An adult Eastern Indigo from Southern Florida.
In contrast to many other snake species that are warm weather specialists, the Eastern Indigo Snake, Drymarchon couperi, is active and breeding during our cooler weather. To see one in the wild is a spectacular event. Indigos are smooth scaled serpents of large size. Males may exceed 7 feet, females are about a foot shorter. Both gender are alert and so heavy-bodied that they put the Black Racer (with which they are often confused by non-herpers) to shame. In addition, the Indigo is a glossy, a shiny, black (so shiny that it often has a blue sheen in bright light) while the black racer is a soft, non-shiny, satin black. The chin of the Eastern Indigo may be black or red.

Indigo snakes have a comparatively huge home range. They favor brush piles, stump holes, gopher tortoise and mammalian burrows, with tortoise burrows being of prime importance. Tracking summations indicate the range of a single indigo often exceeds 150 acres and occasionally nearly twice that amount. Habitats vary seasonally from longleaf pine plantations and stream beds to sandy ridges. A few reintroduction programs are underway to bring Indigos back to state and federal parks and some other private/public holdings. Presently the Indigo can be found in southern Georgia, southern Alabama, and Florida, and perhaps in extreme se Mississippi and the low country of se South Carolina.

Adult prey items of adult indigos include birds and mammals of suitable size, as well as other reptiles including pit vipers, while juveniles add amphibians and smaller reptiles to the culinary list. Like King Snakes, Indigos are immune to pit viper venom

Indigo Snakes are often thought of as gentle snakes that are disinclined to strike or bite but if surprised, they may vibrate the tail. Because of their tractability they were often sought after for pet snakes. This popularity along with massive habitat loss has resulted in protection at state and federal levels. They cannot be collected from the wild. A federal permit is needed for interstate trade/sale. Be certain to know all relevant state and federal laws.

Indigos are oviparous. Clutches usually number 4 to12 large eggs. Hatchlings are ~20” in length and may be flecked with blue dorsally.
Continue reading “Eastern Indigo Snake” …read more
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This Leopard Frog in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Steve G was caught out and about on a warm night! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Bear, a captive Heloderma suspectum cinctum, photo courtesy of kingsnake.com user DennisDeLapJr from our galleries.

Venom is a magical thing, it can both destroy and save. When the diabetic drug Byetta hit the market, it was originally marketed as derived from the “spit” of Gila Monsters. The stigma of the destructive properties of venom was too much for the marketing team. Now Ozempic is on the market and making waves for more than it’s ability to balance A1C. Ozempic is the newest rage in medical weight loss. But it is the where it came from that interests us. A second medication made from the venom of Gila Monsters moving forward and advancing medicine thanks to the venom of our cold blooded friends.

It all started back in the early 1990s, when government researcher Dr. John Eng discovered that Gila monsters have a special hormone in their venom. The hormone is quite similar to a hunger-regulating hormone humans harbor in the small intestine, which helps control blood sugar levels.

In people, it’s called glucagon-like peptide-1. In Gila monsters, Eng named it exendin-4.

Thankfully now, they are marketing it as a venom protein, something we herpers already knew! Here is to hoping this helps increase understanding and conservation into venomous species! To read the full article, click here. …read more
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Even this South American Rattlesnake’s tail is rattling in our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user Paradox_Herps ! 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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What a handsome Caiman Lizard 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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Beautiful shot of a blood python in the garden in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user grimlin ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Martha, a Reeve’s Turtle, is just chilling out in the sun in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user kasie ! When this photo was originally posted in 2006, Martha was over 30 years old! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Martha, a Reeve’s Turtle, is just chilling out in the sun in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user kasie ! When this photo was originally posted in 2006, Martha was over 30 years old! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Let’s go Hog Wild for this Eddy County New Mexico Locality Hognose in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user nearhoofm ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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This is a juvenile V. l. gaditana. Note the yellowish tinge on the tailtip, This would have been brighter on a neonate.
Although we often hear about the Asp Viper and the European Adder, seldom do we hear about a 3rd, species, the Snub-nosed Viper.

As currently known, the Snub-nosed Viper Vipera latastei,ssp. comprises 3 subspecies, 2 of which range in Spain and the 3rd that ranges from Spain southward to North Africa. The 2 subspecies restricted to Spain are V. l. latastei and V. l. arundana. The third, V. l. gaditana ranges more widely.

