On the planet of YouTube influencers, Brian Barczyk is taken into account by many to be the unique architect. Brian started posting YouTube content material in 2008 and his channel has not solely stood the check of time however has since grown to greater than 5.43 million subscribers, with greater than 2.9 thousand movies on the time of this writing. As well as, these numbers don’t embody his different social media platforms.
Brian’s breeding operation, BHB Reptiles, positioned in Utica, Michigan has been round for many years. In 2018, Brian opened The Reptarium, a 6,000 sq. foot reptile-focused zoo additionally positioned in Utica. The Reptarium homes an incredible assortment of animals and tens of hundreds of holiday makers come via its doorways to go to yearly. Brian’s zoo can be distinctive in that it permits for reside interplay with lots of the facility’s animals. Along with reptiles, Brian additionally has a love of fish, and had begun to assemble a public aquarium.
“My entire purpose in life is to go away a legacy for folks to see how a lot I like these animals and the way a lot I hope others do too.” Picture by Jay Tomsky
Having traveled the world, Brian has made a number of journeys to Africa, Australia and different international locations. Brian makes it identified that his mission in life is to get folks to like reptiles and different animals.
All in all, it might be stated that Brian has led a life that almost all reptile fanatics might solely dream of. In March 2023, after a number of weeks of physician’s workplace visits due to a sudden onset of again ache, Brian was recognized with pancreatic most cancers. Lower than every week later, after a number of extra assessments, Brian was knowledgeable that his most cancers was inoperable. This information hit the herpetocultural group like an avalanche, with Brian and his household receiving an outpouring of help from throughout the globe.
On January 14, 2024, Brian handed. This interview was carried out in April, 2023.
Foster Reves: Howdy Brian and thanks very a lot for agreeing to take part on this interview. You clearly have quite a bit occurring, nevertheless for these readers who could also be unfamiliar with your whole movies, are you able to inform us a bit bit about your early pursuits in reptiles, fish, and different animals?
Brian Barczyk: Ever since I used to be 2 years outdated after I visited an area aquarium and noticed all of the fish and a ball python I’ve been obsessed. I keep in mind that day nonetheless and bear in mind being in awe of the ball python, to not point out some enormous fish that that they had on show. I knew at that second I needed to spend my life round animals and I by no means actually have needed the rest as I grew up.
Brian’s life and legacy will
at all times encourage others. Picture by Jay Tomsky
FR: Did you retain any reptiles or amphibians as a toddler?
BB: My mother was afraid of reptiles, so she wouldn’t enable any snakes or lizards in the home. So each summer season from after I was about 5 years outdated I might acquire snakes and tadpoles every single day from the woods proper down the road from my home and preserve them within the household storage. I might dig worms as much as feed the snakes and fed the tadpoles flake fish meals till they metamorphosed into little toads. I might say on a median 12 months I might have about 30 snakes and about 200 to 300 tadpoles. I used to be at all times unhappy on the autumn day when my mother would make me launch the snakes I had cared for all summer season. Though the winters had been lengthy with out my scaly pals, I knew every year I might be again to gather extra once more.
FR: What was the primary species that you just bred?
BB: Once I was 15 years outdated I used to be working in a pet store named The Pet Vendor. I purchased a pair of grownup cornsnakes in the course of February. I knew the perfect outcomes would consequence from brumation, however we had been near the top of when most individuals began to heat their snakes up. I cleaned them out for a pair weeks and put them right into a 12 day brumation, not understanding if I might have success or not, I gave it a shot. Certain sufficient about 8 weeks later the feminine laid 22 eggs! These had been the primary snakes that I really bred. Previous to this I had taken a handful of snake eggs house that had been laid on the pet store and hatched them, however they weren’t ones we bred, they only got here in gravid.
FR: Do you’ve gotten a favourite species?
BB: I actually don’t have a favourite species. I feel of all of them as people and there’s something magical about every species, and even every reptile inside that species. It’s like asking a mom of 4 who her favourite youngster is.
FR: I do know that you just had been the primary to provide the amelanistic pressure of Honduran milk snakes again within the early nineties. Are you able to inform us about a few of the different strains and morphs that you’ve got labored with over time?
