Reptoman

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   May 26

Herp Photo of the Day: Green tree monitor

Climbing to greet the morning is this beautiful green tree monitor in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user roadspawn!

Be sure to tell roadspawn you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 25

World’s second most endangered turtle on road to recovery

By Herp News

60 captive-raised Myanmar roofed turtles—a species once thought extinct—have been released into their native habitat in Myanmar, conservationists report. The Myanmar roofed turtle (Batagur trivittata) was believed extinct until 2001, when two researchers found a single shell from a recently killed turtle at a village along the Dokhtawady River. Subsequently, live individuals were discovered at a wildlife market in China and in the ponds of a pagoda in Mandalay. These turtles formed the nucleus of the captive assurance colony which was established.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

What did the first snakes look like?

By Herp News

The original snake ancestor was a nocturnal, stealth-hunting predator that had tiny hindlimbs with ankles and toes, according to new research. Snakes show incredible diversity, with over 3,400 living species found in a wide range of habitats, such as land, water and in trees. But little is known about where and when they evolved, and how their original ancestor looked and behaved.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

Ways to avoid catching diseases from pets

By Herp News

Pets can pass diseases to humans, especially when a pet owner’s immune system is compromised. Here, veterinarians outline ways for families to avoid disease transmission by choosing the right type of pet–or making small changes in the ways they enjoy the pets they already have.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

Two new iguanid lizard species from the Laja Lagoon, Chile

By Herp News

A team of Chilean scientists discover two new species of iguanid lizards from the Laja Lagoon, Chile. The two new species are believed to have been long confused with other representatives of the elongatus-kriegi lizard complex, before recent morphological and genetic analysis diagnosed them as separate.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

Ocean myth busted: ‘Toddler’ sea turtles are very active swimmers

By Herp News

It turns out sea turtles, even at a tender 6-18 months of age, are very active swimmers. They don’t just passively drift in ocean currents as researchers once thought. Researchers say it’s an important new clue in the sea turtle ‘lost years’ mystery. Where exactly turtles travel in their first years of life, before returning to coastal areas as adults to forage and reproduce, has puzzled scientists for decades.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

Frog uses different strategies to escape ground, air predators

By Herp News

Frogs may flee from a ground predator and move towards an aerial predator, undercutting the flight path.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

For the first time, scientists tag a loggerhead sea turtle off US West Coast

By Herp News

Fifty miles out to sea from San Diego, in the middle of April, under a perfectly clear blue sky, fisheries scientists leaned over the side of a rubber inflatable boat and lowered a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle into the water. That turtle was a trailblazer — the first of its kind ever released off the West Coast of the United States with a satellite transmitter attached.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

Evolution puts checks on virgin births

By Herp News

It seems unnatural that a species could survive without having sex. Yet over the ages, evolution has endowed females of certain species of amphibians, reptiles and fish with the ability to clone themselves, and perpetuate offspring without males. Researchers have found that in species where females have evolved the ability to reproduce without males relatively recently, fertilization is still ensuring the survival of the maximum number of healthy offspring and thus males are still needed.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes’ quest for fire

By Herp News

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake has lost 97 percent of its habitat since Europeans first arrived in America. New research demonstrates the critical nature of one element of the diamondback’s home range, pine savanna. For conservationists seeking surrogate habitats for the now-rare species’ dwindling population, the results underscore the need for prescribed fire management to maintain the open-canopy forest and its ecosystem.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

BPA can disrupt sexual function in turtles, could be a warning for environmental health

By Herp News

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in food storage products and resins that line plastic beverage containers. Often, aquatic environments become reservoirs for BPA, and turtle habitats are affected. Now, a collaboration of researchers has determined that BPA can alter a turtle’s sexual differentiation. Scientists are concerned findings could indicate harmful effects on environmental and human health.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 25

Malabar gliding frog: A flying amphibian

Here I come with my first amphibian blog post!

India is home to good number of amphibians, including frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians. Toads and frogs are found in every part of India, whether it’s a city or a jungle, and according to me they are the cutest cold blooded creatures on earth.

