Shane Richins

Scales & Tails Utah Founder

Shane’s love of reptiles began as a child who loved to catch and chase snakes and lizards in Utah. His fascination grew with his raising of a pet iguana named Horse.

Shane wanted to know everything he possibly could about the natural world and now has collected a library of books and documentaries on the subject. He has spent time volunteering with a python breeder and Snake Farm & Animal World Zoo in Texas. Shane has also spend many hours working with Danny Conner’s Reptile Adventures and several venomous professionals to gain experience working with crocodillians and venomous snakes.

Shane loves sharing his knowledge and love of reptiles. Knowledge can clear up misunderstandings that many have about these interesting animals.

Rindy Richins

Business Manager

Rindy Richins was born in Moab, Utah. She was raised on a farm and grew up loving the outdoors. She has been a river guide on the Colorado River and presently teaches skiing part-time at Alta ski resort during the winter months. Rindy graduated from Southern Utah University with a Bachelor’s in Business Management with an emphasis in International Business. She uses her management skills to run Scales and Tails Utah as well as a seasonal wildland fire dispatcher during the summer months. She loves to travel and has been to Italy and Thailand as well as several countries in South and Central America. She has had a chance to swim with crocodiles, caiman, sharks and sting rays in her many travels. She became interested in reptiles more than a decade years ago when she met Shane Richins.

Lindsay Bull

Crocodilian Trainer

Lindsay grew up in Oklahoma City, moving to Provo, Utah for university in 2009. After graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in English in 2013, she began working for Legrand North America, currently for the IP networking company, Luxul, where she does technical writing and manages social media and press. Hardly able to confine herself to a single job, she’s held side positions working for climbing companies since 2014 and currently works coaching recreational climbing classes for a local climbing gym. Lindsay’s passion for animals started as far back as her earliest memories, but she specifically recalls her infatuation with crocodilians beginning with an educational presentation on the reptiles one of her classmate’s fathers did when she was in kindergarten. Since then, she’s always loved the animals and hopes to help pass the interest in them on to the younger generations

Joey Jensen

Crew

Joey Jensen grew up locally in Utah, and found his inspiration for working with reptiles through a presentation done by our owner Shane Richins. Since that day, he’s thrown himself into his passion, spending hours watching nature shows with specific interest in The Crocodile Hunter and Gator Boys. He loves having the unique opportunity to work with all the animals at Scales and Tails and educating the public about them in a fun and hands-on environment.

Chase Gosch

Entertainer

Chase has been working with animals in various capacities for almost a decade. From volunteering at Utah’s Hogle Zoo, the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, and the Tracy Aviary, to working full time at Advanced Veterinary Care in Millcreek, UT. He knows his way around many different species. He also has experience entertaining many people as a magician and variety entertainer.

Cyra Clifford

Entertainer

Cyra grew up in North Idaho surrounded by lakes, trees, and mountains. Which lead to some interesting animal encounters, like a close call with a moose. She developed a love for animals before she could walk and has fostered that love her entire life. She’s made sure she always has at least one animal everywhere she’s lived, whether it’s a cat or dog in Idaho and Texas or sneaking a beta fish into her dorm room when she was in college in Hawaii.

Since she’s been in Utah she has worked with CAWS, fostering and caring for cats and kittens until they find their forever home. This love of animals along with her creative side for acting led her to Scales and Tails. Her older brother always had a fascination for reptiles and shared that fascination with Cyra, leading her to get her own snake which turned into 3 snakes over time. Outside of work and animals she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family. She’s a creative at heart and is passionate about everything she does.

Hailey Warden

Edutainer

Hailey grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah; after taking a gap year she spent a year at SLCC and obtained an Associate’s of Arts degree in Environmental Science. She is currently attending Western Washington University completing her Bachelor’s in a double major of Biology with an emphasis on Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, and Illustration.
Hailey has worked in a variety of jobs, mostly centering around kids. She has also been teaching swim lessons since 2017, and continues to do so as a side job.
Hailey has always had a passion for animals, especially chelonians, ever since her class pet Squirt, a Russian tortoise, in 3rd grade. During her gap year she rescued her own Red-Eared Slider that was extremely stunted and kept in poor conditions, which sparked a huge interest in animal welfare/conservation.
Hailey was introduced to Scales and Tails Utah by a fellow employee, when they met at a research symposium where she was presenting her research project on the Cuvier’s Dwarf Caimans at the Loveland Aquarium.
She hopes to continue working with reptiles, with a focus on conversation and their role in the natural environment.

Christy Gleim

Show Lead

Christy was born and raised in West Valley City Utah and has had a love of all animals from a young age, even earning the nickname “Critter Sitter” as a young child. She moved to Georgia as an adult and raised three amazing children there while working in the entertainment industry at both Six flags over Georgia and the Georgia Renaissance Faire. Life brought her back to Utah where’s he and her husband Pete share a home with her daughter and four cats.

Soul searching and a bit of luck brought her to Scales and Tails where her love of all animals is shared with everyone she meets.

Davis Blair

Amphibian Specialist

Davis has always had a love for reptiles and has kept his own personal collection for years. He currently volunteers at Scales and Tails Utah as an amphibian specialist.

Cassie Combe

In-House Educational Specialist

Cassie was born and raised in Utah, She went to vet tech school at Mountain Edge Veterinary program for 2 1/2 years graduating with a Veterinary nursing certificate. Then she worked as a Vet Tech for 3 years. She has experience working with a wide variety of animals and wants to educate anyone who wants to learn more about these amazing animals! She loves to dedicate her time to taking care of the animals so they can live a great and happy life!

Emery Richins

Owner’s Daughter

Emery is the second youngest of the Scales and Tails crew. Born into the life of reptiles and birds, she is an avid animal enthusiast who likes to teach other children her age about these amazing creatures. Emery loves to show people around the shop by giving tours and demonstrations with snakes, tortoises, and alligators. Emery is the daughter of owners Shane & Rindy Richins.

River Richins

Owner’s Son

River is the newest edition to the Scales and Tails Family. While not old enough to really help out yet, he is typically there cruising around exploring the animal world he now lives in. River is the son of owners Shane & Rindy Richins.

Reilly Raymond

Reptile Educator/Guide/Receptionist

Reilly has an undeniable pull for making animals a part of her life. Simply (and cheesily) put, they are what makes her soul feel whole. She currently have a Hog Island Boa, Brazilian Rainbow Boa, and Lab/Aussie mix. They are her family. She has experience working with a wide variety of animals as well as an incredible thirst to educate the general public on how wonderful they truly are.

Call Vande Veegaete

Entertainer

Call grew up in Taylorsville Utah and was captivated by animals, particularly reptiles, from a young age. Call is currently a theatre major at the University of Utah but has a separate fascination for science. Call got his first job working with animals during high school and has been a passionate advocate for conservation and sustainability ever since. Call holds a special scaly part of his heart for snakes, especially his carpet python Juliet.