Kim Lange loves an emperor black scorpion she named Chloe.
She also loves Candy Corn, her Mexican red-kneed tarantula
In fact, Lange loves all her pets, including an African Giant black millipede, two exotic cockroaches, five pythons, three boas, a hog-nosed snake, a grey banded king snake, an apricot Pueblan milk snake, two chameleons, two toads, a tiger salamander, a white tree frog and four other lizards.
Furthermore, Lange wants to share that love.
So she established Kim’s Cold-Blooded Creatures (www.kimscoldbloodedcreatures.com ).
Originally from Santa Maria, Calif., where she first began showing off her creatures to her sons’ school classes, birthday parties and other events, Lange moved to Park City three years ago and realized her pets would be a hit with the locals.
“People in Utah have a love for the outdoors,” she said during an interview. “And I thought it would be a good place to do some shows.”
Lange’s goal is to educate people about these often-misunderstood critters.
“I want to show the public that (these animals) aren’t all that scary,” she said. “I want to dispel the myths.
“Being afraid of snakes and spiders is a learned behavior. People learn to fear these animals because their parents fear them. If we are introduced to lizards and insects at an early age, we find they aren’t as scary as they seem.”
So, in a controlled environment, with Lange providing close supervision, children can look, learn and even pick up and touch the snakes, lizards, insects and arachnids.
“Most kids can see a majority of these animals through glass at the pet store or zoo,” Lange said. “Some of the kids have only seen these animals in a book.
“What I do is allow the kids to interact with these animals in an up-close-and-personal way.”
Parents need not worry, Lange is fully licensed and insured.
“The insurance is equivalent to what petting zoos and circuses have,” she said. “And while I don’t insure the animals, I’m insured in case a child gets hurt.”
In more than 10 years, Lange’s audiences haven’t experienced any dangerous situations.
“In fact, the only things that have been in danger have been the animals themselves,” she said. “There are times when a child will get spooked and drop an animal, but other than that, nothing bad has happened.”
There have only been a couple of times when Lange herself has been bitten, and both times have been when she’s been at home.
“My tarantula bit me because I accidentally poked her hard when lifting off the lid of her cage,” Lange said. “I didn’t have any kind of reaction, and most people won’t with a tarantula bite, unless they are allergic to them.
“And one of my snakes bit me because I wasn’t paying attention while feeding it. I was holding its food and it tried to get it, but got me instead.”
Still, Lange said she takes every precaution necessary to make sure her events are safe and friendly.
“All animals can be unpredictable,” she said. “But all of my animals are tame and docile. And I don’t book more than three showings a week, because the animals need a break, too.”
Lange grew up in California with parents who encouraged her to explore life.
“My brother and I used to catch snakes and lizards in a field by our house when we were kids,” Lange said. “I’ve had pictures of me taken with snakes ever since I was 5 and I have never stopped loving them.”
Lange obtains the animals through various outlets exotic pet stores, online distributors and breeders. And since her pets are all cold-blooded creatures, which means their body temperatures rise and fall according to their environment, she has to adhere to a schedule in order for her creatures to arrive safely and alive.
“I don’t order in the winter, nor do I order in the late summer,” she said. “I usually place an order in the spring and early summer, because the weather is mild and not too hot or cold.”
When Lange wants a new animal, she does a lot of research.
“I have to make sure I have the space to house such a creature,” she said. “I also need to know how much they eat and how often, and other logistics.”
Kim’s Cold-Blooded Creatures will be at the Swaner Eco Center, Saturday, Oct. 23, 1 p.m. Admission is $8 for nonmembers, $4 for members. Reservations are required. RSVP to Savannah@swanerecocenter.org or 435-649-1767 Ex. 113