Meet our Reptile Ambassadors

Our ambassadors are the life blood of our educational programs. Each animal has been worked with to ensure they are comfortable in a public setting. These animals allows us to show off how cool each species is, engage with the public for hands on learning, and the importance of proper care and conservation

A close-up of a bearded dragon lizard on grassy ground.

Bessie-Bearded Dragon

Bessie is one of the coolest bearded dragons we have. She came from a rough situation and is small in size due to her nutrition from when she was young. After a thorough visit to the vet and a better diet, we are happy to report she is thriving. She loves to go out into the sun, especially when we have some dandelion flowers blooming. They are her favorite snack. She can be shy around new people, but loves to come out to say hi once she gets to know you.

Frankie- Argentine Black & White Tegu

Frankie is the most outgoing reptiles we have had the pleasure to care for yet. He came to us from an amazing lady. Frankie’s personality is that of a cuddly dog, always striving for attention. He can walk on a harness and loves to hang out on the couch with us. He can be a troublemaker, always rearranging his area and finding a way to escape to explore. Frankie is an amazing animal ambassador. He has joined me on a couple educational events at schools. The kids are always so excited to see him since he is such a large reptile. He’s patient with the children and doesn’t mind showing off for the crowd.

A close-up of a Gila monster with black and orange patterned skin walking on dry grass, with part of its pink tongue visible near its mouth.

Close-up of a large iguana lying on grass with its eye visible, showing detailed textured skin and colorful scales.

David-Red Tegu

David is the calmer half of the duo compared to his partner in crime, Alexis. He’s a laid-back guy who values his solitude and takes his lounging responsibilities very seriously. His favorite pastime is stretching out beneath his heat lamps, soaking up the warmth in total peace.

Despite having plenty of spacious hides available, David somehow always manages to wedge himself into the tiniest corner possible. If we need to move him during enclosure cleanings, he’ll give an offended little huff to voice his disapproval, but he has never shown aggression. He’s simply a giant introvert who enjoys his alone time.

David is also known for his dramatic habit of “pretending to be asleep” whenever a keeper approaches, apparently believing that if he can’t see us, we can’t see him either. He has a talent for completely redecorating his enclosure immediately after it’s cleaned and has recently become a major helper at educational shows while Frankie has been less interested in participating.

Overall, David is silly, active, social on his own terms, and endlessly entertaining to be around.

Close-up of a brown gecko with textured skin perched on a red-brown branch in a forest setting with blurred green foliage in the background.

Luminaire came to us from a large hoarding situation where she had been used as a breeding female and discarded after “producing duds.” Due to the overcrowded conditions she lived in, she experienced respiratory issues early on, but has since become one of the most striking crested geckos in our care.

She has a bold, fiery personality and prefers interactions on her own terms. Because she can be defensive during handling, she is tong-fed in a separate tub for everyone’s safety. Despite her attitude, Luminaire is incredibly intelligent and full of character.

When she fires up, her dramatic light-and-dark coloration is absolutely breathtaking. Like many crested geckos, she loves being up high and often enjoys climbing onto the top of my head, treating me like her personal human tree. One of her cutest habits is licking Pangea food off her face after making an absolute mess during dinner.

Luminaire may be a little dramatic, but she is resilient, beautiful, and impossible not to adore.

Luminaire-Crested Gecko

A tortoise on grass eating a pink flower.

Michaelangla-Sulcata Tortoise

Michelangela is the one of the few reptiles who we took in as a baby. She has gone through at least 4 different size tanks and she is still growing. Sulcata tortoises are one of the largest species of tortoise and live for a very long time. Most people have items and property in their wills. We will have a tortoise! Bath times are her favorite. She loves getting cleaned off with a toothbrush. She is a favorite at all the events we have done. She is quite messy, but adorable when eating leafy greens and veggies.

A leopard gecko with yellow and black markings on a rock with plants in the background.

Hook-Leopard Gecko

Hook came to us from a reptile show. He was a stunted leopard gecko with a curved tail which is why he has his name. While he is much smaller than most leopard geckos, it does not impact him in any way. He has quite the appetite and can be quite vicious. He learned the feeding tongs meant bugs were inbound and it was dinner time. He started to anticipate food, climbed up towards the top of his tank, and stole the bugs off the tongs. He loves to hang around the multiple tunnels built into his terrarium, but will pop out to say hi when he knows it's time for food.