The children at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center leaned forward in their chairs on a recent Saturday morning, eager to see the snakes, tortoises, spiders and other animals Ranger Frank Hoffman was about to show them.

“Do you guys want to see some creatures?” Hoffman asked.

Nearly every child’s hand shot up as the crowd of about 45 parents and kids erupted with a collective “Yes!” The hourlong animal show is intended to teach children about some of the animals they may see in the 350-acre park.

The honor of most popular animal at Saturday’s show went to Turbo, a 75-year-old tortoise. Some of the children were staring at Turbo with their mouths open as Hoffman brought the slow-moving reptile close to where they were sitting.

Hoffman explained the difference between turtles and tortoises: Turtles are better swimmers; tortoises are better diggers. But which makes the better pet?

“I say tortoise,” Hoffman said. “If you get a turtle, you have to change its water everyday. I have two tortoises at home, and they just run around outside and eat crab grass.”

Besides seeing a 4-foot snake, black widow spider and rose hair tarantula, the kids also learned how scientists study animals.

Hoffman pulled no punches when describing scatology, the study of animal excrement.

“We learn about the animal by looking at their poop,” Hoffman said, laughing. “That’s what I get to do.”