The hubby has been working Saturdays up at his shop since before Christmas so this past weekend we had a welcome day together. We took the girls out for pizza and then walked down to a fish and reptile pet store with a huge water tank by the front window that houses three small crocodiles.
The girls love to watch the seemingly immobile, but ferocious, exotic beasts. They barraged me with endless questions until I felt like I was doing a promo for Animal Planet.
“Mommy are they really alive?”
“Mommy what do they eat?”
“Mommy do crocodiles have predators?”
There’s a small handwritten sign on the tank’s glass that says “Feed the Crocodiles, $2.00” and the hubby motioned toward it and whispered that he was going to go pay for this exciting lesson in Crocodile Gastronomy 101 while I watched the girls stand in slack-jawed fascination by the tank.
I guess I thought they were going to feed the crocodiles little mouse shaped tofu jigglers or something, anything, but a fuzzy yellow dead baby chick.
As they say…OMFG!
Youngish pet store employee dude walked toward us dangling a fuzzy, and dead, chick from the end of a long wooden pole. He had a macabre grin on his face as everyone in the store, from a group of teenage girls to a couple of boys who looked to be 7 or 8, audibly reacted.
Ewwwwww.
The hubby had the honor of dangling the crocodiles’ treat into the tank but they had apparently had too many snacks for the day because they showed zero interest in the yellow fuzzy critter. Then the store owner suggested that a neighboring lizard might enjoy the treat. And by lizard I don’t mean a tiny lizard like the Geico mascot, but a large lizard that looked like he, indeed, ate small baby birds on a daily basis.
I was completely grossed out by the whole thing but all the kids, including my girls, stood and watched the lizard savor and eat his snack. I turned my head away and I reminded the girls that we eat chicken regularly. And then I looked back and I could have sworn that lizard winked at me.
Showoff.
Speaking of tasty treats, I’m giving away a gift certificate from Edible Arrangements for chocolate dipped strawberries at Savvy Housewife, my product review blog. Not nearly as interesting or filled with protein as crocodile treats, but definitely more delicious.
I was in there with my daughter (7) at weekley feeding time, which is guess us Saturday afternoon. She loved it. Now the little angel has a snake that eats mice and a toad that eats crickets.
You forgot to mention the Johnson and Johnson give-away, but now I did for you!
Horrifying. A roommate of mine in college had a snake, but we lost it before we had to feed it live mice. We just had to thaw the frozen mice in the microwave for it. That’s really not much better, is it?
I once watched jumping crocks eat meat dangling from a hook…it was pretty interesting to say the least, gross, but very interesting. Glad everyone had a nice day.
~K
Hey, Own Wilson commented on your blog. heh
This would even bother Shark Boy. Youza.
amy @ milk breath and margaritass last blog post..Five Cup Salad
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, that is so gross! I couldn’t have watched it, I really couldn’t!
Amys last blog post..An Apron Full of Giveaways 01.27.09
I’m glad I stuck with this stomach-turning post until the end… did somebody say chocolate covered strawberries? I want some!!
BTW - I have no idea why I haven’t had Savvy Housewife on my Google reader – I love giveaways! It has been added now and all is right with the world.
UncommonBlondes last blog post..Hands off
I’m with the 8 year old boys…EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!
Beth (A Mom’s Life)s last blog post..The joy in the mess.
Ok. I would have died. I would have been so grossed out. I am not sure I could have let the boys watch. I am a wuss.
Ohhh that is sooo gross.. I think I would have freaked out at that.. I dunno how you could have stood there and watched… poor little fuzzy creature
That would have grossed me out but I guess thats what is reality in the animal kingdom!!
Thanks for your edible arrangement giveaway.. much better than fuzzzy little chicks!
Nancy Js last blog post..A Family Completed…: Bloggy Carnival…. Sweet Seat Ladybug Stool Giveaway!!
Yuck! I’m going to have nightmares now. Thanks for that.
Were they not scarred for life? I am after that story!
Debbies last blog post..A Boy & His Dogs
Huh. I don’t think I could’ve looked, either! The sign might as well have said “Kill a kitten! $2!”
I accidently entered 2x in your giveaway for Johnson’s gift pack so I am hear to spread some love. Great website. Great pictures. I am subscribing. Thanks for your giveaways.
OH my that is just um ::gag me:: I wouldnt be able to watch either. I have a photo of my daughter holding a baby alligator that the “lizard guy” had at her school for their after school reptile show. It was 4$ to take a picture holding it.. I am actually suprised she could hold it (barely) because it was near as big as her
.
Crystals last blog post..200$ Check/Cash giveaway!
I could not watch that. I would have cried for the little yellow chick!
It is not possible to love pepperoni pizza too much.
Too frequently, perhaps. Too much, never.
bills last blog post..Barack: Taking Heat
“And then I looked back and I could have sworn that lizard winked at me.”
LOL.
EG, I hope it was not the same microwave that you guys heated your food in.
They make vegetarian pepperoni, so you can still go vegan.
Maximistas last blog post..Have you seen Bj
Oh, umm… ewwwwww you’re a better mom than I to let them watch although I think the little divas would have been racing me to the door.
Dddivas last blog post..GeekyMommy’s ten
Oh I could never stand that. I bet I would be the first to run to the door! LOL. My daughter would probably remember my reaction more than what the crocs ate.
Blogging Moms last blog post..How To Handle School Avoidance In Children