BB: I’ve been so lucky to pioneer a bunch of latest snake morphs throughout my profession. Some I produced the primary of and others I used to be second in on it however did loads of the advertising to extend curiosity. Just like the albino and pastel pink hognose. I used to be not the primary however the second, however we actually marketed them to see the curiosity explode and change into even to at the present time tremendous wanted. I produced the primary axanthic and snow hognose. My greatest bangs had been within the ball python world. Producing the primary pinstripes, sundown balls, and scaleless ball pythons had been enormous. Now I used to be second in on dozens of different morphs and doubtless have about 50 mutation combos that we produced the primary of. I by no means have purchased into the hype about producing the primary. I do know if I didn’t do it another person would have. I simply felt honored to have my identify on a few of these mutations which have now change into so well-liked.
FR: As beforehand talked about, you’re thought of by many to be a founding father of the reptile influencer genera. Once you first started producing movies, did you ever think about that this recognition would develop into what it has?
BB: Once I first began social media I actually thought no one would watch or care. I simply needed folks to see my love of the animals with the hope that they’d begin to give reptiles an opportunity. After all again then there have been zero {dollars} to be made and actually no one realized how enormous social media was going to be. I suppose I used to be simply fortunate to be one of many first on many of the platforms and to develop my following. I made loads of errors as I discovered my method via the social media world. I feel now after 15 years of placing out content material we don’t make practically as many errors. We wish the picture of those animals to be on the forefront and for folks to fall in love with them. My entire purpose in life is to go away a legacy for folks to have seen how a lot I like these animals and the way a lot I hope others do too!
Brian with Mr. Beast, a social media influencer. Picture by Jay Tomsky
FR: What led you to open The Reptarium?
BB: I feel it goes again to that 2-year-old Brian. I needed to have that feeling on a regular basis. It was at all times the dream, even from the very starting of me breeding reptiles. I needed to evolve into an academic and leisure venue for reptiles and amphibians, and now after all fish as effectively. I wasn’t positive it could work and even achieve success sufficient to be worthwhile, however after 5 years it’s an area hit. We’re virtually at all times bought out and have tens of hundreds of individuals come via every year, to not point out we do greater than 1,200 academic occasions every year. It’s really a blessing past what I can ever categorical.
FR: Are you able to inform us in regards to the Reptile Military and what led to this idea?
BB: Reptile Military is a merchandise firm with greater than 100 designs. To me it’s probably not about creating wealth on the merch, it’s about what the mission assertion is. To be part of the Reptile Military means you put on the clothes and you employ it to interrupt the ice to those that say “Hey that’s a cool shirt” or “Hey I actually like that backpack.” It’s a approach to elevate a whole lot of hundreds of reptile troopers into recruiting folks to like reptiles. So the Reptile Military could be very particular to me and the loyalty from it has been insane.
FR: You’ve been lucky sufficient to journey the world and see so many alternative animals within the wild. Considering again on these adventures, which one stands out essentially the most?
BB: Very like every animal has a particular place in my coronary heart, so do my travels. I’ve been everywhere in the world and visited so many international locations and had animal adventures that folks would die to have. With that stated I nonetheless have a comfortable half in my coronary heart from my 9 journeys to Australia or any of my journeys to Africa. I feel these two locations are tops on my record of locations to go for animal adventures. I’ve additionally had so many wonderful and unforgettable experiences in so many different locations across the globe, and boy do I pray I get to see extra sooner or later!
FR: Wanting again over your life, if you happen to might change one factor, what wouldn’t it be?
BB: I work an excessive amount of. I most likely missed out on household time as a result of I used to be constructing my firms or I used to be touring the world. I’ve no main regrets and I hardly ever look again and dwell on what might have been. I simply must proceed to evolve into the individual I would be the most proud of trying within the mirror.
FR: Except one has been dwelling underneath a rock for the previous few months, the reptile group around the globe has heard of your current prognosis. How has your focus modified?
BB: I feel it’s extra about legacy now, and naturally household. That’s why I’m working so onerous to construct my LegaSea Aquarium and Reptarium. With a bit of luck we shall be open in December of 2023. It’s a bit loopy being underneath therapy and all the opposite issues that go together with this prognosis to be chasing this dream, however its all I understand how to do. It doesn’t matter what occurs, I need to see this come to actuality understanding my household shall be okay and that a whole lot of hundreds of individuals every year will attend and get educated and entertained. A few of these youngsters can have the identical expertise I had after I was 2 years outdated and who is aware of in the future they would be the subsequent Steve Irwin?
FR: Thanks once more for agreeing to take part on this interview. Are there any ideas that you just want to share with our readers earlier than we conclude?
