Amy Siewe, Python Hunter

What is the roadmap to defeat self sabotage, negative thinking and learned helplessness in these unprecedented times? You must get connected. Get Growing, Get Certain and Get Attitude. The Get Attitude Podcast. And welcome to the Get Attitude Podcast. The gap. Your destination. If you want to grow from who you are to who you want to become, and if you want to get from where you are to where you want to go. And let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen, especially my peeps in Indy, we are live on Facebook and I'd love you to share out this video. If you're watching this. I'm telling you, this is going to be such a cool conversation because we have with us in studio Ms. Amy Seawee, who is the Python Huntress. And Amy has an incredible story at her website, pythonhuntress.com you can go find accessories from what she does. And we'll get into that in a little bit later. Watch her videos, her photos, get a little education on what she does. She is also launching her professional speaking career. So if you are an event planner or somebody like that that is looking to find somebody that is. I mean, she's awesome, but she is a little unusual with what she does. Let's just go ahead and take a look right now. Jason, if you want to just cue it up. This is what the Python Huntress does when she goes to work. Let's see if it's anything like when you go to work. Ready? Go. Oh, my God, Amy, how many feet is this?

She is 17. 3. 110 pounds.

110 pound snake.

I did.

Amy caught this python. Look at the head on that python.

She was so big.

Unbelievable. All right, so ladies and gentlemen, I want to welcome my friend, my former real estate colleague. Do you still have your real estate license?

I do.

I like it. Ms. Amy Seawee. Amy, welcome to the Get Attitude Podcast.

Well, thank you very much. I'm very excited to be here.

Right. And we had seen each other in the airport a few years ago. I'm like, I'm going to get you on your podcast. Because ladies and gentlemen, just like most of you that may be listening, you may be in a career where you're like, you know what? This isn't fulfilling. This isn't my heart. This isn't what, what I want to do. I mean, look at 75% of people are not totally satisfied with what they do. And our guest today, Amy, is going to talk to us about how she came to that decision and how she totally shifted and changed her life and what her attitude was. So if you're somebody that's feeling stuck. If you're somebody that's going, I don't really want to pursue my dream. I don't really want to pursue what makes me happy. I know there's something more to me inside then you know what? I think Amy's might going to be able to help you today. So, Amy, it's time for the interview now. You ready to go?

Let's do it.

So let's. First of all, I always love to ask you and our guests, what's your definition of attitude? Like, what's that mean to you? And who do you think was your first attitude teacher?

Well, attitude for me is really, it's just the mindset on what you do for everything if you've got. And it actually sets the bar for everything that you do. I've had all kinds of attitudes.

Yes.

Haven't we all though?

Yes.

And I think it was probably between my dad and Jack Canfield. I have to say I'm a huge Jack Canfield fan.

We're working on getting Jack on the Gap. Yeah, he would be awesome. Yeah. Do you know him?

I don't know him, but I've gone to a lot of stuff, his stuff.

All right, maybe you can help us get him on. All right. So your dad and Jack Canfield, tell me what your dad and Jack Canfield taught you about attitude.

So as far as my dad, it was more. Growing up, I was very impatient. I didn't have a great attitude. Everything was annoying to me. And you know, I guess I was a typical teenager. So he kind of instilled it in me to slow down, put your patients pants on. And that kind of helped with moving forward. With Jack, it was more about really the attitude in life and the mindset in life and how you view things as how they will be. And it's really easy to sometimes get down into a yucky place. And with some of the things that I learned from him, you just take it in a different direction. You make that choice to take it in a different direction and it changes everything.

Right. So, you know, we all can choose our attitudes, which is the great thing. What was like the number one thing Jack Canfield taught you that you, that you take with you or that you think about? Maybe you just told us, I don't know. But what else, if anything, what advice did you get from him that has made things happen for you?

There's been so many things that he, he. I could sit here for an hour. The one thing that I will tell you is when we Went to his seminar. This is about five years ago. He does the come as you are party five years from now.

Wow.

And do you know what I came as?

What did you go as?

A. Or an anaconda hunter in the Amazon.

Oh, my gosh.

Yeah.

That's crazy.

The Florida thing. Pythons. Not even a thing.

Right?

Not even a thing. And that's what I went five years ago. And five years later, I'm catching pythons in the Everglades.

Right. And so that's like, you know, self manifestation of what's going on. So maybe, Jason, what we'll do is a come as you are podcast as you're going to be in five years. That could rock for season three.

I. I'd like it.

Okay, maybe we'll keep that on. Do we have any live viewers? Do we have anybody saying hi to Amy? I know that our real estate community in Indy was maybe going to tune in. If not, we're going to keep rolling.

They're all mesmerized. They're just waiting for. To hear more story.

Okay, no problem. So let's just dig right into this major life change for you. Right, because this is really why I wanted to have you on. Give me a little backstory of, like, why did you get into real estate? How long were you in there? You were very successful. Me and you did deals. I loved you from second we met. I remember our deal was a lot of fun. And so, like, why did you get into real estate? How long were you in it? And then, like, what happened when you said, okay, it's time for me to pivot.

So this starts before real estate, before my career even started. This goes back when I was three. My dad put me in a creek and taught me how to catch fish and crawdads and snakes and all that kind of fun stuff. And my fascination with snakes just took off. Oh, my God, this weird passion. And I thought, hey, everybody likes snakes. That is not the case. So my whole life, snakes have always been part. I've. I've done the exotic pet store, exotic vet herpetology in the Toledo zoo, presentations for kids. I was a breeder. I had over 50 snakes in my house.

