matt2 - Welcome all to Kingsnake.com's Special Guestchat..tonight
we have Mr. Mark O'Shea
apexpredator - Mr. Oshea, first thanks for taking the time to chat
with us, My 6 year old son and I are huge fans, will you be allowing pics/autographs
tomorrow and will you be releaseing any new shows?
PHKiwi - What is in your future plans? Any more King Cobras??
MarkOShea - I think one film VENOM has still to be shown in US, on
Sri Lankan Russell's vipers and their4 snakebite problem. No more kings
for a while but we are waiting for a new commission before we can start
a fourth series
PHKiwi - excellent!
MarkOShea - Predator.. I will be signing special postcards we have
prepared for the show over teh w/e and also will be talking to folks and
having pix taken I guess. Taking time out from filming, first real break
for over 3 years
apexpredator - thanks for your time, your show is hand down the best
see ya tomorrow!
Barry--4 - First off, Thanks you for your time, is greatly appreciated,
Of all the snakes you have handled which one is the worst problem child
to work with
MarkOShea - tough question, difficult snake, mambas, thinking....
MarkOShea - many fast moving and agile nonvenon species are more
difficult that cobras or rattlers but tropical rattlers have a flanking
strike that can hit you high and in the back of the leg so you have to take
care and the terciopelo (Bothrops asper) is also a real mean machine. next
Cohotman - Mr Oshea as a herpetology student i often get discouraged
about what i am going to do after school.Independent study is an option,but
i am still pretty confused.Any words of encouragement or some ideas.I really
enjoy filmmaking,but the competition is too stiff.LOL.Thanks for everything
especially your knowledge.TO THE LOVE OF HERPS.
MarkOShea - a love of herps does not (sadly) guarantee you a job
with them. competition is stiff and tv work is hardest to get into, think
there is Steve, Jeff, me, Nigel and a few others in the whole world. Careers
in field research can be rewarding but if you want to be in the limelight
is is not for you. Even so I lovfe working in the rainforest on long term
in depth research surveys (without cameras every time I turn around). You
just have to k
Colorado-Akira - Hello Mr. OShea, Thank you for joining us all tonight!
I just want to know what your first herp was, (the one that started it all
;)) and how old you were when you got it. Bearded Dragons rule!!
MarkOShea - I handled a boa constrictor in Dublin Zoo which seemed
twice as long as I was tall (it was 1966 and I was about 8) so then I wanted
to see a snake in teh wild can almsot caught an adder (our only venomous
snake) but failed. I ended up keeping a grass snake (like your watersnakes)
and went from there. next
Colorado-Herper - hey Mr. O'Shea, I was wondering if i could have a
autograph for my museum. My museum houses reptiles, arrowheads, rocks, minerals,
shells, and some other stuff. Your autograph would mean a lot to me and
people who come in to visit. My email is wchuntsman@msn.com. Thanks for
you time, and great show. P.S. I'm 16 my name is william, and it would really
mean a lot to me. :)
Drymarchon - Mark, I'm part of an eastern indigo snake conservation
group, one of our goals is to have a celeb such as yourself do a program
highlighting these snakes (D.c.couperi). We want to spread the word about
their threatened status , gentle nature, non-ven...etc. Any chance you'd
consider such a program? I could really get the ball going as far as lining
up the top experts. (self included...lol)
Drymarchon - here's my contact email: drini@fuse.net
Colorado-Akira - here is my contact email:amz_Morpheus@hotmail.com
MarkOShea - col herp, it you let matt2 have your postal address and
the dedication required he can let us know here and I can sign one while
I'm here and leave it in the US - back to UK Monday. next
EricC - what do you think is the biggest threat to wild monitor populations
in indonesia and why?
MarkOShea - threat to monitors in Indonesia, possibly illegal skin
trade which I encountered in the protected reserve of Krakatau. favourite
lizards - monkey-tail skink and crocodile skink from Solomons and New Guinea
respectively. next
FatSnake - whats your favorite lizard mr oshet
MarkOShea - drymarchon, I saw one once, in the Glades in 1980, and
have caught three cribos since (Brazil, Venezuela, nw.Mexico). It would
be cool but at the moment I can't see me going a film about them. sorry,
maybe another time. next
geeboo - First of all love your show. Second do you encounter any
problems entering the foreign providences and can the common civilian go
see these places and herps without to much trouble. I'm from the USA.
