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, March 17 2012
Last night's reptile law legal summit in Tinley Park, Illinois, brought together a group of approximately 400 reptile owners, businesses, clubs and organizations to discuss the legal issues facing the herpetology community.
Leading off the summit was an outline and discussion of the recently launched Burmese Python Initiative, a rescue program initiated by Bill Brandt and Ben Siegel. With the pending listing of the Burmese Python as "injurious" by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the BPI hopes to provide options and answers to Burmese Python owners across the U.S.
This was followed by a proposal by Justin Meitz, of the Reno Herp Society, to start a National Herpetelogical Society to act as an top level organization connecting local herpetological societies into a connected network, in order to share resources and give the herp societies a voice at the national level. This is an organization that has long been needed by the community, and kingsnake.com fully supports the effort to provide a "national backbone" to these local herp clubs and groups.
USARK's Andrew Wyatt provided a historical overview of the USARK organization, what it has accomplished, and what it does with the funds it collects, and spoke about upcoming issues that need to be addressed by the community. Mike Canning, President of PIJAC (Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council), presented a similar overview of their organization as well and its role is in the fight to keep pet reptiles legal in the US.
Finally, a panel discussion on current and forthcoming legal challenges facing the reptile world was held with the leaders of these organizations, as well as noted members of the community. Questions were taken both from the audience and from submissions made via the Internet. The frustration of many in the room was felt, and at times it seeped into the questions, and answers. After nearly two hours the panel discussion wound down, leaving some members of the audience and panelists with few real answers (and even more questions than they had at the beginning), but many good directions and ideas.
While the idea of a Reptile Law Summit is a good one, in reality the time allotted did not allow for anything more than a surface discussion of the matters at hand. It is time for the community to consider holding a pure reptile law symposium and workshop, not buttressed by or conflicting with a Reptile Expo, to give reptile owners, businesses, and organizations more work space and time to coordinate efforts, share experiences and develop tools and strategies to more effectively deal with the issues we will face in the future, both near and far.
Friday, March 16 2012
This evening, members of the herp community will come together at the second North American Legal Summit at Tinley Park near Chicago.
The summit, which is free and open to anyone who comes in the door, begins at 7 PM Central Time. The schedule for this evening is:
7:00 PM Ben Siegel - Burmese Python Initiative
7:15 PM Andrew Wyatt – USARK President
7:45 PM Mike Canning – PIJAC President
Panel Discussion
Mike Canning – PIJAC President
Bill Brant – PIJAC Board Member
Jeff Barringer – Founde,r Kingsnake.com
Ben Siegel – Burmese Python Initiative
Andrew Wyatt – USARK President
Joan Galvin – USARK Board Member
Gary Bagnall – USARK Board Member
Mike Wilbanks – Constrictors Unlimited
Kevin McCurley – Author, "The Complete Ball Python," and CEO of NERD
The NARBC reptile show begins at 11 AM on Saturday; I'll also be giving a talk that day on how to start doing outreach to the general public to benefit the reptile community.
Jeff and I will both be at the show, and if you want to get some kingsnake bumperstickers or assorted swag from the past, make sure to swing by the Psychotic Exotics booth and say hi. While you're there, meet Kerry King of Slayer.
Jeff and I will be bringing you reports starting this evening and running through the weekend. Watch the blog, our Twitter, and our Facebook page!
Thursday, March 15 2012
The already small population of the endangered Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake ( Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) is being wiped out by a rare fungus.
Long-term population studies of the snake -- in Illinois and elsewhere -- had never turned up evidence of debilitating fungal infections. But in 2008, biologists studying the snake reported to Allender that they had found three sick snakes in a park in southern Illinois, all with disfiguring lesions on their heads. The snakes died within three weeks of their discovery. A fourth snake with a similar syndrome was discovered in the same park in the spring of 2010.
Allender conducted necropsies on the snakes and identified the pathogen that had killed them: C hrysosporium, a fungus that plagues portions of the pet reptile industry but is not normally seen in the wild, he said.
"Chrysosporium causes disease in bearded dragons and in other snakes and it's a bad bug," Allender said. "We see it in captive animals worldwide, but we don't typically find it in free-ranging animals."
Chrysosporium also is emerging as a dangerous infection in humans with weakened immune systems, he said.
Shortly after he first presented his findings at a meeting of the Fish and Wildlife Service, Allender heard from other biologists about similar infections in snakes in the northeast United States.
To read the full article, click here.
Continue reading "Rare Fungus wiping out rattlesnakes in Illinois"
Wednesday, March 14 2012
Eleven-year-old Tyshaun Grant was in stable condition at University of Chicago Comer’s Children’s Hospital following a shooting near West 59th Street and South Stewart Avenue in Chicago at around 4 p.m. yesterday. The incident occurred while he and his friends were looking for snakes around railroad tracks in Chicago. According to MSNBC:
Community activist Andrew Holmes said the boys were looking for snakes near the railroad tracks when two men in bandanas walked up and shot the child.
Kingsnsake.com is working to obtain more information, but a number of people. companies, and organizations in the reptile community are planning to host a fundraiser for the little snake hunter's medical expenses at this weekend's Reptile Law Summit and North American Reptile Breeders Conference in Tinley Park near Chicago.
Spearheaded by NARBC's Brian Potter, donation jars and a silent auction have already been planned for the event, and an online donation system has been set up at Chip In. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council has already pledged a donation, as have kingsnake.com and others in the community and industry. Items for the auction can be sent to 14416 John Humphrey Dr, Orland Park, Il, 60462, but with the limited time an online donation might be the better option for most.
Stay tuned here at kingsnake.com for more information on Tyshaun Grant's condition and to find out how you can help the little snake hunter.
