What an awesome shot of this pair of Common Toads in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user Krallenfrosch ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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The infamous “stink eye” is glaring here with this Tegu in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user MrSickle ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Gallery photo by Doug Beckwith
A Colorado man illegally keeping 2 Gila Monsters as pets was killed after being bitten by one of them last week. The 12 inch Gila, a juvenile, was confiscated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and will be transported this week to a lab in Greeley at the University of Northern Colorado, known for researching reptile venoms for use in pharmaceuticals.

Gila Monsters, Heloderma suspectum, are the only venomous lizard in the United States and bites from them are quite rare, deaths even moreso, the last recorded death being in 1930. While it is illegal to collect wild Gila Monsters everywhere in their natural range in the United States, Gilas are relatively uncommon in the pet industry, but captive bred specimens are available to those that can obtain the proper licenses and paperwork.

Gila Monsters venom and their unique blood chemistry, have long been subjects of research by the pharmaceutical industry, and research has led to the Semaglutide diabetes drugs Ozempic, Rybelsus, and others.

Read more at:
Gila Death News Article Link …read more
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Gotta love this stunning pair of Chondros in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user NYCMedic ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! What a stunning shot of an albino Atrox in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user eekster ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.

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According to the World Health Organizations, 83,000-138,000 die annually from snake bites. The numbers are hard to estimate due to the fact that medical care is not easily available in third world countries and the access to things like antivenom is even rarer. The scientists at Clodomiro Picado Institute are working to increase the availability of antivenom worldwide using horse serum, a fairly common practice.

The institute produces 100,000 to 150,000 doses per year, which are exported to Central America, South America, Asia and Africa.

“It has been taken…also to strengthen clinical studies that attest that the product is safe and effective, this strengthens the idea that the product saves lives, which is what we want. We could talk about [approximately] 5,000 lives that are saved with this serum,” said Andrés Hernández, pharmaceutical manager of the Clodomiro Picado Institute.

Antivenom is administered to patients who have suffered a bite from a poisonous snake and works by boosting our immune response.

One small group of scientists making a change in the world for the 5.4 million people who are bitten by venomous snakes. To read the full article and see the video, click here. …read more
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This tri-color Bullsnake is just chilling in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user JoeyCoco. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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This Kenyan Sand Boa is getting into the mood for today, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Thera, in our herp photo of the day! Be sure to tell them you liked it here.

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For Fat Tuesday, this beautiful Louisiana Pine Snake baby graces our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user dallashawks. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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USARK has issued an absolutely terrifying action alert for Arizona that all animal owners need to be aware of. Please spread the word far and wide. There are almost two identical senate bills being introduces which allow for warrentless search of private property and immediate seizure of animals without cause. What does that mean? USARK explains:

Remember, warrants protect us from unreasonable governmental intrusion. As if that is not bad enough, the bills would make it so that, “The formal rules of evidence do not apply and reliable hearsay is admissible in the postseizure hearing.” Please read that last sentence again! “The formal rules of evidence do not apply and reliable hearsay is admissible…”

First, the formal court rules are tossed out the window. This means that the due process that typically exists in court does not apply. Additionally, hearsay is generally inadmissible in court unless a special exception is provided because it is not considered reliable or trustworthy. If this bill passes, hearsay will be good enough for the seizure and State possession of animals in Arizona. Needless to say, this goes against our constitutional rights as Americans.

We know from what we have seen in Florida what happens when government has too much power, healthy innocent animals that could be relocated and rehomed die violently on video for all to see. SB1204 has a hearing on Thursday, February 15 with the Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee. Please share this with everyone you know in Arizona. Visit USARK page HERE to learn more and keep up to date. Also JOIN USARK. Membership matters. Our numbers count! We will keep you up to date here as well! …read more
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An absolutely beautiful headshot of a Striped Mud Turtle kicks off the weeks in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user mayday. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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The photo may be a bit blurry, but there is no mistaking that is a gravid Masssasauga in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user LetsConservate24 in the field! We can only imagine the excitement at this find! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Alterna crew in Del Rio, Photo by Jeff Barringer –

While looking for the photo of the day today, I came across this old gem. See kingsnake.com turns 25 today. I have heard the story many times of how Jeff tried to sell this whole website to people 25 plus years ago on herping trips and everyone thought he was crazy! See you have to realize the internet and the tech world we know it is new. We old fogies used to actually talk to people. I know! We would CALL people on the phone and we would answer phones not knowing who was calling! It was insanity! Forums lost their flair when social media hit because people liked that instant gratification. Our archives however is the history of our world. The who’s who of the reptile community really and well worth the time to look back. We learned how to make things better back then and you can watch how the reptile community grew to where it is now. We were also closer.

