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, May 3 2022
This Timor Python in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user carlovandunsure has her eye on you! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Monday, May 2 2022
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!

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 The most variable and arguably the prettiest of the three, this is a male Eastern Box Turtle.
The USA is fortunate in being home to 6 rather distinct box turtles, 2 in the Terrapene ornata group, and 4 in the T. carolina group. The latter 4 are the Eastern, Terrapene c. carolina, the Gulf Coast, T. c. major, the Three-toed, T. c. triunguis, and the Florida, T. c. bauri. Since we chatted about the Florida Box turtle just last month, we’ll exempt it from this blog. That leaves us with the 3 subspecies that are most similar in appearance, even if the most diverse in coloration, with the Eastern race being especially so.. These three have carapaces that are high-domed, may be flattened dorsally, and except for the slightly more elongate Gulf Coast subspecies, are rather round when viewed from above. Collectively they range from southern Maine, south to southern Georgia then westward to eastern Kansas and east Texas. Hatchlings are flatter and lack the hinged plastron for which this genus is famous.
From west to east we come first to the Three-toed subspecies. It is also the most uniformly colored of the three, its carapace usually being of some shade of brown to olive brown, with or without lighter dots and dashes. The face is variably adorned with orange and white, sometimes extensively so.
In southeastern AL the Three-toed Box Turtle intergrades with the largest of the subspecies, the Gulf Coast Box Turtle. In its purist form (Mobile Bay and the Florida Panhandle), this latter subspecies is big (to 8 ½”), often has a rather flat-topped carapace, and when adult is quite dark—blackish brown-- in color. Old males may develop white patches on the face. Younger examples and intergrades are often light brownish-red.
Finally, we come to the most variable in overall appearance, the Eastern Box Turtle. It may be found east of the Mississippi River and north of Florida to the East Coast. Carapace, legs, and head are brown, but the markings on all, varying from few to profuse, may be yellow to bright orange. The latter produces a truly beautiful little chelonian.
Continue reading "The USA Carolina Box Turtle Group"
Friday, April 29 2022
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Let's celebrate in the mighty southwest beauty of the Rock Rattlesnake here in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Janne ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Thursday, April 28 2022
How adorable is this Newt in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user plagueguitarist ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Wednesday, April 27 2022
This blood python in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user jsignorettiis stunning! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Tuesday, April 26 2022
Two for Tuesday with this totes adorbs pair of Caiman Lizards 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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Monday, April 25 2022
This is a female Kaznakov's Viper.
When Louis Porras told me he had a pair of Kaznakov’s Vipers for sale, I jumped at the opportunity to acquire them. For years this small, heavy bodied viper, Vipera kaznakovii, had been a dream species. But now the dream was to become a reality.
A woodland viper of the Caucasus (Turkey, Georgia and southwestern Russia), it had been seldom imported. In its homeland it is reportedly found near rocky upthrusts and associated scree deposits in rather open hardwood forestland.
The pair received, a black male and a black and orange female, were exactly what I had hoped them to be. At about 20 inches in length, the female was a bit larger than the male. They proved hardy, both feeding readily and steadily on small, thawed, mice.
During their second winter with me I cooled them noticeably but did not hibernate them. Meals then consisted of smaller mice and feedings were further apart. In early winter I noticed breeding behavior and by early April the female was obviously gravid.
All of the above comments are from a memory flawed by time. The computerized records disappeared when the harddrive of the computer I was then using burped and then whirled itself into nonrepairable deterioration. The truth is that computers and I are not in the least compatible.
But at least I have photos of these beautiful vipers and their progeny to share with you. Thanks, Jeff, for the opportunity.
Continue reading "Kaznakov’s Viper"
This crested gecko certainly has his eye on you in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user BryanD ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Friday, April 22 2022
It is both Rattlesnake Friday and Earth Day. This copperhead in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user AlexNevgloski reminds us to only leave footprints when out in the field! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Remember, we give a spotlight to all our venomous animals on Fridays to help raise awareness of their importance to our world.
Thursday, April 21 2022
What a fantastic close up of a Schneider's Smooth-Fronted Caimen in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user cpipes ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Wednesday, April 20 2022
 Gallery Photo by user liamsherps
According to Stew Peters film ‘Watch the Water’ he makes the outrageous claim COVID-19 is snake venom.
"COVID-19 is a synthetic version of “snake venom” that evil forces are spreading through remdesivir, the COVID-19 vaccines and drinking water to “make you a hybrid of Satan.”
Seriously people. I don't even know where to begin with this but I will try.
COVID-19 is a VIRUS, specifically one of the family of Coronaviruses. It attacks the respiratory system and is spread by person to person contact.
Snake venom is a TOXIN. It is a toxin that contains different levels of hemotoxins, which destroy tissue and cells, and neurotoxins which attack the nervous system. They can only be transmitted through direct contact with tissues, usually via snakebite.
Toxins and viruses operate completely differently in the human body, both can make you ill, or even kill you,
but neither will make you a "hybrid of Satan". Whatever that is.
Read more here. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/apr/19/watch-water/stew-peters-film-watch-water-ridiculously-claims-c/
I can't believe I even have to address this.
Welcome to the world little one! This Mexican Conehead Lizard in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user all2human takes it's first breaths of life! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Tuesday, April 19 2022
What more can we say but AMAZING! This is such a beautiful shot of a Desert Horned Lizard in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Brockn ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Monday, April 18 2022
This male veiled is hanging on tight for whatever is in store for him in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user GECKOPERSON ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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