Feb 24

Spent an interesting time at the nearby Goldfield Ghost Town & Mine. Established in 1893 this town was thought it might surpass Mesa in growth, until the grade of ore dropped and the town went down with it. Off and on until 1926 this town hosted three saloons, boarding house, general store, brewery, meat market and school house. Today, it a very busy tourist attraction, with gift shops, old jail house, Bordello and tours of the undergroud mammoth mine.

We spent our time at the Reptile Exhibit. This of course, was one of the quieter spots in town and we were privy to a wealth of information from the young guy operating this display with over 30 reptiles. The best $3.00 we spent at any exhibit.Chuckwalla

These lizards are nonvenomous and live in predominantly SW United States/N Mexico and shy away from humans. They reach about 16" in length. Primarily their diet consists of leaves, fruits, flowers & insects. They are diurnal, active up to 102 temperatures and hibernate in winter, emerging about February. Tarantulas live in deep burrows within a silky web. They are sensitive to vibration and hunt at night; living on insects, small lizards and sometimes mice. They do not venture far from their 'dens' until summer rainstorms occur - then they venture far and wide to find a mate. They are not fatal to humans but can give a nasty, painful bite, usually only if provoked.