Happy Rattlesnake Friday! All venomous snakes need our support! This Cottonmouth is screaming it from the field in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user BowieKnife357 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
This Kenyan Sand Boa is getting into the mood for the weekend, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Thera, in our herp photo of the day! Be sure to tell them you liked it here.
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
This kingsnake has perfect camouflage in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user rick d ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own and photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
This is a once in a lifetime shot! How cool is this field shot of an Alameda whipsnake grabbing a meal in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user trevid ?! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own and photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Often said to be cannibalistic, very little is known with certainty about the hylid frogs of this genus.
by Dick & Patti Bartett
It had been 2 days in the Peruvian rainforest and the rainforest was acting like a rainforest should act–it was raining, hard then softly, then torrentially, then softly. It was a wonderful day. Everybody could get caught up on photographing and then we’d hit the trails again for after dark amphibs.
Darkness approached, Danilo prepared our evening meal, we ate, checked flashlight batteries, put on hats to try and keep some rain out of our eyes, and we were on our way. I chose the medium trail and a couple of herpers decided to accompany me. Another few chose the short trail and one, with the guides, chose to hike the 5 milelong loop.
When we began the rain had almost stopped but when the Gods of rain determined we were all so far away from camp that there was no way we could avoid getting drenched, the torrents came. Band after band found its way through the treetops, each one harder than the last. I needed windshield wipers on my glasses. Going was slow. The trails were ankle deep mud and footing was precarious on the slopes. But all of that was forgotten when I spied that small frog sitting crossways on a vertical sapling–Hemiphractus proboscideus, a Long-nosed Casque-headed Treefrog.
Who said herping in this weather wasn’t worth the effort?
Continue reading “A Rainforest Adventure” …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! This certainly is not a rattlesnake, but it is a beautiful venomous creature. What a great close up of a Gaboon Viper, uploaded by kingsnake.com user magnum26 is full of sassy and potentially life-saving venom! 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.
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
A shout out to the little guys! Loving this Vinales Anole in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user macraei ! Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.
What a cool field shot of this Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus reticulatus) in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user reptoman ! Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.
This young banded water snake being very curious in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user casichelydia ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own and photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
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!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Slender of tail and narrow of head, meet the Indopacific Tree Gecko.
by Dick & Patti Bartlett
Perhaps the least well known of the gecko fauna in the USA, this tiny arboreal gecko, known by three appropriately descriptive common names, Indopacific tree gecko, Indopacific slender gecko, or common dwarf gecko, the tiny Hemiphyllodactylus typus, ranges widely over much of southern and eastern Asia and many tropical islands of the western Pacific.
Of more slender build, with a narrower head and skinnier tail than the various house geckos that many of us have now become familiar with, the favored habitats of the Indopacific tree gecko are—are you ready for this—trees! But with that having been said, tree geckos are occasionally found on both the exterior and interior of houses. So far, in the USA they are known only from Hawaii. This tiny (2 ½ – 3 ½” total length) non-communal, olive-colored, lizard waif is so thin-skinned that on many examples the body cavity is translucent. It is an all female, parthenogenetic species.
The diet of this arboreal lizard consists of tiny insects.
Continue reading “The Indopacific Tree Gecko” …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
-med.jpg?w=250)
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! We hopped into the wayback machine to visit this C.ruber in the field in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user joecarroll ! 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.
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
How awesome is this group of breeding Gharials in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Lucky_7 . Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
This hatchling viper gecko is so impossibly tiny! He is perched on top of a dime in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user JohnRobinson ! Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.
This isn’t our forefathers Af Rock! This beautiful patternless African Rock shines in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user MEIER21288 ! Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.
What a great sighting of a California newt in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user AndrewFromSoCal ! Makes you fell like you are right there the field. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Cerastes cerastes, one of the MidEastern Sand shufflers.