Oh, my gosh.

So it was always. That was way back in college, but so it was always more of a hobby. And then I. And I, you know, have a degree from University of Toledo. I got into real estate about now, 15 years ago, and it all just kind of. I just, you know, didn't do much with the snakes anymore. I really was concentrating on my Real estate career. And I loved it. Real estate is amazing.

Yes.

Awesome. I had a great career. I had so much fun and very successful. And then one day I just said, okay, I'm done. I'm going to Florida.

So how long did you sell real estate for?

13 years.

All right, so that's a long career. And then you just said, okay, I'm going to go to Florida. So, like, like, what was going on? Was it truly you woke up and said, I need to change my life? Did you think about it? Was something gnawing at you and what do you think the attitude was that you took when you made that jump? For those people that may be feeling like you. What's the experience like?

The funny thing was I wasn't really looking for anything else. I really love real estate, you know, it was great. And it was one of those things that this passion, this love has always been a part of me.

Right.

And I was at a real estate convention in Austin, actually, and I got a call from the producers of the Swamp People, and they said, hey, we want you to be on a bonus episode of Catching Pythons in the Everglades. And I said, I'm sorry, what? First of all, yes. And I didn't even know there were pythons in the Everglades. So why are you calling me about this? Well, I had this Lake Erie water snake video that I put out a while back that went sort of viral.

3 million views, is that right, Jason?

That's correct. I'll pull it up.

All right.

Yeah, it's like 3.8.

It's a lot of views. 3.8 million views. And so you are at what lake?

At Lake Erie.

So Lake Erie, there was a water snake there.

There are a lot of water snakes at Lake Heron. Actually, the reason I did this video is because all of my real estate clients, they didn't really know that I had this whole fascination and passion for snakes. So I wanted to show them what, you know, this other side of me.

Right.

So that's the whole reason that I did this.

Right. I do remember when this came out. Right. It was freaking crazy. And you just had. Oh, you had multiples. Oh, my gosh. Okay.

Yeah. So. So that's how these people found me. And now it didn't work out, the bonus episode, which is totally fine. But that's how I learned that there was a problem with pythons in the Everglades. So I decided to. My fiance and I took a three week trip down to Florida, January of 2019, just to see what it Was all about, right. And I went on a hunt with one of my now very good friends, Donna Khalil. She's a python hunter too. And we got a python.

Right?

And I was hooked. I was hooked. I was like, I have to figure this out. And so it was just, it was so crazy because again, I wasn't looking for anything. This is the alt.

Yeah, there you go. This is what got the recognition, right?

That's it.

So you were just collecting all these water snakes?

Yeah, just for fun, just to get. And I let them all go. You know, it was.

Right, so you just threw them back in the water?

Yeah, yeah. After I counted them. It was just one of those. I mean, who does that, right?

Well, but it's like, it's crazy. So if you're going to Lake Erie to swim, there's snakes all up in.

Lake Erie the first two weeks of June.

Yeah.

I suggest not going.

Uh huh.

After that, you're fine. But this is their breeding season.

Uh huh. Well, see, and was that in June then when you did this? I mean, that is freaking nuts. And then. So tell me what the rush was about the first python that you caught. Because they obviously aren't like these water snakes.

And that is exactly why, because they are not like those water snakes. They are huge. They are gigantic. And you know, I'm a herper, which means, you know, the study of snakes and reptiles and amphibians is herpetology.

Oh, wow. Okay.

So people that do this as their hobby, we call ourselves herpers.

Okay.

And so I, I would go all over the place catching snakes, you know, letting them go, whatever. And so to find a giant python is kind of like the Mack Daddy of all snakes that you find outside.

Right.

Especially here in the United States. So yeah. So that is what kind of the draw was. It was just the biggest rush. And to think, oh, my gosh, these things are out here. But part of it too is that my whole life, it's been more of a hobby. And I thought I could actually do some good here. I can put this passion, because I'm not afraid of them. I know all about them. I can be an asset here and help Florida get rid of the pythons and the Everglades.

Right. So let's then talk about the Nobody knows there's a python problem. Nobody probably understands there's a python problem. So, like, what is the good that you're doing by capturing all these pythons? What's the deal down in the Florida Everglades that nobody knows about?

Sure. So pythons are an invasive species. So they are not from Florida. They're from Southeast Asia. And they are here because. For two reasons. First of all, they were very popular pets because they're so docile and wonderful. Except they get to be 20ft long.

Yeah.

And so people would. They would be, you know, 10, 11, 12ft too hard to handle, feed and house. So people said, hey, instead of killing the snake, I'm gonna let it go. Live a long, happy life in the Everglades.

Oh, my gosh.

And a whole lot of people did that.

Wow.

But the other major contributor was Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and it came through and it blew a breeding facility away and it sent thousands of Burmese pythons into the Everglades. So.

Wow.

Now we have this huge problem. Well, the problem with them is that it's three and a half million acres that they are perfectly camouflaged in and mainly inaccessible to humans.

Sure.

So we have to wait until they. Till they come up. And we didn't even realize. I say we. They didn't even realize there was a problem until 2002 when they found the first baby. And they said, wait a minute. Nobody's letting their $200 little python go in the Everglades.

Wow.

I think we have a problem. And by then it was way too late. But the thing is, they're eating all of the mammals and birds. 98% of the mammals are gone in parts of the Everglades because of the.

Pythons, the food chain.

They are the apex predator.

So they are the top of the food chain.

