If you are one of the legions of people who have acquired, or are about to obtain a new pet snake, then you are also about to have a rewarding experience. Snakes have a lot to teach us. A properly maintained terrarium can be a work of art – many are prominently displayed in homes – so long as the snake keeper keeps some essential information in mind:
Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and gymnophiona) and reptiles (including snakes, lizards, amphisbaenids, turtles, terrapins, tortoises, crocodilians, and the tuataras). Batrachology is a further subdiscipline of herpetology concerned with the study of amphibians alone.
Source: Wikipedia
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina)
There are only two species of box turtles in the United States, including the Eastern Box Turtle. This omnivorous species serves as the state reptile of North Carolina. The small Eastern Box Turtle is the most common land turtle in the eastern US and can be found along the entire coast from Massachusetts to Florida. Unfortunately they are susceptible to being hit by cars (if you have cheap car insurance, be sure you’re covered for this type of incident) and other human-related environmental hazards. Although their declining numbers have not yet reached a stage of imminent danger, the facts that they are slow-growing and have a limited number of offspring is a cause for concern about the future of the species.
Photo credit: Doug Letterman
Ten Things You Should Know About Pet Lizards
If you are about to obtain your first pet lizard, congratulations. Lizards are, in my view, the most wonderful, fascinating and beautiful creatures on Earth. Part of their appeal is their incredible diversity; there are more species of lizards than all the mammals or amphibians, and they range from three-inch legless burrowers to the mighty 200-pound Komodo dragon. Some are coloured with somber tans and ochre, and others rival the most ostentatious of butterflies with gaudy green, red, and yellow markings. Some glide on fragile wings, some run across the water, and some can stick to ceilings. With my sincere apology to Samuel Johnson, it is my opinion that “when a man gets tired of lizards, he is tired of life”!
The Most Important Thing to Know About Reptiles
By Gary Kurz
The sudden popularity of reptiles and amphibians as pets, in particular exotics, has created a host of problems for those who want to keep them. Legislation regarding type, size, breeding restrictions and cage requirements have been swiftly passed at many levels of government to ensure that the general public and local fauna are not put at risk by the accidental introduction of non-indigenous species. Meeting these requirements can mean unexpected expense and frustration.
Husbandry can be problematic for potential owners as well. When one keeps a dog or cat, a general understanding of their needs exists and people are usually prepared to meet those needs. Reptiles and amphibians are not as easily cared for as conventional pets. For one thing they have a wide spectrum of environmental needs. One may require a constant supply of vitamin D via exposure to sunlight, while another is completely nocturnal and sun-reclusive. Not meeting these needs can result in needless suffering, big veterinarian expenses or loss of the animal.
Careers In Herpetology And Herpetoculture
So you think you want to establish a career where you get to work with reptiles and amphibians. If that is the case, this article is for you. Why did I write an article about getting what seems to be an easy-to-obtain job? First, there are a lot of people who contact zoos, museums, and websites asking just that question. While there are some pamphlets available that briefly address the question (ASIH, no date; SSAR, 1985), there are few other published resources available (Barthel (2004); Sprackland and McKeown, 1995, 1997; Sprackland, 2000). There are some guides to entering the academic world of biology (i.e., Janovy, 1985), but these generally focus on career paths in the university world, while the field of biology is far broader than herpetology or even organismal zoology. This article, then, gives professional colleagues a resource that may help them answer specific questions from their clients.