Tuesday, March 13 2012
Im looking at breeding both SAvannah monitors and Mangrove monitors and looking for idea on the best way to do so!
Ohio is set to hold it's first hearing on the proposed "Dangerous Wild Animal" bill tomorrow, and a number of pet reptiles are listed in the legislation, directly impacting thousands of reptile owners and businesses in the midwest. Senate Bill 310 sets forth conditions for ownership of certain “restricted snakes” requiring extensive and expensive permitting, as well as up to $500,000 in liability insurance. The following snakes are considered “restricted snakes” in Senate Bill 310: - Green anacondas;
- Yellow anacondas;
- Reticulated pythons;
- Indian pythons;
- Burmese pythons;
- North African rock pythons;
- South African rock pythons;
- Amethystine pythons;
- Boa constrictors
- Species of the Family Atractaspididae;
- Species of the Family Elapidae;
- Species of the Family Viperidae;
- Boomslang snakes;
- Twig snakes; and
- Any other snakes designated by the Director
To read more about Ohio's "Dangerous Wild Animal" bill, and how you can offer your input, click below to read PIJAC's PetALERT...
Continue reading "First hearing for Ohio "Dangerous Wild Animal" bill tomorrow"
Monday, March 12 2012
kingsnake.com is again one of the sponsors of this weekends Reptile Law Summit, as well as the North American Reptile Breeders Conference, and I would like to invite anyone with an interest in reptile laws, or the organizations involved with representing pet owners, to attend the meeting Friday night in Tinley Park, Illinois, just outside Chicago. Please make sure to bring any questions, issues, or concerns you may have regarding regulatory issues at the state or federal level, or with the organizations involved, with you to the meeting.
I am scheduled to be a panelist Friday night representing kingsnake.com, along with PIJAC's Mike Canning, USARK's Andrew Wyatt, Gary Bagnall from Zoomed and others from the reptile industry and community, where we will be discussing the federal regulation of Burmese Pythons as well as other legal issues facing our community. Hopefully we can address some of your questions and concerns and maybe arrive at some solutions together.
Reptile Law Summit Schedule - March 16,2012
7:00 PM Ben Siegel - Burmese Python Initiative
7:15 PM Andrew Wyatt – USARK President
7:45 PM Mike Canning – PIJAC President | 8:15 PM Panel Discussion
Bill Brant – PIJAC Board Member
Mike Canning – PIJAC President
Ben Siegel – Burmese Python Initiative
Andrew Wyatt – USARK President
Joan Galvin – USARK Board Member
Gary Bagnall – USARK Board Member
Mike Wilbanks – Constrictors Unlimited
Jeff Barringer - kingsnake.com
Others - TBA |
Cindy Steinle and myself will be posting updates and hopefully providing audio and video interviews from the site, so if you are unable to attend please make sure to check in here at kingsnake.com for regular on-scene reports. The Reptile Law Summit meeting Friday night is FREE! ~ for more information on the Reptile Law Summit please visit the NARBC web site at http://narbc.com. Please drop us a note here and let us know if you will be attending.
Saturday, March 10 2012
The Jaycees are an organization built around young adults contributing to the betterment of their community. Apparently in Sweetwater, Tex., that means publicly endorsed animal abuse.
As part of their annual Rattlesnake Roundup — which kicks off today and runs throughout the weekend — the Sweetwater Jaycees have posted a bounty of $10 per pound of rattlesnake rustled up and hauled in. That's double the average bounty paid for the past decade.
Why the premium? Last year's haul was low (roughly 1,500 pounds, compared to the average of 4,000), and pervasive drought conditions have left the regional rattlesnake population in question, Sweetwater Jaycee David Sager said.
After the high demand on the snakes over the years, the local populations of rattlesnakes are being depleted. Each year bringing in less and less snakes. The snakes become a freak show act that often results in major animal abuse in the public eye.
To read the full article, click here. Each year I am left wondering: where are the animal rights activists for the rattlesnakes?
Thursday, March 8 2012
By
Thu, March 8 2012 at 16:43
does anyone know where i can get a good incubator for under one hundred dollars?
A proposed law to strictly regulate ownership and keeping of many animals deemed "wild" or "exotic" is under consideration by the West Virginia Legislature. The bill, SB 477, was proposed on Feb. 1, passed the state senate on Feb. 14, and was placed on a special calendar earlier today after a series of committee hearings. The legislative session ends tomorrow, and the bill's lead sponsor, Senate President Jeff Kessler, believes SB 477 will pass before the session ends.
The Charleston Daily Mail reported Kessler as saying he "introduced the legislation in reaction to the bizarre story of Terry Thompson, a Zanesville, Ohio, man who last year released over 50 tigers, lions, monkeys, leopards, bears and other exotic animals into his community before killing himself."
The bill has been criticized by some West Viriginians for not including a list of animals affected by the legislation, which contains very broad language defining "wild" and "exotic" animals, including birds and reptiles, and could potentially apply to unsocial pet or feral cats. Additionally, the bill calls for lists of "wild" and "exotic" animals, as well as "domestic animals" to be created after the bill is passed, making it difficult for citizens to judge whether the bill will apply to their pets.
In the article in the Daily Mail, Kessler told Rhonda Kelly, a woman concerned about her pet marmosets (a primate weighing around half a pound), not to worry:
"This is for big huge animals, mostly. Lions, tigers and bears. If they're big enough to rip your face off, those are the kind of things that probably ought not to be running around."
Kessler said Kelly should not be concerned: Marmosets likely won't make the list of restricted animals.
"I'm not even sure it would be considered a dangerous animal," Kessler said.
