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Reptileman

A girl holds an American alligator.

Michael Ralbovsky, trained herpetologist, also known as Reptileman, and some of his traveling companions had his young audience mesmerized. The former manager at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park and operator of Rainforest Reptile Shows, began his program by telling the youngsters they would see the biggest, meanest ugliest animal they had ever seen and then he pointed to himself. The reptile expert brought out a tortoise named Georgie. He described how land turtles are different than those living in water. He noted that the tortoise had elephantine feet made for walking as opposed to webbed feet of turtles that live in water. He noted that the tortoise had a large round shell whereas those turtles living in water have a flatter shell more adapted to swimming. He demonstrated how the tortoise retreats into its shell for protection from predators. Tortoises, he noted have a long life span and can live from 60 to 90 years. The main threat to the tortoise is disease, Ralbovsky said. He put Georgie on top of his head and said it looks like a bicycle helmet sending the children into uproarious laughter. “Say hi to Roswell,” he told the group as he took a three-foot long monitor lizard out of a large plastic box. Some of the children sitting on the floor moved back at the site of Roswell. “Holy moly,” one boy yelled out. He explained how reptiles use their tongues for smelling. The animal, native to Africa, kills and eats cobras and is immune to the snake’s poison. The long tail is used as a whip to defend itself against larger animals, Reptileman explained. Next, Reptileman asked, “Want to see a snake?” He pulled out a boa constrictor that wrapped itself around his arms. Joey Manchester, 7, a second grader at Westall School, volunteered to meet the snake up close and personal and showed no fear of it. He explained that he once had a boa constrictor but it died.

Reptileman

a boy wears a boa constrictor during a presentation by Michael Ralbovsky, a.k.a Reptileman.

A four-year old American alligator Reptileman pulled out of a pond in Tewksbury, MA., had children squirming. The jaws were taped shut and a volunteer came forward to unwrap the tape. Ralbovsky let the youngsters see the teeth and the damage they could do. He explained, “Alligators are illegal to keep, this one was released into the wild and will eventually go to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.” Reptileman allowed all the children to hold or touch the gaiter once its jaws were secured. Some just couldn’t muster the courage to touch the creature.