Conversations with BandFromDa1st

Who is Bandz?

Benjamin Delgado (@bandzfromda1st) is an 18-year-old animal enthusiast, who wants to educate the younger generation on animals. He strives to help people overcome their fear of exotic animals and realise how important these animals are for the Earth and wildlife in general. Delgado has used his social media to achieve this - here is his story.

Life growing up

During his home visits to Colombia, Delgado encountered a lot of exotic animals in places like his country house and the beach. As a kid, his family knew that if they couldn’t find Delgado he was probably playing somewhere in the grass with an animal in his hand. His fondest memories include him running after iguanas and playing with the crabs in the sand. Delgado’s mother played a big part in his growing passion for animals. When he was younger, his family owned animals like cockatiels, budgies, fishes and hamsters. She taught her family that animals aren’t bad and that humans should love and care for animals as much as we do people. She reinforced the idea that animals are sentient beings just like us - something that Delgado is grateful for. 

As a kid, Delgado (with his mother) would only watch videos from people and shows that inspired him like Brian Barczyk, Tyler Nolan and Nat Geo Wild. Delgado’s dad was resistant to owning exotic animals because of his Catholic associations of exotic animals, like snakes, with the devil. As the rest of the family’s love for these animals grew, his father grew accepting and less fearful of them. Delgado’s childhood made him realise that our fear of animals is something that isn’t human-born but rather something that is taught. He pointed out the contrast when meeting kids who are eager to touch his animals compared to the parents who are visibly uncomfortable and apprehensive.

How animals changed Bandz

Delgado grew up in a rough area in the UK and observed a lot of young men being pushed to do dangerous things or live a certain lifestyle. Delgado found himself pursuing this lifestyle in hopes of trying to fit in and, like many other men, as a result of not having much to do with his time. It eventually got to a point where Delgado no longer wanted to waste his potential or have to constantly look over his shoulder and it was his love for animals that saved him. 

Delgado’s first animal that he could call “his” was a Tarantula, who he still has 9 years later. He would often ruminate about who would look after his animals if something was to happen to him. He believes his animals transformed his life and changed him for the better. Delgado’s animals helped him change his perspective of life, teaching him about responsibility and consequences. Having to think about how to keep his animals in certain environments taught him about behaviours and the effects of socialisation. It has helped him with analysing people’s behaviours and staying alert in high-intensity situations. Over time, Delgado was able to build stronger relationships with his loved ones, which in turn, helped him become a more caring person.

What's Bandz doing now

As of today, Delgado owns a number animals, including tarantulas, snakes, dogs, geckos and lizards. He got his first snake when he was nine and this is when his social media journey started. He would post pictures of his snakes on Instagram and TikTok but it wasn’t until he saw his friends doing skits and relatable videos on social media that he realised he could do something bigger with his platform. He was especially inspired by other animal content creators, like @tyfromthewyld. Delgado noticed that exotic animal content creators were mostly popular in America and that there was no one his age in the Latin community doing similar things. As he was turning 17, Delgado took his platform (@bandzfromda1st) to another level - hosting Q&A lives, etc - and soon became known as ‘The Reptile Guy’ in his community.

In college, Delgado studied Animal Management and currently works in an exotic petshop for exotic animals. Having ADHD, he loves being able to do something that centres around his passion and requires him to always be on his feet. Delgado cares deeply about animals being misjudged and not neglecting “underdogs”. In college, Delgado took responsibility for a tree boa, who was called ‘Face Biter’ and had issues with other students. He adopted the snake and was able to tame the animal in just three months despite being told it would take him years.

Delgado highlights that when we see exotic animals attacking in social media videos, it is mainly because they have been attacked, which feeds misconceptions. Bandzfromda1st is a creator who makes sure that whilst he is educating others, he is still prioritising the safety of the animals and giving them respite when needed.

From a childhood spent chasing iguanas in Colombia to managing a home with over 60 animals in London, Delgado’s journey has always been guided by empathy. By confronting misconceptions head-on, Bandzfromda1st isn’t just changing how young people view animals - he is teaching a lesson in community, respect and seeing past the stereotypes we grow up with.