None are colorful, having a ground color of light to dark gray with darker gray to black markings. The vertebral pattern may vary from a well defined darker zigzag stripe to well separated black blotches. Dark lateral blotches may be well defined to nearly obscure. The common name describes the rostral area, slightly snubbed or upturned. Neonates have a yellowish tailtip that is used in luring lizard prey to within striking range.

As a group the Snub-nosed Vipers are fairly small and relatively stout. Adult size varies from 18 to 25 inches. They utilize a wide variety of habitats, from vegetated seashore dunes to woodlands, rocky escarpments, and populated areas. Research seems recently to Concern is now being shown

In the wild, females are said to give birth to about a dozen neonates every 2 or 3 years.
Continue reading “Iberian Snub-nosed Vipers, Vipera latastei ssp.” …read more
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! The detail in this headshot of an Atrox is amazing in our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user scserpents ! 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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Take a few moments today to follow the lead of this Giant Day Gecko in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user crazyrhacos and give yourself some time to relax! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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This male Boelen’s just wants to say hello in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user JonathanH!

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This Rhino iguana is doing his best impersonation of a dog in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user cycluracornuta!

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This is a dark colored adult male Leopard Rat Snake.
Due to the corn snake’s beauty and genetic adaptability a great many folks once frightened of, or at least impassive towards, snakes have not only become snake owners, but rave about the beauty of their captives as well. But comparatively few of these same keepers are aware that there is another rat snake that is as pretty as our corn snake, but is a bit more difficult as a captive and is much less readily available, This is the beautiful European Leopard Rat Snake, Zamenis situla. This like many other rat snakes world-wide used to be in the then cosmopolitan genus Elaphe.

In colors, patterns, and size this snake may vary somewhat with females being a bit longer, somewhat heavier of body, and more brightly colored than the males. Adult size varies from 26 to 36 inches. The ground color varies, seemingly by locale from dusky gray to bright gray, or occasionally to a golden gray. The black-edged dorsal blotches are often a bright red but, especially on males may be dusky red. Lateral spots are black. Patterns vary from a single row of dorsal spots to a double-row, or may be a combination of the two. Some individuals may have a double row of solid rather even edged stripes, or have a combination of blotches and stripes.

Our adults were rather reluctant feeders on laboratory mice, but eagerly accepted captive bred cotton mice (Peromyscus gossypinus) when offered.

An oviparous species, eggs may number from 2 to 8 in each clutch.

As you can see, Leopard Rat Snakes can be, and usually are, a bit more finicky than our corn snakes, but are well worth the extra effort put forth.
Continue reading “European Leopard Rat snake “ …read more
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How lucky is this! This three toed box turtle emerging from it’s nest in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user relic37 , were definitely a field lifer! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! How stunning is the red on this Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus), uploaded by kingsnake.com user lichanura ! This Speck was found in Arizona. 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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These Uroplatus pietschmanni in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user mcamo3 ,show us what amazing masters of camoflague they truly are! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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This Pine Snake looks so velvety smooth in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Jack77 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Awesome feeding shot of a chameleon in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user 1Sun s! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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This Beardie is digging his new home in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Linda G! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Note the prominent vertebral stripe and postorbital bar on this Canebrake Rattlesnake.
Firstly, what is a Canebrake? Well, the term canebrake actually pertains to a habitat feature, a thicket, a dense growth, of any of a variety of Arundinaria grasses/bamboos that are common in and along lowland streams and ravines in the southeastern United States.

And the Canebrake Rattlesnake is a crotalid that was traditionally associated with the canebrakes and other moist lowlands from FL to the Carolinas and westward to eastern Texas.

Until a few years ago this was a subspecies, Crotalus horridus atricaudatus. But in their constant urge for change (or simply because they have the “power” to make such taxonomic changes), the genetic folks eradicated most subspecies (including those for the timber rattlesnake)and concluded that this beautiful southerner/westerner was merely a color variant of the northerly, often montane, Timber Rattlesnake. Both Timber and Canebrake are now merely C. horridus. But please realize that you are under no obligation to follow this genetic ruling.

Remember that you, as I, remain free to refer to this beautiful rattlesnake as the Canebrake, a rattler that we as southerners have learned to love and one that northern herpers flock southward to see.

