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.
The Sanderson Snake Days event was more than a giant gathering of field herpers; it was a public service event and a bridge building event for Texas herpers, too.
It was also a homecoming of sorts for some, and new beginning for others, including me. We were showing Texas Parks and Wildlife that we could not only follow the rules, but that our presence field herping was a positive one. We had rules to follow at night walking the public rights of way, and permits to buy, but that did not deter a single person. We infused the local economy with our money. We collected trash on the highways and assisted non-reptile motorists. There was also a lot of data collection for researchers.
Sitting around and listening to stories of days gone by was amazing. Learning tricks from people who have been doing this longer than I have been alive was well worth the price of the flight. There was a feeling of family that was obvious to me, a first-timer out with the West Texas herpers.
Our community is more than just the animals we keep at home. Our community is greater than our financial gains and losses. The diversity in our goals has never been so transparent to me as it was sitting in the middle of nowhere in Texas. This event really proved to me that we are not an industry, but a great community.
Words cannot describe how cool the second grade class at Conservatory Lab Charter School is. In a project celebrating snakes, they stole a little inspiration from Lady Gaga. To quote the kids:
Recently I was witness to a fight on an unnamed social media on a group's page about owning pythons. It was between an "anonymous" Ohio reptile company and a few owners as well as a few other breeders. The heated fight was about normal burmese pythons and whether or not they are unwanted and overpopulated. This entire dilemma made me sick. We all support the same cause but it seems the dollar signs blind quite a few and it needs to stop now. With recent attacks from the media and government, none of us can afford to fight or argue, especially on said social media page. Fighting within a structure is a sign of weakness and ultimately leads to the collapse of the structure. This makes me absolutely sick to consider myself as having the same interests as these stubborn people. There is too much animosity EVERYWHERE between people with the same interests. That does not make reptile keepers look serious. People need to realize something has to change or we will get nowhere. Ever.
From press reports that come out of Texas and groups like the Sweetwater Jaycees, one would think that the ground is literally crawling with rattlesnakes, and the entire state is under attack from these deadly beauties.
Yeah, not so much. It took us three days to come across our very own rattlesnake, which happened to be the only thing I wanted to see. Despite the fact that I wasn't overly picky, the last one on my list to see was the Western Diamonback, with a Black Tailed Rattlesnake being my top desire. But ya know, after three days and not a single rattle for our crew I was NOT picky.
Driving down 2886 to the cuts by the radio tower at 65 miles an hour, we were passing a lot of gravel driveways leading to ranchs and farms. I was scanning the right side to see if we could catch sight of a snake off-road. First we had to stop for a white, black and red blur, except it turned out to be a big gulp cup. Drive a little further, I see a "stick" on the right. But wait, that stick looked striped. Sticks really aren't usually striped like that, are they? "Jeff, I think I saw what might be a stick, but it might not. Let's go back" After all, we did stop for the cup.
All the care I had practiced getting out of the truck went out the window. I turned into a squealing, happy little girl. Running with camera in hand and screaming behind me for someone to grab a hook, I was deliriously happy. I found something that rattled. While most were searching for the elusive grayband, I was searching for my sweet rattles. And I found it. It would have been fine with me had one of our crew found it, but the excitement at finding it myself was amazing.
The boys were kind; they congratulated me on a great catch. I had earned my stripes as a herper. I didn't care about finding anything else this trip, because I had found the one thing I wanted. Everything else was gravy. I did have the presence of mind to video the find. After the bump, me in my full snake dork mode, very happy. Yes, I am giggling and squealing. I guess I finally figured out what this field herping business is about.
When we were kids, all of us had to write at least one "How I spent my summer vacation" essay for school. I never grew out of writing the essays or taking the summer vacations, but that's because I get to take some pretty cool "vacations" as an adult.
This year I spent Fathers' Day weekend with Cindy Steinle and more than 100 other herpers attending the "Snake Days" celebration in Sanderson, Texas. Part work, part vacation, part adventure it was three days spent deep in the Texas desert learning about the reptiles and amphibians of that area. Then we spent our nights trying to catch and photograph some of them. Along the way we ran into some interesting people, some old (old) friends, some new friends, all with the same passion for the animals and the desert. We also picked up some trash along the road ways and raised some much-needed funding for reptile programs in Texas.