I have been catching frogs and toads since I learned to walk and grab things. I find them really cute and the reason is their face; it always appears a smiling and a happy face. I was always the odd man among my friends because whenever and wherever I used to see a toad I would pick it up, and my friends found it really disgusting.

The Malabar gliding frog, Rhacophorus malabaricus, is my favorite frog amongst the Indian frogs, because of its gliding jumps and green color. This frog has a body length of about 10 cm, making it one of the largest moss frog. The color is vivid green without markings and the belly or underside is pale yellow. The webbings between fingers and toes is large and orange-red.

The Malabar gliding frog is common in the western ghats of India. My first meeting with this frog was really surprising; I was herping for Malabar pit vipers at night and I found a few, so I decided to search for some of these frogs. For 10-15 minutes I couldn’t find anything and I sat on a rock for a break. As I was removing my head torch, I felt something sitting on it, I just grabbed it gently and saw it was a Malabar gliding frog I wasn’t aware of it sitting on my head torch. An unforgettable meeting.

Photo: Roland zh. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 25

When Prince Harry met lizard Harry

On a trip to New Zealand, Prince Harry met a Tuatara lizard named Harry who is over 100 years old.

From the Sunday Express:

The royal came face to face with a Tuatara lizard, also named Harry, during a welcome ceremony in the city of Invercargill.

The Prince came up close and personal with the 100-year-old reptile as it settled on his arm.

The Tuatara is only found in New Zealand where it is revered in native Maori culture as a messenger of the gods.

It was back to business as usual afterwards as Prince Harry then faced a crowd of screaming female fans – one of whom even managed to plant a kiss on the Royal.

Read more here. …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 25

Herp Photo of the Day: Tokay gecko

Despite their reputation of being angry, the beauty of a Tokay gecko puts it front and center in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user stingray!

Be sure to tell stingray you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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   May 23

ainoa's Blog – Turtle Day

Okay, so today is Turtle Day. About 7 months ago while I was randomly walking around the city, I fell upon a pet shop, I went in just to have a look. And saw this tank full of baby red eared sliders, and being as impulsive as I am i decided to get one. Come on they are turtles how hard can it be right? Boy was I wrong. So I got this tiny green thing, it was cute as hell. As I work most of the time, I thought my baby might get lonely so a week later I got another one, this one was quite shy. Anyway thus starts my turtle story. Ai my first is a feisty little thing fearless it would swim right up to me. Where as Noa is a bit more shy and it took him/her (not sure yet) a long time to get used to me. Everything was perfectly fine as long as they were tiny alas that isn’t how things work. They started growing, and so I had to get them a bigger place to live. And it also meant I had to clean the tank which takes about 3 to 4 hrs every week. But hey, I love my babies and I would do anything to make them happy. …read more
Read more here: Turtle Times

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   May 23

Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes’ quest for fire

By Herp News

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake has lost 97 percent of its habitat since becoming an American icon on the Revolutionary-era ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ flag. New research demonstrates the critical nature of one element of the diamondback’s home range, pine savanna. For conservationists seeking surrogate habitats for the now-rare species’ dwindling population, the results underscore the need for prescribed fire management to maintain the open-canopy forest and its ecosystem.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 23

The injunction against USFWS: What you need to know now

USARK and its lawyers worked at a frantic pace to get a nationwide preliminary injunction (PI) for every single responsible reptile keeper in the continental United States since the recent USFWS Lacey Act listing of reticulated pythons and three species of anacondas.

We submitted multiple legal briefs/memoranda to, and had several hearings before, the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia. Hundreds of hours from numerous individuals have been invested. I am not sure when Phil Goss sleeps!

A PI is an extraordinary legal remedy that is only granted upon satisfying extremely stringent legal requirements. For example, USARK had to establish that its members would suffer irreparable harm without a PI and it is likely to prevail on the merits (when the court eventually hears the main case).

The law also requires the judge to grant a PI as narrow as possible. Because there is no full blown adversary process at the PI stage, the judge essentially assumes that the facts provided by USFWS are accurate for purposes of ruling on the PI. All of these strict legal principles and requirements are why you rarely see a PI granted, especially one on a nationwide basis enjoining enforcement of an environmental law.

