Photo by Maggie Vaughn
From a young age, Chicago-native Cheryl Sterrenburg knew she had a love of all animals. Today, she and 10 other reptile-lovers volunteer as part of a group called Reptile Education Through Contact (R.E.T.C.), which offers reptile presentations throughout Greater Milwaukee. R.E.T.C. recently gave a demonstration at the Mequon Nature Preserve, which featured a Nicaraguan dwarf boa, an African ball python, an Australian bearded dragon, an Okeetee corn snake, a Kenyan sand boa and a Honduran milk snake for guests to touch and/or hold.
Can you tell me a little more about R.E.T.C.?
We are a group of volunteers called herpers, hobbyists with reptiles who really enjoy sharing our reptiles and educating people about them. I’ve always been an educator at heart and love all animals—I just happened to fall into the reptiles, so I put the two loves together. We offer free presentations at schools, libraries, ecology centers and for local groups, as well as reasonably priced demonstrations for private and corporate parties.
We have at least one individual who overcomes their fear at each show. This shows children (and adults) that they can overcome other fears they may have. We also let kids take home a little piece of laminated snake shed, which helps them talk about snakes in a positive way. The main thing we want people to leave with from a demonstration is you do not need to nor should you kill a snake in the wild. We suggest people research the different snakes that live in Wisconsin—there are 21 kinds of snakes in Wisconsin and only two of them are venomous. Snakes are very necessary to our ecosystem. I can understand people’s fear, but I do ask them, “Do you want to learn why you don’t need to be afraid of this animal?” That’s where we can help you.
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Why should readers care about snakes and other reptiles?
They are a living, breathing creatures. They’re not a disposable animal. No animal is in my opinion. Reptiles offer emotional support for many people. Snakes are something that a lot of kids relate to, because the snakes are the underdogs. They’re the things that aren’t accepted as much and a lot of kids feel that they’re not accepted as much. Additionally, snakes eat mice and rats, keeping the barns from getting overrun by these animals. Not only that, they eat the ticks that are on the mice and the rats, thus keeping the tick population down. So many people, especially nowadays, think that snakes are these horrendously dangerous, evil creatures, but here in the U.S. at least, you’re more prone to get hit by lightning than you are to die from a snake bite.
Can you tell me about your training process with the snakes?
I have a training process not only for the safety of the audience, but for the wellbeing of the snakes. My snakes have to be with me for a year before they start the training process. The next step is to bring them to a couple shows in a clear tub so they can see things that are moving around them. If they seem calm after that, the next stage is to have myself or one of my handlers take them out of the tub during a demonstration. After that, the public is then allowed to pet them, but not handle them. The final step is where the public can handle them. None of the snakes that I bring around have ever hurt anybody.
Where/how can people learn more about snakes?
Our Friends With Scales reptile Facebook page is a good place to start. It is open to anybody and everybody who wants to learn more about reptiles in general. The United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) is also a great organization because they advocate for the reptile and snake community. Two great events are ReptileFest in Chicago and the South East Wisconsin Exotic Reptile Festival (SEWERFest) in Sturtevant. Additionally, the Waukesha Humane Society and a nonprofit reptile rescue in Chicago called Friends Of Scales take in reptiles and adopt them out. If any readers have an animal they’d like to surrender or are serious about purchasing a reptile, contact us at R.E.T.C.
Upcoming demonstrations?
We hold public demonstrations at the Menomonee Valley Urban Ecology Center (3700 W. Pierce St.) every third Saturday of each month from 2-3 p.m.
For more information about R.E.T.C., Friends With Scales and the monthly UEC presentations, or to schedule a demonstration, contact Sterrenburg at 414-578-6047 or retcisfun@gmail.com.