Guest43023 - Mr. O'Shea. Thank you very much for taking your time
to participate in this chat. Now, my question. When can we expect your series
on DVD's (or VHS at least). I checked Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com and
there are not too many documentary films on snakes. There are a couple of
DVD's and some VHS by Steve Irwin and that's about it. Judging from Reptile
Expo attendance here in Manchester NH, I cannot
MarkOShea - many countries have rstrictions about even touching their
wildlife. in India it is illegal to handle wild Indian pythons, even the
main Indian biologist working on them has to observe but not touch. We had
to get special permission (written) for me to handle them on camera. It
is harder for other visitors to get permission. Some other countries are
easier. FInd out before you go. next
Jordan_Reptile_Man - well mark this is an awsome experience getting
to talk to you. but just wondering, what do you in youre daily activities?
and Mr. Oshea may i please have an autograph too? :)
MarkOShea - jordan, at home in the UK at the moment I am busy finishing
a kids book on lizards, acting as consulant on another on snakes, sorting
my new house and library out and gtetting away from it carp fishing. next
kahn627 - Mark what do you think of the morph craze with the balls
boas and ecspecially retics?Thanks for takin the time to chat with us also!
JustSomeDumbGuy - im planning a trip to brazil in the next yeay or
two, do you know how strict the laws are in regards to temporary capture?
MarkOShea - I must confess to not beingh a fan of colour morphs,
hope that does not upset anyone who loves them but I spend most of my time
looking at herps that are the real wild colour phases and I prefer them.
Colour morphs do one v.good thing tyhough, they attract people away from
wanting wild caught herps. next
ke3r - Where do you stand on the issue of crossbreeding snakes?,
i.e. a Guyana Redtail with a Colombian Redtail, and also how do you feel
about private ownership of large boids?, Thanks, youre so awesome
MarkOShea - that is something I am against. captive breeding is only
conservation if you breed true and the crossing of different subspecies
or species to make money is wrong in my book. however since Colombian and
Guyana 'red-tails' are the same subspecies (Boa constrictor constrictor)
is is not so bad. Still I beleive in the integrity of island races of herps
more than anything, they are isoalteed populations and should remain isolated
in captiv
ke3r - thanks, my thoughts exactly
MarkOShea - big boas, no problem in captivity provided you are sensible.
next
Kingsnake - Hi Mark. I'm a native Floridian and wanted to know what
areas in Northern Florida you've traveled and what species of snakes in
this area have you found any interest in? Thanks for your time.
MarkOShea - i have been to Florida several times, filming and before
then and of course the Expo. I found rosy ratsnakes really beautiful even
though they are no longer recognised as valid ssp. I foudn them back in
1980 when they were valid. Also little rough-greens are neat and ofcourse
big EDBR. next
Kyle05 - I am wondering if you went to College or not, and if so,
where did you go and what did you get your degree in? Thanks for chatting.
MarkOShea - I have a degree, yes, and I recently was honoured by
a UK university with a degree of Doctor of Sciences for my contribution
to herpetology, my published work and extensive pre-filming fieldwork research
more than OBA.
KyleH- - Hello Mark. What is your opinion on venomoid snakes?
MarkOShea - Why does everyone ask about things I am not keen on.
I do not allow venomoids in our collection because I consider them dangerous,
they breed false confidence. Also it would be like us pulling the teeth
on our white tigers. The only value I can see in them is the movie business
because these days the makers cannot fool the audience with a boa pretending
to be a rattler and if some expensive movie star has to go a close up scene
with a v
MarkOShea - other than that, sorry I don't like them. next
KyleH- - i agree... thanks
MUTANTROACH - just wanted to say we enjoyed you in kansas city at
the picnic
MarkOShea - i remember that, yes it was fun !
Navaros - Hello Mark, What is (in your opinion) the most interesting
gecko species you have studied in the wild?
MarkOShea - Aaron's NC Rhacodactylus was v.interesting as was the
entire herpetofauna of the island. I have not yet met the weird Namibian
geckos but maybe one day.
