You don’t see this every day – exotic animals at Tecumseh Mall

In the middle of Tecumseh Mall over March Break, a man would bring out a snake and encourage people to touch it.

Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo was giving people a chance to get closer to owls, snakes, tortoises and more animals. Many parents brought their children.

“We would like to give the kids a safe and educational environment to handle the animals, to meet them,” said Tyler Maybee, with the traveling zoo. “(We are showing) why there are not necessarily good pets and why conservation of them is very important.”

Ryan King brought his daughter.

“I have been collecting animals for years, so I bring my daughter here every year. I like shows like this. They help educate people (and) let them know, you know, there are certain animals that are not meant to be pets like this guy,” he said, pointing to a window beside him. “A caiman crocodile — you do not want that one to be a pet, because they are cute and lovely, but eventually you gonna lose a finger.”

The aim of this exhibition is to interact and educate.

“The more people know about these animals, the better to protect them,” said Maybee.

Almost all — 80 to 90 per cent — of the animals in Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo are not from the wild but used to be someone’s pet. Maybee said the only time they ever take an animal from the wild is if it is sick or injured, but the zoo tries to release them if they get better.

“People buy exotic animals all the time, and don’t realise how big they get, how expensive they are, how much they eat, and they cannot keep them safe. So, they give them to us,” said Maybee, 35.

Maybee grew up with animals and, at one time, worked at a museum with farm animals including cows and pigs.

“I get to do my favourite things in the world right now, handling the animals and working with animals, and also with people,” Maybee said.

From March 13 to 18, Maybee and his team held shows every half hour throughout the day. The audience even had a chance to get close to a little sloth, famous for its slow moving and lazy appearance.