Post by Patrick Kubeja on Jan 6, 2005 20:13:38 GMT -5
Snakeman wasn't once known as Snakeboy
Collector, lecturer feared the reptiles as a child
Monday, January 3, 2005
By BILL SCHLEGL
of The Associated Press
QUINCY - Quincy native Gary Liesen is known as the Snakeman because of his large collection of snakes, which he uses to give lectures about their care and handling.
Would it surprise you to know he was scared to death of them as a child?
When Liesen was four, his brother - 12 years older - would tie him to a telephone pole and put snakes down his shirt. When he attended high school, his classmates learned he was scared of snakes. He soon found snakes in his gym bag, locker and lunch bag.
Luckily, one older student was willing to help Liesen conquer his fears.
"He took pity on me," Liesen said. "He had a boa, and I went over to his house a couple times. It took me more than a month before I could touch it. After that, it wasn't so bad."
Now 53, Liesen has been lecturing for 35 years, and is one of western Illinois' more popular "performers." He lectures on the library circuit. At the Galesburg library, 465 people recently showed up to hear him speak and to see his snakes.
"They see all these snake shows on TV, when they finally get a chance to see one in person, they go," Liesen said. "People who've never held a snake bring cameras. It's an event for a lot of them."
Liesen has about 100 snakes of varying types and sizes at Snakeman's Snakeshop in Quincy, which he opened 10 years ago.
Liesen said being afraid of snakes is not an inborn fear.
"Somebody has to tell you to be afraid of them, or you have to have a bad experience with them, like I did. I also think they (snakes) catch a lot of bad rap from TV and the movies," he said.
Liesen often sees children who want pet snakes, but their parents will say no.
"You ask the parents why they are afraid, and they have no idea," said Liesen. "They've always been afraid of them, and they don't know why."
Often parents will hold the snakes after they've seen their children do so.
Liesen likes to talk to grade school students since they are more open to learning about new things. He says once a child is about 13 or 14, it is more difficult to break their fear.
"If (a young child) sees their schoolmates hold them, then they've got to hold them," said Liesen. "If you get one girl to hold them, then all the boys have got to hold them whether they're afraid or not."
Liesen starts his lectures by showing smaller snakes and how to handle and care for them. He warns children in the lectures never to pick up anything wild. The snakes he shows are all nonpoisonous and are used to being held by people.
He warns people not to pet the snake's head and not to squeeze the animal. He is very careful when handing snakes to people, for sometimes people get a little freaked out and drop the snakes on the floor.
"I know now who not to hand one to," said Liesen. "In 35 years, I've never had an accident."
He said that the main reason people get bitten by pet snakes is that they reach for it with quick movements. As pet snakes grow older, they learn their owner's scent and become accustomed to being handled. Most pet snakes never bite.
"A snake's vision is so poor, they see shadows and movements. Things coming at them is what spooks them," Liesen said.
Collector, lecturer feared the reptiles as a child
Monday, January 3, 2005
By BILL SCHLEGL
of The Associated Press
QUINCY - Quincy native Gary Liesen is known as the Snakeman because of his large collection of snakes, which he uses to give lectures about their care and handling.
Would it surprise you to know he was scared to death of them as a child?
When Liesen was four, his brother - 12 years older - would tie him to a telephone pole and put snakes down his shirt. When he attended high school, his classmates learned he was scared of snakes. He soon found snakes in his gym bag, locker and lunch bag.
Luckily, one older student was willing to help Liesen conquer his fears.
"He took pity on me," Liesen said. "He had a boa, and I went over to his house a couple times. It took me more than a month before I could touch it. After that, it wasn't so bad."
Now 53, Liesen has been lecturing for 35 years, and is one of western Illinois' more popular "performers." He lectures on the library circuit. At the Galesburg library, 465 people recently showed up to hear him speak and to see his snakes.
"They see all these snake shows on TV, when they finally get a chance to see one in person, they go," Liesen said. "People who've never held a snake bring cameras. It's an event for a lot of them."
Liesen has about 100 snakes of varying types and sizes at Snakeman's Snakeshop in Quincy, which he opened 10 years ago.
Liesen said being afraid of snakes is not an inborn fear.
"Somebody has to tell you to be afraid of them, or you have to have a bad experience with them, like I did. I also think they (snakes) catch a lot of bad rap from TV and the movies," he said.
Liesen often sees children who want pet snakes, but their parents will say no.
"You ask the parents why they are afraid, and they have no idea," said Liesen. "They've always been afraid of them, and they don't know why."
Often parents will hold the snakes after they've seen their children do so.
Liesen likes to talk to grade school students since they are more open to learning about new things. He says once a child is about 13 or 14, it is more difficult to break their fear.
"If (a young child) sees their schoolmates hold them, then they've got to hold them," said Liesen. "If you get one girl to hold them, then all the boys have got to hold them whether they're afraid or not."
Liesen starts his lectures by showing smaller snakes and how to handle and care for them. He warns children in the lectures never to pick up anything wild. The snakes he shows are all nonpoisonous and are used to being held by people.
He warns people not to pet the snake's head and not to squeeze the animal. He is very careful when handing snakes to people, for sometimes people get a little freaked out and drop the snakes on the floor.
"I know now who not to hand one to," said Liesen. "In 35 years, I've never had an accident."
He said that the main reason people get bitten by pet snakes is that they reach for it with quick movements. As pet snakes grow older, they learn their owner's scent and become accustomed to being handled. Most pet snakes never bite.
"A snake's vision is so poor, they see shadows and movements. Things coming at them is what spooks them," Liesen said.
www.pjstar.com/stories/010305/REG_B56IIB95.025.shtml