Snake show wows, enlightens young audience

"Snakehead” Ed Ferrer used to wear a nice watch when he gave live snake
presentations.

At WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology’s “Sizing Up Snakes: A Live Animal Show” on Sunday, a cheaper Kmart-brand version adorned his wrist.

That’s because at a show a few years ago, one of his pythons wrapped around his wrist, crushing his expensive watch.

“Springs and gadgets went everywhere,” he said.

The show was part of WonderLab’s spring break program, said Liza Huffman, museum assistant.

“It allows parents to give kids at home something to do over break,” she said. “Such as pet snakes.”

But at Sunday’s presentation, Pete the anaconda, Vincent the boa constrictor, Melvin the albino Burmese python and five other snakes wowed the audience without flexing their muscles.

Ferrer taught the audience about his snakes from the tail to the tongue, as he pulled each from a pillowcase-like bag tied with a rubberband.

“All of  my snakes will stick their tongues out at you,” he told the giggling kids sitting on colorful mats. “If she could talk, she could use her tongue to tell me if you took a shower this morning or if you just faked it.”

He asked the audience if Indiana is home to any poisonous snakes.

While most nodded, he said the answer is actually no. Rather, there are four venomous Hoosier snakes.

“Poison means its swallowed, venomous means injected,” he said.

Two of Indiana’s venomous snakes reside in Brown County: the northern copperhead
and the timber rattlesnake.

Seven-year-old Samuel Smith said he liked all of the eight snakes Ferrer brought to WonderLab.

“Especially that one,” he said, pointing to the 15-foot long body of Melvin.

Smith also volunteered to hold the special guest star, a tarantula.

Though only two and half years old, Pete the anaconda, with its chain link fence patterned scales, drew gasps from the audience.

“I’ve seen an adult anaconda swallow an adult alligator,” Ferrer said. “Kids like you are definitely on the menu.”

He peeled the duct tape off the largest grey box in the front of the room.


He needed three volunteers to hold Melvin, the 100-pound albino Burmese python.
Melvin was one of the only snakes to ever attack him, Ferrer said. He was feeding the snake a rabbit from his hand when Melvin latched on with 90 teeth like little fish hooks.
Now, he feeds him with a 3-foot-long pole.

But when food is not involved, touching Melvin is harmless, and a line quickly formed at the end of the presentation to stroke his pale yellow scales.

Ferrer said the job can be hard, but he enjoys “edutaining” the kids in the audience.

“It’s worth it when I see their reactions,” Ferrer said. “They learn without thinking about it.”