Though this is the "First Annual" Snake Days celebration, in fact it is only a continuation of a long history of unofficial reptile meet-ups that have occurred in the Trans-Pecos stretching all the way back to the 1960s. Many of those same people were in attendance last weekend, some making an annual pilgrimage, others showing up again for the first time after 10, 20, or 30 years. Comparing the two photographs on the right, one taken this year, the other taken in the late 80s, you won't be surprised to see many of the same people appearing in both.
Cindy and I want to thank Jeff Adams for putting together the first "official" Snake Days in Sanderson. It's good to finally have a home. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year!
Politics and reptiles make strange bedfellows, especially in an election year. Controversial Texas Land Commissioner and candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Jerry Patterson, has weighed in on the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard issue. From the Texas Insider:
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today claimed victory in an initial battle after U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced federal bureaucrats will not list the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species.
“Texans stood up and were heard,” Patterson said. “The drive to list this lizard wasn’t based on science, but was in response to abusive lawsuits filed against the federal government by a radical environmental group — and Texans showed that we don’t get intimidated so easily.”
With all the controversy over the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, all the lawsuits, finger pointing, and blame, a little overlooked fact is that Texas had already extended protection to the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard some years ago. In fact, it, along with dozens of other reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, were extended protections not " based on science," to use Jerry Patterson's words, when they were included on Texas Parks and Wildlife's blacklist of non-game species. Implemented under Rick Perry's administration, the list prevents private industry from working with, commercializing or studying those species. Oddly, the same regulations include exclusions allowing exterminators to kill many of the species afforded protection by the blacklist, which is probably good since it includes 11 species of rats and 25 species of mice.
To see all the species, like Cotton Rats, the Deer Mouse and the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, that Texas taxpayers are paying to protect, click below.
Hi, I'm Oliver Jones I would appreciate any help at all you can give me. I am trying very hard to find a job working with reptiles, in a zoo, or in a venom lab. Im not having much luck and this is the only thing Im happy doing more so what I love. I have years and years extensive experience Im just trying to find somewhere I can get in at. I feel like I'm practically begging at this point lol. Heres a copy of my resume I also put together if you'd like to take a look.
Professional Experience
ACS Xerox (sprint)
Sprint Android Agent April 2012 -present
· Trouble shoot customers phones on a first call resolution· Use various tools and computer programs to solve customers issue· Suggestive selling to improve customers experience · Taking payments· Assist customers with billing questions· Meeting goals and company metrics each month Michael’s Arts and Crafts, Raleigh , North Carolina
Stock team, Sep 2010-present
•Greet and assist customers
•Estimate quantity and cost of merchandise required.
•Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers.
•Watch for and recognize security risks and thefts, and know how to prevent or handle these situations.
•Clean shelves, counters, and tables.
•Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.
•Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices.
•Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
•Ticket, arrange, and display merchandise to promote sales.
•Price clearance merchandise and sign merchandise for the upcoming sale and promotion ad.
•Inventory new stock and requisition new stock.
•Make sure merchandise is always fully stocked on flow as needed by down stocking the items.
•Stock merchandise on floor and place overstock up properly.
•Unload merchandise from delivery trucks.
•Assist in new employee training.
PetSmart, Raleigh , North Carolina
Pet Care, Jan 2010-March 2011
•Perform Back-washes in the aquatics systems.
•Observe all animals for signs of illness or changes in behavior.
•Compute sale prices, total purchases and receive and process cash or credit payments.
•Feed, Water, and medicate all animals before the store opens and make sure all habitats are presentable to the public.
•Ticket, arrange, and display merchandise to promote sales.
•Answer questions regarding the store, animals, and merchandise.
•Clean all animal habitats.
•Prepare sales slips or sales contracts.
•Estimate quantity and cost or merchandise required.
•Retain knowledge of current sales and promotions, and store policies.
•Describe merchandise and explain use and operation to the customer.
