Educational Reptile Shows
 

Hi! Few questions for the community...

Ever since my parents took me to my first reptile show in elementary school I've wanted to do shows myself. Anyone here put on shows for schools or birthday parties? Would love to hear your input!

• How do you insure the business? In passing I've heard of some shows using a type of petting zoo type insurance, and others have specific reptile show insurance.
• What is your range, within your city or do you travel?
• What are your most popular animals?

Just a few questions for now, thanks!

I do not do shows, but suggest that you look through your insurance policy word by word. There is a huge legal difference between reptiles which are classified as wild animals, and the baby domestic/farm animals in many petting zoos. I would not think that a modified petting zoo insurance would be adequate for you and I think adequate insurance is the single most important step you can take prior to doing any shows with reptiles.

I don't have a business doing reptile shows. But. I've heard other people talking about their businesses and some people say their insurance is more like a petting zoo, and other companies offer actual reptile related insurance. These were on podcasts, so I never personally talked to them.

Easiest thing to do is find an independent agent, tell them what you want to do and what kind of animals you have and let them find you a company, that's what I did. My insurance is based more on the number of shows I do than the types of animals I have (rabbits and guinea pigs can bite just as easily as bearded dragons and snakes)

Most of the time, there is absolute liability for injuries caused by wild animals, which include reptiles. That is a different standard than most bite cases. Make sure you read the policy itself and check that it covers what you need it to cover, before a bite happens.

Good advice here. Be totally clear to your agent what you intend to do -- if you are just showing animals and there will not be public contact, insurance will be different than if you are allowing it. Most importantly, limit the chances of bites.
In 40 years of doing programs, I have had five incidents -- two were assistants who did not follow directions. Two were a kingsnake who nipped when participants had been holding other snakes and did not sanitize in between, as our signage suggests. Depsite that, she has been removed from any public handling and is now used just as a lecture and exhibit snake. The fifth was when a preschooler jumped on a picnic table to hug the leopard gecko I was showing and pretty much squeezed the poor thing to death and got bit.

Thank you all for the replies!