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As long as we are on this thread, I would be interested to know how  
many of you with animals allow visitors to HOLD the animals versus  
just TOUCHING the animals (and what kind of animals they are).  We  
have a boa constrictor, a blue-tongued skink, and Madagascar hissing  
cockroaches which we take out for visitors.  We recently changed our  
policy regarding the reptiles - they can be touched but not held  
anymore.  Some visitors are disappointed.

Thanks,
Anna

On Jan 31, 2008, at 6:01 PM, Kathy Krafft wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> ********************************************************************** 
> *******
>
> Our visitors love live animals!!  It was the one consistent request  
> we got in our Comments book in reply to the question there "What  
> would you like to see new at the Sciencenter?" prior to our  
> expansion 5 years ago.
>
> It's the one space where I hear kids and parents read labels all  
> day long;  we keep them short with some most-interesting tidbits  
> that surprise visitors (corals that have symbiotic algae living  
> inside, or that propagate by dropping branches, etc.)  And of  
> course "Which one is Nemo?" as we have a pair of clownfish.
>
> They do take time to maintain of course- we've got a 1/4-time FTE  
> set aside for their care.
>
> We've got some beautiful salt-water reef tank displays, and added a  
> wonderful "Touch Tank" area (with some private funding) where  
> visitors can touch sea stars, urchins etc.-- we get to reach out to  
> rural kids who may never get to the Ocean, and share a conservation  
> message about reefs and oceans and watershed issues.
> In addition, we've got Corn Snakes, turtles, millipedes and hissing  
> roaches and large display with frogs and toads and newts...  Some  
> of these are taken out by trained volunteers for visitors to see up  
> close and touch. Turtles, frogs and toads are not generally handled  
> however (salmonella is a real concern that you cannot test for).  I  
> do have to say that the middle school/teen audience especially like  
> the "creepy crawlies" altho' a few adults are squeamish about the  
> snakes in particular.
> We're also "centrally isolated" in upstate New York, so serve a  
> broad audience without local aquarium or zoo.
>
> Kathy Krafft
> Exhibit Projects Director
> Sciencenter
> Ithaca, NY
>
>
>
>
>
> Hello,
> I am curious about the role of live animals in science centers.  If  
> you are
> not an aquarium or zoo, do you still have live animals?  If so,  
> what kind of
> animals do you have?   What type of programming do you do around  
> them?  Are
> they always on display or only on display under direct supervision  
> by a
> staff member or volunteer?  Does anyone keep reptiles?   Do you have
> problems with visitors being upset by having animals on display out  
> of their
> natural habitat?  Any information would be appreciated!
>
> Thanks,
>
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__________________________________
Anna Grace
Exhibit Coordinator

Our mission: "To involve people in science experiences that touch our  
lives."

Explorit Science Center
2801 2nd Street (Main Public Site)
3141 5th Street (Mace Park Branch)
P.O. Box 1288 (mailing address)
Davis, CA 95617
530.756.0191
fax 530.756.1227
http://www.explorit.org

Explorit has been growing into our new site along I-80 which opened  
on September 23, 2006 at 2801 2nd St..  Learn more about our  
Expanding the Explorit Experience project and on-going capital  
campaign at http://www.explorit.org/expansion/index.html and upcoming  
events at http://www.explorit.org/calendar.html.




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For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

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