Creepy, Crawly Critters

            Are you afraid of spiders, snakes, or other reptiles and insects? If so, you should have come to the Calhoun County Library last week and you might have learned to love them!

The Critter Keeper visited the library on Thursday, July 20, 2023. Both the 10:30 AM program and the 1:30 PM program were at maximum capacity. Ranging from a tortoise named Michelle to a 15-year-old 8-foot albino Burmese python named Julius Squeezer, the Critter Keeper presented an educational, entertaining program for both kids and adults.  Everyone enjoyed it! There may have been a few instances where the audience jumped out of their seats, but they were short-lived and worth every bit of excitement. The amount of joy this program brought to all the children, adults, volunteers, and staff members on hand is immeasurable. Some of our lucky guests even got to hold a tarantula and eight of our audience members formed a human cradle to hold all eight feet of Julius Squeezer!

Not only were we able to see some cool animals that aren’t typical pets, but we were learning life lessons the whole time, too! Learning new words like arthropod, fluorescent, and Uromastyx, the children did not even realize they were learning about respecting animals and each other. Critter Keeper emphasized having an “attitude of gratitude.”

Don’t forget that the Critter Keeper gave everyone homework to do! While we know that we have to treat animals with respect so they don’t hurt us or themselves, we have to respect the people around us, too. Parents might upset us, but we have to remember that they are acting in our best interest. So, make sure to do your homework and give your parents and the adults in your life a big hug and tell them that you appreciate them. Just like animals, we need love.

Thanks to everyone for coming out and enjoying this program with us. We love having the Critter Keeper here and we know that everyone in Calhoun County does too!

This project is made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the South Carolina State Library.