The staff at Great Bend’s Brit Spaugh Zoo have planned a grand reopening for the Reptile House, which is being remodeled, on March 19.
“We made permanent houses for the Red-footed Tortoise, African Spur Thigh Tortoise and the Green Iguana,” said Sara Hamlin, zoo supervisor and curator. “Construction on the Reptile House has finished and zookeepers will be putting the finishing touches to the habitats over the next week or two.”
Another change at the Reptile House: “Snuggles,” the zoo’s Red Tail Boa constrictor, will have a larger enclosure. “She needs a bigger space,” Hamlin said. She’s lot sure how long the boa is, but Snuggles now weighs 35 pounds.
“That’s why boas don’t make good pets,” Hamlin said. “People don’t realize how large they can get.”
If you’re wondering what kind of snake does make a good pet, she suggests a corn snake.
Until the exhibit is finished, Snuggles and other snakes can be found in the Education Building.

No Agoutis
In other news, the zoo recently shipped its Agoutis to the Memphis Zoo and to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. “We have chosen to remove Agoutis from our collection plan,” Hamlin said. An Agouti is a tropical rodent; they can be found from Mexico to South America.
“Now that the weather is warmer, Doug Disque our full maintenance staff as well as the park staff have been working hard outside getting the grounds cleaned up and looking great,” Hamlin added.