Issue #14 - December 2020

Herpetoculturemagazine.com

erpetoculture agazine Issue #14 - December 2020

The Elusive Herald Snake!

A Snapping Turtle In Rehab...

Competition in Flying Herps?

The Birds & The Bees of Scorpion Reproduction

An Interview with the Kentucky Reptile Zoo!

Meet the Martins of BLACKBOX REPTILE CAGES & RACK SYSTEMS

Palmetto Coast

Exotics

-- On the Cover -Ronald Zimmerman Unquestionable Quality ronaldzimmerman.nl Colubrids - Chondros - & More

This Issue...

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Copyright Š 2020 by Herpetoculture Magazine all rights reserved.

This publication or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Fourteenth Edition www.herpetoculturemagazine.com

Contributors Justin Smith - Publisher -

Billy Hunt - Publisher -

Phil Wolf - Executive Contributor -

Nipper Read - Executive Contributor -

Harmony Tenney - Contributor -

Paul Donovan - Contributor -

Andy Middleton - Contributor -

Kai Kolodziej - Contributor -

Roger Pewtress - Contributor -

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Jennifer Martin - Contributor -

Dominique DiFalco - Contributor -

From The Publishers’ Desk Welcome to Issue #14! As 2020 comes to an end, we can’t thank you guys enough for all the support you have given us since this publication started. People that aren’t even into the hobby have shown us an incredible amount of support for the magazine. That is one of the best feelings I can think of when it comes to this publication. That makes all the time and effort it takes to do this thing worth it. As this issue officially brings us into our second year of the magazine, what do you guys want to see? We are always open to ideas from all of your guys. We try our best to bring you as much varied content as we can. We have a couple ideas for upcoming issues that I’m sure you guys will really appreciate. As we have said before, we put this magazine together for you guys. Feel free to shoot us an email with ideas or content you’d like to see at herpetoculturemagazine@gmail.com.

Justin Smith & Billy Hunt -Publishers-

Herpetoculture Magazine

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Scorpion Reproduction Explained!

By Paul Donovan Photo >> https://www.flickr.com/photos/jean_hort/

Herpetoculture Magazine 4

With over 450 million years of evolution beneath their belt, scorpions have become one of the most successful groups of arthropods to have crawled from the oceans and populated the land. They also exhibit some of the most complex and interesting reproductive strategies of any arthropod group.

Sexual Dimorphism Outwardly, both sexes appear to be very similar, there are features which can be used to differentiate male scorpions from females. As a rule, females are generally a bit bigger than males, with a more robust body. That being said, there are species where the reverse is the case, such as Liocheles australasiae and Tityus trinitatis, where the male is proportionally larger than the female. To make a positive identification using size alone is a very hit and miss affair, as one needs to ensure both individuals are of the same age.

Reproductive Systems

Males may show an elongation of the claws although this is more evident in some species than others.

Males of many species may show prominent elongation of the claws and tail, although this is more evident in some species than others. A good example can be seen in Hadogenes troglodytes, where the female’s tail can be up to a third again the length of the males, and her claws are also slightly broader. Other groups showing similar dimorphism include; Buthidae, Scorpio and some Tityus species. Be aware that in just about all other cases, the reverse applies.

A little known area where sexual dimorphism may occur, is in the shape of the venom vesicle and stinger. This is not evident in all species or genera and is a difficult feature to identify safely. A species which exhibits this dimorphism is Centruroides vittatus.

The male’s venom vesicle is not as deep as that of the females, and the sting is significantly shorter. In females, it forms a broad curving arc.

One of the most reliable means of distinguishing the sexes is by the sensory organs, called the pectines. Females have smaller pectines with short comb-like teeth, whereas males have a higher pectinal tooth count, and are much longer than those of the females. While in the larger species, this may be easy to determine with the naked eye, while in the smaller species, a magnifying glass may be required.

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The male’s reproductive system consists of a pair of testes whose longitudinal and transverse tubules link together to form a continuous network.

The testis contains the vas deferens into which the seminal vesicles and two pairs of accessory glands drain. The function of these accessory glands is believed to be associated with the formation of the two halves of the spermatophore, which are formed by the co-joining of two shell-like structures.