•Exchange merchandise for customers and except returns.
•Place special orders or call other stores to find desired items.
•When selling animals ask the customer questions to make sure it is the right animal “pet” for them and that they are aware of all the necessary care and maintenance the animal requires to stay in good health.
•Maintain records related to sales.
•Prepare merchandise for purchase.
•Clean shelves and counters.
•Watch for and recognize security risks and thefts and how to handle the situations.
•Clean aquatic plant systems out weekly, algae scrub, prune, and remove and decaying plants.
•Inventory stock and requisition new stock.
•Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
•Recommend, select, and help locate merchandise based on the customer’s wants and needs.
Petco, Durham , North Carolina
Pet care/Register/Reptile Specialist, Jan 2008-Aug 2008
•Provide customers with information on animal/reptile adoption agencies in the area to consider before purchasing a new pet.
•Open and close cash registers, performing tasks such as counting money, separating charge slips, coupons, and vouchers, balancing cash drawers, and making deposits.
•Maintain all items in reptile department and habitat.
•Assist customers with any reptile related questions.
•Stock items to floor.
•Observe all animals for signs of illness or changes in behavior.
•Compute sale prices, total purchases and receive and process cash or credit payments.
•Feed, Water, and medicate all animals before the store opens and make sure all habitats are presentable to the public.
•Ticket, arrange, and display merchandise to promote sales
•Answer questions regarding the store, animals, and merchandise.
•Clean all animal habitats.
•Prepare sales slips or sales contracts.
•Estimate quantity and cost or merchandise required.
•Retain knowledge of current sales and promotions, and store policies.
•Describe merchandise and explain use and operation to the customer.
•Exchange merchandise for customers and except returns.
•Place special orders or call other stores to find desired items.
•When selling animals ask the customer questions to make sure it is the right animal “pet” for them and that they are aware of all the necessary care and maintenance the animal requires to stay in good health.
•Maintain records related to sales.
•Prepare merchandise for purchase.
•Clean shelves and counters.
•Watch for and recognize security risks and thefts and how to handle the situations.
•Clean aquatic plant systems out weekly, algae scrub, prune, and remove and decaying plants.
•Inventory stock and requisition new stock.
•Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
•Recommend, select, and help locate merchandise based on the customer’s wants and needs.
Sears, South Hill , Virginia
Stocker/Sales/Electronics Department manager, Sept 2004-Feb 2008
•Stocking items to the sales floor.
•Compute sales prices, total purchases and receive and process cash or credit payments.
•Greet customers, determine their wants and needs, and help find the product that fits their lifestyle.
•Estimate cost of repair or alteration of merchandise.
•Delivery items/large merchandise to customers home.
•Place special orders or call other stores to find a certain item.
•Describe merchandise and explain operation, care, and the benefits of the product.
•Maintain all items in electronics department up to company standards and beyond.
•Ticket and display merchandise to promote sales.
•Establish customers for life.
•Put together large merchandise for customers or for the sales floor.
•Sell or arrange for delivery, insurance, financing, or service contracts for merchandise.
•Inventory stock
•Maintain records related to sales.
•Estimate quantity and cost of merchandise required.
•Open and close cash registers performing tasks such as counting money, separating charge slips, coupons, and vouchers, balancing cash drawers, and making deposits.
•Assist customers with loading merchandise.
•Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, and policies regarding payments and exchanges.
•Unloading merchandise trucks.
•Estimate and quote trade-in allowance.
•Watch for and recognize security risk.
•Prepare sales slips and contracts.
Education
Park View Senior High School , South Hill , Virginia
•Head of the Ecology Club (herpetology)
•Enrolled in College prep classed with honors.
•Involved in the BETA Club.
Southside Virginia Community College , Alberta , Virginia
•Biology, September 2009
•Completed pre-requisite classes for Veterinary Medicine
Central Carolina Community College , Sanford , North Carolina
•Veterinary Technician Candidate, Sept 2014
North Carolina State University
•Veterinary Medicine (Exotic Animal) Candidate, Sept 2017
Additional Skills
•Microsoft word and excel
•Typing skills.