However, the language in the currently proposed bill reads far more broadly than that:
"Domestic animal", or the plural, means an animal which, through extremely long association with humans, has been bred to a degree which has resulted in genetic changes affecting the temperament, color, conformation or other attributes of the species to an extent that makes them unique and distinguishable from wild individuals of their species, and includes animals that have been bred as companion animals and pets. A comprehensive list of "domestic animals" shall be set forth by the division, in consultation with the department and the bureau, pursuant to the rulemaking authority of this article(.)
[....]
"Wild and exotic animals", "animals", or the singular mean mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fresh-water fish, including hybrids thereof, that are dangerous to humans, other animals and the environment due to their inherent nature. "Wildlife", as defined by section two, article one of this chapter, "agricultural animals", as defined in section two, article ten-b and section two, article twenty-nine, chapter nineteen of this code, and "domestic animals", as defined herein, are excluded. A comprehensive list of "wild and exotic animals" shall be set forth by the division, in consultation with the department and the bureau, pursuant to the rule-making authority of this article(.)
The bill's progress can be tracked on the West Virginia State Legislature website.
Photo: Rhonda Kelly with marmoset, from Daily Mail article.
When the streets of Cuyahoga Falls recently had a flooding issue, workers were shocked to find the cause.
The workers thought the problem was clogged leaves or other debris so they used a jet spray that delivers about 2,000 pounds of pressure to force loose whatever was blocking the sewer.
“Once it hits an obstruction, it starts pulsating,” Williams said.
When the men pulled the reel and hose back out, the turtle came with it, Williams said. It was the size of a car tire.
“I don’t know how he could have gotten stuck in a 12-inch storm sewer,” he said.
Williams said city workers did some sleuthing on the Internet to determine how to properly handle the turtle and ensure it could survive being released back into the wild.
The first order of business, Williams said, was to hoist the heavy turtle out of the sewer and onto the back of a city truck.
“He took a little bit of a beating from [our sewer clearing device],” Williams said.
“He survived, but he wasn’t very happy.”
City workers transported the turtle to a field near the Cuyahoga River at the city’s Waterworks Park, where it was released.
To read the full article, click here.
Wednesday, March 7 2012
By
Wed, March 7 2012 at 15:04
Male was stained by substrate actually a Hypo/Red Flame if a home is not found by June 21 I will keep him.
Tuesday, March 6 2012
By
Tue, March 6 2012 at 13:43
Imagine the hypothetical scenario of picking up your weekly town's Tribune one lazy morning on March 2nd and coming across a headline or legislative agenda item for your town council on March 6th reading something to the effect of:
*Board Agenda item 3333333- Final Reading of An Ordinance to prohibit the keeping and sale of Wild, Exotic Animals
No doubt your mind will probably be racing at this point as will your heart rate and blood pressure . What should you do? Is it too late to rally the troops? Is it time to move to another area and/or surrender your animals?
Luckily, the above situation can be prevented or avoided if one becomes organized and proactive in a myraid of different ways in which I shall describe below. The purpose of my wanting to write this post are two fold: one; to serve as a simple and easily understood guide, or resource for many of those who may not be experienced or familiar in the art of grassroots activism, or what to do and when should a ordinance, bill, or amendment to prohibit the keeping of reptiles and other exotic animals arises in your area. And secondly, the purpose of this post is also largely intended to compliment and follow up on a previous posting on the subject by Cindy Steinle, which can be viewed Here
First off, we all need to adopt the mindset of expecting legislation and ordinances coming down the chutes not *if*, but *when*. In other words, we need to expect it coming. As I have previously mentioned, it takes very few catlyists to initiate consideration of these ordinances on the local level. If one is considering moving to an area, please do not specifically inquire to your police department or local lawmaking body about reptiles or exotic animals and certainly please do not keep animals where they are not legal. Case in point: the City of Middleton Wisconsin, whose License and Ordinance committee, along with recommendations from the police chief, began considering an ordinance when an individual with American alligators from Madison WI (where they are presently illegal) requested to keep the animals when moving to Middleton. Having had correspondence with the head animal control officer of Dane County WI following a Dane County Environment, Agriculture, and Natural Resource committee hearing, this particular individual had been implicated in multiple prior incidents of keeping the animals illegally in Madison WI, which was the catlyist that spurred the situation in Middleton, and subsequent involvement, time, manpower, and resources of the Madison area Herpetological Society, of which I serve as Education and Events Coordinator.
Having said that, lets examine some of the simple yet proactive steps everyone can and should do to help fight for our animals locally.
Get to Know Your Local Government Inside and Out
I believe this is one of the most important ones of all. If you are unfamiliar with it, or rusty on the mechanics of local government since last studying it in grade school or middle school, now, prior to anything coming down the chutes, would be an excellent time to referesh yourself as well as others you may wish to network and get involved with on how it works. Among the things I recommend that everyone familiarize themselves with on their local and county governments at a minimum, is how are bills, amendments, or ordinances typically introduced, navigated through the legislative process, and passed. What boards or committees does your local or county government have? How are agenda items typically advertised? Are they printed or broadcasted in the local newsprint or media, posted on city hall's bulletin board, or advertised on the city or county's website? Is there an email subscribe feature to be put on a mailing list for notifications of upcoming agendas, minutes, public hearings, and other legislative activity? Who currently sits on these boards and what is their contact information?
One subject I cannot stress enough is that when the time comes where correspondence with your elected officials is necessary, PLEASE be courteous, knowledgeable and respectful towards them. While it is completely understandable that our hobby and our pets (Got it Right there, Cindy) is a passion and life's work for many of us, please do not shout, badmouth, our use vulgarities or profanities towards them. This is simply unprofessional conduct, and will not carry any weight or result in any progress for our cause. Please be polite and courteous, and provide facts, statistics, and personal examples of how such an ordinance relates to you, your friends, or your family.
