Reptile & Amphibian News Blog
Keep up with news and features of interest to the reptile and amphibian community on the kingsnake.com blog. We cover breaking stories from the mainstream and scientific media, user-submitted photos and videos, and feature articles and photos by Jeff Barringer, Richard Bartlett, and other herpetologists and herpetoculturists.
Tuesday, February 8 2011
 When Krakatoa the Komodo dragon passed away this summer, my heart fell. I had the priveledge to get up close and personal to the amazing boy on a visit to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. But questions still remained as to what would kill such a young, seemingly healthy animal.
Now, the St. Augustine Record reports:
Dr. Darryl Heard said Krakatoa was a young lizard when he died, which could have put him at risk for viral infections, as young animals have yet to develop immunity against the diseases. Heard is the primary veterinarian for the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and the zoological medicine service chief at the Department of Small Animal Clinical Science at the University of Florida.
Krakatoa had minor changes in his spinal cord, which could have been on-going damage from a viral disease, Heard said.
Other signs of neurological damage included some spinal cord lesions and also a weakness in the lizard's legs, leading Krakatoa to position his legs awkwardly, Heard said.
Steps are being taken to prevent illness in Tambora, the 3-year-old female originally planned to mate with Krakatoa.
Brueggen said the results from Krakatoa's necropsy are frustrating, mostly because it doesn't allow the doctors or specialist to focus on how to prevent a certain disease or virus from affecting Tambora.
Heard and Brueggen both said Tambora will be vaccinated for equine encephalitis and West Nile virus to prevent either disease from causing the lizard harm.
Krakatoa tested negative for both viruses, but both the doctor and Brueggen said it was a preventive measure.
For the full article, click here.
 It's hard to believe today marks 14 years since the birth of kingsnake.com.
In 1993, I was a hobbyist gray-banded kingsnake collector and breeder, working for a small computer networking company and learning about a new technology called "the internet." Designed initially as a way for researchers to share data sets, the internet was just becoming available, slowly, to the general public. I was looking for a way to learn more about the technology, and sociology, behind what was termed a fad by many, a whole new form of media by others.
Using Mark Miller's Philadelphia-based dial-up BBS Herp Net as inspiration, and with lots of help from gray-band friends, in 1994 I launched a web page for the small number of gray-banded kingsnake hobbyists online called "The Alterna Page" (pictured right). One of the first reptile-oriented web pages on the internet, it was designed to be a living and evolving compendium of knowledge on the gray-banded kingsnake. However it soon became the gathering spot for reptile and amphibian hobbyists of all interests, with its forums and classifieds providing the seed for what was to follow.
By the end of 1996, traffic on The Alterna Page had grown to the point that my hosting company demanded I purchase my own server and domain name. A $50 a month hosting account was no longer adequate, and my traffic was making their other clients' sites unavailable. It was at that point that hard decisions had to be made. Circumstance rather than design had turned my interesting hobby into a business, one in a new and untried medium, and given very little prospect of success by my family, co-workers, and most of my non-reptile friends.

It was after consulting with a few reptile friends like Joe Forks, John Cherry, Dave and Tracy Barker, and Ron Tremper -- as well as dozens of others -- that I borrowed some money for a server and signed the hosting contract.
On February 8, 1997 -- fourteen years ago today -- kingsnake.com was launched. The "powered by kingsnake.com" button (pictured right) is one of the original files from that web site, and it's still in use today on virtually every page on the site. (To see what kingsnake.com has looked like throughout the years, click on the link below.)
I want to thank the many users, advertisers, sponsors, volunteers, and staffers who have made kingsnake.com what it is today: the largest, most vibrant, and most popular reptile community on the internet.
Continue reading "kingsnake.com turns 14 years old!"
Monday, February 7 2011
 The impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill was swift and hard and caused more deaths to the critically endangered sea turtles then any other cause in the past several decades.
A news report from mb.com.ph:
The report said the rate of dead, disabled and diseased sea turtles discovered in the months following the massive April 20 spill was four to six times above average. The analysis, by the National Wildlife Federation, the Sea Turtle Conservancy and the Florida Wildlife Federation, was conservative and only took into account turtles found on shore, not those rescued or recovered at sea.
Researchers with the federal government said it would take years to determine the full impact of the spill on sea turtles. Necropsies have been done on more than half of 600 turtle carcasses, and while some may have died from oil, most of the turtles drowned in fishing gear, said Monica Allen, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association spokeswoman.
Unseasonably cold temperatures last winter were also detrimental to sea turtles, most of which are considered endangered, said Gary Appelson, policy coordinator for the Sea Turtle Conservancy. "Sea turtles have had a tough year,'' Appelson said.
To read the full article, click here.
Friday, February 4 2011
 A recent study shows that while children may show a keen interest in things that cause fear in adults -- like snakes -- they do not by nature fear them.
From DiscoveryNews.com:
The study follows on the work co-author David H. Rakison of Carnegie Mellon University did with spiders and infants as well as research Susan Mineka of Northwestern University did with monkeys, which when raised in a lab show no fear snakes. When Mineka attempted to instill a fear of rabbits, flowers, and snakes in the monkeys they much more readily learned to fear the snakes.
