Rock Eagle 4-H hosts Reptiles at the library

  • Program Specialist Walker Boswell hands a snake to participants of the Summer Reading program. (SHELBY HUCKABY/Staff)
    Program Specialist Walker Boswell hands a snake to participants of the Summer Reading program. (SHELBY HUCKABY/Staff)
  • An attendee holds a box turtle at the event. (SHELBY HUCKABY/Staff)
    An attendee holds a box turtle at the event. (SHELBY HUCKABY/Staff)

    On Friday, Rock Eagle 4-H brought some of their reptile and amphibian wildlife to the Eatonton-Putnam County Library as part of their Summer Reading program. 

    Program Specialist Walker Boswell and environmental education intern Katelyn Hamm wowed many kids, as well as their families, with facts about turtles, snakes, and the study of herpetology, which is the study of reptiles and amphibians.

    The children met a green tree frog and a toad named Jabba. Hamm and Boswell used Jabba to teach about camouflage and how frogs avoid predators.

    Then, they introduced Red, the box turtle. Red, along with a pond slider turtle and an empty turtle shell, helped teach how shells protect turtles and led to a discussion on how a turtle’s spine is connected to its shell. 

    Lastly, Boswell brought out a scarlet corn snake to teach about the differences between venomous and nonvenomous snakes.