Continue reading “Is a Canebrake Really a Canebrake? My Thoughts.” …read more
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Loving this close up of a Massasauga Rattlesnake is in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user venombill is no exception! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

We celebrate #RattlesnakeFriday to celebrate the wonderful venomous species that contribute to making our world greater and also use it as a way to support conservation efforts to protect these species worldwide!

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What a wonderful headshot of a Desert Iguana in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user dvl s! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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What an awesome close up the eye of a Plumed Basilisk in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Kober! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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What a stunning Kimberly Rock Monitor in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user s4sainz! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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This little Red Bellied Watersnake is just chilling in it’s log in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user kamiki77! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Not a black, But darker than some, this is a female Northern Timber Rattler.
In the northland the Timber Rattlesnake, formerly Crotalus h. horridus, now just C. horridus) probably needs no introduction. They are the big (4 to 5 feet long when adult, occasionally a few inches longer) black or yellow (occasionally olive, especially when a juvenile) rattlesnake that is quick to buzz if disturbed and all too often quick to strike if too closely approached. Preferred habitats include sun swept open areas and equally sunny, rocky mountainsides or summits. They, of course den and hibernate, often communally, from late autumn to early spring but wander separately and widely during the summer. A live bearing species (as are all rattlesnakes) a litter may vary from 2 to 8-, 9- to 12-inch long youngsters.

Once ranging in the east from Maine to Virginia and the highlands of Georgia and in the west from se Minnesota to ne Texas, it has been extirpated by humans/habitat destruction from many areas. South of these areas the niche was filled by the southern subspecies, the Canebrake Rattlesnake (now considered by geneticists as merely a color variant).

So call it what you wish. I prefer to recognize each differently—Timber Rattlers in the north both in lowlands and mountains and the beautiful Canebrake in the south.
Continue reading “Meet the Timber Rattlesnake, northern style” …read more
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This is the charcoal phase of the Variable Bush Viper
Seems like just yesterday but I guess it was about 4 decades ago, a small, pretty, nocturnal, African viper took American herpetoculture by storm. This was the Variable Bush Viper, Atheris squamiger. And variable it was, clad in scales of green, burnt orange, butter yellow, charcoal, or other, it was not only of easily handleable size (15 to 26”, males being the smaller), but was relatively affordable as well. As indicated by its name, this is an arboreal species, but it is said to prefer shrubs rather than the taller trees. It has a wide but spotty distribution over much of forested humid West and Central Africa.

In nature the diet is varied, including lizards, anurans, small rodents, birds, and probably other snakes. Captives have proven to survive well on a diet consisting entirely of suitably sized lab mice. Healthy captives readily breed. They bear living young and litters usually number from 4 to 8 neonates..

But with all of these positives there is a negative. The venom of this bush viper is quite potent and has no specific antivenin. Human deaths have been attributed to envenomation by this pretty snake.

Oh well. Seems there is often some degree of danger associated with serpentine beauty.
Continue reading “The Variable Bush Viper” …read more
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Look how wee this hatchiling Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake is in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user ssnakes is no exception! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

We celebrate #RattlesnakeFriday to celebrate the wonderful venomous species that contribute to making our world greater and also use it as a way to support conservation efforts to protect these species worldwide!

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This vibrant Cape Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer vertebralis) in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user pitparade will brighten your day for sure! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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A hatching Reticulated Python in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user jnemani to brighten your day! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Love the variety of patterns in these splotched Sinaloans in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user bslugger551! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Today is National Love Your Pet Day and this pet boa constrictor is definitely loved in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user mavericksdad! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! All venomous snakes need our support, and this stunning Olmec Pit Viper (Atropoides olmec) in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user PeteSnakeCharmer is no exception! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

We celebrate #RattlesnakeFriday to celebrate the wonderful venomous species that contribute to making our world greater and also use it as a way to support conservation efforts to protect these species worldwide!

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What a stunning female Coastal Carpet Python in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user AJ01! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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This Tokay has opinions, uploaded by kingsnake.com user mattcrum, in our herp photo of the day! 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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This Giant Ground Gecko is doing his best tough guy impersonation in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user leighroomes . Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Check out this gorgeous Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user sluggo781 found near Perris, CA! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! Remember on Friday, we highlight our venomous species to help increase awareness about their conservation and celebrate #RattlesnakeFriday with everyone.

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