A neon-green poster board reading “Snakeman Live!” was propped up near center stage at the Waldo Farmers and Flea Market.
Devin Wheeler and Mitra Snyder, owners of Second Chance Reptile Sanctuary in Starke, stopped in Waldo to put on one of their many summer reptile shows Sunday.
About halfway into the 45-minute show, Wheeler held a 70-pound Southeast Asian python.
“We call this snake Misery,” he said.
Wheeler displayed each animal to the crowd, including a snapping turtle, an albino California king snake and a 16-foot Burmese python.
Eric Townes, a 10-year-old audience member, said he liked seeing all the snakes.
“I would feel very excited seeing that in other places than Waldo,” he said.
Equipped with a van and bins to contain the creatures while on the road, Wheeler and Snyder said they hope to exhibit their snakes anywhere they can and educate the public on the various species.
“Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and give these animals a permanent second chance at a life that they may not have had had they been left in a pet shop or somebody let it go,” Snyder said.
Wheeler said when he was young he saw Ross Allen, founder of the Reptile Institute in Silver Springs, and became inspired to work with snakes.
Snyder said she had always dreamed of having a reptile sanctuary and has been able to make the dream a reality with Wheeler.
The two met a few years ago when new laws forced Snyder to give up her two Burmese pythons because she did not have the proper license, she said.
Wheeler has a Class III wildlife license that allows him to own conditional species such as pythons and anacondas. He said he is one of very few individuals to hold this license in Florida.
“Instead of just worrying about it, I was just going to give them to Devin because he has his permits,” Snyder said. “And that’s how we met, and we ended up being together, so I still have my snakes and we’re all together.”
Precautions are taken to prevent possible dangers of owning the snakes, Wheeler said, adding that the bigger snakes have tracking devices.
He must report where he plans to take the animals to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Wheeler and Snyder are licensed to sell their animals but said they would rather look after them.
“It’s really not a lot of maintenance taking care of them whether we have 20 more animals come in or two,” said Wheeler. “So food and everything isn’t an issue. It’s just the time.”
Snyder and Wheeler are determined to provide a home for as many animals as possible, and they are not limiting themselves to reptiles.
The pair also provides care to peacocks, monkeys and raccoons.
“This is their last stop,” Snyder said. “They aren’t going to be re-homed. They are here for good.”
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 6/4/15]
Devin Wheeler, an owner of Second Chance Reptile Sanctuary, holds a 16 foot Burmese python at the Waldo Farmers and Flea Market on Sunday. Wheeler started the sanctuary with Mitra Snyder to provide a home to reptiles that wouldn’t be able to survive in the wild.