BB: Simply keep in mind that life is so valuable. Embrace it and reside it to the fullest. It doesn’t matter what occurs to me I do know that I’ve lived the lifetime of 10 folks, have seen and skilled so many issues I care about. I hope I’ll depart a mark on this world in a optimistic method. I plan on beating the chances and being round for a very long time, however I even have to arrange for the worst and ensure I depart my legacy! The say you by no means die till the final folks communicate your identify. I pray folks will bear in mind it doesn’t matter what for many years to come back, not from an ego standpoint however from an inspirational standpoint.
Foster Reves is a SW Virginia- primarily based hobbyist, reptile breeder, and freelance author. Particular due to Stephanie Kent for offering the pictures taken by Jay Tomsky.
Ideas From Brian’s Mates and Followers
I used to be about 15 years outdated after I first met Brian Barczyk in 2009 on the White Plains, NY Reptile Expo. I used to be so stoked after I heard he was coming to an expo that I attended very incessantly. I lastly constructed up the braveness to introduce myself, and we ended up having a dialog that lasted effectively over an hour. He requested me what I stored and bred, to which I listed off the few dozen species I had been holding and breeding for a couple of years. We’d see one another at a couple of extra reveals over the following 12 months or so, and he even requested me to assist behind his desk a couple of instances as effectively if I wasn’t setup myself.
Brian and Jeremy Turgeon. Picture courtesy Jeremy Turgeon
In 2011, after I graduated highschool, my dad and mom shocked me with every week lengthy journey to Michigan to hold with Brian at BHB. We drove out to Michigan, and we had an absolute blast! I had by no means seen so many reptiles in a single place —it was insane! The week we went out was additionally the week of July 4th, so not solely did we spend time on the facility, however we additionally had some down time away to only hang around.
We caught Transformers 3D in theaters, and hung out at his household gathering for the vacation at his in-laws place. That journey was additionally one of the vital impactful for my holding profession, seeing how assortment variety was a stable approach to strategy the trade as a breeder, in addition to assortment measurement being vital too.
Over time, we’d change into nice pals. Once I took over as the ability supervisor at NERD – he and I spoke about how he although that was an amazing transfer for me, and Kevin McCurley, which meant quite a bit to me as he and Kevin have identified one another for therefore a few years, and I respect them each tremendously. It was at all times a blast attending to spend time with him, and Brian with Kevin in the identical room was at all times a good time too.
On one in all my journeys to the Reptarium a pair years in the past, he had requested me to hitch him going to Dwelling Depot to get some provides—to which we each joked alongside the way in which that it appeared like several time I came over, a visit to Dwelling Depot was at all times on the itinerary. I bear in mind being at The Reptarium when he discovered in regards to the constructing throughout the road changing into vacant. I used to be to snag him earlier than he ran out the door to movie one thing, however as quickly as he left, I stated to myself “He’s gonna purchase that constructing.” Low and behold, the following time we bought to speak, he talked about how he was about to lock it in!
My final journey to see him was in early December to shock him with an Amazon tree boa I had produced that he had reached out to me about months prior. I used to be excited that he was enthusiastic about them, and was curious about one. I had despatched him pics of 1 and advised him “it’s bought your identify on it.” When it was lastly able to go, I had reached out to Jay Tomsky to plan a shock for him. It meant the world to me, after all of the issues he had finished for me, and all of the years of friendship, to have the ability to do one thing for him, and to carry an enormous smile to his face.
I’m grateful that I’ve been capable of name Brian a good friend for therefore a few years. I’ll miss my good friend. I’ll miss the random Dwelling Depot journeys. I’ll miss the catch up calls, and chats, and a lot extra. I’m grateful for on a regular basis we shared, and reminiscences made.
Jeremy Turgeon
Proprietor
www.brassmanreptiles.com
How Assembly Brian Barczyk Modified My Life
Again within the Spring of 2011, I had simply graduated from school, was nonetheless dwelling in Tahoe, and attempting to determine the following step in my journey. I had a handful of reptiles which I cherished. I heard in regards to the Stand Up For Snakes video contest placed on by Brian, in partnership with REPTILES Journal, Freedom Breeder racks, Rodent Professional and Zoo Med. The target of the competition was to create a video that confirmed snakes in a optimistic mild, relatively than how they’re usually depicted in films and– particularly–within the media. I created a video for the competition utilizing my boa, Ruby, and my outdated canine, Bear.
Competitors was TOUGH, however amazingly I gained. This was one of the vital surreal moments of my life. The prizes included a plethora of reptile provides and three child ball pythons from Brian Barczyk; 1 male piebald, 1 feminine pinstripe het pied, and 1 feminine regular het pied. One of many true honors was getting that telephone name from Brian to congratulate me.
