Reef’s reptile adventure (From Warrington Guardian)

Reef’s reptile adventure

8:30am Monday 26th January 2009

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A CALLANDS couple will be launching an education business with a difference – complete with their own creepy, scaly group of friends.

Former Royal Navy chef, Philip Grima, known as Reef to friends, gave up his career to pursue his lifelong dream of working with reptiles.

Reef and his partner Liz Stringer, aged 43, who works in telemarketing, have paired up to teach people about how the animals are perceived and cared for.

A seven foot python, chameleons, lizards, tarantulas, stick insects and a tortoise called Chips are included in just some of the Granston Close couple’s extensive reptile collection.

The hands-on sessions enable children and adults to touch or even hold some of the pets and give people the opportunity to fire questions at the qualified pair.

The couple are hoping to target children’s parties, schools and corporate days.

The original parties include face painting and party bags.

Forty-year-old Reef is currently expanding his interest – which was sparked at the age of 17 when he bought his first 12-inch Burmese python, Costus – by studying for a degree in animal behaviour and welfare at Reaseheath College in Nantwich.

Reef said: “Now I can finally start using the knowledge I have gained while on an animal welfare and behaviour course and put my passion and experience as a reptile keeper into Reef’s Reptiles.

“The idea behind the business is for kids to have a lot of fun, but also to learn lots of important things about the animals at the same time.”

Liz said: “The best thing about the job is just seeing kids’ faces when they haven’t seen some of the animals before.”

Reef and Liz maintain that their reptiles are captive bred and have not been taken from their natural habitat, with the exception of any rescued pets they own.

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