Wildlife increasingly part of life at 'Burns Zoo'

Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune

Maia, one of Brent Burns’ Siberian huskies, is just one resident of the “Burns Zoo.’’

A bigger contract meant a bigger house and a bigger menagerie for animal lover Brent Burns.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: April 9, 2008 - 12:05 AM

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Brent Burns' buddy calls it "where passion meets obsession," and he's not talking about his hockey. He's talking about Burns' snake collection.

As Burns and his new roommate, 18-year-old brother Brad, stare off into the Lake Elmo Park Reserve from Burns' living room, there are animals everywhere -- from red foxes to deer to wolves to wild turkeys, ducks and geese.

But the reality is there just might be more animals inside Burns' house.

The Wild defenseman's 9,100-square-foot home is known as the Burns Zoo. "We only live in 200 [square feet]. The rest of it is occupied by animals," Burns joked.

Added girlfriend, Susan, "Yeah, I get 34 feet."

Susan and Brad are the zookeepers.

In the garage are two Siberian huskies, Zeus and Maia, and their eight stunning puppies. In Brad's 2,000-square-foot apartment -- which is attached to the house, has a full kitchen, bathroom and can be reached by elevator -- there's a bunch of lizards and a yellow and green macaw named Eragon and an African Gray named Hedwig.

There are a dozen tropical fish, including a horn shark, porcupine puffer, snowflake eel and poisonous lionfish. Two cats.

And in the basement, "so there are no escapees," there are 40 snakes, including Burns' prized 8-foot, yellow Burmese python named Banana.

"It's breeding season right now," Burns said. "I take the males and females that I want to breed them with and put them together for 10 days. I take the female out and after four days, they start glowing, change color and look like they swallowed a football.

"That's when they're ovulated and pregnant. I think I have three that are maybe pregnant. Snakes shed every 30-33 days. Say, they shed at 20 days, that's ovulation day and 33 days later almost to the clock, they'll lay eggs. It's real cool."

Burns plans to start a snake breeding business "just to support the hobby."

"I love being in there," Burns said. "I could be in there all day. [Susan] yells at me. On days off, I'm down there like eight, 10 hours just feeding them, cleaning their cages.

"The Burmese is amazing. It's incredible to watch that guy grow. You can actually see him growing every day. I hold him all the time because I don't want him being mean."

Burns has had a ball since brother, Brad, an amateur boxer, came to live with him.

"We've done some really good brother stuff," Burns said. "He's a great guitar player, and I'm learning how to play, so he's teaching me. It's just been good to hang out.

"He's not a hockey guy, but it's amazing the stuff he knows, like, 'Hey, you know you're a point away from the team record?' It's fun having him around. I got him a haircut the other day and cleaned him up."

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