As our longest resident, I'm sure Emory could tell some stories about the changes she has seen over the years at the Museum - if she could speak English, that is. The Great Plains Rat Snake arrived in January of 2013 and has since seen staff members come and go, watched the main exhibit hall transform from Star Power to Mysteries of the Night, and witnessed the transformation of her own habitat in the Curiosity Center.
Though Great Plains Rat snakes are not native to the Northwoods, Emory is a fantastic ambassador for snakes of all kinds. With her laid-back attitude, she helps break down barriers with people afraid of snakes. Just one touch of her smooth, shiny scales is often enough to help an ophidiophobe (a person afraid of snakes) learn to trust and enjoy snakes, if only a little bit.
Emory's calm nature also makes her wary of her surroundings. Whereas our other snake, Digger, will pounce on a mouse anytime, Emory slowly emerges from her hide when she catches a whiff of mouse in the air. She approaches cautiously while she scans the surrounding area for danger. Anyone watching will need some patience. She'll hold a group of families in suspense for 10 minutes as we hold our collective breath waiting to see if she'll eat.
Emory has always lived in the Curiosity Center children's exhibit. When we began planning to remodel the exhibit, the professionals at KidZibits took the same amount of care to provide our animals a comfortable home as they did designing children's experiences in the new space. Emory's new habitat was customized to provide vertical space to allow her to display a natural behavior for rat snakes: climbing! The designers built in a second-story shelf so Emory can decide which level she wants to spend her time.
Emory comes out occasionally for programs or exercise time in the office (which has become her favorite place to poop!), but if you come to visit, you will most likely find her curled up under her log or warm rock cave in the Curiosity Center.
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