- [Baratunde] We're out here to do night herping.

I wanna start with some definitions.

- Okay.

- I know what night is.

What's herping?

- Herping is slang for searching for reptiles and amphibians.

- Okay.

- Because the study of reptiles and amphibians is called herpetology.

- Okay.

- So things that we could find for sure, snakes, some toads, frogs, maybe salamanders.

Essentially, you don't know.

- Okay.

- And that's kind of the magic of it.

- [Baratunde] So who are you, Mario?

Like, where did this come from?

Where did your journey start such that you love night herping?

- My journey began as a little kid, right?

Growing up in South Florida- - Okay.

- growing up with the Everglades and this type of habitat, almost as my backyard.

And my curious self would go out and search for creepy crawlies.

And sometimes those creepy crawlies were snakes.

- Yeah.

- Or lizards and frogs.

And I quickly developed a fascination with these animals.

Most people, I think, avoid going out at night, right?

It's kind of scary and spooky.

- [Baratunde] Yeah.

- But that's actually when many species come to life.

- Yeah, I think most of us have a relationship with the outdoors, purposed on daytime activities.

- Mm-hmm.

- Right, there's surfing, and mountain biking, and hiking, and by and large, you know, other than camping and sleeping, we're not doing most of those things- - Right.

- in the nighttime.

And here you are, night herping.

- [Mario] It might seem a little weird but if people give it a chance, it's just as relaxing, being out at night.

- Yeah.

- In fact, your senses are more in tuned, right?

Naturally at night, we're gonna be a little bit more aware of our environment.

So we'll just walk casually.

- Okay.

- There's no rush.

And every time you step, take a quick scan of the environment.

Right?

And you're gonna be looking for differences in like, texture, obviously movement.

You might spook an animal.

I'm gonna make my way down here.

(mysterious music) (insects chirping) - I do like the stillness here.

And just the insect sounds.

It's a meditate feeling.

But it's also really pretty.

I just don't go out into the woods at night very often.

It's just really still and peaceful here.

It's like nothing out here is in a rush.

And the kind of nerves I had coming in have definitely all gone away.

That could be aided by the fact that I haven't seen a snake yet.

- Got a snake!

Baratunde!

Check it out, check it out.

Okay, I see it.

- Whoa!

- Do you see it?

- Oh my God.

- Do you see it?

- Yes!

Nope, that is a big snake (laughing).

- Oh, man.

This is a fantastic species.

- [Baratunde] What kind of 1970s pattern is this snake wearing?

- This is a great snake.

- [Baratunde] You're a different type of dude (laughing).

- Oh, this is a good size one.

Okay, so first thing.

This is non-venomous.

- Okay.

- Once again, I'm not crazy enough to just freehand a venomous snake.

- Oh, look at that head.

- This is a rat snake, a Gulf Coast rat snake.

Check that out.

- Does that mean it eats rats?

- Yes, it eats rats.

(playful music) - I like that.

- It does it's service.

- Need those in New York.

All right, touch this snake.

You gotta touch it.

- Oh.

- What do you think?

- Smooth.

- I mean, how long do you think it is?

As long as you?

How tall are you?

- I'm 5'10".

- This thing is every bit 5'10".

- Okay.

- What do you think?

- It might even be longer because it's curled around your... - [Mario] I think it's about a six foot rat snake.

- Yeah.

- Can you please hold this part for me?

- Oh my God (gasping) - There we go.

- Oh boy.

- Two hands.

- Okay.

- Use two hands, very gently.

I'll take this part here.

- What?

(Baratunde gasping) - How's that feel?

- Weird.

It feels weird.

I'm holding a snake.

Oh my God.

- You're holding a snake.

You could kinda let it... Let it, like, crawl through your hands.

- [Baratunde] Yeah, yeah.

I'm definitely not trying to apply any kind of pressure.

Whoa.

- You're doing fantastic.

- Whoa, whoa, what are you... Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

I just like to keep the head back here.

- So.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa.

- You're good, you're good.

You're good.

- Ah!

- That is just a- - What is that?

- That's just a mechanism of snakes hanging onto you.

- [Baratunde] Oh, he's got...

He's very strong!

- [Mario] These are constrictors.

- [Baratunde] Now you tell me?

- [Mario] They're constrictors.

- When it's wrapped around my wrist.

So they eat- - We gotta work... We gotta work on your explanation skills, Mario.

- But you're much bigger than a rat.

This snake is not delusional.

It knows it cannot eat us.

- Oh, whoa.

- We are a potential threat but we are handling it as gently as possible.

- Okay.

- Together, we're gonna place the snake down.

- [Baratunde] Okay.

- And then I'm gonna let go of the snake and you just keep your hand like that.

You're gonna see, he's gonna slowly untangle.

- Yeah.

- It's gonna take off.

- Be free.

(orchestral music) - [Mario] So you notice here, right?

- He's still got my wrist.

- [Mario] Let him get his orientation.

- He's trying to take my blood pressure.

(Baratunde chuckling) - [Mario] I think he likes you.

Just like that.

(Baratunde laughing) - Dude, that was a lot.

That was a lot.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

- You survived.

- I did.