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, April 15 2024
Found in the field in West Virginia, this Ringneck in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user cochran is mighty! Mighty small and mighty cute! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Friday, April 12 2024
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! The true American Icon, the Atrox, or Western Diamondback stands his ground in our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user juzior ! 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. It is our goal to help dispel the fears surrounding our beloved venomous creatures.
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Thursday, April 11 2024
We do goofy stuff with our pets too! Like stick our tongues our at our Blue Tongue Skinks like in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Abazagorath! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Wednesday, April 10 2024
This Pied Bearded Dragon in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user dragomlover was originally bred by Liz at Satyrday Reptiles. I hit the wayback machine in our photo gallery for this one. As far as the notes on the photo say, it was unknown if this one was ever bred, but did not appear to have been. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Tuesday, April 9 2024
This Sulawesi Forest Turtle looks like he is ready to take on the world and dominate it in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user andystorts ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Monday, April 8 2024
This gecko in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user uggleedog is so bright we gotta wear shades. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Hispaniolan Cat-eyed Snakes occur in many colors and patterns.
I’m revisiting this species hoping that somewhere in the world, someone has a breeding pair and will offer additional information on this Hispaniolan beauty.
Hypsirhyncus ferox, the Hispaniolan Cat-eyed or Hog-nosed Snake, is an interesting little dipsadine species about which very little is written. It is occasionally called the Haitian Hog-nosed Racer. All common names are well deserved, this snake having elliptical pupils, a flattened slightly upturned rostrum, and quickly and agilely fleeing any undue disturbances.
This little snake occurs in several colors that vary from dark gray to red with various browns and pinks between the 2. The snake may lack dorsal and lateral patterning or be heavily patterned, often moreso dorsally than laterally, but may also have light or dark lateral striping.
Long a single species found in both Hispaniolan countries and having 3 subspecies, recently it has been revisited by geneticists and (surprise, surprise!) has now been split into 2 species, one of which has 2 ssp. Adult size is about 15 inches and prey includes lizards and frogs. Cat-eyed Snakes can move agilely and quickly, rapidly disappearing when disturbed, escaping into or benearh underbrush or other readily available cover.
Over the years I have maintained a few as captive and found them to be secretive but hardy, readily feeding on anoles. Other than the fact that this is an oviparous snake, little is known about its breeding methodology.
This snake was not often offered even in the heyday of herp importing. Should you see them offered today and choose to have a small, easily maintained oddity, act quickly. And please let me know if there are extras. I’m looking too.
Continue reading "Hispaniolan Cat-eyed or Hog-nosed Snake, revisited"
Friday, April 5 2024
Happy Ratttlesnake Friday! This Crotalus tigris, found and photographed in AZ, is keeping her eye on you in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user kevinjudd ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Thursday, April 4 2024
This Florida Softshell is just posing perfectly in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Amazoa! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Wednesday, April 3 2024
This is a gorgeous corn snake in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user dallashawks ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Tuesday, April 2 2024
Here's to hoping this fire salamander in our herp photo of the day brightens up your morning! It's uploaded by kingsnake.com user jungleemporium.
Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Monday, April 1 2024
This field found Thorny Devil ( Moloch horridus) in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user frilly looks regal in his pose! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Once seen, our attention immediately turned from birds to snakes.
We looked long and hard for this little Trope, Tropidophis maculatus, and when they were found is was entirely by accident. Accident or not, we were elated. Our tour leader, Dr. Luis Diaz, had taken us to a Conservation Area where he and we were welcomed by the caretaker. We were looking in particular for Cuban Grassfinches, and we were delighted to see two small flocks along a grassy, palm shaded, roadway.
Of course, lying beneath each palm were fair numbers of dead fronds that we simply could not walk by without turning. Smart move, that. Because beneath the fallen fronds were numbers of broken cinderblocks and many turnable,flat rocks and chunks of concrete.Together these all held a bit of moisture on the reddish earth, so several rocks were carefully turned and just as carefully replaced. Soon someone said “snake!”
So, within moments of arriving we had in hand one of our several target species, the Spotted Red Trope (old name, Dwarf Boa) that had found suitable temperatures and moisture beneath the debris. And we truly had lucked out, because under the fronds and beneath other rocks, we found several additional examples.
This is one of the smaller trope species,being fully adult at 12 to 15 inches in length. Most found by us were in the 8-10 inch range indicating this to be a good breeding site.
Great memories to share, of a species seldom seen except in its homeland.
Continue reading "Spotted Red Trope"
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