Thursday, September 15, 2011

Snake Farm

Maia's in town! ...and you would think (with it being her first time in San Antonio...or Texas for that matter), that I would take her to the Riverwalk, the Alamo, Seaworld...maybe even Six Flags...but no-I bring her to a snake farm.


We pass it every time we go up to Austin, or to New Braunfels for any reason, and it has always made me curious. Turns out it's just what it says...and more. It's chock full of exotic snakes, reptiles, monkeys, birds...and last but not least, a petting zoo, where if you pay $1.00 for a bag of food, you can be stuck inside a cage of 50 starving goats to be head-butted, trampled, cornered, and slobbered on. MY idea of a dream vacation.



We started out in the snake room where we quickly made friends with the fearless snake-charmer who later helped us save a poor tortoise from a completely unprofitable struggle out of the corner where he was wedged between the glass and a giant rock. We rooted for him for about 15 minutes until snake man came to the rescue, making me hold the friend he had wrapped around his arm, while he opened up the tortoise cage.



Then it was off to see the safari animals outside...I hung out by the monkey cage for most of the time, reminiscing on the love I had for them as a child. I had monkey socks, stuffed monkeys, monkey trinkets, monkey backpacks, monkey postcards...you name it. I loved watching them play today and for a second, had the same thought I had every day of my childhood...I want one.

The petting zoo, though, was probably the most entertaining of all, for here is where we would meet the most ferocious of all the exotic animals...goats.

Don't be fooled by their apparent good nature (as was I).

And Ju Ju. 

Maia knew better. 


Yes, he is trying to clobber me.

What the? A llama?

So, we left the snakes unscathed and poison free, but we left the "harmless" goats covered in dust, slobber, and scratches :( 

It was worth it.