The following article was written at the request of Guider Magazine by Joshua Feltham, the General Manager of Reptilia Inc.  It appeared in the Fall 2001 Issue of Guider.

"Sugar and spice and everything nice, ," remember that old nursery rhyme? Obviously whoever wrote it was never a Girl Cuide! A Girl Guide is just as likely to identity with "snakes and snails and puppy dog tails." She's the kind of girl who would happily pick up a snake or a frog, because Guiding gives her oppor­tunities to try things that are traditionally considered "for boys." And the effect on girls of coming into contact with these amazing creatures can he pretty amazing stuff.

Reptilia – Not Just for Boys 

Live reptiles. Wow, that must be a great place for boys!" This is invariably one of the first things I hear when I tell people about Reptilia and its programs. I don't deny it. It's true. Reptilia is a great place for boys. But it's also a great place for girls! Unfortunately, the attitude that reptiles such as lizards, turtles, tortoises, and especially snakes are a "boy thing" is still the norm. Often, so is the notion that girls aren't interested in amphibians, such as frogs. Girls are supposed to be afraid of snakes and to think that frogs are slimy. The "socially accepted" feminine reaction to reptiles and amphibians in general is to regard them with disgust and revulsion.

During my three years managing Reptilia Inc., a centre that educates people about reptiles and amphibians, there have been tens of thousands of people through our facility. The best part of my job is teaching people about reptiles and watching their perception of these misunderstood animals change right before my eyes, especially their perception of snakes. I've instructed many of these groups, and the effect that learning about snakes has on many of the girls visiting is truly rewarding to see. I've seen girls quickly overcome their fear or snakes. I've also seen girls become fasci­nated by frogs. I've seen shy, quiet girls become confident, vocal members of their group. I've seen all this happen, because they were able to experience something exciting and new by getting close to the things they're often programmed to fear or dislike. In overcoming their fear, they begin to develop new confidence and life skills. That's why their Guiders bring them to places such as Reptilia. 

Snake Therapy – A Radical New Confidence Builder! 

Although Girl Guides are usually exposed to the outdoors and nature as part of their activities, I find a great many of them are not at all comfortable around snakes. These girls can be quickly identified shortly after they arrive, even those who are good at hiding their emotions. When a group arrives at Reptilia, we take them to our class­room, which has four rows of chairs, the last of which is elevated to give those who sit there an unobstructed view of our viewing area. However, those who frequent this row are generally not sitting there to get a better view. They're there to put maximum space between them­selves and the elongated, unblink­ing, fork-tongued, limbless snakes at the front of the room. Reptilia staff members affectionately refer to this row as the "cringe row." Those who initially settle in the cringe row do so to be over­looked. But they quickly dis­cover that we make it a point to bring all the animals around to everyone in the room.

It takes courage to over­come any fear. However, under­standing that fear can be conquered is an important life skill for the girls to learn. Many who are afraid of snakes fit a certain profile. They sit quietly in the cringe row, avoiding eye contact, trying not to look inter­ested, and asking few ques­tions. The primary reason for this is that they don't want to be singled out in front of their peers. After they've become a little more comfortable, they begin to show some interest and ask a few questions. One of my favourite moments is when these girls are ready to touch a snake, because it always feels different than they expect. The expres­sion of disgust and fright turns to one of amazement and sur­prise. This is the turning point. After touching a snake, and being congratulated for doing so, the girls become visibly more confident.

This may seem like an insignificant accomplishment to many people, but think about it for a moment. Think about something you were once afraid of doing. Think about what it took for you to overcome that fear. Think about how you felt when you were able to say you were no longer afraid. These experiences are critical to our development of life skills. We all need to learn that we are capable of overcoming obstacles and of making changes in our perception of things. Many of the Guiding Members who come to Reptilia with a fear of snakes leave with a sense of accomplishment and pride. It's an empowering expe­rience. They have learned a little more about what they are capable of achieving, if they put their minds to it. 

Shy Girls Speak Out

Having been a boy scout, I know that a large part of the Scouting ethic is to respect and understand nature.  The boys I was with in Scouting typically enjoyed the outdoors.  The same is true of Guiding.  There are many girls out there who are fascinated by nature, and plenty of them are interested in reptiles and amphibians.  However, these are often the girls who are reluctant to speak out.  One of the reasons for this is that girls are still taught that their place is not out in the fields and forests looking for insects and reptiles or catching frogs. Girls who enjoy these activities are usu­ally not part of the in-crowd. They need to know that they are valuable members of any group, and they need to be encouraged to pursue their interests. The field of biology is still a male dominated field, and women are needed to provide their talents and perspectives.  We need more girls to develop skills in this area.

I've noticed that, during a lesson, the more introverted members of the group tend to become more involved. I like to ask a lot of questions during my pre­sentations. It keeps everyone on track, which helps to estab­lish a good rela­tionship between us.  The quieter members of the audience often provide the answers, becoming more vocal as they answer more questions.  As this happens, I often see the more extroverted girls change their perception of the quiet, introverted, nature lovers.  This is most apparent after the presentation is complete and the girls are looking at some of the animals we have on display.  I see the more introverted girls being asked questions by the others.  The shy, quiet girl has spoken out.  She is developing new communication skills and her self-esteem and self-confidence are greatly increased, because she no longer feels marginalized.  Now she has something to offer the other girls.

I have seen countless girls leave Reptilia with a renewed and keener interest in nature and biology.  Some have confronted their fears about reptiles and amphibians and gained self-confidence in the process.  Others have learned a new respect for creatures they’ve either dreaded or found uninteresting.  And others have learned that their natural affinity for those “snakes and snails” (and lizards, frogs, turtles, alligators…) traditionally associated with boys is something other girls will notice, applaud and respect.