Preliminary Injunction Granted

Against all odds, the judge ordered a nationwide PI “with respect to transportation by any Plaintiff or USARK member of the reticulated python and/or green anaconda” (1) out of any of the 49 continental United States, and (2) into all of those states except for Florida and Texas.

Questions and Limitations on Preliminary Injunction

When will the PI be effective?

June 2, 2015, unless USFWS appeals to the Federal Circuit Court and a stay of the PI is granted by the Federal Circuit Court before June 2, 2015. USFWS stated it would take them about 75 days to make a decision on such an appeal.

Does the PI allow every reptile keeper in the continental United States to ship/transport green anacondas and reticulated pythons across state lines?

At the last minute, USFWS made numerous arguments to try to restrict the scope of shipments. In response to USFWS arguments and to protect the PI ruling if appealed, the judge ruled that the PI allows transportation/shipment by anyone who was a member of USARK as of April 8, 2015.

A nationwide injunction for every reptile keeper, including shipments into Florida and Texas, will be issued if/when the judge rules favorably on the interstate transportation issue as part of the main case. Since the judge has already ruled during the PI stage of the case that USARK is likely to prevail on the interstate transportation issue on the merits, it is likely that such an injunction will be granted.

How do I determine my status/qualification for USARK membership?

ALL questions regarding …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 22

The Ceylon cat snake

If you are a hardcore fan of tree snakes, then I would suggest you put herping India on your to-do list. India is the place where you can find 50-60 species of tree snakes. Most of the tree snakes are from the family of Pit Vipers, Bronzeback Tree snakes, Vine snakes and Cat snakes. In India you can find 14-15 species of cat snakes, I would rather say that this is the second largest family of any snake in India after the pit vipers which has 18 species.

The Ceylon cat snake, Boiga ceylonensis, is one of my favourite snakes. I love the way they recoil, and their thin and long body mesmerizes me.

This snake has an attractive color pattern that makes it shine sometimes like gold during early morning sunrise. Ceylon cat snakes are greyish-brown with dark brown spots or stripes, a brown diagonal streak is present behind the eye. The maximum length is 130 cm and it is oviparous by nature.

Finding this snake in the jungle during early morning was something unforgettable. It was something more than finding “gold.”

Photo: Riyaz Khoja …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 22

Herp Video of the Week: Crocodile dental care

You think getting your kids to brush their teeth is hard, imagine doing it with a croc! Check out the dental care given to Jaws over at Madras Croc Bank in India in our Herp Video of the Week.

Submit your own reptile & amphibian videos at http://www.kingsnake.com/video/ and you could see them featured here or check out all the videos submitted by other users! …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 22

Consumer choice: Shade-grown coffee and cocoa good for the birds, farmers, ecosystems

By Herp News

The next time you order that “wake up” cup of Joe or reach for a sweet treat, you may want to consider whether those coffee or cocoa beans were grown in the shade or open sun. Choosing the shade grown variety can offer huge benefits to tropical birds, their ecosystems and farmers says a new study by Cagan Şekercioğlu published in the Journal of Ornithology.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 21

Burrow borrowers: the blotched tiger salamander

 The light markings of this northwestern subspecies often form a reticulum.

Black-tailed prairie dog burrows scar the landscape. Stop for a moment while driving through Wind Cave National Wildlife Refuge in the Black Hills during the hours of daylight and a dozen or more prairie dogs will come running in hope of a handout.

Look both ways before you begin driving again because a curious bison just might be standing in front of your vehicle. But things are quieter at night. Bison drift away from the road to bunk down on the open prairie. The prairie dogs are all snoozing in their burrows. As a great horned owl flies over on silent wings, a summering burrowing owl ducks into a prairie dog burrow for safety.

But what is that tiny head emerging from the next prairie dog burrow? It’s a salamander – a blotched tiger salamander, Ambystoma mavortium melanostictum! And we were to learn that the use of these havens by the salamanders was not at all uncommon.

The blotched tiger salamander attains a robust 6 to 11 inches in total length. Some examples have a well-defined reticulum of black against the predominating olive-yellow to olive-green, while others are less precisely patterned.

