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Bugs n Snakes
- Spokane, WA
- Animal Entertainment
- Travels up to 600 miles
- $150 and up
Overview
Bugs n Snakes is a unique local business who brings exotic animals - snakes, lizards, tortoises, amphibians, and invertebrates (bugs and spiders) - to all kinds of events. Birthday parties, classroom presentations, fun fairs, Halloween celebrations, summer camps, and more. We give people a chance to get right up close and personal with giant snakes, big lizards, and spooky spiders, all from the comfort of their own school room, backyard, or event venue.
1 Review
This was an experience to remember! We booked them for my son's birthday party and it was a hit for sure, we had people ranging from 6-71 and everyone loved it! Thanks again for making my son's birthday super special.
Booking Info
Price Range: $150 and up
Gig Length: 40 - 120 minutes
Languages: English
Unions: IATSE
Website: Visit website
What to Expect
For a structured presentation, we arrive with the animals and unload in a designated area. The majority of the animals stay safely enclosed in their bins and bags while, one-at-a-time, the others are presented to the audience. We will give a few brief rules at the beginning, including: please stay where you are currently sitting, please don't poke anything in the face, and please keep the chatter to a minimum so everyone can hear the handlers speak. Usually we start with the smallest critters - insects and arachnids - and work our way up to the bigger animals. The large iguana, big tortoise, and giant snake tend to be very distracting to audiences so they often appear halfway through to towards the end. When each animal is presented the handlers give some information about it, facts about the species, interesting or weird information about them, etc. They also ask the audience for questions. Then they will take the animal around to show it up close and/or allow the audience to touch (if safe to do so). At the end of the presentation we will give people the opportunity to take pictures with the giant snake, if they are interested in doing so. As these are live animals being presented, they often surprise the audience by going to the bathroom, or trying to eat a table, or wandering off to a corner to sleep. We are prepared for these situations and take care of them as quickly as possible. If an audience gets too excited, loud, and chaotic, we will pause the presentation until they can settle down. This is for the safety of the animals as well as the people in attendance.
At more freeform events - such as carnivals or multi-activity birthday parties - we will set up in a designated area and bring out as many animals as we are comfortable with at a time. Usually we will have tortoises in a pen, the iguana on a tree stand, tarantulas and scorpions in display boxes on a table, and snakes around our shoulders and arms. For these types of events we need to bring at least two if not three handlers to make sure everyone stays safe. We will let event attendees touch, hold, and take pictures with the animals. Since some people startle easily and drop the critters, we usually have them holding the animals over a table. We keep an eye on the volume and excitement of the crowds to determine what animals can be out and when. Any animal that starts acting nervous, aggressive, or just straight up "done" is returned to their bin or bag until they settle down or it is time to leave (big snakes like to expel big poop when they've had enough of being social, so it's best to give them a break at the first signs they are wearing out). We will answer questions if attendees ask them, but freeform events are usually much less educational than structured presentations.
Upcoming Booked Events
June 22, 2024 • 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Nonprofit Event |
Past Booked Events
April 20, 2024 • 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Children’s Birthday Party |
March 24, 2024 • 2:30pm - 3:30pm | Children’s Birthday Party |
March 09, 2024 • 2:00pm - 3:00pm | Children’s Birthday Party |
October 11, 2023 • 5:30pm - 7:00pm | Baby Shower |
September 15, 2023 • 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Children’s Birthday Party |
August 03, 2023 • 8:30am - 9:15am | Corporate Event |
Team
Melissa | Owner - Animal Handler/Presenter |
Blake | Animal Handler/Presenter |
Valerie | Animal Handler/Presenter |
Influences & Inspiration
Steve Irwin
Jack Hanna
the Wildboyz
Jeremy Wade
Manny Puig
Levar Burton
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Sir David Attenborough
Reptile Gardens, Rapid City South Dakota
Setup Requirements
Basic table
Trash receptacle
Canopy or similar for shade (if outside)
Hand sanitizer
Location to place boxes and other containers used in transporting animals