OXBOW — At the Expressway Family Centre in Oxbow, things got a little exotic on Sept. 30.
It was the fifth anniversary for the Adventure Wrangler from Colonsay to attend the reptile show in Oxbow.
Mackenzie Valentine is the program co-ordinator for the centre, and she said these events are possible through the grant from Sask Lotteries.
“We love offering events like this for all ages in our small community,” said Valentine.
Wrangler Elisa came to the show with a variety of animals: snakes, bearded dragons, blue-tongued skink, yellow-footed tortoise and a white-throat monitor, among others.
Ducky, the yellow-footed tortoise, is approximately 20 years old, but Elisa is unsure of the exact age as Ducky was rescued.
When Elisa is hosting a show, she speaks about the importance of doing research on an animal or reptile before purchasing one as a pet. She said a pet does not choose its owner, the owner chooses the pet, and it is now their responsibility to provide for that animal, including food, water, a warm place out of the elements, and health care. When choosing an animal as a pet, remember it is a lifetime commitment for the animal.
A yellow-footed tortoise like Ducky can grow to be 36 centimetres long, weigh approximately nine kilograms and live for 50 years.
The white-throat monitor is no longer legal to get as a pet since the laws were put in place in June 2021 in Saskatchewan. The one at the show was grandfathered in along with the tortoise.
Elisa has over 20 animals and just received two snakes that needed a new home.
“If it was born in the wild, it needs to stay in the wild,” said Elisa. “If it was born in captivity it needs to remain in captivity.”
They talked a lot about preserving and helping wildlife, and how to treat animals in the wild.
A domestic animal cannot survive in the wild as they have not been taught how to hunt for food, and the same is true for a wild animal that is caught and later released. The outcome is usually harsh for the animal.
She has toured Canada with a reptile education company, and now 12 years later performs reptile shows, teaches animal education, does dinosaur shows, and instructs rock and fossil education across western Canada.
The kids were eager to learn about these unique creatures, and have the chance to feel their skin and get up close to them.
Valentine said the crowd of about 50 people grows each year and the parents are just as curious as the kids.
This centre has regular weekly programming and hosts a few larger events throughout the year.
They have a ladies' night in Oxbow in the spring and will hold a Twisted Tree Auction in the last week of November. It will include an in-person auction with items donated from the community and area.
The funds raised from the events go towards offsetting costs for the centre.