This photo is the early days. Well before kingsnake.com started in West Texas the old Alterna crew days. Many of these people are still around, some aren’t. How many can you recognize?
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For our 25th birthday, there is only ONE snake we can post to celebrate. This Alterna here in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user jusmebabe is how we started and we will never forget our beginnings. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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That’s a whole lotta bull. Bullsnake that is! Loving the colors on the one here in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user orchidspider has never missed a meal! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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A perfectly posed Red Tailed Green Rat Snake graces our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user uggleedog! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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They may be sassy but the beauty of a Tokay gecko is undeniable, like this one in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user stingray! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Here is a beautiful shot of a Mexican Cantil (Agkistrodon bilineatus) in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Bitis! Fairly common captives, but bordering on threatening with decreasing populations in the wild, they definitely qualify as a species that needs our attention for conservation! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.

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Sydney Sylvain Dubey

In Australia, venomous snakes are everywhere and killing them is quite common. One professor is attempting to change that mentality explaining how they can actually benefit the farmers who kill them.

New research by myself and colleagues estimated the magnitude of that benefit. We found adult eastern brown snakes can collectively remove thousands of mice per square kilometre of farmland each year, which substantially increases farm productivity.
Our study suggests the benefits of snake populations on agricultural land far outweigh the potential costs, and farmers should tolerate rather than kill them.
…..
Agricultural productivity gains are not the only benefits of tolerating brown snakes on farmland.

It would also allow a reduction in the use of chemical methods for rodent control, which can be expensive and ineffective. The chemicals can also threaten the health of humans, livestock, scavenging wildlife and pets.

Tolerating brown snakes might also reduce the incidence of snake bite. Most snake bites are inflicted when people are trying to catch or kill the reptile.

Its a pretty refreshing article that attempts to change the minds of people on venomous animals. Here’s to hoping he changes a mind or two. To read the full article and attached study, click here.
…read more
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Back to our roots with this alterna found in Sanderson in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user StuTennyson! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Second Chance Wildlife Center
Yeah you read that right. It is well known that Rat snakes are often chased from hen houses for eating eggs and one of the more common dangers to many native colubrids is golf balls because they resemble eggs, but this one rat snake decided he was going for broke,

This rat snake was one of the most unusual cases we have treated at SCWC! Upon intake, it was apparent that the snake had ingested a foreign object resembling an egg. This is common in rat snakes, as golf balls and decoy eggs are often mistaken for fresh chicken eggs. In this case, the object had been trapped in the snake’s stomach so long that there was a hole worn through the snake’s skin.

The object turned out to be a gear shift knob and was surgically removed by doctors at Second Chance Wildlife Center, in Gaithersburg, Maryland! She is stable and will winter there before being released in spring. To read the full story click here or visit the rescue’s page here. …read more
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I wonder what this Hernandez’s helmeted basilisk in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user chrish has his eye on? I bet it’s food! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Two for Tuesday with this pair of hatching Beauty snakes in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user DunnsMtnReptiles! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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A different perspective of a fired up Frilled-neck lizard in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user bulgakov! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! What a lovely shot of a Guarico Rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus) in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user robnimmo ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.

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Zoo Atlanta in Georgia recently sent 11 endangered Guatemalan beaded lizards (Heloderma charlesbogerti) to La Aurora Zoo. (Zoo Atlanta v)

With an estimated 500-600 animals in the wild, the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard (Heloderma charlesbogerti) is one of the more endangered lizards on the planet. Now when you consider the fact that they are part of the family of the only medically significant venomous species of lizards, it makes them even more special. Zoo Atlanta has been long involved in their conservation efforts and recently had a clutch hatch!

“The lizards that went down will not be released into the wild themselves, however,” Zoo Atlanta’s Curator of Herpetology Robert L. Hill explained on Wednesday.

“The plan is that these animals would reproduce in their beaded lizard-specific facilities, and that following a quarantine period, the offspring would then be transferred from La Aurora Zoo to protected areas within the known wild range of the species in the dry forests of the Motagua Valley.”