They are it.

And we have you to knock them off of the apex.

Yes.

How many big ass pythons are there in the Everglades? Millions.

We don't know. It's estimated between 100,000 and 300,000.

Wow.

And they reproduce? 20 to 40 eggs a year. The big ones, over 100 eggs.

Wow.

So it's a big problem.

So one snake could produce 50 snakes a year. Female, obviously. How does a python get pregnant?

Well, that's for a different podcast, I think.

Well, I didn't know when a mommy snake and a daddy snake love each other very much.

I just say the stork brings it.

The stork brings it. Well, is it like fish or is it like humans?

Okay, like humans. We'll go with.

Oh, really?

Yeah.

Have you ever watched two snakes breed?

Well, yeah, actually, it's on my Lake Erie. I know, right? Erie video. There's part of it. There's a. Okay, I say everyone wants to know what it looks like. This is what it looks like.

All right, so if you guys want to know what two snakes breeding look like, you need to go to pythonhuntress.com. the great Amy Seaweed is with us today, talking about life changes, career changes, and what she's doing now financially. Like, real estate's good. Right? And so I'm guessing that this probably isn't as good as real estate.

So you would be correct in saying that.

And so was your thought. You know what? I don't care. I'm going to do what I want to do, and this is what's going to happen. I'm leaving the money behind. And, like, what would you. How do you do that? What would your advice be to people that are sitting here listening going, well, I would love to go do something else, but I can't afford it.

So here's what happened. We got back from vacation, from that three weeks, and I just had this feeling. I was just, I have to be there. That is what I'm supposed to do. I don't know why I feel this, but it was so overpowering. And so I talked to Dave about a week later. I said, dave, I have to go. I have to go. There's nothing that I can do here that's going to help me become a python hunter in Florida. He said, I know. I knew we were going from the moment that I saw you with that python. He said, I'll be there. I just can't quite yet, but I'll be there.

I'll be doggone.

So. And it was. And I'm telling you, it looked ridiculous on paper. Yeah, Because I know.

I thought you were ridiculous.

Oh, yeah. Everyone thinks I'm crazy and nuts and. Which is fine. I mean, I take it as a compliment.

Yes.

But, you know, I. I didn't know anyone down there. I knew Donna. I didn't. No. The. The government was closed when I went. And this is. These are all government jobs, and I'm a contractor, actually. But I didn't even know if they were hiring, if they would be hiring in the near future. I didn't have a place to live. I didn't have a job. I didn't really have, you know, anything, but it made sense. Like, in my heart, I knew I would figure it out. And I think that was the biggest thing that I just. For whatever reason, it felt more right than anything in my life.

I love it. So cool.

But I had to sit there and say, okay, how do you know that this is gonna work? And I just said, this is a conversation in my Head. I said, I trust myself. I trust myself that I'll figure it out. And. Okay, what happens if you don't figure it out? If it doesn't work, if they're not hiring, if it's not what you thought? Okay, well, I come back Indian, do real estate again. I get my license in Florida, I get a different job. Heck, I could bartend if I needed to. You know, I'll be fine. I'll figure it out. I'm. It's not. You know, it's not going to die if I don't make this work.

I love it.

So I said, okay, well, here we go.

I'm not dying. Let's go. I just love that I trust myself. I'm not going to die. Think about the best compared to the worst. Think about what you could have left behind. And, you know, obviously you're fulfilled like none other. You're fulfilled like a lot of people aren't. Are you licensed in Florida to sell?

No.

Okay. You're just only in Indiana. I gotcha.

Yeah.

So I want to go back to this. You worked in a zoo. What's it like to work in a zoo and give me one of your favorite zoo stories?

Well, I was a volunteer in college at the Toledo Zoo, and so there were so many crazy things. I basically cleaned all the animals. That's what I did. I got that fun job. I will say working there made me realize I did not want to be a biologist, zoologist, herpetologist, because all they did was sit and look at microscopes and do lab work, and they were so boring, and I wanted to be out doing stuff. So it was literally. I'm very thankful that happened because I realized that's not what I wanted to do. I was in charge of cleaning this tortoise run one time, and the guy said, okay, you're going to have to do this quick because this goes down back behind all of the crocodile displays. I said, okay. And I. I looked down and there's all these metal, like, patches in the wood. I'm going, oh, God. And he said, if you want to keep any parts of your body, don't put them over the fence. And the fence was only as tall as my. My shoulder. So I said, okay. So I'm just doing my thing and cleaning. And all the crocodiles were in the front of the display. Until I looked, I didn't see any. They were all right there. Stalking.

Oh, my God, you're kidding.

I was like, okay, we're gonna go really quick now. We're gonna be Done with this. But yeah, that was a little interesting. I'm surprised, looking back, that they actually put me in that position, but it was kind of cool to be stalked by Nile crocodiles.

Yeah, no doubt. And so besides a snake, what's your favorite animal and why is a snake your favorite, you think?

I don't know. I don't know. I sometimes wish it could be, like, kittens or something. That's normal.

I don't know why, but you feel just, like, grounded or drawn to them.

For some reason, some whatever reason. It's. Since I was little.

What do you say to people who are absolutely terrified of snakes?

Oh, I respect it. Right, Absolutely. My mother is deathly afraid of snakes, so I feel like I was a punishment for her for something she did in her life. But I have a huge respect for it. People tell me all the time, oh, I killed the snake over there. That's fine. Most people do. I'm not gonna hold it against you, but I have helped a lot of people overcome their fear of snakes with the snakes that I have. So that's a really cool thing.

