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.
Friday, February 4 2022
Lovely head shot of this Brazil Lancehead (Bothrops brazili) in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user neverscared ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! We like to spotlight all our venomous creatures on #RattlesnakeFriday to help bring awareness to the need to protect and conserve these important animals in our world.
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Thursday, February 3 2022
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!
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Wednesday, February 2 2022
Curiosity doesn't seem dangerous to this Nile Monitor in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user Mantafish every once in a while! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Tuesday, February 1 2022
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!
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USARK recently caught a few amendments being hidden in the 2000 page plus America COMPETES Act of 2022.
This brief run down of what could be impacted can be found on USARK's page.
1. Provide that the Lacey Act bans the interstate transport of species listed as injurious. Specifically, it replaces Lacey’s current language ‘‘shipment between the continental United States’’ with ‘‘transport between the States.”
2. Create a “white list” of species that can be imported. This means that any animal (reptile, amphibian, fish, bird, mammal, invertebrate) that is not on the white list is by default treated as an injurious species and is banned from importation.
3. Create a new authority allowing FWS to use an “emergency designation” that becomes effective immediately after being published in the Federal Register unless an extension of no more than 60 days is allowed. That means no due process, public input, hearings, advanced notice, etc. for injurious listings.
4. Permit FWS to not allow importation if a species has not been imported in “minimal quantities” (to be defined) in the year prior to the enactment of this Act.
The effective date would be one year after the enactment of this Act.
This can and will impact more than just reptiles, so reach out to your friends and family that own things other than your normal dog and cat. If a species can survive in Florida, it may be targeted. Once a species is listed as injurious crossing state lines with the animal becomes illegal, even if it is for you to move OR going to a veterinarian! You will still be able to own it. However this also can impact our trade as well. This is is far more restrictive than the originally proposed "Big 5" that USARK was able to overturn with a lawsuit.
What can you do? USARK has given us everything we need! From their action alert:
Through Feb. 2, contact the House Rules Committee and your federal Representatives. Remember to be civil and professional at all times. Please personalize/edit your letters, if possible. If the bill passes the House with the amendments, then attention must turn to the Senate.
1. Call your Representatives’ offices (link below) and the Rules Committee at (202)-225-9091;
2. Email Representatives (link below);
3. Fax letters to (202)-226-9191 and your Representatives;
4. SHARE this and encourage others to complete the Alert!!!
The page also includes ways to find out who your representatives are as well as a form letter that you can copy and paste. You can find the action alert here.
Monday, January 31 2022
Help fight off any case of the Mondays by welcoming this little ball python to the world in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user TerryHeuring brighten your day!! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Friday, January 28 2022
A great shot of a live (as they should be) Pygmy Rattlesnake on concrete in the field in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user JARHEAD1969 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Thursday, January 27 2022
What a gorgeous way to spotlight one of the underappreciated pythons! This lovely Olive Python poses perfectly in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user BNixon ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Wednesday, January 26 2022
Martha, a Reeve's Turtle, is just chilling out in the sun in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user kasie ! When this photo was originally posted in 2006, Martha was over 30 years old! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Tuesday, January 25 2022
Despite their reputation of being angry, the beauty of a Tokay gecko puts it front and center in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user stingray! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Monday, January 24 2022
Red and black? Black and yellow? Mimics in nature are clear with this pair of South American hognose from the same clutch in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Longhitano!
Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Friday, January 21 2022
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! What a lovely shot of a Guarico Rattlesnake ( Crotalus durissus) in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user robnimmo ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.
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Thursday, January 20 2022
Awesome shot of a sassy Cane Toad in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Ravenousas! Be sure to tell them you liked it here.
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Wednesday, January 19 2022
Herp Keepers with cameras, annoying our eating pets for decades like this bearded dragon in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user jdertinger ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Tuesday, January 18 2022
What an amazing headshot of a Diamond Python in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user CincyGrady is all amphibian! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Monday, January 17 2022
What better way to celebrate "Betty White Day" than with Kelsey and Stubbs the blue tongue skink, best of friends in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user danielle4girls4 is all amphibian! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Friday, January 14 2022
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! To end the week, a whole lotta squee for these baby Death Adders for our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Oxyrhopus ! 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.
Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!
Thursday, January 13 2022
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!
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Wednesday, January 12 2022
What more can we say but AMAZING! This is such a beautiful shot of a Desert Horned Lizard in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Brockn ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Tuesday, January 11 2022
Love the color variation that this mottled Mexican Redtail Indigo (Drymarchon m. rubidus) has in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user alanB ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Monday, January 10 2022
Hang in there today just like this Borneo Eared Frog in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user tropicaltreefrog! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Friday, January 7 2022
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! We just love this close up of a Massasauga in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user venombill ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Thursday, January 6 2022
I'm a little green with envy of this Green Tree Monitor in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user roadspawn and her plans for a lazy day. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Wednesday, January 5 2022
Shiva has her eye on you in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user musicloverhoney! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Tuesday, January 4 2022
Love this shot! You can feel the texture and see the amazing variety of colors on this kingsnake in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Tony D ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Monday, January 3 2022
Poised and watching, what a stunning Mangrove in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user ptahtoo! Be sure to tell them you liked it here.
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Friday, December 31 2021
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! There is no need to wonder why they are called Rock Rattlesnakes ( Crotalus lepidus), uploaded by kingsnake.com user erindonaldson! This guy was found in Portal, Arizona. Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.
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Thursday, December 30 2021
This Chameleon is working on her perfect pose in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user mattcrum is seeing how he measures up. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Wednesday, December 29 2021
So tiny and cute! This young garter in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Scott_Felzer is seeing how he measures up. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Tuesday, December 28 2021
What a gorgeous little Ameiva in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Agata ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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