusary. The little platypus was so cute up close! It was pretty late into the afternoon so we had to go.
We had lunch making sure we washed our hands before we ate. I heard an anouncement say that the koalas were at the show pit in five minutes. We took way longer than five minutes to finish lunch missing the talk but we could still pet it. Koalas are amazingly soft. This one clung to the lady with sharp claws, making holes in her shirt and stared at everyone with small beady eyes. His nose looked way to big for his small body. I think he was only one year old. After that Dad went to put away all the lunch supplies and Birch and I explored the rest of the park. We saw lots of bird cages and went on two walks, learning about the plants growing there. We met up with Dad at the platypusary. The little platypus was so cute up close! It was pretty late into the afternoon so we had to go.
FACTS
- A crocodile's stomach is only as big as a basketball.
- Koals are soft!
- Australia has 8 out of 10 of the top most poisonous snakes in the world.
- Alligators lay their eggs in rotting vegetation which keeps them warm.
- Flying foxes are a type of bat.
-Tasmanian Devils are dying from a virus that causes a tumour in their mouth and they cannot eat and eventually die -- they are endangered.
- American Snapping Turtles eat baby crocodiles
Bye bye,
Allie
- A crocodile's stomach is only as big as a basketball.
- Koals are soft!
- Australia has 8 out of 10 of the top most poisonous snakes in the world.
- Alligators lay their eggs in rotting vegetation which keeps them warm.
- Flying foxes are a type of bat.
-Tasmanian Devils are dying from a virus that causes a tumour in their mouth and they cannot eat and eventually die -- they are endangered.
- American Snapping Turtles eat baby crocodiles
Bye bye,
Allie
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