One thing we must understand, is most elected officials are barraged with a variety of topics and issues daily, and cannot possibly be knowledgeable or up to date on everything currently before them. We must also understand that most of the time on a local and county level especially, the crafting and consideration of these ordinances by our elected officials are NOT intended to serve as direct attacks against responsible pet owners, keepers, and breeders and should not be viewed as such. In the case of both Middleton WI and Dane County WI, their stated intent of having an ordinance was to simply address those few instances where negligent and/or irresponsible owners do create a health or safety issue with their animals. Does this mean I am in support of the legislation as it is currently written and proposed? Of course not!
Instead, what it comes largely down to a matter of public education, which should include our local elected officials, on the matter. Case in point: one representative on the Dane CO Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources board hadn't even known that stores in the Madison WI area sold reptiles or that people kept them in such great numbers! Instead of attacking and alienating one's local elected officials, identify what their main concerns are for proposing the legislation and what problems they are attempting to address with it. If you are involved with reptile rescue, a herpetological society, or any other business or entity that conducts outreach and education for the public, try offering your assistance and input on the matter by directly addressing their concerns and work towards finding a mutually agreeable solution. You may just be surprised at how much further this approach will take you.
Organize! Joing a Local Herp Society!
The second most important factor (actually tied with the first) to proactively fight for your animals on the local level, is to organize now!!! Do not wait until the last hour or minute to locate and subsequently assemble the troops. If there is one already present, joining any of the education, outreach, and community based local, regional, or state herpetological socieites (or herp socities for short) is also an excellent way of networking with other passionate, motivated, like minded individuals in your area on a variety of subjects pertaining to reptiles and amphibians including legislative matters. In my area of Wisconsin, I am very proud and fortunate to be able to serve as education coordinator and as an active member for the Madison area Herpetological Society (MAHS). Over the past several months, we have been tirelessly engaged and involved with legislation at the local level, all of the way on up to the federal level regarding the python and boa rulemaking. The herp society I am a part of may only be approximately one year old, but in that time, we have managed to become the largest and most active herp society in the state of Wisconsin, and I have little doubt that we will continue to grow and experience the legislative successes we have been having at the local level due to the perseverance and dedicated teamwork all of our members have contributed thus far.
If no herp society currently exists in your area, identify any and all locations where individuals who keep or enjoy reptiles may frequent. You may know of some in your area already. Otherwise, make informal inquires around town for contacts and/or networks at any and all local pet or specialty stores, veterinary clinics, schools, universities, museums, nature centers, fairs or pet shows, or others. Even if one resides in a small town, I suspect that it would not be overly difficult to locate at least a dozen, if not more, interested and dedicated individuals to stand behind you in the cause.
Assembling such a successful and focused grassroots network in such an uphill battle is certainly no small undertaking, and it will undoubtedly require large amounts of time, motivation and energy (and not to mention missed sleep) for successes to happen, given the seemingly daily barrage of legislation coming down the tubes. However, the simple illustration I would like to make, and conclude with, is that legislative victories for us in the herp community CAN and DO happen if we organize, network, and stay aware of legislative happenings.
The involvement of MAHS in fending off and/or influencing both the Middleton WI and Dane Co WI bans thus far are proof positive of the shining star efforts we can all make on local communities.
When these ordinances come up, especially on the local level, they are almost always passed unanimously under our radar simply because very few, if any residents in those respective communities have taken an active role in paying attention to and involving themselves in their local government. That is what will kill us if many more people do not start paying attention. Board members or other local governing bodies operate on the assumption that if they do not hear from their residents and constituents, that the measures they propose will not apply to anyone, or to only a very tiny few. SPEAK UP!!! Make your Voices Known!!
A group of Rhode Island scientists took a snapshot of evolution in action on a deserted Bahamian island with transplanted Brown Anoles.
After several years and multiple generations of lizards, the researchers found that both natural selection — whereby traits that enhance survival get passed down from generation to generation — and random processes contributed to the animals' genetics and their physical characteristics.
"We were actually able to see these processes and document them happening in a natural environment," Jason Kolbe, a biologist at the University of Rhode Island who led the study, told LiveScience. "We know that islands are colonized by new species over time, but we are rarely there to see it happen."
When a few individuals of a species colonize a new area, their offspring undergo what is known as the founder effect, which is a change in genetics or physical characteristics. Because of the small number of founding individuals, the new population experiences a loss in genetic variability, often resulting in individuals that are physically and genetically different from their source population.
To read the full article, click here.
Monday, March 5 2012
By
Mon, March 5 2012 at 16:43
Male Leucistic/Red Flame Beardie needs a home! tank setup and lights included. If no home is found by June 21 I will keep him
Nature's tiniest Chameleon has been discovered in Madagascar:
A species of chameleon small enough to easily perch on a match head has been discovered on a tiny island off Madagascar, a group of scientists has announced.
In addition to the discovery of Brookesia micra, now the tiniest chameleon ever discovered, the researchers also announced the discovery of three additional tiny chameleon species.
Adult males of the B. micra species grow to only just over a half-inch (16 millimeters) from nose to bottom, making them one of the smallest vertebrates ever found on Earth.
From nose to tail, adults of both sexes grow to only 1 inch (30 mm) in length.
Lead researcher Frank Glaw said the team already had experience finding tiny lizards in Madagascar, "but it was also good luck."
The team searched for the tiny lizards under the cover of darkness, using headlamps and flashlights to seek out the sleeping chameleons. All four species are active during the day, and at night climb up into the branches to sleep.
To read the full article, click here.