The spermatophore acts like a container to hold the sperm when it is deposited outside the body.

The sperm within the spermatophore is then introduced via the seminal vesicles as it is being formed. Once the sperm has been enveloped by the two halves of the spermatophore, they are sealed by a glue-like material secreted by the accessory gland.

The female’s ovaries are a complex arrangement of longitudinal and transverse tubes. Once the spermatophore is taken into the genital compartment, sperm is released and makes its way along the oviduct where fertilisation of the eggs occurs. The fertilised eggs remain within the oviduct where they develop in ovarian follicles attached by a pedicel.

As the developing embryos grow, they eventually become detached from the pedicel, and make their way into the ovarian tube before ending up at the genital opening. The development of the embryos follows either Apoikogenic or Katoikogenic growth. Because the embryos derive at least some of their nutritional requirements directly from the mother, development is considered to be viviparous.

Apoikogenic & Katoikogenic development This occurs when the fertilized ova are retained within the body cavity and derive nourishment from reserves held within their yolk sac and not from a placenta. The young hatch inside the female and are given birth to as fully formed nymphs. The nymphs are plump and born with a nutrient rich yolk sac which will sustain them through the first few days following birth.

Typical representatives of apoikogenic scorpions include members of the family Buthidae (Uroplectes, Karasbergia, Lychas, Pseudolychas, Hottentotta, Parabuthus, and Afroisometrus) and Bothuridae (Lisposoma).

Katoikogenic development involves the fertilised ova developing in offshoots of the ovary uterus. These offshoots form blind pockets from which embryonic development occurs. The ova are tiny and void of a yolk sac. Each nymph is characterised by a proboscis-like mouth part which is used to extract nutrients during the development stage. Unlike Apoikogenic species, katoikogenic scorpions are almost always born tail first. Representatives include the families Scorpionidae (Opistophthalmus) and Ischnuridae (Hadogenes, Cheloctonus).

Hybridisation Biological parameters are in place which prevent two unrelated species from mating. These can include anatomical features such as the male may not be able to grasp the female’s claws due to the lack of various depressions in her claws, species that may show distinct courtship rituals, species with specific pheromones, seasonal occurrences within species migration, habitat and range, etc.

Above: The genital opening from which the younge emerge can be seen above the pectines

Below: Male Hadogenes have shorter tails than females

These parameters are collectively called prezygotic barriers and they help to keep the species genetically strong and inhibit mutational development. One of the overriding features we find when hybridisation does occur, is that the offspring often suffer from a number of negative biological characteristics. They may be weak and show a high mortality rate, lack the ability to breed due to sterility, exhibit stunted growth, display deformities, and other abnormalities.

Herpetoculture Magazine 6

Photo>> Patrick Kavanagh

Courtship Scorpions exhibit complex courtship rituals but before any form of courtship can take place, males and females must first locate one another. This is usually initiated by the female releasing a specific pheromone trail which the male picks up with his pectines.

“Iteroparity is unquestionably an important survival strategy for those species who practice it. The loss of an initial brood, would not be of major concern to such females, as they have the ability to bring forth another. “

If the female is much larger than the male or puts up a lot of resistance, he may subdue her with a sexual sting which has a calming influence on her. Once the spermatophore has been When contact is made, the male takes the lead by communicating deposited, the male then maneuvers the female until her genital his intentions to the female by tapping his body and claws on opening is directly above it. As she takes up the spermatophore, the ground, waving his metasoma in the air or even thumping it her body weight causes the spermatophore to bend which repeatedly on the ground. These actions produce distinct vibrations releases the sperm. Once the sperm has been taken up, both which the female interprets as being associated with mating. Once parties then break away from one another. the female shows a favourable response, only then will he approach her. This initial caution on the part of the male, is important as If conditions are not conducive to the production of young, there is the ever-present risk of cannibalism taking place. a female has the ability to store sperm until they are. It is also possible for some females to produce several broods from a Having established that all is in order, the male approaches the single mating, a process called iteroparity. Iteroparity is the female and swiftly grasps her by her claws. Some species, as well as female’s ability to divide the sperm up and use it to fertilise locking claws, may interlock their chelicerae (mouth parts); an act several broods over a period of time. It has been identified in known as ‘chelicerae kissing’. several species from within the family Buthidae, notably Tityus and Isometrus. Isometrus maculatus for example, can produce Claw or chelicerae locking gives the male control over the up to five litters, each spaced 66 to 84 days apart. female’s actions and responses to him. From here, he then begins maneuvering the female to a suitable spot where the transfer of Of course, this does not mean that following mating, a female his spermatophore can take place. This maneuvering gives the will forgo further sexual activity. Quite the contrary. If a male impression that the pair are dancing, and is called the promenade is present, a female may mate while pregnant or, even while á deux. The pair snake themselves in a series of curves, S-shapes carrying a brood on her back. or straight lines. Once the male has positioned the female over a suitable spot on the ground, he produces a spermatophore.