•Owned and operated Southside Virginia Central North Carolina Reptile Rescue and Sanctuary for almost ten years.
•Have experience working with over 200 species of reptiles including native and exotic venomous snakes, crocodilians, large constrictors, lizards, turtles, and tortoises.
•I have worked, assisted, aided and been involved with over 30 endangered and threatened reptiles in breeding programs with rescue work, partnership rescues, Missouri Reptile Zoo. Have worked with Veterinarian Robert Dennis, Veterinarian Dan Johnson and Dr. Leonitti, Missouri Reptile Zoo, Chris Follestead, Jeffery Sellers, Marini Reptile Rescue, Peaceable Kingdom exotic and native wildlife center, TIAMET Wildlife Rehabilitation Center , and several state parks.
•Other than my reptile experience I have also had the chance to work with several different raptors, lions, wolves, coyotes, fox, several parrots, black bear, raccoons, Virginia and Brazilian opossum, sugar gliders, llamas, camel, zebra, bison, peafowl/pheasant, waterfowl, emus, ostrich, rhea, East African crowned cranes, zebu, as well as different livestock.
•Have Carried out several reptile education programs to educate the public on best/worst reptile pets, venomous snakes, reptile care, reptile husbandry, endangered/threatened reptile species, how we work as a rescue, reptile safety, and the roles reptiles play in the worlds ecosystem. These events have been done at several museums, reptile expos, state parks, schools, fairs, daycare centers, nursing homes, state childcare homes, pet stores, and festivals.
•Have carried out several reptile adoption events at local petco stores to find permanent homes for the available animals in our custody by using a application/contract and information system by Melissa Kaplan.
•Doing reptile rescue I have seen/dealt with a number of injuries, diseases, parasites, and different forms of malnutrition in reptiles and I’ve now learned to recognize these illnesses I have dealt with the most as well as some others and their easiest forms of treatment in the best being of the animal.
References
available upon request
List of species I have kept successfully and worked with in the last ten years:
Pythons
1.Burmese
2.Reticulated
3.African rocks
4.Ball
5.Ring
6.White lipped
7.Calabar burrowing
8.Carpet
9.Green tree various localities
10.woma
11.blood
Boas
1.hybrid anaconda green x yellow
2.yellow anaconda
3.green anaconda
4.various locality red tail boas
5.viper
6.Solomon island ground and tree
7.Emerald tree
8.hog island
9.dumerils
10.Brazilian rainbow
kenyan and saharan sand boas
Colubrids
1.Various Milk snakes
2.Various Kingsnakes
3.Brown, Banded, Red belly water snakes
4.black, buttermilk, yellow belly, red racers
5.western coachwhip
6.Eastern, western, tricolor, speckled, golden, giant hognose snakes
7.Red mountain racers
8.Taiwan Beauty rats
9.Various other rat snakes
10.greens, garters, etc
11. Red tail green rat
12.Rhino rat
Tarantulas
1.goliath birdeater
2.king baboon
3.usumbara orange baboon
4.cobalt blue
5.rose hair
6.pink toe
7.zebra
8.skeleton
9.Mexican red knee
10.Mexican blood leg
11.ornamental Indian
Friday night we headed east on I-90 with plans to herp the cuts and head to Langtry. That was until we came across a young girl who had run out of gas.
We started the night fairly early, which allowed for us to actually see a ton of lizards. We had Andy, a biologist from Texas Parks and Wildlife; Rom, a paramedic from Arizona; and a reporter and photographer from San Antonio joining us on our runs.
Jeff may have caught the first snake of our trip, but I spotted the first four lizards. Several side blotched lizards and Desert spiny lizards were out all evening. The snakes, however, were not. Or at least for our crew. I had a lot of concern going into this about my ability to spot things on the cuts, but after the lizards, I lost all doubts.
As we were headed towards Langtry on a very sharp and blind curve another herper flagged us down. A girl was trying to make the drive west and had hoped to make Sanderson before she ran out of gas and didn't quite make it. We didn't have gas, but we had a group of MacGyvers who attempted to create a siphon hose out of two camel backs. Unfortunately, we were a bit short. We escorted her as far as she could make it west towards Sanderson, left her at a rock cut with another herper who promised to keep and eye on her, and then ran to town to grab a few gallons to get her the rest of the way.
