Visiting the Zoo Part 2

The Henry Vilas Zoo is a nice size and we were able to see all of the exhibits in one afternoon we even had time for the Herptiles Pavilion. *cue ominous music *

I have one thing in common with daring adventurer Indian Jones. It’s not his irresistible charm, not his propensity to get in and then out of tight spots, not a shared weapon of choice (I don’t like whips) and It’s not even that sweet hat, we share the same weakness, same fear: Ophidiophobia.

Ophidiophobia or ophiophobia is a fear of snakes. Not herpetophobia, which is just plan ol’ fear of reptiles. I can handle lizards, turtles, dinosaurs….even bugs and spiders; basically any sort of creepy crawly or scary coldblooded animal you wanna throw at me is no problem. But, I hate snakes!

So it was with some trepidation I walked into the pavilion dedicated to frogs, crocodiles, lizard, snakes etc. We browsed about looking at each cage, reading the information and signs. The first snake I saw made my stomach jump, but I calmly looked at it just as I had the alligator in the neighboring tank. I hadn’t realized how many different kinds of snakes this zoo had: Pythons, Rattle-Snakes, Garter Snakes, Boa Constrictors, and a large Anaconda. As we continued on through, pointing out things and talking, I began to feel as if I couldn’t breathe; my chest was tight and getting tighter. I was going to explode from trying to keep the panic down as I helped Lukie spot and identify five different snakes camouflaged in their environment. Fear was growing I could not suppress or ignore it.

It was irrational: there was nothing to be afraid of and I knew it, which scared me even more. I’ve always been able to force myself to be calm, to go back, after the initial reaction of running away and taking a good look at the source of my fear. I’d even endured the horror of holding a little boys pet snake. I’d always determined not to let fear rule, but this time I was afraid that I would lose the battle. My enemy had never felt so strong; I was shocked that I hadn’t been able to keep it in check as I usually could. I took a moment to pray and work on breathing. I thought of my sister and her fear of mice, a fear that I had not been able to understand. I had been pushing her to “get over it” I’d tried talking to her about the ridiculous and unfounded reasons for being afraid of a harmless, annoying perhaps, but pretty much harmless little mouse. Here I was face to face with my fear. Every moment it grew harder and harder to keep my head and I felt sympathy for her. Is this what it felt like when she was trying to sleep with a mouse-trap under her bed at night?

As difficult and awful as it was, I learned two things in the zoo’s herptiles pavilion. Sometimes we have no idea what a person is struggling with and if we don’t understand it, there’s even more reason to be patient and kind with them. I also saw my own fear bigger and clearer than ever, but I’m considering this an advantage. I still plan on fighting and defeating this fear whenever it raises its diamond shaped head. Thinking back on it now I didn’t completely succumb to my fear and perhaps I did come out as the victor of that battle. I’m plan on winning the war. This means, I’m planning on touring the WHOLE zoo on my next visit, even the snakes.