Iteroparity is unquestionably an important survival strategy for The spermatophore resembles a small thin hair on the top of which those species who practice it. The loss of an initial brood, would is a globular-like package of sperm. Depending on how responsive not be of major concern to such females, as they have the ability the female is, and how strong the male is, the promenade á deux to bring forth another. Also, if environmental factors suddenly can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. change, and food sources become erratic, the female could reabsorb the developing eggs and then fertilise a further batch 7 when conditions are right.

Pheromones have been shown to play an important role in both scorpion courtship and species recognition. In fact, it may be a precursor to courtship initiation. Pheromones released by the female can be detected over great distances by the male, and it seems almost certain that individual species have their own distinct odours to identify themselves. The may also play a role in indicating whether a female has already been mated, or is ready to be mated.

Gestation Gestation and birthing are pretty variable amongst scorpions, extending anywhere from two or three months, to 18 months.

Scorpions can show birthing activity seasonally, or year round.

By and large, the best time to give birth is during the spring and summer months when a plentiful supply of suitable prey is available, as is the case with temperate species.

Below: A pair of scorpions in the early stages of mating

pairs of legs are folded beneath the genital opening to form a ‘birthing basket’. At the same time, the claws are folded together to form a type of corral. This posture is maintained throughout birthing, and only relinquished once all the nymphs have been born.

As the female takes up the stilting position, her genital opening opens and one at a time the newborn scorpions begin to appear.

The young drop into the birthing basket and then move onto the female’s back where they will remain until they have had their first moult, before dropping off. In some of the larger species such as Pandinus and Heterometrus, the nymphs are white in colour and resemble insect grubs. In others, they may be quite colourful and resemble small beads.

Not all females use a birthing basket. In a number of Old World species, the nymphs drop from the genital opening onto the ground from where the female aids their ascent on to her back by placing a leg beneath the genital opening, up which they climb. Leiurus quinquestriatus (the infamous Deathstalker) is a typical species where this type of birthing can be observed.

Conversely, tropical species of scorpions, where an abundance of food is freely available to them throughout the year, seem to have no preferences and birthing can take place during any month. There are, of course, instances where year round birthing can occur in temperate species, as has been shown to be the case with Euscorpius italicus.

One of the most interesting features of their birthing, is that synchrony is extremely common in scorpions. Synchrony is a term used to describe a situation where all females give birth within a very narrow time corridor to one another; this could be within a specific month, or within a week or two of one another.

Birthing behaviour During the act of birth, the female adopts a posture known as stilting. This is where she elevates the front of her body from the ground with the anterior region resting on the surface. The tail is extended over the body, and the first two

In some of the bigger scorpion genera such as Pandinus, the nymphs are white in colour and resemble insect grubs

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Litter size may be governed by a number of factors, including; the size of the female, her physical state of health, the size of the nymphs and whether it is her first brood. As a rule, first broods tend to be smaller than subsequent ones. The total number of nymphs born varies enormously between species and may range from around five to several dozen.

Development & Dispersal of the young As the nymphs make their way up onto the females back, they remain in her protective custody until their first moult. A moult is commonly referred to as an instar, and depending on the species, can take place anywhere from two or three days to fourteen days following birth. The fact that the nymphs remain on the females back, has a significant benefit during the first week or so of their development, as the female can afford them protection until their first moult has taken place.