So I. Let me. I've seen you. I've seen you because I follow you. I am a freaking fan. You've been bit and the blood's coming out. So, like, on the 3 million thing, you were bit in the blood. You did not even seem to care that you were bit by the water snake. What's like, what's the. Either the most dangerous bite or the one where you're like, holy shit, I can't believe I just got bit by that. Tell us that story.

Well, it really. It was the 14 footer that I got bitten on the hand, actually. So that was. I couldn't believe it because she went to bite. There were four of us. She was so hard. She was huge. She was hard to get. And she went to bite someone behind me, and I stuck my hand out in front of her to block it. I don't know why. And so I think I surprised her as much as I surprised myself. And I was like, oh, man. You know, so then I was just bleeding everywhere.

But actually, it's like throwing yourself in front of a bullet to save someone's life.

Yes.

Wow.

Like, she's a hero. I. Okay, we'll go with that.

Okay.

But I did. I actually got bitten on the butt. Oh, that was the most embarrassing one because it was a day we were all out. We got seven pythons on these islands, which is unheard of. We brought them all back to Everglades Holiday park to kind of show the people because most of the time people aren't even going to see a python. So we have these seven pythons. They're kind of everywhere. I have this little one that's probably seven feet long and it's just really nippy and just keeps trying to bite me. And so I have to keep holding it out, you know, of course I could have grabbed it behind the neck, but we were putting on a little show, so whatever, right? So all of a sudden this other python comes booking in front of me. Somebody lost it. So I bend down to pick it up and so my arm goes back behind me. The python gets me in the butt.

Oh, yeah.

And I was like, oh my gosh. And somebody got a picture of right after it bit me and somebody got a video of when it happened. It just. And I didn't even know this until later. I had nine puncture marks on my butt. And this girl came up to me and she goes, I just want to let you know that you have blood on your pants. And as a woman, you never want somebody to tell you that.

Right?

But I never thought it would be because I got bitten in the ass by python.

I love that. So do python, when they bite you, do they immediately release or do you have to move their head up because their teeth are a certain way?

That is a great question. So yes, their teeth are very curved, but these are all defensive bites. So they just strike. They don't view us as food. They're not trying to hold on and kill us or anything. So they're just trying to get away. So they're just going to strike and take off.

So very rarely will they hold on and try to eat you.

Correct.

What do they like to eat the most?

Well, it depends on the size of the python, but it's everything from squirrels, wading birds, possums, raccoons, bobcats, deer.

11 big ass python can eat a whole deer.

We found one with a doe and two fawns in her at the same time.

That's a big. That's a big stomach.

Yes.

So how long was that python?

She wasn't even. I think she was 16ft. She wasn't even.

Oh my God. You're kidding me.

Yeah.

So their jaws must open up like crazy. Crazy.

They unhinged that snake that I caught. The 17 footer.

Yeah.

I'd be easy snack for her.

So yeah, they could eat people if they wanted, but they don't like to eat people.

We're not on the menu.

We taste funny. I Guess so. Dupe. So one thing you just said to me, you said, I work night shift. So talk to me a little bit about the organization you work for. Maybe what's the good stuff that they can do? And is there a website or is there something for the good that we can promote for you that maybe our listeners can go and donate 25, 50, $100 because you're speaking to them and they're wanting to know more. What would you suggest that we do?

Well, I would say the National Parks alliance would be a great place to donate. They fund all of the South Florida parks and help keep this program going. Now, I actually worked for the South Florida Water Management District, and I was. They started with 25 people as kind of an experimental program with these pythons, and it was so successful that they hired 25 more. And that's where I. So I was a second group of 25.

Okay.

And then they hired 50 more after that. And that's it. That's.

There's a hundred python hunters.

There's a hundred of us, and that's going to be all. There's. 15 of us are women.

Right.

So it's. It's a pretty cool thing. We're kind of in this, you know, elite group. Like, we're the only ones in the world that is.

That's. Do you want to go outside of the Everglades to hunt in a different spot? And where would that be?

We just go where the pythons are. And thankfully, the pythons are not too far north yet. I mean, they're. We found them at the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee, which is a little. Still. It's in the middle of the state, but kind of the southern part. So they're not. They're not up north yet.

So tell me about day shift versus night shift. I think that being a python hunter would scare the crap out of me. I think I would want to be day shift. And I. Then I think about night shift. My God. Doing this in the night. Let's. Number one, what's the difference? But number two, let's just walk through when you punch the clock and tell us what that's like to be a python hunter for eight hours a day.

Sure. Sometimes it's longer, sometimes it's not. In the summer, the pythons are nocturnal because it's so hot during the day. And so what we do, I will. We'll start at, you know, dusk. And sometimes I go by myself. Sometimes I have assistants with me that are approved. Sometimes I go with other contractors. And we'll decide a meeting place. And, you know, I've got my truck, I've got my light pack on it. I've got, you know, lights inside ready to go. So we meet at a place, either go down the regular road, go down a levee, you know, everyone jumps in the back, there's a driver, and we just go about 5 to 10 miles an hour down the roads spotting pythons. I mean, that's what we do.

So do you have binoculars or do you just use your raw eyes?

We just use our eyes.

And so in the day, when you don't have light, you're just doing the same thing. Patrolling is the car going five miles an hour.