By Dick and Patti Bartlett
“Now you see them, now you don’t” describes many of the world’s sand-dwelling, sidewinding, chubby but small viperine snakes. You may be looking right at them, know that they have moved neither forward nor backward, but they, with a barely visible sideway to and fro shuffling, have disappeared from sight. And it took these sand-adapted snakes only a minute or 2 to sink almost straight down in the yielding desert sands
There are many species of these specialized snakes in the Mideast and Africa and a few in Asia and the western USA. Although all are perfectly able to crawl straight forward and often do so when not in a hurry sidewinding, throwing a loop of the body forward, usually while facing obliquely away, is a more effective and efficient method of moving across loose sands.
Among these snake are species such as the small Saharan sand viper, Cerastes vipera, adult at from 8 to 18 inches with females being the larger (this is true of many snake species). Once burrowed, this species usually leaves its eyes exposed but even the eyes can be difficult to pinpoint. Vipera is considered an ambush predator and its primary prey is lizards. If during their occasional surface activity, the snake happens upon nestling mice or gerbils, these may also be eaten. This little snake has a broad range through North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.
The Mideastern deserts are home to several other sidewinding snake species. Among these are whiskered vipers, 3 species of horned vipers, and several subspecies and species of sawscaled vipers. Many of the rough-scaled species will often warn you of their presence by assuming a series of tight “S”s and noisily rasping their strongly keeled scales together.
Africa hosts Peringuey’s Vipers and various Horned Vipers, all able to move in either straight and typical fashion or by sidewinding.
In the USA we have the 3 subspecies of pit vipers, the small rattlesnakes, that are aptly named “Sidewinders” of our southwestern deserts.
Continue reading “The Desert Vipers and Pit Vipers” …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Isn’t this a gorgeous Southern Pacific Rattlesnake in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Canes05 ! 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.
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
This Ambilobe Panther Chameleon is all fired up in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user vinniem1210! Be sure to tell vinniem1210 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
No products found.
Red and black? Black and yellow? Mimics in nature are clear with this pair of South American hognose from the same clutch in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Longhitano!
Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!
…read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Looks like there is a new guitarist in the band in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user liljenni . Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
We are LOVING this motley snow Boa Constrictor in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Sharkman20 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
A captive puff adder.
By Dick and Patti Bartlett
The Puff Adder (Bitis arietans) is probably the most common and widespread of all African snakes.Except for rainforest and montane regions, this dangerously venomous and irritable snake may be found over most of the southern 2/3rds of the African continent. It can also be encountered in Oman, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Capable of both linear (slow and in a straight line like a caterpillar) and serpentine (side-to-side) movement, when possible the Puff Adder relies mostly on its camouflaging colors for protection and exemplifies the term sedentary. When frightened, either purposely or accidentally, these snakes coil and expel the breath in loud, easily heard puffing-hisses (hence the common name) and often strike savagely.
Adult at 30 to 40 inches in length, rare examples of this very heavy bodied adder may attain a length of 4 feet. They are primarily terrestrial, often common in grassland habitat, but are able to climb and may bask a few inches above ground in shrubs. They swim readily.
In keeping with its sedentary behavior, the Puff Adder is an ambush predator, waiting quietly for its prey of mammals, birds, amphibians, and lizards to approach within striking distance.
Reproductively active Puff Adder male often follow the pheromone trails of females and engage in combat matches. Live bearing, a clutch usually numbers between 20 and 50. The neonates are 5 ½ to 7”. The largest clutch recorded numbered 156 newborns.
Continue reading “Meet the Puff Adder” …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
We love everything that rattles, but today we give the spotlight to this baby timber rattlesnake in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user jameswv! Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.
Here’s to hoping this smiling albino fire salamander (Salamandra s. terrestris) in our herp photo of the day brightens up your morning! It’s uploaded by kingsnake.com user alessio.
Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.
There is no mistaking why these guys are called the yellow-belly puffing snake (Spilotes sulphureus), as you can see in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user zmarchetti ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own and photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
What a stunning Mt. Horned Dragon in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user firereptiles ! Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.
What a great looking pair of Australian water dragons in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user cochran! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Big, loud, and toxic. What more could you want?
