It’s the 1970’s in all its glory: Long hair, Beatles, bell-bottom jeans, The Doors, The Vietnam War, Led Zepplin…and Mike’s parents thought summer sleep-away camp was a wonderful concept. They likely did not consider the fact that forced socialization or sports would hardly draw Mike out of his shell. Rather, it provided wonderful opportunities for Mike to search for creatures within shells, or those who swam, slithered, hopped about. Those creatures beckoned, and Mike simply heeded their call.

At the end of the day, Mike gathered his newfound friends, and stored them in a crate beneath his bed. As soon as the counselor discovered his cache, an ultimatum was issued—either the reptiles were returned to their habitat, or Mike was to return to his…At 2:30 AM, Mike’s parents arrived. They set the creatures loose, and Mike breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the campgrounds rapidly disappearing through the back window of the station wagon.

Fast forward to 1988, where a local newspaper advertises baby King Snakes, drawing whereby Mike meets Fred. Effusive conversation followed as Mike enthused over his Boas and Indigo, while Fred sang the praises of his collection. And thus, The Reptile Adventure hatched, cementing the current decades-long partnership.