So in the day. So in the winter is their breeding season and they're not very active. They are back in the woods doing their breeding thing. So we actually have to go to them. And not very many are caught in the winter. So we take these boats and canoes to the different islands and what we call jungle busting. And I mean, I've got bruises and I'm bleeding and it's hard work. And, you know, at the end of the day, it's just crazy. But, you know, you come upon a breeding ball and you get five pythons in one shot. And they're not small, and so that's the difference. So the summer and the night shift are the most lucrative.

Right?

That's when they're active.

And then I've seen you cutting open pythons that have hundreds of eggs in them. And you skin the pythons. That's kind of your thing. Out of the hundred people, are you like the chief skinning person or.

There are a few of us. There are a few of us that do that. And if you would have told me that I would be skinning pythons four years ago, I'd been like, you're out of your mind.

And then what do you do with the eggs?

Well, I throw them out.

Right.

My friend Donna uses them to make cookies and brownies and stuff.

Really?

Yes. Now they're okay. I don't think they're awesome.

Right. But so they're like almost like a chicken eggs. It's a mucus inside of a shell type thing.

It's more like lemon meringue coming out like cream. It's not like the yolk and white. It's. And they're the size of potatoes, you know, they're huge eggs.

Well, that sounds disgusting.

Yeah.

Lunch, please. So let's talk about what's it like, or what was it like to Skin your first python. What's the process? Do you cut off the head, cut off the tail, and then talk to us a little bit about the magic you make with the python skins after you're done.

So I do have a good story about the first python that I skin. First of all, what I did, because you had mentioned earlier, pythons don't pay like houses whatsoever. So I had to kind of figure out how am I gonna make some money? And I heard some people skin and I just wanted to see, is it worth it? So I called around and, you know, anyways decided that, yeah, I think I can get into this. Well, turns out only like four tanners in the United States. Even tan the way that it needs to be done, nobody would skin. So I have to get this figured out myself. And so. Hold on.

What's a tanner?

Oh, to turn into leather.

Oh, okay.

I got you to the tannery. And so I. I had this 11 foot snake. It. I was ready to go. I live in a condo, right? So I have to be really careful because I've got a bunch of snowbirds and I don't want them to be like, oh, my God, there's snakes there. So I. I have to do this after dark on my lanai. I have this guy that's coming over. He's. He told me he was going to teach me how to skin. So I've got this all set up and I call him. I'm like, dude, where are you? He said, oh, yeah, I can't make it. What am I supposed to do? I've got this 11 foot python that I can't put in the freezer because it doesn't fit. I don't have a big freezer, so I have to YouTube it.

So it was alive at the time?

It was dead.

It was dead.

It was dead.

Okay. How do you kill a snake real quick?

With a captive bolt gun. And like a power pig, you know, they have the bolt that goes in there.

Okay.

So I said, all right. So I have to YouTube this. Well, there's no YouTube videos on Skinny python.

Wow.

At least at the time, there were rattlesnakes and water snakes. And trust me when I tell you, it's not the same.

Yeah.

And so I. But I tried to do. I'm telling you, two and a half hours. It looks like a scene from Dexter. I am cussing. I'm sweating. It was the worst experience ever. And then the worst part is, so I had to time this with the dumpster with the trash pickup because I can't let this smelly carcass be in Florida, my eye will definitely be in trouble by the hoa. So I go to throw this thing out. I can't. It's like £60, right. So I can't hold the thing open and throw it in. So I have to climb on the recycling bin, open it up. So I'm. I was like, no.

With a bloody snake bag.

Oh, yeah. It was awesome. It was awesome.

And so you did it by guts, or did you say, let's go with the rattlesnake YouTube video and try it for.

Oh, yeah, I did that, and it was horrible. So I said, there's got to be. So I did find a guy up in Ocala. He said, I got it. I'll teach you how to do it. I've been doing it for years. So I took 12 snakes up to him. He showed me how to do it.

Sweet.

Awesome.

Right?

So now I know.

How long does it take you to skin a snake?

Well, it depends on the size. If it's like, say, an average 8 to 10 footer.

Yeah.

It'll take from skinning and fleshing. You have to scrape all the flesh off after you skin it, about 20 minutes.

Okay.

But if it's a big snake, like the 17 footers, we truck skin it. So we hook it up to, like, two trucks.

Right.

And just pull the skin right off.

Really? That takes a lot less than 20 minutes.

It takes about 30 seconds.

Oh, my God. Do you have a film on that?

I do, but they're really strict with what I can post, and I'm too barbarically allowed to post that.

PETA probably wouldn't like that, right?

No.

Is PETA against you?

Oh, my God.

Yes. Yes.

We. Yes.

And so what's that like? Have they ever threatened to sue you? They send you a letter?

Me?

Yeah. It's the people that you work for, which is a government entity.

Yeah.

Which they're against the government quite a bit for sure. Right. So is this. Is this organization that you're a part of, is it in danger of being taken. Taken out at all?

No, not at the moment. Our governor, Ron DeSantis, just gave another $3 million to get rid of pythons. Yeah.

Wow.

And the dude does not like pythons at all. It's so fun because we were at a. I don't know, a press conference or something, and they had a big python, and you could just. He was just, like, looking at it, like, keep that thing away from me. It was awesome.

So you don't know him I don't know him personally. Do you know anybody famous because of this? Has anybody reached out to you that you're like, oh, my God, I can't freaking believe this?

No, not yet. I've gotten. I've taken some people out that are kind of like YouTube famous and Florida, and they've got a lot of followers that way, but. But nobody. I always thought that that would be really fun to, you know, have somebody really famous go on a python hunt, right?

