Snake, gecko and turtle pay a visit to the library

A leopard gecko, a ball python, and a box turtle were recent guests at the Maplewood Memorial Library.

Courtesy of Turtle Back Zoo, animal ambassadors, educators Danielle Hoffman and Crystal Chapman and docent Christiane Noll introduced 30 attendees to the three different animals from the zoo. This program was part of the Summer Reading series.

“Each year has a different theme to encourage reading,” said Jane Folger, head of children’s services. This year’s theme was “Adventure Begins at Your Library.”

And it was indeed an adventure as the children were able to see wild animals up close—and touch them.

Prior to the show, Noll instructed the audience of 30 to be calm in order not to frighten the animals.

Chapman introduced the audience to Lily, a leopard gecko. They can be found in Pakistan and Iran.

“She loves to go in sand,” said Chapman. “She has the prettiest eyes.”

“When geckos are frightened, they could drop their tail to run away from their predator,” Chapman said. “Their tail grows back.

Lily eats bugs. Lily has about a hundred teeth. They could fall out and grow back. She blends perfectly with the desert.”

Next up was a box turtle named Dull, who has a partner named Bright. Hoffman explained that the box turtle is native to New Jersey and can be found along the east coast from Maine down to Florida. They’ve also been found as far west as Texas. And, also in Michigan.

“They like to live in bushes and shrubs,” said Hoffman. “If they get hurt, their shell will heal and regrow. Touching the shell feels stimulating to the turtle. They can live between 25 and 70 years. Dull is 38 years old. Turtles eat insects, earthworms, mealworms, amphibians, baby tadpoles, anything they could find. They are considered omnivores. Bigger turtles eat fruits and vegetables and stay on land. They eat every other day. Young box turtles spend more time near the water. They have a homing instinct. They are happy to share environments with other turtles.”

The last and final animal was Sherman, a 3.5-foot ball python.

“He’s a constrictor. He squeezes his prey,” said Hoffman. “He could eat frogs, turtles, mice. He eats once a week. It takes almost that long to digest.”

Children were able to touch the animals using hand-sanitizer before and afterwards.

Hoffman explained that the animals like the library programs. “It’s enrichment for them.”

To learn more about the Maplewood Memorial Library, visit: https://www.maplewoodlibrary.org/

  Maplewood Library, Turtle Back Zoo