When looking for details about a selected reptile or amphibian, the web has lengthy grow to be the go-to car for conducting this activity. One wonderful YouTube channel that often pops up on searches is Clint’s Reptiles. Based in 2017, Clint’s Reptiles has 750K subscribers and 500 movies, a quantity that’s rising each day. Throughout my journey to interview numerous profitable content material creators, 4 parts stay fixed.
When Clint was a baby, his first pets have been seven bullfrog tadpoles that he caught in a lake. His first pet reptiles have been garter snakes. “If there may be one factor that I might encourage the reptile passion to do, it’s to be very sort and affected person with the errors that folks make who’re new to the passion.” Photograph courtesy Clint’s Reptiles
Data of the subject material, high-quality manufacturing, partaking display screen presence, and a singular angle for presenting materials are elements that separate the competitors. Sitting behind a desk and sporting his trademark tie, surrounded by mannequin dinosaurs, fossils, and different organic curiosities, Clint Laidlaw presents his superior degree information on reptiles, amphibians, sharks, prehistoric life, invertebrates, and the listing goes on. Along with the YouTube channel, Clint and his spouse Leisha additionally personal and function Clint’s Reptile Room. Situated in Springville, Utah, Clint’s Reptile Room is a singular instructional facility devoted to instructing the general public about reptiles, amphibians, and different wonders of zoology.
Foster Reves: Good day Clint and thanks for taking time to have interaction on this interview. Inform us about a few of your early experiences with reptiles and different animals?
Clint Laidlaw: I’ve been studying REPTILES journal since I used to be 10 or 12 years outdated, at all times had a subscription, so that is thrilling. I’ve been curious about animals my whole life. My earliest reptile particular reminiscence was after I was most likely about 4 or 5 years outdated. I grew up by a lake in Colorado. My neighbors lived in a home that backed proper as much as the lake. They might get fairly a number of snakes of their yard. These have been the primary reptiles that I can actually keep in mind interacting with in any respect. I wound up placing one in a jar and bringing it house. After consuming dinner, I got here again out and found that jars with out lids don’t maintain snakes. My first pets that I ever stored have been seven bullfrog tadpoles that we caught within the lake. After a yr of elevating bullfrog tadpoles, I switched these out for crayfish. The following yr we switched these out for 3 garter snakes. These have been my first actual pet reptiles.
Clint has an undergraduate diploma in biology and zoology, holds a grasp’s diploma in evolutionary ecology and earned his Ph.D in biology. Photograph courtesy Clint’s Reptiles
FR: When did you first delve into breeding reptiles and amphibians, past the yard lakeside period?
CL: I just about at all times had some reptiles, a tarantula, and issues like that. I labored at Disney’s Animal Kingdom after which was a missionary for 2 years in Peru, earlier than transferring out right here. I needed to rehome every thing earlier than leaving. Once I first bought married, I didn’t have any reptiles and didn’t begin getting very many till I began instructing on the college. Throughout my undergraduate training in zoology, I had seen one stay animal in a classroom, and it was hibernating. My professors had one way or the other managed to suck all of the enjoyable out of my favourite topic. Once I began instructing on the college, I needed to have some animals that the scholars might work together with. That’s actually after I began to get fairly a number of reptiles. I used to be by no means actually into breeding, particularly since I had no reference to anyone who needed to purchase one. I had a number of crested geckos and ball pythons and began to breed these. As well as, I used to be a really poor graduate scholar and there have been morphs that I needed however couldn’t afford. I nonetheless breed zebra skinks, ball pythons, keel-bellied lizards, geckos, and some different odds and ends. This yr I solely paired one snake, in addition to emerald tree skinks. I began doing animal shows 10 years in the past and reached a degree the place I might slightly have quite a lot of range of issues to indicate individuals. The aim of the Reptile Room is to deliver a big number of totally different species of reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods to an enormous variety of those that by no means would have been capable of expertise them in any other case.
FR: One query that I nearly at all times wish to ask is which species presently within the commerce would you wish to see hobbyists and breeders give attention to extra?
CL: Emerald tree skinks. They’re fully un-handleable, you’ll be able to’t chase one round or scoop it up, nevertheless they wish to work together with you. If you happen to allow them to do issues on their phrases, it’s most likely top-of-the-line conceivable experiences that you can have with an animal. It is just doing what it needs to do, and it needs to hang around with you. I can present you proper now if you wish to see (Clint walks over to his ETS vivarium and opens the door). “Hello Peter, come on out buddy.” (The skink instantly jumps onto Clint and runs up his arm). Why would somewhat lizard be like this? It doesn’t make sense. If any morphs begin displaying up, this may be unbelievable. As well as, chuckwallas, Peters banded skinks, false water cobras, tremendous dwarf reticulated pythons, Cape home snakes, an extended listing of issues that I consider are simply unbelievable pets that folks don’t admire that a lot. So far as issues that we might lose from the passion, there are quite a lot of issues that we’re producing however in very small populations. Steady imports are additionally not a sustainable technique. I at all times encourage individuals, if you’re going to get imports, you ought to be an skilled breeder with related species. You might be getting them particularly to supply a captive inhabitants of them, to not simply hold.