Yeah, we got a few. Joey Molinaro needs to do this. Joey, if you're listening, he's with Barstool Sports. He came on. He's fun. Lots of. Lots of Twitter followers. He would be the perfect coward to come out and try to hunt python with you. I think that would be so fun. All right, so you got the snake skinned. Is there a price per foot? When you go, okay, the skin's three square feet, I'm going to be able to make X amount of dollars per. You know what I'm saying? Like, how do you price a snake?

Well, that's. That's a great question, because we're the pioneers of this, right? You know, nobody knows. Nobody has actually sold Florida python leather before, Right. I mean, Asian python leather is one thing, and you can get that for 20 bucks a meter.

Okay.

This sells for about 35 a foot because it's so expensive for us to even get it. Sure. Catch em, skin em, tan em. You know, if we did 20 bucks a meter, I mean, no way. There's no. No possible way.

Interesting.

So, you know, I make the most money comes from the products. That's how you, you know, the most.

Show us your beautiful band, Jason. I don't know if you got a remote thing, but you see her gorgeous little bracelet. So for all of you guys that are no shortage of supply, can you. Can you order these and have them in by Christmas for us people in Indiana? Yeah. So just go to pythonhuntress.com or order your python accessories.

Yeah.

And I think people would be like, what the hell is this? I can dig it and say, listen to the Get Attitude podcast. You're going to hear all about it.

You know, it's cool because you are actually saving the environment and helping the environment done in Florida by. By purchasing these because it just helps us.

Right, so, Amy, seaweed into the swamp Python hunter. So is into the swamp something or is that just.

That's just what I put on there.

And so you go literally into the swamp. Snakes freaking everywhere, and you're not afraid at all.

I'm not afra. And it's not really what I thought I thought it was going to be. I'm going to jump in the swamp and pull out all these. I didn't catch one for the first six weeks I was there.

Wow.

Well, I didn't know it was the worst time of year to go, but whatever, right? And so, yeah, those are awesome.

Those are beautiful.

Pretty cool.

Yeah, I watches and all that stuff. Nicely done.

Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, working on some more, some more products that we're going to get.

I thought these would sell for a lot more. So these are really, really a good deal. A couple hundred bucks and you're good. Yeah, what if. So what happens? Let's say some guys listening is like, damn, I want to do what she does. What would they do? Contact who?

Well, if they're in Florida, that's a start. They would probably go on the FWC or South Florida Water Management District website. They're not hiring. Right. They're only hiring to replace people that have either left or been fired. Because as big as the Everglades are, there's only so many places that we can find them. And so if we have more than 100, it's gonna get too crowded out there.

Do you guys have a Christmas party?

We don't, but it would be a lot of fun.

Do you love your fellow hundred and like, what's their attitude? Are they granola? Are they nut balls? Are they a whole mix match of people? Is there one attitude trait that runs through them?

So there are all kinds? All kinds. And I like the majority of them. Yes, of course. That's how it always is. Right? Now I will tell you this funny story. I went with this other, with Jane, one of my friends now, and she's a hunter. She was one of the originals and we were hunting a few months ago and she said, you know, Amy, when you first got here, nobody liked you. I was like, oh, okay, that's cool. And she said, we were just like, why is this girl coming from Indiana to catch pythons? Like, what an idiot, right? And I said, yeah, well, you know, I mean, I can see that. I got that a lot. It's cool. And she said, but you showed us you knew what you were doing, you caught the snakes, you got. I mean, she's like, we all like you now. But I thought that was really interesting because, you know, I didn't pick up on it. I didn't care.

Right.

Even if, you know, I would have known. But you know, I went into this all Blind, sure, Completely. I had no idea what the dynamic of anything is. I didn't even know FWC was different than the parks, different than South Florida water management. I had no idea about any of this. So I just went in, guns ablazing all I did. You know, I came from real estate, so I was going 247 to not having a job and not really even knowing how to look for pythons.

Right.

And so I just started calling people, hey, who do I need to know? Who can tell me this? Who can help me? Who do I need to talk to? And I met a lot of pretty important people that I didn't realize were important at the time. And now looking back, I'm glad I didn't know. I'm glad I was naive because it might have. As far as the attitude, I might have been a little more cautious about calling them and being so. Because the superintendent of the parks, he's like God to South Florida parks, apparently. And I went up to him at a fundraiser. I was there for a week and I don't even know how I got invited to this thing. And I said, this Python program is ridiculous. Nobody knows anything. Nobody can tell me how I get hired. So I'm going off.

How much booze did you have?

I didn't even have any yet. Right. Because it would have been way worse. And so he said, wait a minute.

What?

He said, no, that's not right. I said, it is right. I've been here trying to get this figured out and nobody can tell me anything. And he said, well, okay, well, we need to get together.

Are you kidding me? You walked right up to the lead dog?

Yep.

See? Well, sometimes not knowing is better than knowing.

Absolutely, absolutely.

So Amy Seaweed, the python huntress, she's been so good. I appreciate you unraveling. And I think that last point so big and gappers, look at. I wanted Amy on here because I know that three out of four people are not following their dream. And chances are it's 90 out of 100 are not following their dream. And I just wanted you to meet Amy so you could say, you know what? I've got to sit with somebody that left it all behind and said, I'm going to go challenge and I'm going to go grab my destiny and I'm going to go find the number one person in an organization, tell them they're stuff's full of shit and move on. Sometimes, guys, we got to do it. When you talk about following and going after your passion and your dream, this gal has done It. So, Amy, we're going to close this podcast with what we always do with a little exercise called Knowledge through the Decades. And I'm going to walk you through your life as long as you'll let me. You don't have to admit how old you are, but it would be nice because that's kind of what we try.