Arne Ohman at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden showed that for humans, once a fear of snakes or spiders is established, when a photo of a snake or spider is shown the fear response will last longer than a fear response learned to something less immediately threatening such as a mushroom. The research suggests an evolutionary tendency for humans to have the ability to quickly learn to fear these creepy crawlies and then respond metabolically longer in that state of fear during an encounter.
I have done a ton of public education on reptiles and I always say girls until the age of 6 and boys after the age of 4 are in prime positions to learn to love, respect and understand a variety of animals. At 6, girls tend to start following society and after 4 boys tend to become more independent and are more open to new experiences. Most of the adults I talk with who have a fear will point to something that happened as a child that started the fear. We as humans are born without fear of snakes; perhaps that's one lesson we don't really need to learn.
Thursday, February 3 2011
By
Thu, February 3 2011 at 10:22
Below is a compilation and brief summary/description of the legislative proposals we as a hobby and industry are currently facing on the state and federal level as of 2/03/11 (to my knowledge). I have taken the time to piece this together with the hope that it will serve useful for all members of Kingsnake.com and the reptile community in general. If your state appears in the list below, I strongly encourage you to take appropriate action to ensure your continued freedom to own and work with reptiles.
Federal: HR 511 has been introduced by Representative Tom Rooney (FL-16), once again, to add nine species of boas and pythons to the Injurious Wildlife listing of the Lacey Act, therefore prohibiting importation, and all Interstate commerce/transport of these species. Text is now available. Search by "bill number" for "HR511" on the Library of Congress Website:
H.R.511
Ohio: In a ballot initiative deal brokered last year between the Humane Society of the United States (H.S.U.S) and former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, an "emergency executive order" has been issued by former Governor Strickland on his last day in office to outlaw the sale and possession of many exotic animals including crocodilians, venomous, and the large constrictors for 90 days. PIJAC, USARK, and OAAO are currently working to overturn this order by contacting the now Governor Kasich: Ohio
Pennsylvania: A recent news report indicates that state senator Richard Alloway plans to introduce legislation in the state of Pennsylvania to "ban the sale of some exotic pets" including crocodilians and venomous reptiles. More information will be posted when available:
Pennsylvania
Mississippi: In a Feb 01, 2011 PetAlert issued by PIAC, the state of Mississippi is considering a "Non Native Reptile Program" to prohibit the release of non native snakes, regulate "venomous" and "constricting" snakes of any kind (how, I do not know), and requires a person to report or turn in any snakes to the department:
Mississippi
Connecticut: The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a state rule change that would ban the sale and possession of many exotic animals including venomous, large constrictors, crocodilians, and many species of Monitors and other lizards. A public hearing will be held on Feb. 15 2011, and comments will continue to be accepted until March 1st. See the PIJAC Alert for more information if you reside in the state of Connecticut: Connecticut
Indiana: Senate Bill 17 has been prefilled in the Indiana Assembly to make it a Class C Misdemeanor for anyone in "the business of selling exotic reptiles" to obtain a $50 annual permit. This section also provides that any person not in the business of selling exotic reptiles who sells, barters, trades, or in any other way transfers possession of an exotic reptile without notifying the Department of Natural Resources will commit a Class C infraction:
Indiana
Nebraska: Nebraska bill 64 seeks to amend current regulations by requiring "captive wildlife permits" for all "wild reptiles". More information to be posted when it becomes available. Nebraska
Wednesday, February 2 2011
 We already know venom has properties that aid in blood pressure management, diabetes and pain relief, but can it also cure cancer? That is what a study team at the University of Northern Colorado is looking into.
“Ideally, we’d like to have something that will either minimize or eliminate cancer cell growth in the body,” said Mackessy.
They are focusing on three different types of cancer: melanoma, colon and breast cancer.
“One of the reasons for looking at those three is that they’re very, very common in humans here in the United States. It’s a critical health concern,” said Mackessy.
For the full article, click here.
Continue reading "Venom being researched in cancer study"
Tuesday, February 1 2011
 After a devastating summer for wildlife in Gulf Coast States, Alabama received a 1$ million grant to purchase coastal wetlands and create a preserve for the Diamondback Terrapin.
Smith said both tracts are waterfront property that have unique wetlands habitats.
"Both tracts need to be conserved, but one in particular, the one that we call the Heron Bay tract, happens to be the only stronghold of the last remnant habitat for the diamondback terrapin, which is a big deal," Smith said.
"There's a lot of interest in that habitat and some universities have been studying that area for years, and that's basically the last remaining habitat in the state of Alabama for the diamondback terrapin, so we're really excited that we’re getting this award to purchase that property."
Smith said the state Forever Wild program will provide $379,500 in matching funds to buy the property.
The diamondback terrapin is the only turtle in North America that spends its life in brackish water. About 40 to 60 of the turtles are believed to live in south Mobile County, according to a 2008 Press-Register story. The reptile is listed as a species of 'highest conservation concern' by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The purchase will also include areas called maritime forests, which are coastal woodlands. For the full article, click here.
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