When I spoke in 2022 at the International Herpetological Symposium, I had the pleasure of seeing the breeding setup at Zoo Atlanta! It was very amazing to see in person and get up close to conservation project in action! Congrats to the full Zoo Atlanta team! To read the full story, click here! …read more
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It is a whole lotta squee with this pair of hatching Hognose in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user caracal ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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What a lovely pair of Alligator lizards in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user aliceinwl ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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The variety of Dinodon rufozonatum in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user yumao is impressive! Can you pick a favorite!? Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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How beautiful is this Ctenosaura quinquecarinata in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user rockabirdie ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! This beautiful pair of Copperheads are just things of beauty in our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user ShadowChaser ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world. It is our goal to help dispel the fears surrounding our beloved venomous creatures.

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This Tiger Jag Coastal in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user reelmassacre is coming to say hello! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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What a gorgeous little Ameiva in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Agata ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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When it is Appreciate a Dragon day, we only have one option for our herp photo of the day. LOVE this Komodo Dragon, uploaded by kingsnake.com user caparu ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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One week ago, we had zero snow on the ground, Until last Friday, our temperatures here in Wisconsin had been above average for the month every single day. Tuesday we had our first smack of winter. Our first winter storm hit Wisconsin. I live very close to Lake Michigan which is still holding temps above 40 degrees, so here in Milwaukee we didn’t get nothing. You know, it was like my first marriage. Full of promises but it really failed to deliver. We all laughed. Then the Polar vortex started dropping. Thursday night’s storm hit and it snowed from Thursday until late Saturday. We ended up with areas well over a foot of snow and it was really wet and heavy. Power lines and trees were falling at a rapid pace and the impassable roads made it hard for crews to get things put back together. Our temps began plummeting. This scene played out across the entire country.

I’m a pet sitter and was going to be away from home for the nights. This led to a big panic. What if the power went out when no one was home? How would the reptiles fare? I know my dog would be OK but what about the reptiles? And then where would I go? Time to kick the plans into gear. Especially knowing I could be gone with more than 12 hours of no power and a house full of reptiles Continue reading “Polar vortex, what are your back up plans?” …read more
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Happy Monday from this hatching three toed box turtle in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user relic37 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Not really, but snakes being snakes and making the news. I mean it is Australia. Recently we shared the combating carpet pythons in the middle of a gold tournament, but Australia said, hold my Fosters. An Eastern Brown wanted a better seat at the Brisbane International Tennis Tournment during Dominic Thiem’s opening qualifying round.

“I really love animals, especially exotic ones,” former US Open champion Thiem told the Brisbane International website. “But they said it was a really poisonous snake and it was close to the ballkids, so it was a really dangerous situation.

“It’s something that has never happened to me and is something I’ll definitely never forget.”

To catch the full story click here

And then the age old fear of the snake in the toilet. You know, the one from all of our childhoods. Follow the jump to read the next story! Continue reading “News Wrap: Snakes gone wild in Australia” …read more
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Yep, you read the headline correct! Scientists recently found proteins in the venom of the lancehead pit viper Cotiara (Bothrops cotiara) could help lower blood pressure and may be used in treatments down the road.

“Venoms never cease to surprise us. Even with so much accumulated knowledge, fresh discoveries are possible, such as unpredictable fragments that are parts of known proteins. Despite all the available technology, a great deal remains to be studied in these toxins,” Alexandre Tashima, co-author of the study and professor at the Federal University of São Paulo’s Medical School (EPM-UNIFESP), said in a statement.

On an aside, before I share the link to Newsweek where this article is from, I really need to address their media on this article! It is pretty negative for a pro-snake and pro-venom story. There is not a single photo of the actual species of snake the venom is from, and you know the typical lunging diamondback picture with venom leaking from the fangs instead. This is a story about learning that venom can actually save human lives and really we shouldn’t be adding that aggressive view of animals that really only are like that when cornered. That being said I want to thank Wolfgang Wuster again for use of an ACTUAL photo of Bothrops cotiara. To read the full article, which despite my rant on the media placed within it, was quite wonderful, click here. …read more
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Isn’t this Uracoan Rattlesnake (Crotalus d. vegrandis) uploaded by kingsnake.com user Blaze555 gorgeous! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.

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Tiny but stunning, this Oophaga ventrimaculatus shines in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user obeligz ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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