The oddest thing happened while we were talking. The girl turned out to be a turtle keeper who had never met herpers. She also had never met a woman who liked reptiles! But here she was stranded and we got to share a bit of our world with her. Right after she pulled off and got on her way, we herped the cut. Karma shined down on us, rewarding us with a Suboc that was found on the top of the cut directly above where she was parked! It turned out to be the only live snake of the evening.
We had planned on trekking 285 to the 2400 to look for something that rattles for me, but an accident prevent that route. We went west and worked a few cuts before heading up the highway. About this time Andy and I each grabbed a seat of our own and crashed. Walking the last cut, we both hit that exhaustion wall. It was 3 AM, after all!
Jeff and Ron kept searching and Jeff found his Sanderson grayband. Well, kinda. The organizers of Snake Days placed three plastic snakes on the cuts. Each one has a prize associated with it when we turn them in. As sad as it is for Jeff to not have found a live grayband, I think it is amazingly ironic that the man who started the Alterna Page and kingsnake.com is the man who found the grayband. Almost as if it was fate!
We were the last to roll in at 5 AM. Everyone else was asleep and we stumbled into our rooms leaving a trail of field gear from the door to the bed. We were up at 10 AM in the morning to make the talks and plan for the night.
Lead photo John Lassiter just before we hit the road, the orange vest is required when working the roads.
A bad night snake hunting is better than a good day at work, right?
Well, Jeff and I can combine snake hunting and work and rationalize heading to Sanderson, Tex., to join the Snake Day celebration. I got off the plane right around noon and hopped into the "Herpin' Death Truck," and we began the long trek from Austin to Sanderson. Jeff gave me some tips and explained a bit of the natural history and how to search the cuts. I am an amateur and I readily admit that, but I think Jeff was quite pleased that I didn't think each tire strip on the highway was a snake.
We rolled into Sanderson around 8:30 pm with some very impressive storms surrounding us. We managed to completely miss all of it on the drive so we unloaded our gear, put on the new fashion trend hitting the herp world (orange reflective vests with 144 square inches of reflective tape) and hit the road.
Despite our best efforts, we turned up a ton of inverts, but only one snake. A night snake popped out about 5 minutes before the rain hit Sanderson. We also found a few of Wayne Howell's "surprise snakes," but since they were planted animals, they really do not count. I think the rain skunked us all. Jeff and I headed back to the Desert Air at 2:00 am and collapsed.
We are preparing to head to the convention center shortly for registration and then I suspect we will take a nap so we are raring to go tonight. Here's to finding something that buzzes!
Are you in Sanderson with us? We have a photo gallery set up for the event! Please post all of your finds here.
Somewhere, someone thought that the new "Snakes and Rats" ad campaign by the United Way of Greater Milwaukee was a good idea.
Pet reptile owners, and pet rat owners, however, are likely to disagree.
The public awareness campaign by United Way and Serve Marketing continued in its tradition of shock advertising to address statutory rape and the high birthrates among 15- to 17-year-olds in Milwaukee. It portrays a young girl covered in rats and another enveloped by a snake, asking, "What kind of man preys on underage girls?"
Pet owners are more liable to ask, "What kind of organization defames defenseless animals and their owners?"
The United Way of Greater Milwaukee's choice to use a captive bred pet Burmese python to symbolize a sex offender preying on underage girls has raised the ire of many reptile owners who feel that the advertisement inaccurately portrays reptiles as evil and infers that reptile owners are sex offenders.
Others feel that the United Way's use of a Burmese P\python is just a shameless way to catch the media wind that the Burmese python problem in Florida has exacerbated, and will further increase animosity towards the species and pet owners, either intentionally or unintentionally.
We have contacted the United Way of Greater Milwaukee for comments or a statement and will let you know when we receive a response.
