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, December 12 2016
![](/blog/uploads//AgkistrodoncontortrixpictigasterBlackGapJun201619.JPG) These 3 Trans-Pecos copperheads were found on this trip.
Our plans again changed, but only by a few minutes. The hour was late and we had decided to call it a night. Then, well on our way to the road exit, I decided “aww heck. Just one more pass and then we’d leave. I reversed direction again and had hardly gotten up to cruising speed when “SNAKE.” I slammed the brakes on and Jake was out of his door before the car fully stopped. Another “WAHOOOOO,” then “Copperhead.”
This, the Trans-Pecos copperhead, Agkistrodon piscivorous pictigaster (and yes, I’m aware of the nomenclatural changes but I happen to believe in the subspecies concept!) was another lifer for Jake.
This, the southwesternmost of the 5 subspecies of copperhead, is also the most strikingly colored. The dark bands are wide, shade to a narrow rich mahogany edging fore and aft, and contain a central light patch as they near the dark belly. Pretty? You have to see and adult example (juveniles are paler overall) of this pit viper to fully appreciate its beauty.
And we were able to appreciate it 3 times, for besides Jake’s lifer, we found 2 additional copperheads. Things were looking up. Now on to Study Butte.
Continue reading " One more for Jeff Davis County!"
Friday, December 9 2016
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! We hopped into the way back machince to find this field shot of Cerastes cerastes in our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user shahar ! 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.
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/62016P6110327-med.JPG)
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Thursday, December 8 2016
Two for Thursday here at kingsnake.com! Usually the animal is the focal point, but today a pair of turtles, one rare and one common, grace our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Wu-Gwei ! Can you see both the Blandings and the Snapper? Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/13170DSCF0134-med.JPG)
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Wednesday, December 7 2016
That's a whole lotta bull. Bullsnake that is! Loving the colors on the one here in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user orchidspider has never missed a meal! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/92118P9150004.JPG)
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Tuesday, December 6 2016
What a chunker! I'm just gonna go out on a limb and say that the Barking Tree Frog in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user saltycity has never missed a meal! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/1307842008_0229reptiles0003-med.JPG)
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Monday, December 5 2016
How small are Viper Geckos when they are born? As you can see in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user JohnRobinson VERY small! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/20496ViperGecko-med.JPG)
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Friday, December 2 2016
![](/blog/uploads/13239428_1741245532818089_7206558320442408253_n1.jpg) photo courtesy of Maxmax Reptiles Rescue from CNY Kids' Expo.
Late this morning, a fire broke in the home of Scott Dombrowski and Diana Sleiertin, the founder of Maxman Reptile Rescue.
Their home sheltered many of the rescue's animals as well as the family's personal pets. The only one home at the time was Scott, who was critically injured while attempting to save animals.
Scott's condition is at present critical and unstable. Diana is with him at the hospital while friends and family attempt to go determine what, if anything, can be saved at the house.
Having spent most of my life doing reptile rescue, I know the life Diana has lived. We shared stories of our rescue work the year she visited the Reptile Fest. Everything she had, she put into the animals, and she rescued everything. While her work and heart lay in reptiles, she worked with other area organizations to save as many as possible.
Right now they need our help. Scott's condition is currently listed as critical. Donations to the family can be made at their gofundme. As we learn more information, we will keep you posted.
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Loving this field find in Tenneessee! Awesome shot of a Crotalus horridus in our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user mbwright82 ! 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.
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/217074Horridus.jpg)
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Thursday, December 1 2016
Ain't nothing common about this Reed frog in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user arkherps ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/27690hyper5.jpg)
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Wednesday, November 30 2016
Oh Hi! This is one of the best shots of a pine snake I have seen in a long time in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user ginter ! Look at the depth of color in the snake! AWESOME! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/9343IMGP4038_2.jpg)
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Tuesday, November 29 2016
Wary and keeping his distance, this agama is protecting his territory in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user aero_tiff ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/118864Copy_of_Red_headed_agama_small.jpg)
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Monday, November 28 2016
Ball pythons will forever be a part of our world. This classic normal ball in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user stallmaster2 reminds me of where I started, how about you?! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/181860snake3upload.jpg)
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Friday, November 25 2016
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Can you get any more classic rattlesnake than the Western Diamondback posing our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user kevinjudd ! 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.
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/202475_DSC9627-med.jpg)
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Thursday, November 24 2016
From all of us at kingsnake.com, including this pilgrim Chuckwalla in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user John-C , these guys are full of personality and awesomeness! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/19756Thanksgiving__07_chuckwally_Tommy_2__11-20-07-med.jpg)
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Wednesday, November 23 2016
This sideneck turtle is playing shy in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user reptilicus81 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/45718DSC01564.JPG)
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Tuesday, November 22 2016
One week old and this chondro is glowing in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user KE! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/8253ksBiak_13GTP08Jan15.JPG)
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Monday, November 21 2016
This juvenile alligator in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user mbwright82 brings us warm summer memories! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/217074Baby_Gator1-med.jpg)
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![](/blog/uploads/KinosternonflavescenswTXJune20169.JPG) This little yellow mud turtle chose to be active during the deluge.