However the journey was simply starting, and I had no concept what profitable that competitors would do for my life and my profession. After I gained that competitors, I used to be contacted by the Reno Herpetological Society and invited to attend one in all their conferences. Finally, I grew to become secretary for the RHS and met and befriended so many wonderful folks together with John Potash who owns the enterprise Get Rattled. Get Rattled conducts rattle snake aversion coaching for canine everywhere in the west.
Even after transferring house to Paradise, I stayed in contact with John and loads of different nice folks from RHS. In early 2016, John reached out to me and requested if I needed to hitch his Get Rattled crew as a canine coach. My time with Get Rattled jump-started my profession in canine coaching. If it weren’t for these clinics we labored with Get Rattled, Lee and I wouldn’t have met Shirley and Mike Mesa of MesaHaus canine coaching who fully modified our lives for the higher when it got here to serving to us prepare our beloved canine, Jack.
Later in 2019, Lee and I moved to Oregon after the Camp Hearth destroyed Paradise and Magalia. Proper after we moved, I flew to Utah and Colorado to work a Get Rattled clinic with the crew. Through the flight house, I slept unsuitable on my shoulder and fully tweaked it misplaced. I needed to discover a chiropractor, and quick, to get again into alignment. We discovered a incredible chiropractor in Newport who fastened me proper up. Lee and I actually favored our chiropractor and thought he was a very nice man. Later in 2020 when Lee and I had been home procuring we discovered our dream property; a stunning house on 4 acres. This was throughout the top of Covid and the housing market was extraordinarily aggressive. We cherished the home, however had been discouraged to listen to our provide could be third in line behind two others. And we provided as a lot as we might presumably afford to borrow, so we simply needed to cross our fingers. Then in an incredible flip of irony, we discovered the proprietor of this dream property was our chiropractor. When he discovered one of many submitted provides was ours, he advised his realtor he needed the home to go to us.
Now Lee and I earn a living from home as canine trainers for Koru K9. We reside on the Oregon coast with our canine, cats, skunks, goats, chickens, geese, snakes, lizards, tortoises and turtle, and finally our horses will reside right here too. If I hint our journey again I can’t assist however come to this conclusion;
- If I had by no means gained that competitors I might have by no means discovered in regards to the Reno Herpetological Society.
- If I might have by no means change into part of the Reno Herpetological Society I might have by no means met John Potash
- If I might have by no means met John Potash I might have by no means been part of Get Rattled.
- If Lee and I had by no means joined Get Rattled we’d have by no means change into the canine trainers we’re at the moment.
- Even stranger, if I had by no means been on that Get Rattled journey in 2019 and thrown out my shoulder we’d (most probably) have by no means met our chiropractor after we did. After which we’d have been simply one other couple placing in our provide on this dream property of ours.
I can’t assist however attribute the outcomes of our journey to profitable that contest that Brian Barczyk initially created within the first place. And that’s a crude, very abridged story. So many wonderful different issues have occurred alongside the way in which. You by no means understand how life goes to end up, you simply must observe your coronary heart and belief the journey.
We love Brian, and may’t thank him sufficient for all the pieces he has finished for the animal group. We nonetheless have these three ball pythons I gained within the competitors greater than 10 years in the past. I nonetheless haven’t been profitable in breeding them – although the conventional het pied turned out to be a woman, lol! – however they’re wholesome and joyful and we love all of them the identical. Brian, you’ll eternally be a legend. We love you at all times—Natalie Lane.
How Brian Taught Me To Be Type
Brian and Emma Lock. Picture courtesy Emma Lock
Brian first visited me within the UK a few years earlier than I grew to become “Emzotic,” and I used to be working as a touring animal educator. Throughout our 15-year friendship, Brian’s honesty, perception and help of me by no means faltered, even after I might provide him little in return. His positivity, generosity, and fervour for reptiles impressed tens of millions of animal-lovers around the globe, however maybe essentially the most lasting and vital impression Brian left on me from the years I used to be fortunate sufficient to know him, was the appreciation I gained from watching him select to be form, as a result of kindness is a selection. His life and legacy will at all times encourage me to be a extra conscientious influencer inside our group, a extra daring innovator, and a extra insatiable and curious explorer of the pure world, however above all, I’ll select to be form.
Emma Lock
emzotic.com
Adopted My Desires
Brian confirmed me to observe my goals in reptile holding. He taught me a lot. I’m now an authorized non-profit reptile rescue in Vermont! Thanks Brian Barczyk for all that you just did and your legacy continues to do!
Jayme Palmer