The Emerald tree skink is without doubt one of the reptiles that Clint thinks hobbyists and breeders ought to focus extra on. Photograph courtesy Clint’s Reptiles
FR: If you happen to might solely hold one herp, what wouldn’t it be?
CL: I might most likely hold false water cobras. The interplay with an animal is essential to me, and snakes are on kind of one other degree. The false water is gigantic, they’re clever, interactive, they’re so particular.
FR: In contrast to the overwhelming majority of
reptile and amphibian fans you’re an precise biologist. Inform us somewhat about your instructional background and expertise within the educational subject.
CL: I bought my undergraduate diploma in biology and zoology as a result of I really like studying about animals. Once I was ending highschool and beginning faculty, I didn’t see an excellent path ahead to having a profession with reptiles. Close to the tip of my senior yr, I used to be interested by going to legislation college. That was my plan as a result of I additionally appreciated public talking, debate, that form of stuff, and you can make a residing as a lawyer. Once I was in my senior yr on the college, I used to be watching an episode of “Crocodile Hunter Diaries” and I assumed that I might be happier doing one thing with animals. After graduating, I used to be out of faculty for 4 years. I found throughout these 4 years that if I wasn’t studying one thing new then I wasn’t very joyful. I took the biology GRE, which is a placement examination for individuals wanting to enter biology, and I scored extraordinarily excessive in evolution and ecology. I at all times simply thought that evolution and ecology courses have been tremendous simple, so I bought my grasp’s diploma in evolutionary ecology. Throughout my grasp’s, I found that I had an actual ardour for instructing biology, so I bought my Ph.D in biology. My analysis focus shifted to evolution training and the way to train evolution so that folks might settle for it. I did my grasp’s and Ph.D at a spiritual establishment. I had been a TA for different professors, they usually have been at warfare with their college students. At warfare, college students have been storming out of the classroom, giving snarky solutions on their assessments, and so forth. Then I began instructing on the identical establishment. My background was in evolutionary ecology, so my class was vastly evolution centered. I requested myself why they’re wonderful after I train evolution however not different school members? That’s after I actually began to dig right into a Ph.D on what it’s that I’m doing that’s altering this. At present I’m not instructing at college as a result of I don’t have time.
Clint’s Reptile Room is open to the general public simply two days every week. Photograph courtesy Clint’s Reptiles
At Clint’s Reptile Room, we’re celebrating our fifth yr anniversary this yr. We’re presently providing college degree persevering with training courses right here on the Reptile Room. I might like to take a college degree geology class, however I don’t wish to enroll in a college to do it. I simply wish to take the one class, and I feel that there are lots of people like that, so that’s one thing that we simply began doing this fall.
FR: Clint’s Reptile Room is an modern idea. Are there any particular elements that lead as much as creating such a singular enterprise thought?
CL: I’ve been doing touring shows for about 10 years. I solely marketed for one summer season, however simply by phrase of mouth, I always had requests. I used to be nonetheless instructing on the college, ending my Ph.D, and I had kids. I’m actually enthusiastic about these shows, however by no means had time to do very many. Proper across the time that I used to be ending my Ph.D, I discovered a job itemizing for the tutorial director at our native zoo. It was a singular set of necessities they’d for this place, and I had all of them. I used to be simply over the moon enthusiastic about it. My spouse and I have been leaping up and down, after which we seen that the job itemizing was eight years outdated. It was fairly deflating; it was like properly what if we created that? As well as, the surprising success of our YouTube Channel, and help of our followers, we had somewhat little bit of seed cash to get began. I used to be nonetheless in graduate college on the time, I used to be instructing at two universities in addition to a constitution highschool. I had quite a bit occurring, however we determined to go forward. We didn’t have some huge cash, we didn’t have quite a lot of time, we simply requested, is that this one thing that you simply guys are keen to get behind? The response was overwhelming, they usually put their cash the place their mouth was. They contributed $10,000 {dollars} and we had about $10,000 {dollars} of our personal cash. We made it via a complete pandemic, and it’s going stronger than ever. We simply did our second yr of summer season camps along with our first grownup summer season camp; it’s unbelievable what has occurred.
FR: Roughly what number of guests would you say that your facility receives on common?
CL: I might say proper now, we most likely have 200 to 300 guests every week. We’re solely open two days every week to the general public. I don’t wish to value individuals out of having the ability to come right here. I used to be poor my whole grownup life and I’ve bought 4 youngsters. I don’t wish to make it the form of place that I wouldn’t have the ability to afford to take my household. As well as, as a result of it’s such a hands-on expertise, the animals want quite a lot of down time.
FR: What impressed you to develop a YouTube channel and what recommendation would you give to others striving to do the identical?
