LogoScales
Portland, OREst. 2019All Species Welcome

They're notscary.They'remisunderstood.

Hands-on reptile handling classes in a warm, unhurried space. For beginners, families, and keepers starting over.

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Corn Snakes·Bearded Dragons·Ball Pythons·Blue-Tongued Skinks·Leopard Geckos·Crested Geckos·Iguanas·Russian Tortoises·
Corn Snakes·Bearded Dragons·Ball Pythons·Blue-Tongued Skinks·Leopard Geckos·Crested Geckos·Iguanas·Russian Tortoises·
The people behind the palms

Meet your
trainers

Every trainer at Scales was once exactly where you are — nervous, unsure, a little embarrassed. That's what makes them good at this.

Marisol Reyes, reptile trainer with long dark hair, smiling warmly in a sunlit training room

Personal reptile

Cactus — 9-year-old Argentine B&W Tegu

Marisol

Lead Trainer & Founder

Rescue Specialist

Marisol spent six years rehabbing seized reptiles before opening Scales. She believes every aggressive animal has a reason — and a path back.

“Calm, deliberate, smells like coco coir”

Devon Okafor, young male trainer in warm lighting, confident expression, casual attire

Personal reptile

Paprika — 4-year-old Red Morph Corn Snake

Devon

Behavior & Enrichment

Beginner Specialist

Devon came in as a client — terrified of his own ball python. He was certified within a year. Now he runs our beginner and family programs.

“Patient, funny, talks to snakes like old friends”

Priya Nambiar, female trainer with warm smile, dark hair, in a bright indoor setting

Personal reptile

Biscuit — 3-year-old Citrus Bearded Dragon

Priya

Youth & Family Programs

Family Specialist

Former elementary school teacher turned reptile educator. Priya designed our Kid & Keeper curriculum after her daughter fell in love with a leopard gecko at a school fair.

“Enthusiastic, endlessly patient, always has a snack”

Three ways in

Find your class

Every session is capped small, moves at your pace, and ends when you feel ready — not when the clock says so.

Close-up of a calm corn snake resting on an open human palm, warm lighting
Most Popular

First Touch

For the nervous beginner

$65

per session

You bought the snake. Now you need to actually hold it. This session starts on the floor, moves slowly, and ends with you carrying a docile corn snake across the room on your own palm. No rushing.

75 min4 people
Large iguana sitting calmly on a wooden surface in warm terrarium light
Bring Your Animal

Calm & Carry

For the cage-aggressive rescue

$85

per session

Your iguana hasn't been touched in three years. Your rescue ball python strikes at everything. This intensive session works directly with your animal to start rebuilding trust — slowly, with no shortcuts.

90 min2 people
Young child looking in wonder at a small lizard on an adult hand, family setting
Family Friendly

Kid & Keeper

For families learning together

$55

per session

Designed for the household where a child is now the resident reptile expert and the parents are quietly terrified. We work with both — together — so everyone leaves confident and on the same page.

60 min1 adult + 2 kids
Straight from the training room

The moment it
clicked

These are their words. The photos are from right after class, when they're still a little giddy.

Tamara Vasquez, smiling woman with dark curly hair holding a small corn snake gently
First TouchCorn Snake

“I cried. I'm not even embarrassed. I held Noodles for the first time in four months and I just started crying. Devon didn't say a word — he just handed me a tissue.”

— Tamara Vásquez

Father and young daughter both smiling, looking at a small gecko on the daughter's hand
Kid & KeeperLeopard Gecko

“Lily now corrects ME on handling technique. She's seven. I came in terrified of a four-inch gecko and left feeling like an idiot in the best possible way.”

— Marcus & Lily Chen

Jeremiah Osei, tall man smiling confidently with a large green iguana resting on his arm
Calm & CarryGreen Iguana (rescue)

“Three sessions. Three. Marisol basically had a full conversation with my iguana. He's not 'fixed' but he's different. We're different. I don't know how to explain it.”

— Jeremiah Osei

Sasha Kowalski, young woman laughing with a ball python draped around her shoulders
First TouchBall Python

“I searched for 'am I too scared for a snake' at 2am and found Scales. Six weeks later I'm telling strangers at the pet store how to hold their animal. It's unhinged.”

— Sasha Kowalski

340+

Owners trained

97%

Return for a second class

18

Species worked with

4.9★

Average rating

You've already imagined it

Book your first class

Pick a class, pick a time. We'll have everything ready. You just show up.

Learning with your animals

We have calm, socialized animals for every class

No charge until confirmed · Free rescheduling up to 24h before

Three-class bundle

The Full Course

Save 20%
2
3
classes

$156

$195

for three sessions

  • ✓Mix and match any class types
  • ✓Same trainer across all three
  • ✓Progress tracked session to session
  • ✓Never expires

What to expect

📍

SE Portland training room, 5 min from Hawthorne

🐍

All animals are socialized, regularly handled, vet-checked

👥

Max 4 people per class — never crowded

📋

Printed care notes to take home after every session