No, I live in rural Central Canada, not the United States. My best friend is American and lives in the United States.

Such an idea would be nice but unfeasible for me for a variety of reasons. For one, I don't have the financial resources to keep such a large collection of these animals anymore, and if I start working as a bus or truck driver soon, I won't have any of them left. Two other issues are that because of the immensely cold weather most of the year I don't have the means to transport them and there is already a massive professional reptile exhibit about 3 hours away, which would negate my little operation. I couldn't compete with a man that has an entire private zoo of anacondas, crocodiles, pythons, dragons, tarantulas, etc. and ten times the experience.

I used to do little shows with tarantulas, true spiders, centipedes, and scorpions at the schools I was attending, but since the bankruptcy and loss of our house, forcing us to move to this wasteland in Canada, there's little for me, and I don't have the resources (money) to import and care for these animals as much anymore. The shows I did were big successes in the schools once the administration allowed them to be brought in. The first one took 2 days to complete and was so popular I wasn't able to attend class. Once news broke that there were these animals in our Asperger's room, students were storming to see them.

People aren't allowed to handle my animals - I prohibit it. You'll never need to worry about that. Inexperienced individuals are likely to drop and kill one of them, and the tarantulas I specialize in, Ornithoctoninae, from Southeast Asia aren't handleable. I didn't name my Haplopelma longipes "Buck Wild" for nothing .

I am involved with an Asperger's support group when I can afford to drive the 2 hours to attend it. Unfortunately, I don't feel it is an ideal place for me to make friends, because the atmosphere is cold and awkward. It's like a group for individuals ostracized and shoved to the side of society that are socially uncomfortable and disassociated. A lot of the members won't say anything or acknowledge anyone. Often it is an awkward silence. I feel like I would be better off with a sexual abuse support group, but I am excluded from them all because I am male, and there are no support groups open to males that my counselor and I have been able to find.

Unfortunately, until I am able to leave this province, there is not much for me in the way of social activities for me .

V.