During this period the female will hunt little, and remain hidden from view. This is a vulnerable time for her. Her mobility is severely restricted by the weight of young being carried, and should she suffer predation, the entire brood that she has invested so much time and effort in developing, could be lost. A further reason why this nurturing may take place, is that unlike the adults, the nymph’s soft exoskeleton is not waterproof and dehydration can quickly occur. To avoid this, the nymphs may physically absorb water which condenses on the mother’s body.

Following their first moult, the nymphs begin to take on the typical scorpion profile. One of the most important features at this point is that the sting will have hardened sufficiently for the young scorpion to begin hunting small quarry.

One by one they venture forth from the female seeking their own way in life. For those species which live a communal life, the young may remain within a family unit. For example, Imperial scorpions Pandinus imperator and Asian forest scorpions Heterometrus longimanus may form large social groups living in a network of interconnecting underground tunnels. These scorpions may also feed, communally, on large prey where it is not uncommon to find young individuals feeding with adults.

One interesting species from South Africa, Opisthacanthus cayaporum lives in an excavated chamber within a termite mound.

As the newly moulted scorpions migrate from the females back, they disperse throughout the mound to take up residence in their own chamber. As the scorpion grows, it enlarges the chamber or moves onto a larger naturally formed one.

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Tail-End Scorpion reproduction is an intricate affair involving many behaviours. There are incredible strategies in place which allow the female to make choices as to when to use the sperm to fertilise the eggs, and whether to give birth or not. She also has the ability to store sperm for long periods of time, an upper hand to fertilise several ‘batches’ of eggs from a single mating. For all their perceived fearsome reputation, scorpion reproduction can be a mesmerising spectacle to watch.

Follow Paul @wildlifeincloseup on Instagram and Youtube for more info!

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SensorPush Temperature Loggers (HT1 Temperature and Humidity Smart Sensor & G1 Wi-Fi Gateway) - The SensorPush Temperature loggers were a very eye-opening addition to the toolbox from the moment I began using them. I set up a SensorPush device in every cage and in at least one tub of every rack that I am using. Within 2 days I began noticing that there were discrepancies (2-6 degree variance) in the set temperature on the thermostat and what my readings were within the cage/tub. In addition to measuring the cage/tub temperatures, I also place sensors in the center of my reptile rooms to have 24/7/365 data on the ambient temperatures and cross reference this to the tub/cage data to see how the ambient conditions affect the cages and tubs throughout the seasons.

I have set the SensorPush Data to be collected at one-minute intervals. The data is automatically pushed to the SensorPush mobile application where I can view and check my temperatures and humidity from anywhere in the world in real-time (the additional purchase of the SensorPush G1 Wi-Fi Gateway is required for remote viewing and data download if you wish to view outside of the 100m range). There it is stored for graphing and analysis. Additionally, the apps allow alert ranges to be set, so you can know if there is a problem without constant checking.

I highly recommend the SensorPush application and devices to anybody who is looking to dial in their set up that much more, or if you are just a data junkie like myself.

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Geeni Smart Outlets (Geeni 6-Outlet Smart Surge Protector) & Cameras (Geeni Aware 1080p HD Smart Camera) - I use the Geeni Smart Outlets and Cameras throughout all of my reptile rooms. I plug all of the cage and room lighting into the Geeni Smart Outlets so that I am able to remotely edit and turn off the light cycles in my room and cages. This is useful because I primarily keep arboreal boas and pythons and work full time, so many times I am arriving home from work after the lights have gone out for the night. On my way home I am able to keep the lights from going out so that cleaning and water bowl changes are possible instead of having to do them in the dark. If anybody knows anything about Green Tree Pythons and Emerald Tree Boas, they come to life at night and assume their hunting positions as soon as lights are out. I prefer not dealing with a riled-up collection during cleanings and water bowl changes. I also use the Geeni cameras to keep tabs on things when I am away, and primarily to keep an eye on pairings. The Geeni cameras have been the best bang for the buck that I have found on the remote WiFi camera market. The models I use stream 1080p video quality Geeni mobile application from anywhere in the world. The cameras also offer video playback, so I have been able to document and witness copulations that I would not have otherwise seen. The Geeni Smart Outlets and Cameras are all controlled in the same place on the easy to use Geeni mobile application.

