Aren’t you afraid of that ________ (snake, lizard, tarantula … fill in the blank)?

Tarantula

No. Hollywood movies notwithstanding, most of the animals at The Animal Store are absolutely harmless. There isn’t a tarantula in the world that can kill a human. There are no venomous snakes in the store.

But what if an animal bites?

When working with animals, we do occasionally get bit. Why? Because we get careless. The animal’s bite is virtually always because we have made a mistake. All animals with teeth or beaks are capable of biting. It’s important to learn how to care for and feed a pet to minimize the possibility of a bite.

Does it hurt?

It certainly can. We’ve discovered that most reptile bites are not bad. Their teeth tend to be small. The pain is usually minimal and the damage is typically a row of pin pricks. A paper cut is more painful. If you are ever bitten by an animal, it is important to contact your doctor to see if any medical treatment is necessary.