Neoteny is well documented, and it is this subspecies that is often offered for sale as “waterdogs” in the pet trade. Captive conditions usually cause waterdogs to metamorphose so be ready to change its housing from aquarium to terrarium.

But, whether adult or larva, this is a hardy salamander that often survives for more than a decade as a captive and that is easily fed on pelleted salamander food and/or earthworms.
Continue reading “Burrow borrowers: the blotched tiger salamander” …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 21

First new rattlesnake antivenom in over a decade approved by FDA

A newly approved rattlesnake antivenom is being tested in Arizona.

From KVOA.com:

The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy in Tucson and the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center at Banner-University Medical Center in Phoenix will be conducting a study to find the most effective way to use the two antivenoms.

“Arizona has the largest diversity of rattlesnake bites in the country and what we see in all these rattlesnake bites is an incredible diversity of patients and the kind of effects we see in the rattlesnakes themselves,” said Keith Boesen, director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center.

Every year, there are between 250 to 350 rattlesnake bites in Arizona. Many of the victims credit antivenom for saving their lives.

Read more here. …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 21

First new ratttlesnake antivenom in over a decade approved by FDA

A newly approved rattlesnake antivenom is being tested in Arizona.

From KVOA.com:

The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy in Tucson and the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center at Banner-University Medical Center in Phoenix will be conducting a study to find the most effective way to use the two antivenoms.

“Arizona has the largest diversity of rattlesnake bites in the country and what we see in all these rattlesnake bites is an incredible diversity of patients and the kind of effects we see in the rattlesnakes themselves,” said Keith Boesen, director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center.

Every year, there are between 250 to 350 rattlesnake bites in Arizona. Many of the victims credit antivenom for saving their lives.

Read more here. …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 21

Herp Photo of the Day: Bearded Dragon

What a great shot! Check out this close up of the eye of the dragon (a bearded one that is) in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user mecdwell!

Be sure to tell mecdwell you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 21

Herp Photo of the Day: Arizona mountain kingsnake

This Arizona mountain king is getting ready for a change in wardrobe in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user nategodin!

Be sure to tell nategodin you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!
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Read more here: King Snake

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   May 20

Sumatran tiger found dead in a pig trap

By Herp News

Authorities in the Indonesian province of West Sumatra buried the rotting carcass of a critically endangered female tiger that died after being ensnared by a pig trap on a rubber plantation earlier this month. The creature, a mother who was probably teaching her young to hunt, was found covered in wounds, its neck entangled in wire.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 20

East meets west at the International Herpetological Symposium

The International Herpetological Symposium is creeping closer to its 38th annual event in San Antonio,Texas. Guest speakers include Tom Crutchfield on his Sal Salvador rock iguana conservation efforts and Jeff Barringer on night-time field herping.

I can barely contain my excitement. IHS plays an important role as a place herpetoculturists and herpers can come together, sharing an appreciation of everything from the husbandry and reproduction of cyclura with Nicole Atteberry and the extreme conservation role that The Orianne Society plays.

I’ll be leaving behind my old swamps, slash pine plantations, and red-clay baked roads of south Alabama to visit the rocky moutainous canyons full of cacti, shrubs, sand, and scattered mesquite to herp. We will be mostly targeting grey-banded kingsnakes (L. alterna) and Mexican milk snakes (L. t. annulata) in the rocky hot elements of the desert.

That will be a change from my usual eastern kingsnakes (L. getula) in more the wetland habitat of the east coast. As I am sure a few western diamondbacks (Crotalus atrox) will be found along the way of our herper expedition, who all knows what will come up in the world of the west for me!

Photo: Jeff Barringer …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 20

Florida alligators are not getting enough food

Water management plans are making it difficult for alligators to find prey.

From the Sun Sentinel:

The Everglades alligators appear to be suffering from the artificial water management imposed on the area to drain land for cities and farms, he said.

Before the canals and pumps and other structures went up over the past century, he said there were sufficient dry periods to concentrate prey, allowing the alligators to find enough food. But now, some areas are flooded year-round, allowing fish, turtles and other prey to spread out over a wide area. That makes it harder for the alligators to find enough to eat.