We awakened to a persistent and thickening cloud cover rent in all directions by bolts of cloud to ground lightning. Thunderstorms surrounded us. Hmmmm. What now? We hadn’t driven all night only to be thwarted by storms. But as it turned out, thwarted we were. To the west was a solid wall of rain. Eastward seemed a bit brighter in a dark sort of way, so we headed east to 277, a fabled gray-banded kingsnake road, only to be met by still intensifying thunderstorms.
Within minutes it was raining so hard that the wipers were ineffectual. Lightning, in all of its many incarnations, was incessant. Jake and I knew that our first night in West Texas was destined to be a bust; if any herps at all were active it would be the amphibians, and so it was--almost. Of the many possibilities that night we were to see only Couch’s spadefoots, Scaphiopus couchii, Rio Grande leopard frogs, Rana berlandieri, and a single yellow mud turtle, Kinosternon flavescens, that scuttled quickly from the pavement. The storm of that evening was epic with rainfall exceeding 5 inches. Motel time!
Continue reading " A Very Rainy Comstock"
Sunday, November 20 2016
![](/blog/uploads/CrotalusatroxBigBendJun20154.JPG) This western diamondback was seen several times in one night.
At dusk—a clear, warm, dusk-- we found a vinegaroon! On a trip that had been plagued with evening downpours, that was a definite step in the right direction. Vinegaroons (aka whip scorpions or uropygids) are always a welcome find. Detaining it for photos induced the release of the protective acetic acid concoction from which this arachnid takes its name, but within a minute or two the little beast was continuing its trek across the pavement.
Although we were the first ones on the road, three other cars of herpers soon joined the hunt. But despite the competition we did reasonably well. The first find was a 2-foot long black-tailed rattlesnake, Crotalus m. molossus. Jake spied its nose, barely out of the roadside grasses, soon after darkness had fallen. Second up for the evening was a 2-foot long western diamondback, Crotalus atrox, the first of this normally abundant species we had seen on the trip. A trusting snake, we saw this young rattler on several other of the evening’s passes. The third snake of the evening brought an explosive “YESSSSSS” followed by a victory dance from Jake. It, a western hook-nosed snake, Gyalopion canum, was a taxon that had evaded us for the previous 2 years. And as it turned out, it was the only example of this little arachnid and insect eater that we found on this trip! Lady luck was smiling occasionally.
Continue reading "Jeff Davis County"
Thursday, November 17 2016
These two boas are chilling in a fresh tub of water in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user BNixon ! I bet there were babies being made at some point here. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/95366DSCF3136-med.JPG)
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Wednesday, November 16 2016
Although often called incorrectly a rubber eel, this Rio Cauca Caecilian ( Typhlonectes natans) in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user chrish is all amphibian! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/5263Typhlonectes-med.jpg)
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Tuesday, November 15 2016
This adorbs Chuchwalla looks like he is tired of all the drama we humans have in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user dvl and add to your colubrid craziness! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/1091chuck_salute-med.jpg)
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Monday, November 14 2016
So many colubrids, so little time! Check out this African Herald snake in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user MVH4 and add to your colubrid craziness! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/183951100_6858-med.JPG)
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Friday, November 11 2016
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! The icionic Eastern Diamondback just chilling in the sand for our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user evil-elvis ! 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.
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/11147IMG_4268-med.JPG)
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Thursday, November 10 2016
There is always something special with dart frogs like this one in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user FrogUs ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/77239D_azureus.jpg)
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Wednesday, November 9 2016
Stalking his next snack, this Croc Monitor is cool customer here in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user volleyballjoe ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/151972croc-med.jpg)
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Tuesday, November 8 2016
One normal, one leucy. A lovely shot of two leopard frog tadpoles in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user retnaburner ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/98477leucistic_leopard_frog_tadpole_1-med.jpg)
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Monday, November 7 2016
This vibrant Cape Gopher Snake ( Pituophis catenifer vertebralis) in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user pitparade will brighten your Monday for sure! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/190436Cape_Kingsnake_2012_Male_098-med.jpg)
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Friday, November 4 2016
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! It may not be a rattlesnake, hot patootie it's a beauty!! This wild shot of a Death Adder from the Great Sandy Desert, uploaded by kingsnake.com user geoffcunningham assumes the traditional cobra pose for this photo! 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.
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/83381Deathadder.JPG)
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Thursday, November 3 2016
If you have never experienced a group of Vietnamese Leaf Turtles at feeding time you are missing out! Much like this little one in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user cod6545 , these guys are full of personality and awesomeness! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
![](http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/36591Female-med.jpg)
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