Reptile show charms OMSI visitors

By David F. Ashton

The Bee, Nov 25, 2009

Herpetologist Michelle Verheyden gives OMSI visitors a very close-up view – and the opportunity to pet – her pet ball python named Sabien.

David F. Ashton / THE BEE

As fall began, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), located just north of the Ross Island Bridge on the Willamette waterfront, hosted its annual Reptile and Amphibian Show, with more than 100 cold-blooded animals on display.

The hands-on area attracted brave-hearted kids and adults like a magnet; giving them the opportunity to touch or hold many non-venomous reptiles.

Most of the not-so-huggable scaly and shelled creatures with which visitors were invited to interact belonged to herpetologists Michelle Verheyden and Steve Verhines.

“We do this show for the love of the animals,” Verheyden told us, as she cuddled a ball python that entwined its sinuous body around her arms. “And, we bring out our pets to promote educational and awareness. Right now, there’s a lot of pending legislation against owning reptiles.”

Such creatures have gotten some bad press, Verheyden said, due to ignorance. “For example, there is the misconception that there are horrible, man-eating pythons all over Florida. It’s not true; they’re not capable of reproducing in nature; there are actually only a very small number of them in the wild.”

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