Its proper names are Smoky Jungle Frog, Leptodactylus pentadactylus, and the normal calls of the males as they sit half in or next to their burrows are loud, penetrating, whistling, hoots, that have a rising inflection. But just grab one—go ahead and grab it—grab it hard because they are SLIPPERY, and be prepared for a distressing, loud, penetrating, scream—a scream that has often been likened to a woman in distress! Once heard, you’ll remember it. This frog also may “stand high,” extending all four legs downward and inflating its body if it feels threatened. And wash your hands after handling the frog. The glandular secretions are virulent.
This bullfrog-sized (to a robust 7 inches) rainforest anuran, is one of the largest, if not THE largest, and most common of the tropical frogs. Its call was the one we most often listened for as we settled in at our Amazonian camp. If heard the rainforest was wet and humid. The wet season had officially begun. If not heard we were probably a few days early and although still a wonderland, the forest was probably still comparatively dry.
I’m not sure what the “smoky” part of the name is meant to connote. The dorsum, uppersides, and limbs are a rich tannish-brown and the lower sides are a rich red. There may be dark bars across the back and hind legs and dark spots on the forelimbs. Dorsolateral folds are present. The feet are not webbed. A black stripe runs from the snout, passes over the tympanum (eardrum) and may terminate on the shoulder or continue to the groin. There are dark triangles on the upper lips.
This is a nest building species. A foam nest of body secretions is built in a constructed depression that is usually in the proximity of standing water. Within a few days after hatching rains flood the deposition site and carry the tadpoles to more permanent water.
The rainforest is a wondrous place!
Continue reading “The Wonderful Screaming Frog” …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Yes, it isn’t a Rattlesnake, but it is a venomous snake! What an awesome shot of this Lansberg’s hognosed pitviper (Porthidium lansbergii) in our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user Neverscared ! 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.
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
The clutch of thayeri hybrids in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user mordd, explain why we can’t have just one! So much variety in reptiles and so much beauty!
Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
This hatching Cribo in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user alanB makes monday more bearable! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own and photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
What a cute lil Punkin! Loving this gorgeous shot of a young Tokay Gecko in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user mfontenot ! Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.
Hopefully the gorgeous blues of this Dendrobates auratus uploaded by kingsnake.com user amazonreptile will brighten your day. Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.
Note the facial plates on this interesting turtle.
This big side-necked turtle, Peltocephalus dumerilianus, ranges in the Amazon and Orinoco drainages from Ecuador, Peru, and western Venezuela to Brazil. Once thought to have been extirpated from Peruvian waters, it has again been found in that country. The actual abundance there (as elsewhere) is not known.
It is monotypic within its genus, but is most closely related to the much better known Amazon River Turtles of the genus Podocnemis.
This appears to be a seldom seen Podocnemid turtle. Until you see it withdraw and fold its head sideways, its overall appearance is that of a “ginormous” mud turtle. The folding of the neck and its nonhinged plastron, however, are positive giveaways. It can reach a length of slightly more than 2 feet straight measure.
Carapacial color is gray to black. The plastron may be brownish or yellow. Limbs, tail legs, and neck are also dark. The dark head may have yellowish cheeks. The crown, cheeks, and jaws appear plated.
Very little is known about this understudied aquatic turtle, this despite it being an important food source for Amazonian families.
Up to 25 eggs have been reported for a clutch, but it is not known whether this species multi-clutches.
Continue reading “The Big-headed Amazon River Turtle” …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
This Cobra in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user MaxPeterson just learned we celebrate venomous animals every Friday! Boy is he happy for the respect! 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. Be sure to tell him you like 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
No products found.
This Milk snake is just hanging out our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user gerryg . Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Do you ever have an issue explaining why you love your pet snakes so very much to friends? Have you ever had problems putting into words your love of those cold blooded pets that share your world? Never fear, we all have!
A recent opinion piece in the New York Times puts our love of snakes into a special light.
The snake is as much symbol as animal, and this oversaturation of meaning prevents us from seeing the snake clearly. In reality, they are gentle, healthful to the environment, “more scared of you than you are of it,” a sort of tragic hero of the ecosystem that is, when gazed upon without malice, beautiful.
To read the whole article, click here.
BTW, a hearty congrats to WooHoo for reaching 25 years old!
…read more
Read more here: King Snake
No products found.
Love the darker phase of this greyband in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user trevid ! Be sure to tell them 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
No products found.