Navaros - thanks
NickAsher - Hey Mark, you did a show with green blooded skinks.
Was wondering what their latin name was? Also I havent seen your shows on
Animal Planet are they not running them any more? Rhacodactylus RULE
MarkOShea - a coralsnake fan eh !, the biggest in the Americas at
6ft, M.surinamensis, the aquatic coralsnake of Amazonia.
NickAsher - Hey Mark, you did a show with green blooded skinks. Was
wondering what their latin name was? Also I havent seen your shows on Animal
Planet are they not running them any more? Rhacodactylus RULE
MarkOShea - Prasinohaema which means green blood. My shows are running
on AP in UK and Discovery worldwide but maybe AP in US is taking a break
for a while to get you yearning for more ! next
Nyx - Hi, Mark: gotta ask the usual question - in all your years
of herping, what are your favourite venomous and nonvenomous snakes that
you've encountered? also, have you ever seen or handled the New World 'python',
Loxocemus bicolor? Thanks!
MarkOShea - fav venomous - king cobra because of the female in Cobra's
Revenge, fav. non-venomous - not sure, so many, I have handled captive Loxocemus
but not wild ones. next
osensei - As far as amatuer herpetologists are concerned , would
you recommend pinning as a means of handling for examinatiopn etc. or is
tubing the way to go? Also are there any venomous species you just wont
handle? Which one bothers you the most? Thanks and hope to see you on the
tele soon!
MarkOShea - I think amateurs should steer clear of venomous until
they have been in the field with experts. Tubes are excellent and pioneered
by Harry Greene, available from MidWest. There are venomous you cannot pick
up safely but your can still work with them, stilettos for a start. Venomopus
snakes don't bother me but I do give them respect when it is required. next
phil2005 - Hello Mark! I live in Scotland and maybe i am not as
well adapted to XL snakes as the people in the states, I work in a small
pet store that have just started to sell reptiles, and i was horrified that
people keep reticulated pythons and green anaconda`s as pets! Personally
i find it frightening that these animals can be obtained by ANYONE and without
licensing!!!! What are your thoughts?
MarkOShea - people obtaining large snakes should have experience
with smaller species first, have suitable facilities and should seek advice
from other keepers before hand. I do not agree with licensing for big snakes,
common sense should be enough. next
ratman23 - Thank you kindly matt...... Mr. Oshea, you make for GREAT
Herping Adventure TV. What would have to be your favorite, hands down snake
to work with? And thank you for your time.
MarkOShea - I really find it hard to decide because a fav. snake
might not make a great quest or a good film, it takes more than just an
impressive herp top make a good film. next
ratman23 - Thank you
skatr46 - I was just curious on the O. hannah reclassification..
I have contacted a few people, who in turn sent me to someone else. So I
was just curious if you knew the reason to the the reclassification?
matt2 - Mark; we're up on the hour..I know you're very busy..would
you like to continue for a half hour?
repman101 - Hey Mark. What are your thoughts on the importing and
exporting of reptiles in large scale? Like ball pythons in the thousands?
Thanks
MarkOShea - re kingcobra, you (and I) will have to wait for Indraneil
Das to publish his results. When I last spoke with him he said he still
neeeded some material from a couple of locations so I estimate a year or
so before it goes to press. next
Slizarus - Ever been to Malaysia Penang in particular? If so what
do you think of the Varanids over there?
MarkOShea - actually I have two busy days of signing autographs beginning
tomorrow and my banquet lecture to check over so I really must get some
sleep v.soon. I have been on the go since 3am UK time Wednesday, fly to
Germany then Phila, visit zoo, promote show, two big tv interviews today
and it is getting tiring. Still I don't want to disappoint anyone so lets
do a few more next
MarkOShea - not been to Malay peninsular, Thailand yes, Singapore
yes, Borneo and Indonesia yes but not Malay pen. Varanids there must be
like Thai or Sing specimens
MarkOShea - good night all, see some of you tomorrow maybe.
MarkOShea - Mark
Colorado-Herper - night
PHKiwi - Good night and Thanks Mark!
NickAsher - thank mark
matt2 - On behlaf of Jeff Barringer, Kingsnake.com and myself and
PHKiwiw, thanks so much for your time Mark