Wednesday, February 29 2012
After a late night session, the City Council of Chula Vista, California has removed proposed restrictions regarding reptiles from its upcoming overhaul of pet laws after receiving input from local pet owners and businesses. More than 35 local reptile owners were able to attend the meeting, after receiving word of the proposal only yesterday. Though some had to leave early, most stayed and were able to work with the Mayor and Council to modify the proposal and table the reptile restrictions.
Loren Leigh of LLL Reptile was one of those business and reptile owners that was able to drop everything and help rally reptile owners to the council chambers. I was able to speak with Loren briefly today about what was on the table and whet they got accomplished.
To listen to the interview click here.
Tuesday, February 28 2012
Despite the input of thousands of reptile owners and businesses, today the Florida Independent is reporting that the U.S. House Judiciary Committee passed H.R. 511, a bill that would add nine species of constrictor snakes to the the list of injurious species under the Lacey Act, clearing the way for a vote by the full House of Representatives later in the year.
Quick to release a statement, the HSUS is already pushing to take the next step.
“The House Judiciary Committee recognized that the trade in large, constricting snakes is reckless and irresponsible, putting people, ecosystems and the animals that live in them, and the snakes themselves at risk,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. “We hope that the bill is scheduled for a vote on the House floor soon, and that the Senate takes up the matter expeditiously.”
The read the full text of the article at the Florida Independent click here
The next step for H.R. 511 is the full House of Representatives, where it will have to be voted on and pass, and from there to the U.S. Senate, and then to the President, a process that can take days, or months depending on the impetus of the bill. If you are a pet owner concerned or impacted by the implications of this proposed legislation, please make sure to let your House of Representatives member know how it impacts you and your family.
The proposed "Illinois Dangerous Animals Act of 2012, Senate Bill SB3264", a bill which would have eliminated and restricted the ownership of many pet reptiles in Illinois, was the agenda of a Senate hearing today at the state capital in Springfield. A group of concerned Illinois pet and business owners, led by the always fearless and outspoken Brian Potter, went to Springfield today to speak their minds on the proposal.
I had a chance to speak with Brian for a few minutes right after the hearing. He was kind enough to give us an update on the current situation in Illinois.
Click here to hear the interview with Brian Potter.
Monday, February 27 2012
The Chula Vista, California City Council will discuss an overhaul of the city’s current animal laws tomorrow at its Tuesday, February 28th meeting. Among the amendments presented in this wide-ranging, proposed ordinance is a ban on certain “wild animals” and other provisions that impact reptile owners and businesses.
This proposal bans the sale, possession for sale, importation or breeding of a wild animal, and declares that “no person may possess or maintain the following:”
- venomous reptiles;
- birds attaining an adult weight of over 15 pounds;
- rodents attaining an adult weight of over 10 pounds;
- any crocodilian (Order Crocodilia);
- all boa and python species (Family Boidae) attaining an adult weight of over 15 pounds or an adult overall length of over 3 ½ feet;
- all monitor lizard species.
For a complete list of the animals impacted by the ordinance refer to the full text of the proposal located here. The proposal states that this ordinance will take effect, and be in full force, on the 13th day after its adoption. The proposal is set to be discussed at the February 28, 2012 City Council meeting (Council Chambers, City Hall – 276 Fourth Avenue, 4:00 p.m.). All pet owners, pet business operators and anyone else affected by this proposal should attend the meeting and contact the council.
Thanks again to PIJAC for bringing this to our attention.
It was the other shoe dropping for our community. Four species of pythons have been added to the Lacey Act of the United States. On Tuesday, February 28, the Judiciary Committee will see another bill looking to include the remaining original species of snakes. From the House of Representatives webpage:
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the importatiion of various injurious species of constrictor snakes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. IMPORTATION OR SHIPMENT OF INJURIOUS SPECIES.
Section 42(a)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended in the first sentence by inserting after ‘‘polymorpha;’’ the following: ‘‘of the Indian python of the species Python molurus, including the Burmese python of the species Python molurus bivittatus; of the reticulated python of the species Broghammerus reticulatus or Python reticulatus; of the Northern African python of the species Python sebae; of the Southern African python of the species Python natalensis; of the boa constrictor of the species Boa constrictor; of the yellow anaconda of the species Eunectes notaeus; of the DeSchauensee’s anaconda of the species Eunectes deschauenseei; of the green anaconda of the species Eunectes murinus; of the Beni anaconda of the species Eunectes beniensis;’’
This would be a good time to reach out to your representatives. Remember: always be polite. Explain that the recent Lacey Act Rule including the Burmese, the Yellow Anaconda and the Northern and Southern Rock Pythons has not taken effect nor has it proven to be a failed addition. Also point out that this bill will criminalize many responsible owners on such basic tasks as crossing the state lines for vet care or in the event the family moves. You can also touch on the job loss and the impact this will have on the economy. Make it personal, and do not refer to your animals as a "collection" but as pets.
Not sure who your representative is? Click here to find out. After the bump there is a list of those targeted as key members of the judiciary committee, however to reach out to the full list of committee members, click here.
Lamar Smith (R-TX)- 202-225-4236
Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI)- 202-225-5101
Howard Coble (R-NC)- 202-225-3065
Darrell Issa (R-CA)- 202-225-3906
Louie Gohmert (R-TX)- 202-225-3035
Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)- 202-225-7751
Trey Gowdy (R-SC)- 202-225-6030
Ted Poe (R-TX)- 202-225-6565
Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)- 202-225-5431
Saturday, February 25 2012
Blue Tongue Skins in Australia are develping resistance to the poisonous Cane Toad. From NewScientist.com:
Some blue-tongue lizards in eastern Australia can dine on the cane toads and live, though. Oddly enough, they might owe their immunity to another invasive species.