To do right now.

You don't have to.

I'm 44.

Oh, okay. So we can go to 40 then, which is good. So I want you to walk through your life with us, and I want you to tell us what the attitude lesson is at each decade of your life. I want you to think back, right? Because a lot of times, what you learned is something that we can also learn. And so I know that you probably don't remember being born, but when you think about birth or when you think about watching the birth of snakes, or if you think about you being born, what do you think the attitude lesson is? Of birth or new life?

Wow, we're getting heavy here.

That's a big one. Doesn't need to be heavy. You can make fun of it, too.

Well, I don't know. Like, the attitude. The first thing that I thought of was when I used to breed snakes, they would come out of the little egg just fighting mad. Like, they're like, I got this. They're so tiny, and they just think they can take on the world.

Okay.

And I think that I can actually relate to that a little bit because of stories my parents have told me. You know, you were like a little snail. I was kind of like, Mom's like, don't touch that.

I'm like, right, Watch me. I have a granddaughter, Jane, that does that.

Oh, okay.

Yeah.

Well, there you go.

So your attitude, and I love that, that you. You brought it in, when you look at it, is. Is just the inherent fight that is involved with. With new birth. So let's go to 10. Where were you in Indianapolis? I want to know.

I was in Dayton.

You were in Dayton, Ohio. And so do you remember your third or fourth grade teacher? And then, like, fourth grade, what was the attitude lesson you learned? Did something happen to you? Did you know? I don't know whatever it is, but think back about, you know, being 10 and what your attitude lesson was then.

When I was 10, I was in the creeks looking for snakes, right? And I was recruiting my friend to come with me, and we were, you know, they, of course, were very reluctant, and I was like, oh, it's fine. And I remember I was bitten by a snake by this little bitty. Now, I know it was a northern water snake, totally harmless, but I didn't know. And I was bleeding and I was like, my dad's gonna kill me because I just got bitten by a venomous snake. Like, he's gonna kill me and then I'm gonna die. And so I didn't want to. You know, my friend and I were like, gauging how I felt all day long and, you know, seeing if it was swelling to see if I was gonna die. And so then I went to my dad finally, and I said, dad, I, I, I think I got bitten by a venomous snake. And he said, well, when I said this morning, he's like, let me see. He's like, I think you're gonna be okay. He said, don't worry about it. I said, I thought you were gonna be really mad at me. He said, no, it's cool. And I don't know, for some reason that just, it was like, okay. And I don't even really know what the lesson was, but it was just something that I've always remembered.

Interesting.

And I've just always taken it with me, like, it's cool. Got it.

Well, it probably. When we look at the human emotional need, certainty is one of these big things, why people do things. And your father probably gave you the certainty that it takes to go be a freaking python hunter, because most people would see hunting snakes as a very uncertain way to live, so. Well, that's a very interesting story. Now, did you have another friend that loved it too? And are pythons lethal? Like, are they.

No, they're not venomous. No, they're constrictors.

They'll just squeeze you to death.

Yeah, yeah. And no, I really, growing up, I didn't have any other friends that were like that. I mean, I did, but, you know, it was, it was kind of weird that I was this girl and I like snakes.

I think it's awesome. All right, so let's go. You're at the University of Toledo at 20, right? And so, like, what was going on with you at 20? What, what were you like? And what was the attitude lesson you had when you were 20 or 21?

Geez. You know, this is all revolving around snakes.

Well, of course. You're the python huntress.

Well, it's just so weird how it just goes through my whole Life. So at 20, I had. Well, I was volunteering at the Toledo Zoo, which was amazing. And I had a whole lot of pets in a no pets apartment, including iguanas, ferrets, Snakes.

You're one of those tenants?

Yeah, well, you know, not anymore. I don't have anything right now, but I own my house, so it doesn't matter. Anyway, so what was. Well, I just definitely drank a lot.

Yeah.

So I'm sure I learned a lot of lessons with that.

We are not mad at you.

I think. Let's see, the attitude here is actually something that I have referred to because I told you about Jack Canfield. And when I said, you know, I was going to be catching anaconda's in the Amazon in five years, when I was at an interview class my senior year in college, we had to break out in groups and, you know, we would have to go interview with all these people that ran companies, our peers. And I remember the one guy said, so what do you want to be doing in five years? I said, I want to be catching anacondas in the Amazon. And he said, you want what? And I said, yeah. He said, okay, you're hired for his little fake company. But. But I think it was just like being who I was and being frickin weird to most people. But it's okay because I think people respected that I owned it and this is who I am. And I'm not gonna apologize. I mean, again, if it could be kittens, I'd be great. But it's not. It's snakes. So let's just roll with it.

I think being your authentic self is a lesson and an attitude that everybody that's listening to this podcast right now, your exercise after you listen to this is, am I really my authentic self or am I just a shadow of who I really am and am I afraid to show myself to the world and when is it time for you to unleash your authentic self on everybody else? So that's pretty awesome. Let's go to 30. My guess is you were selling real estate at 30. Do you remember your 30th birthday and what was going on in your world? What was your attitude at 30?

Actually, at 30 I was almost getting divorced, I think.

Ah.

Yeah.

And so that guy. Oh no, that was a new guy. All right.

Yeah. So divorce.

Let's talk about the divorce. We don't have to.

No, I mean, it's fine. We just never probably should have been married. I was married for five years.

