Cool touch

PALMER — The Alaska State Fair was the scene of a cold-blooded display Saturday that left parents and children cheering.

Dozens of fair-goers packed a Creation Station that has been transformed into a tropical rainforest.

At home in the forest during the fair are 75 reptiles and amphibians, including giant pythons, large turtles and Little Al, a 20-year-old miniature alligator.

“I volunteered to work this show,” said Palmer resident William MacDonald, who is also a reptile aficionado. “I think it’s fantastic. I raise reptiles myself. I’ve raised three iguanas, several different snakes.”

Presented by Brad’s World Reptiles, Paige Giberson — aka The Fabulous Miss Hiss — mesmerized a room full of children and parents while presenting some of the exhibit’s exotic reptiles.

One of those was a colorful red king snake with black and white bands around its body.

“The king snake is a beautiful snake that comes out of California, the West Coast, all the way down to South America and Mexico,” she said. “We do have other things besides reptiles. We brought turtles, amphibians, and we also brought in bugs and insects.”

Bob Foster of Anchorage seemed a little hesitant while allowing the king snake to slither up his left arm. Sharing a moment with the reptile seemed fitting, as Foster was decked out in a large No. 12 Oakland Raiders jersey with “Stabler” on the back. Kenny Stabler is a former Raiders quarterback nicknamed “The Snake.”

While Foster tolerated handling the snakes, his 6-year-old son Logan was excited to touch them.

“It’s cool,” he said of the king snake, adding, “I like the stripes.”

Seven-year-old Liahna Schahbiazi also was excited, moving quickly to the different reptile tanks.

“I like them all a lot, ‘cause they’re really cool,” she said, adding that she doesn’t have a favorite. “I like all of them.”

The highlight of the exhibit for Schahbiazi was having her picture taken with Rosy, an albino python.

That’s a little too up-close and personal for Jenny Fallon of Soldotna, who said the less menacing creatures were more to her liking.

“This is a really good (display),” she said. “It’s like the zoo is coming to us. This is great. It educates people. Of all the animals here, I like the turtles and the frogs. They’re less threatening.”

Also making the trip to the Alaska State Fair is Pablo, a colorful 9-year-old parrot with a mind of his own. Following the afternoon show, Giberson prompted Pablo to blow her a kiss, but couldn’t persuade him to talk.

“He doesn’t necessarily say what you want him to say,” she told the group of children gathered around her. “When he wants to say something, he will. Sometimes you don’t want him to say anything and he will anyway.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.

IF YOU GO

The Rainforst Experience will be at Creation Station at the Alaska State Fairgrounds throughout the fair.

• Weekdays noon to 9 p.m.

• Weekends 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Labor Day 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Stage shows daily at noon, 3 and 7 p.m., with a 5 p.m. added on weekends.