An ornamental plant native to Madagascar called mother-of-millions (Bryophyllum delagoense) is common in eastern Australia, and has also become part of the lizards' diet. The plants' flowers contain a poison similar to bufadienolide. Rick Shine at the University of Sydney, Australia, suspected that lizards which have already gained immunity to this toxin might be in a better position to withstand the toad toxin too.
His team caught 75 lizards that lived in areas containing either the toad and the ornamental plant, just one of the two, or neither of the toxic invaders. Shine injected toad poison into the lizards, administering a dose high enough to provoke a reaction, but not enough to kill the animal. His team then timed how fast the lizards could swim 50 centimetres.
Blue-tongue lizards from areas containing mother-of-millions were affected to a lesser degree than any others. This was true even for lizards that lived in regions of eastern Australia that contain no cane toads.
To read the full article, click here.
By Vicslife
Sat, February 25 2012 at 00:54
I have had my chameleon for 6 yrs he is very well taken care of. Hes not eating well lately and also I just noticed a sore on his tail about 1/2 inch from tip ?? What Should I put on it if anything. I am keeping it clean . And giving him plenty of water . My chameleon loves water he is trained to drink out of a bottel it's amazing .
By Vicslife
Sat, February 25 2012 at 00:54
I have had my chameleon for 6 yrs he is very well taken care of. Hes not eating well lately and also I just noticed a sore on his tail about 1/2 inch from tip ?? What Should I put on it if anything. I am keeping it clean . And giving him plenty of water . My chameleon loves water he is trained to drink out of a bottel it's amazing .
Thursday, February 23 2012
A beautiful lizard in the Andes, geckos in India, a family of Caecilians in North-east Asia and Sea Snakes in Australia.
First up, the Rough Scaled Sea Snakes in Weipa:
The snake has been given the scientific name Hydrophis donaldii to honour Associate Professor Fry's long-time boat captain David Donald.
“Quite simply we would not have found this snake without Dave's unique knowledge of the area. I told him we wanted to survey as many distinct types of habitat as possible and he guided us to the perfect spots,” Associate Professor Fry said.
The snake has been given the common-name ‘rough-scaled sea snake' to reflect the unique scalation.
“We don't know why it has been evolutionarily selected to have such unique scalation, but we will next study its ecology to learn more about it.”
Next the Caecilians:
These amphibians live below the soil and their discovery was after extensive research of five years. “The new family of amphibians from northeast India has ancient links to Africa,” said a study done by SD Biju of University of Delhi with co-researchers from the Natural History Museum, London and Vrije University, Brussels.
Biju said the remarkable discovery came following an unprecedented fieldwork effort of soil-digging surveys in about 250 localities spread over five years (2006-2010) in various parts of every Northeast Indian states (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim and Darjeeling district of West Bengal). “The work is the most extensive systematic program of dedicated caecilian surveys ever attempted”.
The legless amphibians lead a secretive lifestyle under soil making it extremely challenging to find them. They are reclusive and can be seen normally during rainy days.
It is believed that they separated from other species of caecilians more than 140 million years ago at the break-up of the southern continents (Gondwana). Their DNA was tested to reach this conclusion.
And then there is the new Geckos of Asia:
A new species of gecko, first found on a wall at Junagadh’s Vagheshwari Mata Temple, in the Girnar Hills, has earned Gujarat the distinction of having a lizard named after it.
But those who discovered the gecko say the state may host more new species while simultaneously warning human activity, especially tourism, could increase pressure on habitats.
The Hemidactylus Gujaratensis — which typically measures a little shorter than five-inches in length — was found in October 2007 by Raju Vyas and Sunny Patil, who are both members of one of India’s most prestigious nature organisations, the Bombay Natural History Society.
Lastly the newest lizard from the Andes:
Germán Chávez and Diego Vásquez from the Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad (CORBIDI) in Peru have discovered a new colorful lizard which they named Potamites montanicola, or “mountain dweller”. The new species was found in Cordillera de Vilcabamba and Apurimac river valley, the Cusco Region of Peru at altitude ranging from 1,600 to 2,100 meters. Their study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
“The new discovery raises some questions”, say the authors. This is the only member of the genus known to live at such altitude. It is yet unknown what biological mechanisms help the lizard to survive in this harsh environment, much colder than what it’s relatives in the genus prefer. Scientists also believe the lizard may be nocturnal, which raises the question of how it maintains its body temperature during night time. In some cases, individuals were observed swimming in streams, which is rather unusual behavior for the members this genus.
Tuesday, February 21 2012
Dane County, Wisc., is going far beyond many of the exotic pet bans proposed in the aftermath of the Ohio tragedy.
Language in the proposed bill defines an "exotic animal" as "any animal that is not normally domesticated in the United States, including animal’s hybrid with domestic species, or any animal that is wild by nature, regardless of whether it was bred in the wild or in captivity."
Some critics have pointed out that language is so broad it could apply to many pet cats. The Madison Area Herpetological Society has already started a grass roots effort to contact the members of the boards now reviewing the bill, and educate them as to the many problems with it.
To read the full ordinance, click here. After the bump, you'll find a full list of contacts who need to hear from constituents about this bill.
The original wording was dropped on this ordinance, however I have obtained the updated legislation that is being presented tonight at a committee meeting. You can see it after the bump.
Continue reading "UPDATED: Wisconsin's Dane County proposes far-reaching exotic pet ban"
When it comes to conservation efforts, rattlesnakes can be a tough sell. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy just took steps to protect the environment of a an endangered rattlesnake and preserve part of their ecosystem.
"They bring balance to the ecosystem, and they are part of our history in Pennsylvania and worth preserving," Ryan Miller, a zoologist with the conservancy, said about the snakes.
Miller wouldn't disclose the exact location of the property, only saying it was in the northwestern corner of Venango County. The conservancy said the property contains more than 12 acres of wetlands and 1,600 feet of stream.