CL: I’m horrible with expertise. I might have beloved to create a YouTube channel like we now have however I can’t edit a video. My associates Jason and Will, they’re each into tech companies, and we used to go to lunch as soon as every week. In the future Jason stated, I’ve been attempting to consider a enterprise that we might all do collectively, and I stated, “I’ll deliver nothing to this”. He stated, “it entails you rather a lot”, and his thought was to create a reptile YouTube channel. I began creating all of the content material for it. He began studying the way to edit movies, and Will’s spouse, Michelle, an expert photographer, turned our videographer. Our massive image dream with the YouTube Channel was to make the primary video, Prime 5 Reptiles for Novices, after which make a number of follow-up movies about every of the 5 animals, and that may be it. We have been hoping for some affiliate hyperlinks and possibly some adverts and possibly earn sufficient cash in order that sometimes our three households might get collectively and get an Airbnb and hang around for a weekend. A couple of months later, our channel had actually began to develop. We launched one video and later we launched a second video. It began to develop quick. I did a presentation at a party, they usually have been filming me intensely. So, after the get together I requested them about that. They’d a household vlog. They made six figures on YouTube! I didn’t even know that was a factor. I went to YouTube to be taught issues. I used to be conscious of Brian Barczyk, however that was just about it.
Lots of people who begin channels wish to be well-known, however it’s arduous to do. The fact is even when a channel is rising comparatively rapidly, you’re nonetheless doing it possibly for years for like, $10.00 every week. It’s a full-time job. You had higher have one thing to say you can speak about for years. If you’re on a once-a-week schedule you might want to persist with that. A Netflix collection averages eight episodes a yr, a YouTube collection is like 52 episodes a yr. From the very starting I made efforts to shift from speaking about particular pet reptiles. I like reptiles, however I don’t wish to do this for my entire life. Relating to speaking about animals extra usually, I’ll do this each day eternally. I’ve by no means stored every thing that I speak about, however then once more, I’m not placing out care guides. I’m simply attempting to present a really feel for is that this an excellent match? There are animals that I’ve stored that I really feel very assured about, however I wish to hold it to the extent that I really feel offers you good info, and never attempt to say greater than that.
FR: Your trademark model care video that includes the 5 parts of care to think about earlier than acquiring a pet are very talked-about. These parts are handleability, care, hardiness, availability, and up-front prices for our readers who could also be unaware. Have you ever ever acquired any criticism for, what a logical individual would possibly think about anyway, an apparent draw back?
CL: Our group is unbelievably constructive. I don’t get too many haters, and it’s form of superb. The one place the place I get essentially the most baseless complaints are in regards to the whole scores. An animal will be nice, however it’s tough to get one and they’re costly. The factor in regards to the classes is the entire rating will not be a measure of the way to take care of. What issues is the person class rating and which classes matter to you. When you’ve got connections and cash is not any object, you’ll be able to ignore availability for instance. Nevertheless, for lots of people, not having the ability to discover one or having to pay $1000.00 will probably be a complete deal breaker. The general rating is simply a median of the 5 classes.
FR: Lots of your movies characteristic collaborations with different well-known influencers. What are a few of your favourite recollections with these experiences?
CL: The primary collaboration that I ever did with one other Reptile YouTuber was with Emily Roberts of Snake Discovery. After we did our first collaboration no person had ever heard of both of us. I had made fairly a number of movies on normal care of reptiles, however most of my life I’ve been on an island so far as reptile keepers go.
My spouse follows quite a lot of crafting and card making channels, they usually had these nice relationships with one another. I used to be like, that’s the form of group that all of us ought to have. She was the primary one who I discovered, after which Dāv Kaufman across the identical time. So, I bought along with Emily. She had simply launched a video about each snake species that she had, and I needed to do a high 5 snakes at Snake Discovery video.
Once I confirmed up nevertheless one thing was unsuitable with one of many snakes. I can’t keep in mind if it was a caught shed or what. Emily instructed that we put false water cobras on the listing. We talked about it somewhat bit. She put one in my fingers, and you may see in that video. I’m completely in love. False water cobras usually are not simply my favourite snakes to maintain, however are my favourite snake interval. I don’t suppose that they’re the most effective snakes for individuals throughout the board, there are others like African home snakes, or tremendous dwarf retics, for that. It was proper there throughout my first collaboration. Now I’ve a pair, and my feminine is like 8 ft lengthy, she is simply unbelievable.
FR: The five-year-old youngster in me calls for that I ask this this, what’s your favourite extinct dinosaur?
CL: What a wonderful query to be asking individuals interval, and what an important clarification. For some motive individuals cease asking that query, and that’s not proper. I want that I had a extra obscure reply, however the appropriate reply is Tyrannosaurus rex.
FR: Clint, once more thanks for taking time to take part on this interview. Are there any parting phrases that you simply want to share with our readers?
CL: If there may be one factor that I might encourage the reptile passion to do, it’s to be very sort and affected person with the errors that folks make who’re new to the passion. You will note people who find themselves exposing their errors, they’re new and all of us have made some errors. We’d like this passion to develop and be extra mainstream. If we don’t wish to see it get destroyed, we must be inviting. I feel that as extra individuals acquire an appreciation for these unbelievable animals, not solely will there be higher expertise to assist us as keepers and extra alternative, however legal guidelines can even be extra favorable for us. Extra individuals will genuinely care in regards to the species and can work more durable to protect them within the wild. It might be very arduous to seek out anyone who’s enthusiastic about reptile conserving who isn’t equally enthusiastic about having these animals persist within the wild.