Right.

And he didn't, I mean, really like snakes. But you know, he thought it was cool that I mean, I had 50.

That does not check the box. Right?

Do you even understand? After I got divorced, I was so tired of going on Dates. And people are like, oh, my God, snakes. That I put that picture with me with all this as my, like, main. Whatever, match, Tinder, whatever it was.

Right.

Just to be like, okay, you either like them or don't. I'm not gonna waste my time.

Yeah. Deal with it.

It's probably good to get that out there in front. Cross that bridge earlier.

Oh, my God, he's perfect. But he's a total wussy. He doesn't like snakes.

Right. So I think. I think my lesson in my 30s, because I spent. You know, I've been single since then, but it's. You know, I was very good. I really found my footing in real estate. I really, you know, when I went to Keller Williams, it was a game changer. If I would have gone to Florida after I made this video, because that Lake erie video was 11 years ago, 12 years ago, I never would have made it because I had no idea how to. How to run a business, how to network, how. I didn't know anything. I was just very green. And the other companies that I worked for just didn't really teach me a lot of that. And so I actually had a business mindset, and I learned so much that it prepared me and allowed me to trust myself to just get to Florida.

Right.

So get it figured out.

Yeah. So the attitude lesson there was create the business mindset, have a mentor copy them, which is attitude booster number five. The answers are there, and maybe the. In order for you to make the leap, and this may be the message for the gappers, is as you look to become your authentic self and jump towards your destiny. Quite often in just. What Amy said is, you know what, the answers may already be there, but we just may be suppressing them. We may not be exploring them. So that could be your second thing to do after this podcast is what are the answers that I have to make this change in my life? That would be good. So let's go to 40. That was four years ago. And what was going on four years ago is this. You know, I know you've been doing the python thing for more than four years right now.

Nope. Two and a half. Oh, wait, let's see. 2019, March of 2019. I moved. So.

Wow. Right before the pandemic. How about that?

Good timing.

Now I'm guessing Covid probably didn't slow you guys down.

No, no, we. We kept doing our thing. Yeah. Pythons were like, Covid what?

Yeah, we don't know. So talk to us about being 40. Do you remember turning 40? Kind of like, what was in your head and what was going on?

I spent my 40th birthday in Marco island because my birthday is December 29th. And I went in a pool party. Oh, and I don't. I don't think I knew about the pythons yet. And so I had a bunch of my college friends and Dave, we all came down and rented a house with a pool so I could have a pool party on my 40th.

That's cool.

And I remember sitting there outside on my birthday in shorts and flip flops, I was like, yeah. So this is, this is going on in parts of the United States, not in Indiana. I can actually sit here on my birthday and flip flops.

What?

So I think really that started, you know, it was kind of like the. Another piece to everything just falling into place. When it did, it was like, I gotta move. I gotta get out of cold Indiana.

Right.

You know, I had no idea or intention that it was going to be so soon, but I think that started getting those wheels.

Well, I would say that sun and sand can be an attitude booster. Agreed.

Oh, my gosh. All day long. All day long. And I will tell you about this. I realized after I had been here probably about four or five months, that something I said in Indiana almost every day, sometimes twice a day, is, I hate this effing weather, right? And I did not say that one time. And I haven't said that one time since I've been down there. It totally changes your attitude and at least for me and everything about how I view things.

I very rarely meet people when they go to scrape ice off the car, go, God, I love this freaking weather. This is so good. But it is self talk and another great attitude lesson, right? It's like, okay, guys, if you're up north, it's going to be cold. What are you saying about the cold? Can you turn that negative into positive right now? Amy Seaweed, you have been an absolute awesome guest. So enthralling, so deep. I love it. Way to bring something to the gap that nobody else has. I really, really enjoyed this. One thing I just like you to do is just talk to our listeners if you can, and just if you want to give them a message of hope or what, what's your thoughts for the future? Or if somebody's listening to you right now, now is the time. Just, you know, tell them, you know, hey guys, this is the attitude that I've had that maybe do whatever, but just send whatever personal message you like to. To our gappers. If that's not Too much pressure on you?

No, no, not at all. Well, I think the big thing is figure out what. How you respond to fear. That's a. I realized a few years ago that I respond by making excuses. I'm not afraid of snakes, dying, you know, all the things that people are usually afraid of. But when I'm, you know, faced with achievement or business or something that I'm just not quite sure about, I start making excuses. And I realized that and I said, oh, wait a minute, you fraidy cat, just do it. You're afraid, right? But the thing was, when I moved to Florida, not one excuse. Not that I didn't have a job. I didn't even know if they were hiring. I had to share a bathroom with the guy's dad from the house that I. The room that I rented because five hours away, he told me that the guy wasn't moving out of the room that I was supposed to rent, but he had another house, but I'd have to share a bathroom with his dad. Oh, that wasn't even an excuse.

Yes.

So I think that that's a big thing. When you find out what your love it, what your response is to fear, you can kind of start to conquer it a little bit. And then you also know when you're truly not afraid of something and you're just like, let's do this.

I love it. Well, we were not afraid to have you on the Get Attitude podcast. Gaffers. This is the great Amy Seaweed. Check her out@pythonhuntress.com if you guys want to get some attitude. She's going to give you some attitude when you watch it. Do not live in fear. Live in hope. Live with attitude. Live with passion. This is Glenn Bill from the Get Attitude Podcast. We'll see you on the next episode. This podcast is a part of the C Suite Radio Network. For more top business podcasts, visit C suiteradio. Com.