"We know (the snakes) are in the area," Miller said. "They're very hard to find, they stay hidden in the grass."
Miller said it's unknown how many of the rattlers live on the Venango County land or in three other sites in Venango and Butler counties, but the numbers have been dwindling.
"One place is just a 2-acre area of grass," Miller said. "They are barely hanging on."
He added that the conservancy has tagged about 300 of the rattlers statewide with microchips, so they can be tracked. Miller said poaching is a concern, and law enforcement will be able to track the snakes with the microchips. He said some people believe that snake venom can help with medical problems, and has been explored for treatment of arthritis, polio and multiple sclerosis.
Miller said the snakes eat mice and rodents, which help balance out the ecosystem.
To read the full article, click here.
Friday, February 17 2012
January 6, 2006 my husband fell in love. While most women would be angry at this, I found it amusing at the time. Around a foot long, skinny as a pencil, this testy little Jungle Carpet x Diamond Python broke his resolve of not buying anything and became a part of our family. Our first jump away from Ball Pythons. We christened him Samson.
We cared for him, treated his worms and mites (thanks caring salesmen at the Repticon Show in Columbia, SC). We watched him thrive. Foot and foot, Samson grew until he was over 7 feet long, and still just as testy as the day he came home. He was your typical carpet python, he was territorial of his enclosure, so my husband grew accustomed to his bite. I wasn't a big fan of Samson (I'm such a weenie, I didn't feel like being bit lol), but he was my husband's buddy. While I made sure he had food to eat, helped monitor his enclosure temperatures, etc, my husband bonded with this particular legless creature. I enjoyed the show.
As Samson grew from neonate to adult, I can't even remember the different color variations he went through. Each shed was like Christmas; we had no idea what he'd look like. He started out gray and silver, and ended up gray, silver and a dull yellow. Not as attractive as the typical Diamond or Jungle, but he was beautiful to us; but still a mean little turd sometimes.
He and I had a love hate relationship. He loved me when I brought him food, but any other time, I was someone to taunt. For years, our computer was in the same room as our snakes, and as I'd sit at the computer late at night, I'd have this overwhelming feeling of being watched. When I'd look, there was Samson, hovering from his branches, staring at me. I'd watch him for a minute, then turn back to the task at hand and would hear THUMP! I'd look at him again and he'd be hanging down, and a tiny wet spot visible on the plexiglass where he'd struck towards me. See, complete turd.
And what a eater! While we cursed and worried (mostly for nothing) over our Balls not eating, Samson was, what I liked to call him, The Clean Up Man. If it moved, it died. No prekill for him! Toss him what the others didn't want, and he was happy to oblige. Honestly, I never remember Samson denying a meal. He knew he was a snake, born to kill, and I think he enjoyed it as much as he did eating (I know this is anthropomorphism, but hey, that's what it seemed like). And being hatched in an incubator, with no mother to teach him manners, Samson enjoyed playing with his food. After constricting it, he'd hold it (mice, rats as he was older) in his mouth and rub them against the inside of the feed tank, sometimes taking almost an hour to eat. For some reason, I always got a mental image of Daniel in the Karate Kid, you know, wax on, wax off.
We lived in a peaceful, healthy existence for years. Then Samson stopped biting my husband. That was the first sign, but my husband thought I was being silly and paranoid. He's eating, he's not showing signs of any sickness, he's fine, I was told over and over. But I knew, in my gut, something was wrong. Mother's intuition? A snake doesn't bite you 8 out of 10 times and just suddenly stop.
The second sign, Mr. Clean Up Man stopped eating, and became constipated. Another characteristic change.
About a month later, the mucus showed up. Lots of it, blowing snot bubbles everywhere. All the years we'd kept snakes, we'd never had an illness. So it sent us into a panic. I figured it was a respiratory infection, and we load up and rush to the ER vet. Sounds silly to more experienced keepers, I know, but there's more to the story.
Respiratory Infection, duh, who wouldn't have known that? Gave us baytril pills and sent us on our way. Ever given a moody snake that you aren't overly fond of handling a pill? I got to be up close and personal with those tiny razor blades he called teeth as I poked a pill down his throat. We made Samson an appointment with his regular vet and figured he'll be well in a few weeks.
Samson's regular vet switched him to injections (thank you!), told my husband he'd have to flatulate him (ever done it? Now THAT'S an experience) and sent him on his way. And after two rounds of antibiotics, he was well, and back on his regular feeding schedule. Normal right?
About two months later, the mucus was back, this time with a rasp. Another trip to the vet, a different antibiotic, and go home to treat again. Two rounds of those and back to his old self.
Three months later, mucus again. This time accompanied with labored breathing and bigger booger bubbles. It's either set him up to make snot balloon animals at the circus or take him to the vet. (Anyone seeing a pattern?)
We continued this for a year. Get sick, load him up with injection antibiotics, get well for a few months, get sick again. Each time, our vet told us it was a respiratory infection. And I have to admit, that's exactly what it looked like. So why wasn't poor Samson keeping it away? Each time, he grew weaker, each stint of being sick lasted longer than the last.
September 2011...we decide to see a different vet, just to get some fresh ideas. Because we know two things for sure, we're running out of time, and out of money. Samson meds are changed yet again (he was on so many, please don't ask me the names, because I can't remember them all). But this time, he was on injections everyday and breathing treatments every 3rd day for a month. And again, Samson improved--until the medication stopped, then immediate decline.
My husband and I sit down and have a discussion we shouldn't be having about a 5-6 year old snake...should we put him down? At this point, he's been off feed for two months, been through hell (excuse the language) with injections and stress, and is getting worse by the day. We decide on one last trip to the vet.
