FL Animal Trapper Who Loves Reptiles Focuses On Conservation, Education

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Carmen Santucci has always loved animals, especially reptiles, naturally gravitating toward them from a young age.

“And spiders, too; I like those, also,” he told Patch.

He’s loved them so much that he’s built a career around them, mostly collecting and selling reptiles.

He’s also traveled across the state to trap and rescue animals, including invasive species, like pythons and iguanas.

Now, with several new Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission licenses under his belt, Santucci recently rebranded his efforts as The Herpertarium with his partner, Devin Dziubinski.

The company focuses mostly on animal trapping and rescues at homes, businesses and public spaces. He’s trying to keep his rates affordable, ranging from $25 to $75 to trap and remove animals, depending on the species.

“We’ll even come back every month to check the property and make sure there are no venomous (animals,)” he said. “Most trappers don’t offer that.”

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With a focus on the greater Tampa Bay area, he eventually plans to open branches of his business throughout Florida.

He’s also dedicated to education and conservation efforts with an interest in protecting Florida’s ecosystems and native species.

“The whole reason why we got into this was to save the ecosystem in Florida,” Santucci said. “People are letting their reptiles go in the natural ecosystem when they don’t want to care for them anymore and they’re eating and killing the native species. It’s just crazy.”

A Pennsylvania native, he moved to Manatee County about 20 years ago when he was 17 years old, eventually landing in St. Petersburg.

His love for reptiles came from his father, who kept a number of them in their home. He recalls visiting the zoo on class trips and with family and making a beeline for the reptile enclosures.

As an adult, Santucci has also kept reptiles as pets for as long as he can remember.

“Boa constrictors, pythons, lizards, geckos, bearded dragons— you name it,” he said. “All I do is take in rescues from people who can’t host them anymore, people who can’t take care of them.”

As The Herpertarium grows and he takes in more animals, he hopes to open a reptile sanctuary that’s open to the public. He’s currently looking for a 1,500- to 2,500-square-foot warehouse in St. Petersburg to dedicate to the project.

Santucci hopes to have a rehabilitation area, a breeding center for rare and exotic animals, and sections mirroring different regions, such as the rainforest or desert.

“It just seems like a lot of people don’t understand reptiles or animals that are exotic,” he said. “We take care of them properly and keep them longterm. That’s why we’re doing this, so they’re not going out in the wild and eating everything.”

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