“They are thinner,” he said. “They’re not getting enough to eat. We’ve been seeing that for a number of years, specifically in the Everglades and the water conservation areas.’

Read more here. …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 20

Herp Photo of the Day: Black milk snake

Baby shots are always a favorite! This Lampropeltis triangulum gaigeae grabs its first breath in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user nategodin!

Be sure to tell nategodin you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!
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Read more here: King Snake

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   May 20

What did the first snakes look like?

By Herp News

The original snake ancestor was a nocturnal, stealth-hunting predator that had tiny hindlimbs with ankles and toes, according to new research. Snakes show incredible diversity, with over 3,400 living species found in a wide range of habitats, such as land, water and in trees. But little is known about where and when they evolved, and how their original ancestor looked and behaved.

Go to Source

…read more
Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 19

Endangered, tongueless frog bred in captivity for first time

The London Zoo has become the first zoo in the world to successfully breed an incredibly rare Lake Oku clawed frog.

From the Irish Examiner:

The Lake Oku clawed frog is native to only Lake Oku in Cameroon and, due to their unique history of evolution (including the loss of their tongues), the aquatic frogs are tottering on the brink of extinction.

A team of amphibian keepers at the zoo are the first to ever successfully breed the frog, sparking fresh hope of ensuring the survival of the species.

Zookeepers have been intent on maintaining perfect conditions for the amphibians to thrive and four of the zoo’s 13 tadpoles have already metamorphosed into young, colourful frogs.

Read more here. …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 19

Endangered, tongueless frog bred in capitivity for first time

The London Zoo has become the first zoo in the world to successfully breed an incredibly rare Lake Oku clawed frog.

From the Irish Examiner:

The Lake Oku clawed frog is native to only Lake Oku in Cameroon and, due to their unique history of evolution (including the loss of their tongues), the aquatic frogs are tottering on the brink of extinction.

A team of amphibian keepers at the zoo are the first to ever successfully breed the frog, sparking fresh hope of ensuring the survival of the species.

Zookeepers have been intent on maintaining perfect conditions for the amphibians to thrive and four of the zoo’s 13 tadpoles have already metamorphosed into young, colourful frogs.

Read more here. …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 19

Desperately seeking smooth green snakes

In many areas where once common, the smooth green snake, Opheodrys vernalis, seem to have become hard to find. In various areas where I have searched – Michigan, Massachusetts, Virginia, West Virginia, South Dakota, and New Mexico among them – in locales where the taxon was known to have once been fairly common, I have often failed to find any. I may have found only one or two after extensive searches.

Jake, who grew up with smooth green snakes common on the family property in Maine looked long and hard for the last several years, finding none until in 2014 when he found one – just one.

The last ones that I saw were in the Black Hills of South Dakota (a single snake) and then, while returning to Florida, I found two examples in Missouri. The Black Hills example was beneath a recently fallen dead tree trunk of moderate diameter in a blueberry flat. The Missouri specimens were beneath pieces of cardboard at the edge of a pasture.

A friend who visits Wisconsin on fairly regular intervals has found this little snake to still be common in Door County, a peninsula jutting eastward into Lake Michigan. Not only is the smooth green snake still common there, but it occurs in at least 2 color phases, the typical leaf green and a gray-green.

And as I write this I’m thinking that it is long past time for me to visit Wisconsin.

And just as a “by the way,” smooth green snakes, known to be insectivores (perhaps arachnivores would be more accurate), have proven to be difficult to feed, delicate captives that are best left in the wild.

Continue reading “Desperately seeking smooth green snakes” …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 19

Herp Photo of the Day: Okeetee corn snake

This yearling Okeetee corn snake is just hanging out doing snake things, like climbing a tree, in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user cochran!

Be sure to tell cochran you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!
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   May 19

Luxury hotel chain linked to destruction of rainforests

By Herp News

The Mandarin Oriental hotel chain has landed in environmentalists’ crosshairs for the practices of its sister company Astra Agro Lestari, a rapidly expanding palm oil producer with fully developed plantations on an area larger than Singapore. The new She’s Not a Fan campaign – a play off Mandarin’s celebrity-fan endorsement drive – launched yesterday with a petition calling on Astra to stop destroying forests and elephant habitat. Multinational conglomerate Jardine Matheson owns both firms.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

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   May 18

Will Florida see the return of green turtles?