So one more time, Samson makes the journey with us to our vet (who knows us by our face now) and I pound him with questions. Are we sure it's an infection? Could it be viral? What kind of tests can we run? We don't have a lot of money, but we want to do as much as we can. Not to mention all the money we've forked out over the past year and still have a very sick snake. They run some cultures on him and low and behold his mucus shows no signs of infection.
Hello new problem. If it's viral, we know there's little chance. I break down and cry like a baby, over this snake that I've fussed about with his nasty attitude and evil look in his eye. I sob while my big, strong husband tries to contain his own tears. I cry because I feel such guilt, that he's suffered this long, struggled so hard to hold on to life, and in the end we really weren't helping him. I cry because I know the end soon approaches. I cry because I'm not ready to say goodbye. I cry because I constantly had something mean to say about his attitude. The vet hugs me, I can see he's feeling sympathy for us. "Leave him with me for the day," he says, "I want to read up, and try a few things. Don't give up on him."
When my husband returns, the vet tells him Samson has been given vitamin A, B, C & D injections. He's been dewormed again, given an experimental shot for feline herpes (causes extremely contagious respiratory infections in cats and is fatal and incurable), 50 ccs of fluid and the vet tells us if he's not better in a week, there's nothing else he can do.
Our vet is competent. He's not a licenses herp vet (there are only 2 or 3 I think in the US), but he does work with reptiles. He treats the reptiles at our local zoo. I know he's not clueless. But I'm angry, oh so angry. By being angry at him, I deflect some of the anger from myself. I just want to yell at him, tell him he should have told us that before we left him there that day. Because we'd decided to put him down, end his suffering, depending on what we were told. We left there with hope that morning, only to return with disappointment.
That was a Tuesday, October 11, 2011. Samson left us six days later, on the 17th. We sat with him as he took his last breath. Completely unfair, he was far too young.
Those last six days, I'd look at him and hate that he had to suffer so. Like we had the past year, we continued to search the internet, hoping in vain to find an answer.
Three days before he passed, we think we did. We read mixed opinions on it, Diamond Python Syndrome. Some believe it's real, some don't. But the symptoms matched, some exact. The age was about right.
In my opinion, Diamond Python Syndrome is real. More experienced keepers may think I'm silly. Maybe I am, maybe it's my way of still trying to deflect responsibility.
And every day, I miss calling Samson a complete turd.
Wednesday, February 15 2012
The floor was busy at the North American Reptile Breeders Conference on Saturday and Sunday as thousands of people from the D/FW Metroplex converged on the Arlington Expo Center to learn about, look at, and take home reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and all sorts of cool stuff. Though not Texas oldest (the East Texas Herp Society event takes that honor), the NARBC expo is currently the largest regular reptile and amphibian event in Texas, drawing vendors and visitors from both coasts.
kingsnake.com was there displaying our "field observation vehicle" that we are preparing for this years field work, as well as handing out thousands of kingsnake.com window stickers.
Both PIJAC and USARK had booths and spent a good deal of time talking with pet owners and breeders about the current regulatory issues our community faces. An auction of reptile and amphibian related items with proceeds benefiting both organizations was held Saturday and raised over $18,000.00. PIJAC sent their new president to Arlington, Mike Canning, and it was good to finally meet with him and talk about the issues. Look for a web radio interview here on kingsnake.com with Mike to talk about what PIJAC thinks about the reptile regulatory scene in the near future.
The next NARBC show is the upcoming Reptile Law Summit in Chicago (Tinley Park), Illinois on March 17-18 and I would encourage anyone with questions, concerns, problems, issues and suggestions regarding state and federal reptile and amphibian laws and regulations, or the organizations (PIJAC, USARK) representing our community to attend. For more information on the Reptile Law Summit and who will be attending please visit the NARBC web site at http://narbc.com. To see pictures from last weekends NARBC Arlington expo, or to upload your own, please visit kingsnake.coms photo gallery.
Tuesday, February 14 2012
Proposed and actual bans on keeping various types of reptiles are spreading across the country, from the federal to local level. What can we do? Turn off our computers.
I see a million and one petitions circulating with people complaining that not enough people have signed them. But nobody cares about online petitions. It costs you nothing to sign them, and lawmakers and the media know it.
Ditto a bunch of us getting together to rant and rave about animal rights groups, politicians, and the media changes not one mind. It doesn't stop one law. It doesn't get a single article in a newspaper that presents our point of view.
Instead, get out in the public eye and talk with people who don't understand the appeal of keeping reptiles, and those who don't know about us, our hobby, or our animals. Go to your local pet stores, vet clinics, and dog parks. Network. Educate. Reach out to other pet owners, who you'll find are more sympathetic than you might imagine, once you talk to them as one pet-lover to another.
Carry pre-written letters with you if your state is under fire. Print out 20 copies of letters to our representatives. People are more likely to sign a letter and give it to you if you're willing to mail it for them! Remember, this was a major impact tactic that worked fighting HR669. Keep them on hand and mail them in. Remember, you should have the signer print their name and address on the form so that it shows residency.
Don't waste your breath trying to make people believe in the vast AR conspiracy. You aren't going to get anywhere with that approach, and run the risk of having them think you're a conspiracy theorist and just tune you out.
Instead, focus on educational outreach about herpetology and herp-keeping. I can’t stress this enough. People will not give a damn about these laws if they aren't given a reason to. Let your passion for our hobby and your love of your pets be that reason.
Remind the people you talk to that every classroom in America has lizards, frogs, and turtles in it. Talk to them about the wonders of the natural world, and of herpetological study.
Even if they don't personally want to start keeping reptiles, that may be all it takes for the tide of public opinion to start turning our way, even just a little.
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