To read more about the United Way of Greater Milwaukee's "Snakes and Rats" marketing campaign, check out the whole article at the Journal Sentinel website. If you would like to contact the United Way of Greater Milwaukee please visit their website and Facebook page and drop them a polite note.
I started collecting in 1988, back when gas prices were high at $1.50 a gallon, and snake hunting had just become legal again, drawing hobbyists from around the world to some of the roughest country in Texas. I collected actively from 1989 until 2001, when kingsnake.com overwhelmed my free time, averaging 40 nights a year in South Texas and the Trans-Pecos. Along the way I wore out one car, twice, and two trucks. I left the car for dead in the desert once, after sleeping in it for several nights until I could hitch a ride back to civilization.
Over the years in my adventures I have been pelted with rain, sleet, and hail so many times I quit counting. I've been trapped by flood waters three times, chased by tornadoes twice, had more than my share of UFO encounters, and met members of virtually every law enforcement agency in Texas, federal, state or otherwise. I have had flat tires, lost windshields and windows, broken timing belts, lost a transmission, a set of valves, lifters, and pistons. Twice I have let people drive me up dry creek beds, miles away from civilization, and get stuck, once having to walk 7 miles back to pavement. It seems once you hit the Trans-Pecos, something always happens. And if it hasn't happened to me, it's happened to my friends.
All those life experiences were the starting point for what one game warden recently described as "The Ultimate Snake Hunting Truck."
First on my list of critical items to bring snake hunting is always batteries. Make sure you bring them. Make sure you have them. Make sure you charge them. Make sure you re-charge them.
Sanderson is a very small town, with limited places to acquire batteries, in an emergency or otherwise. With all the locals and all the herpers coming into town, batteries will be tough to find locally. Bring all you need so you don't find yourself 50 feet up on a cut with a light that just went dim. Make sure to bring any chargers you need for batteries or devices as well. Finding an iPhone charger might prove difficult, finding a camera charger impossible.
First thing I do when I get in from hunting is put all my gear and all my batteries on chargers. Cameras, lights, phones, laptop, everything. A dead battery is dead weight,
I am in the works of getting ready to open a reptile business. With us getting ready to open our own place where we sell suplies and live reptiles.
I am trying to get or find a web site or business / distributor that sells wholesale an I am able to supply my shop with the items that I am needing. Back home we have a pet store that is over priced. Everything is cramed together in a small space and there is no room for my wheel chair when I go in there. I know the owner. They dont sell much live animals. Some birds, cats, puppies, mice rats and hamsters and thats it. They have very high prices on there things
I am going to be seeling New Used and also take on consignmentas. I will sell other things then just reptiles but my focus is my reptiles. I want to be able afordable for our small town again like it was a few years back. With my used items I want to be able to put together a set that I can sell to some one who can not afford the big nice set ups. I want to try and make sure that if a kid wants a pet and there parents say "yes" that i have set up for them to buy that they might be able to afford.
If someone can please help me and send me in the dirrection of finding a couple good wholesalers to buy supplies like; bedding, enclosures, housings, heating and UVB supplies, set ups and decorations insert items. I have a distributor now but I think that I am able to find better pricing. Did a search on line and didnt come up with much.
I also have an account with a company from Florida to purchase my reptiles. We do our own custom enclosures and builds for people.
So I am looking for Reptile and Supply Distributors.
I am from Washington State but I am not conserned on where the distributors are located.
The Sanderson Snake Days event was more than a giant gathering of field herpers; it was a public service event and a bridge building event for Texas herpers, too.
From press reports that come out of Texas and groups like the Sweetwater Jaycees, one would think that the ground is literally crawling with rattlesnakes, and the entire state is under attack from these deadly beauties.
Politics and reptiles make strange bedfellows, especially in an election year. Controversial Texas Land Commissioner and candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Jerry Patterson, has weighed in on the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard issue. From the Texas Insider:
Friday night we headed east on I-90 with plans to herp the cuts and head to Langtry. That was until we came across a young girl who had run out of gas.
A bad night snake hunting is better than a good day at work, right? 
Somewhere, someone thought that the new "Snakes and Rats" ad campaign by the United Way of Greater Milwaukee was a good idea. 
