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.
Monday, August 10 2015
I think I really don’t need to describe how much a snake lover is fascinated by albino snakes because, all my reptile lover friends reading this blog know that awesome feeling very well when we see an albino snake.
 In a country like India, where you can’t keep reptiles as pets, it is very rare for a snake lover like me to see an albino snake or else you really need a ‘strong luck’. As I said strong luck, I still can’t believe I was so lucky for a while when I saw this beautiful snake.
It was 2012 and my friend had rescued a snake and he decided to give me a surprise, so he called me up and said “Sachin I have rescued a cobra so come to my place we’ll go and release it”.
When I reached his place I asked him to show the cobra and he showed me the jar, when I closely observed the jar and literally shouted “WTF is it an albino grass snake?” Yes! It was an albino green keelback Macropisthodon plumbicolorwhich I was sure when I regained my senses after going crazy.
I am very thankful to that friend for doing me such a big favor. I called my friend Riyaz Khoja to click this beauty and as usual Riyaz is always at his best for capturing amazing shots. I really wish my life gives me such moments again and again where I can call myself lucky.
Photos: Riyaz Khoja
Friday, August 7 2015
 For the past 2 weeks Milwaukee WI has been under siege with a rumored lion running wild on the streets. As yet only one video has emerged of the lion that is plausible and the media and police blotter are reporting different things. Adult female African lion, Juvenile male African Lion, adult Mountain Lion, some even report cubs being present.
You might be asking yourself, as a reptile keeper, who cares about a stupid lion! What does this have to do with me? When regulation rears it’s head reptiles are usually lumped in with big cats and primates, and Wisconsin is one of the few states that does not currently have extensive exotics legislation at the state level. That is for now.
The Humane Society of the United States working with politicians are crafting legislation soon that will likely parallel the strict regulations introduced in Ohio after the Zanesville tragedy.
According to Wisconsin State Sen. Van Wanggaard in an interview with WISN Milwaukee:
“This bill would codify exotic animals as being something that would not be allowed to be owned in personal residential areas,” Wanggaard said.
...
He said that people who currently own exotic animals will be grandfathered in until the animal dies, but they would have to register the pet and get a permit.
Of course to really push the law, they need the lion and that will means more than a grainy video. The Milwaukee Police Department however is running the search and with other more pressing priorities, most Milwaukeeans doubt they have the ability to actually capture a lion, if it really exists.
Supporters of the bill, including Van Wanggaard, are hopeful they will have the law in place by the end of the year. Reptile keepers however are preparing for a long battle.
Inset photo is of Gypsy, an adult female lioness under the care of Forever Wild Animal Sanctuary in California.
Thursday, August 6 2015
"Snake!" Both Jake and I voiced the single word simultaneously.
Ahead of us, nearing the edge of the pavement, was the unmistakable form that we had been hoping to see. There were no other vehicles in sight on the roadway. As we neared, we both said "canebrake." I stopped a couple of dozen feet before reaching the snake and Jake piled out of one door and I from the other. The snake lying quietly stretched out, merely kinked a bit as we neared and never rattled.
The canebrake rattlers, Crotalus horridus atricaudatus, of this region vary noticeably in ground color with most being tan or dead-leaf brown. A few, though, are a beautiful purple or pink and we were elated to see that this 30 incher was one of these latter.
Since there was still no traffic we took a few pictures, gently touched the rattler's tail with a slender stick, and watched for a few moments as the snake slowly crawled from the pavement and disappeared without disturbance into the roadside greenery.
A canebrake had been our goal for the evening but having found this beauty we decided to continue road-hunting for another half hour. In that 30 minute time frame we saw 3 additional snakes: a corn, a juvenile yellow-gray rat snake, and a Peninsula ribbon snake.
All in all it was a great evening, one that we both would remember favorably, and we were home before dark!
Continue reading "Canebrake in the road"
Wednesday, August 5 2015
 India is a land of vast number of reptiles and as I have been writing and researching about them, I would definitely say I am fortunate to be part of a country where Mother Nature has showered such a tremendous number of its beautiful creation. Another beautiful gift by Mother Nature to India is the Phipson’s shield tail, Uropeltis phipsonii.
For many non-Indian readers, it may seem to be a new fellow. The name of this non-venomous snake symbolizes its tail, which seems to have a sliced tail, strange but pretty amazing! While examining them I came to know that these snakes are short with the maximum length of 28-30cm, and mainly dine on earthworms. The most interesting fact about them is that being so tiny, these snakes are viviparous and give birth to 5-7 young ones at the onset monsoon.
It’s always a pleasure to meet these snakes on herpings and trekking’s but the sad part is that these snakes, being so harmless and sensitive, are the major victims of road kills. It’s a very disturbing truth for a reptile lover, but the fact is nobody can be blamed in such circumstances because unlike other snakes, shield tail snakes are heard to spot and thus fall victims to cars.
I would like to conclude by saying be alert while driving. This will not only benefit you but also protect the environment. As we always say, "Brake for snakes."
Photo: Ryaz Khoja
Tuesday, August 4 2015
I was a few steps ahead of Patti walking that mid-May evening on a trail in the newly opened Sweetwater Wetlands Park. My nose in the air, I was looking for a nearby white-eyed vireo that was caroling loudly and persistently from the low trees.
Suddenly Patti said "You better stop and look at what you just walked by."
I stopped, turned and looked down. About 10 feet behind me, lying unperturbed by my passing and our presence, half its 30" body length on the path, was a beautiful juvenile eastern diamond-back rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus.
Stretched fully out and except for its flickering tongue and lying absolutely motionless, the little snake had just left the woodland and begun crossing the trail. With other folks approaching, we decided it would probably be best to move the little snake out of sight.
Picking up a slender stick I slid it beneath the snake and moved him to the side of the path. Within seconds he had completed the effort and moved quietly and completely from view.
We happily bade it adieu.
Continue reading "Strolling by a diamond back on beautiful spring day"
Monday, August 3 2015
 The krait, a venomous snake I consider to be one of the deadliest creatures on our planet, is widely spread on the Indian subcontinent, where nine species of krait can be found. I love kraits because of their behavior and their color which is dark shiny black with thin bands of white dotted spots.
I have already written in one of my previous blogs about the common krait, bungarus caerulus, and explained why it is known to be deadly. Now I would like to write about the next member of the krait family, which is also luckily found in my city.
The Wall’s sind krait, bungarus sindanus walli,is a species of a krait with almost same features of a common krait. The best way to differentiate between these two kraits is, the Wall’s sind krait has a yellow lip and throat while the common krait has white. The maximum length of Wall’s sind krait is 5ft and it mainly feeds on other snakes, including cobras and other kraits.
I have rescued this snake only once because it is found in the outskirts of my city and rare to find during the day. Experts say this snake is more aggressive and prone to bite than the common krait. However, kraits are always attractive to me, and whenever I look at the Wall’s sind krait, its beauty makes me feel that a common krait has applied a yellow lipstick.
Photo: Riyaz Khoja
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