Conservationists are working to make sure Florida has a great turtle season this year, and are on the lookout for green turtles.

From news-press.com:

Kelly Sloan, sea turtle program coordinator Sanibel/Captiva Conservation Foundation, also has plans to make this a good year for turtles.

“Coyotes are a problem,” Sloan explained. “We are going to attempt to screen every nest this year. Hopefully that will keep the coyotes out.”

Sloan is also hoping for lots of green turtles this year. They had a record number of greens, 23 of them, in 2013 and none last year. Sloan is also starting a big campaign with a slogan “After Nine it’s Turtle Time,” in an attempt to get people to turn off or conceal lights at night. Hatchlings use the lights from the horizon to find the water. Artificial light can lure them the wrong way.

Read more here. …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 18

Will Florida seen the return of green turtles?

Conservationists are working to make sure Florida has a great turtle season this year, and are on the lookout for green turtles.

From news-press.com:

Kelly Sloan, sea turtle program coordinator Sanibel/Captiva Conservation Foundation, also has plans to make this a good year for turtles.

“Coyotes are a problem,” Sloan explained. “We are going to attempt to screen every nest this year. Hopefully that will keep the coyotes out.”

Sloan is also hoping for lots of green turtles this year. They had a record number of greens, 23 of them, in 2013 and none last year. Sloan is also starting a big campaign with a slogan “After Nine it’s Turtle Time,” in an attempt to get people to turn off or conceal lights at night. Hatchlings use the lights from the horizon to find the water. Artificial light can lure them the wrong way.

Read more here. …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 18

A surprising rescue: Montane trinket snake

I’ve been rescuing snakes and other animals for a long time now, and I’m very well aware of the species found in my area. Nonetheless, my last rescue really surprised me.

Two days ago, somewhere around 7 PM or half past, I received a rescue call from a nearby area where I had rescued common trinkets twice before. The person said it was the same snake I had rescued previously, so I was sure it was a trinket.

When I saw the snake, though, I couldn’t believe my eyes: it was a Montane trinket snake, Coelognathus helena helena. I was never so surprised before while on a rescue, and for a minute I just stood there, wondering how it was possible, since these wild siblings of common trinkets prefer staying in the wild.

But it was real. It was a semi-adult Montane trinket, around 60-70 cms. I had to travel 30 miles to the jungle to release this snake where it belongs. The only places where I have encountered these snakes are the jungles in the outskirts of my cities, and I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would get this snake on a rescue in my urban area — but sometimes there are unexpected surprises in life.

Photo: Riyaz Khoja
…read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   May 18

Herp Photo of the Day: Pine snake

Not just any pine snake, but a pied black pine, gets the spotlight in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user pikiemikie!

Be sure to tell pikiemikie you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!
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Read more here: King Snake

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   May 15

Crested geckos inked to salmonella outbreak

A salmonella outbreak in 16 states, linked to crested geckos, has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although usually associated with turtles, salmonella in its various sub-types is found in all reptiles and amphibians. This outbreak is a reminder to all that proper hygiene is required after handling any reptile or amphibian.

According to the bulletin posted by the CDC:

As of May 13, 2015, a total of 20 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Muenchen have been reported from 16 states since January 1, 2014.

CDC is collaborating with public health, veterinary, and agriculture officials in many states and the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Muenchen infections linked to contact with pet crested geckos purchased from multiple stores in different states. Crested geckos are popular pet lizards that come in a variety of colors.

This outbreak is a reminder to follow simple steps to enjoy your pet and keep your family healthy. CDC does not recommend that pet owners get rid of their geckos.

It is very important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching pet reptiles or anything in the area where they live and roam.

For more tips on how to enjoy your pet reptile and protect yourself and your family, please visit the CDC page at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/salmonellafrogturtle/.

Gallery photo by LSU_Tigress. …read more
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