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.
Saturday, December 9 2023
The Snapping turtle in the aquarium at the scene, photo by author
When I saw the message pop up from the director of the shelter, I figured she wanted to let me know I might have a few animals to prepare for. My local news was filled with the story of a large confiscation of dogs in my city. I was not expecting what came next.
"Cindy, are you available to help us tomorrow? We aren't done. Today was just the dogs and there are a lot of exotics and we need you to look at things. There are alligators."
I was still under some restrictions from my shoulder surgery and they knew I was limited in what I could do, but they needed my eyes and knowledge more than my arm. I said the only thing I could. "What time and where do you need me"
Continue reading "Rescuer Struggles as Animal Abuser Gets off with Slap on the Wrist"
Friday, December 8 2023
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! All venomous snakes need our support, and this stunning Olmec Pit Viper ( Atropoides olmec) in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user PeteSnakeCharmer is no exception! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
We celebrate #RattlesnakeFriday to celebrate the wonderful venomous species that contribute to making our world greater and also use it as a way to support conservation efforts to protect these species worldwide!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!
Thursday, December 7 2023
Nile Crocodiles may be cool like this one in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user cdieter, but take note of that enclosure around this animal! Don't even think of buying a baby if you can not handle this enclosure set up NOW!
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!
Wednesday, December 6 2023
Sea turtle tracks coming up the beach and zig-zagging through the sand. Photo by CHNS.
A Green Sea Turtle nest found December 3 on Hatteras Island, NC is a record for the latest nest ever laid! The previous record was October 31! This year also marked the return of the Leatherbacks for the first time in 11 years!
The new nest also means that 2023 now boasts the second-highest number of turtle nests reported on Ocracoke, Hatteras, and Bodie Islands since data collection began.
The top three years for sea turtle nesting activity within CHNS have all occurred within the past five years, and are as follows:
2019 – 473 nests
2023 – 380 nests
2022 – 379 nests
Of these 380 nests in 2023, 324 were Loggerhead sea turtles, 52 were Green sea turtles, 3 were Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles, and one was a Leatherback sea turtle.
To read more about the track at Cape Hatteras National Seashore click here.
So precious! We love hatchling photos, like this awakening Gecko in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user SA! 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!
Tuesday, December 5 2023
Looks like St. Beardie Nick is getting ready to work hard tonight in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user ginag!
Be sure to tell cochran you liked it here!
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!
Monday, December 4 2023
Our Herp Photo of the Day shows and amazing look inside the egg of a Russian Tortoise to be, uploaded by kingsnake.com user tortusjack!
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!
 An adult male Saba Isle Anole. Anolis sabanus
Saba!
What is Saba?
Saba, it turns out, is a tiny upthrusting in the northeastern Caribbean. Only about 5 miles across, this tiny island has sandy beaches (expensive hotels), 4 main villages having descriptive names such as The Bottom (Saba's capital), Windwardside, St. John's and Zion's Hill (aka Hell's Gate), and even has some rainforest. Oh yes, it also has 3 indigenous and endemic reptiles, an anole, a Sphaerodactyline gecko and a Colubrine snake.
But initially it was only the anole that I found of interest. I had learned of this lizard through Jake, who had talked of both its homeland and beauty for months. In fact, Jake wanted to fly to this lizard’s dot of land to photograph it. But to me it seemed a long journey simply to photograph a single lizard species, and an anole at that.
Then Jake found an online pic and my attitude was swayed. I had just about made up my mind to opt into the “Jake’s Anole Expedition” when an online ad for that exact species popped up on my computer screen. Rather than take the trip. I bought a couple of the lizards…both gender. The live lizards that arrived were even prettier than the pix I had seen. The anoles are sexually dimorphic, the female lacking the polka-dots of the adult males.
Both the male and the female, seem to be doing well, eating tiny crickets and flightless fruit flies. Males have a beautiful, large, deep yellow throat fan. I hope you’ll agree that, although not one of the larger species, it is a species well worth looking at.
Continue reading "Saba and Its Anole"
Sunday, December 3 2023

Not really, but this sketch, from the quiz show Question Quest on this weekends Saturday Night Live, is pretty much on point when it comes to the responsibilities that attach when you suddenly acquire a pet that will likely outlive you, your children, and your children's children.
Being a long time owner of a 70lb Sulcatta tortoise this sketch really speaks to me.
Click below to watch the Emma Stone win Speedy on SNL...
Emma Stone meets Speedy the Sulcatta Tortoise
Friday, December 1 2023
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.
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Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!
Presque Isle Co, MI, July 4, 2007, photo by kingsnake user ratsnakeheaven
The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is closing on 457 acres of property known as the La Grange Valley wetlands that is known as a "biodiversity hot spot" that houses a pair of nesting bald eagles and two endangered species, including the eastern massasauga rattlesnake.
The agency’s ultimate goal is to protect an important fen habitat with upland islands and tall hardwood trees that harbor a lot of wildlife, including several state threatened or endangered species like the Blanding’s turtle. And no, Hansen says, the agency’s not revealing the other federally endangered species — apart from the massasauga rattlesnake — out of a need to protect it.
To learn more about the project visit swmlc.org
To read the full article, click here.
Thursday, November 30 2023
Throwback Thursday to the early days of Blood pythons with this stunning Python brongersmai in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Rich_Crowley ! 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!
Wednesday, November 29 2023
Do you remember "Jawlene", the alligator that was found without an upper jaw in Florida? Gatorland recently shared an update!
It has been such a blessing and a wild ride since this little angel showed up at Gatorland!
Jawlene is an incredible testament to the strength and resilience of the great American Alligator. From learning how she had adapted to living as a wild alligator to being patient and watching her show us how to best feed her so that she doesn’t get frustrated and give up.
She’s gaining weight, learning to trust us and getting stronger every day. Gatorland Global, our conservation arm exists for situations just like this one.
Jawlene has gained 2 pounds since being there and she is almost fully cleared of parasites. For the full story, with video, visit Fox35 here.
How adorable is this Giant Ground Gecko in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user leighroomes ! 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!
Photo courtesy of NPR article
With their new found popularity from Minecraft, almost everyone now knows the Axolotl with it's goofy grin. The National Autonomous University is hoping that people love them enough to adopt one, well virtually at least! It might seem amazing with their popularity as a pet, but their wild numbers are on a rapid and drastic decline. Right now, they are running a campaign where you can virtually "adopt" an animal by naming one for a year, donating meals towards one or even donating towards habitat purchase!
Over two decades ago, there were about 6,000 of these tiny salamanders for every square kilometer in Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City. In the last count from 2014, there were only about 36 axolotls per square kilometer, according to Luis Zambrano, who was involved in the axolotl census.
"It's gotten worse. They're not completely extinct, but it's worse," said Zambrano, who is also an ecologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
As always, the biggest threat to the Axolotls is humans, this time it isn't the pet trade however. It is from the over expanding population in their native environment and the poisoning of the groundwater. We all know the importance this tells us about the stability of that area as a whole!
To read the full article, go to NPR here.
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