Herpetoculturemagazine.com

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- The InkBird thermostats are an easy to program thermostat that I use to power and moderate all the oil filled radiant heaters in my reptile rooms. The thermostats come with a plug-in external probe that can be placed anywhere you wish to achieve the most accurate and best temperature reading. I taped the probes to the front of the closest rack to the heater to ensure those tubs are not able to overheat. I use an air purifier tower pointed at the heater to blow the air around the room, along with various other small ceiling mounted fans throughout the room to achieve minimal temperature variance from the ceiling to the floor. I use heat sources in all of my caging and rack systems, so I use the heaters to hold my preferred ambient temperatures of 81-degree DTH and 77-degree NTL during the summer. Being able to control the maximum and minimal temperatures in the room has been a big help in getting things dialed in and especially allows me to have a lot of control during the breeding season. Additionally, the C206T thermostat is one of the only models on the market that fails OFF in the event of a failure.

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Next time around, I’d hook up a Reverse Osmosis filter under the sink so that I can have a separate faucet for drinking water for the animals (I give all of my animals bottled water as the water in my town isn’t the best).

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Got your own top 5 must haves? Email your picks with a short description of each to herpetoculturemagazine@gmail.com.com!

14

Herald Snakes:

Uncommon Oddities

Nipper Read explains the joy of keeping these uncommonly kept African colubrids.

Photos courtesy of Roger Pewtress 15 Herpetoculturemagazine.com

Those that know me will tell you I’m a sucker for a rare colubrid. I don’t care if it’s small and dull coloured with the most difficult to reproduce diet, if nobody else has it, I want it. So imagine my joy when I was talking to my chum Roger Pewtress recently and he mentioned he keeps Herald snakes.

Small colubrids , beautifully coloured, with locality colour variations, venomous, amphibian diet and super rare in the hobby. I was hooked. So let me share the joy, and see if these fantastic little viper lookalikes are for you.

amphibians, particularly toads, but they are known to take lizards and snakes on occasion. When threatened this species gives off a very impressive display of mock aggression, hissing, inflating the body and bluff striking.

The Herald snake was first described as Coronella hotamboeia

by Laurenti in 1768, but now is placed in the genus Crotaphopeltis, lastly by the very splendid Stephen Spawls, et al. The story behind the name Herald snake comes from the discovery of the species being first announced in the popular newspaper the Herald. The Herald Snake is commonly known as the Red-Lipped and White-Lipped snake, depending on which part of its distribution you are in, as this snake exhibits a very different head appearance depending on where you are in its range. Local names include the Rooilip or heraldslang.

So let’s describe this stunning little colubrid. It is a small snake, rarely getting over 1m with a body that can be dark grey, olive green to black, with a multitude of tiny white speckles, these speckles really pop on a dark background. The head is very distinctive, both in shape and colour and is a broad triangular shape, very distinct from the neck and very reminiscent of a viper. The most noticeable thing about the head is the colouration, the head is normally dark, and as the common name suggests, the labial scales are often bright red, white, orange or even yellow.

This beautiful colubrid is found throughout most of subSaharan Africa, from South Africa, Swaziland, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zaire, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Mali, Eritrea, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Burkina, Namibia to Angola, a truly massive range with loads of colour variation across it.

“They are venomous but the toxicity is low and has little effect on an adult human. Please bear in mind, however, that any venom, no matter how low in LD50 value, can cause an anaphylactic reaction. so always take care and free handling should be avoided.”

This species is opisthoglyphous, or rear fanged. They are venomous but the toxicity is low and has little effect on an adult human. Please bear in mind, however, that any venom, no matter how low in LD50 value, can cause an anaphylactic reaction. so always take care and free handling should be avoided. Bites normally result in only minor swelling however.

The herald Snake inhabits lowland marshy areas, moist savannas and typical South African fynbos. Herald snakes are almost always found in moist, humid conditions. This snake is common in gardens, if there are damp areas, and water features. They are nocturnal hunters with a preferred prey of

Herpetoculture Magazine 16

So after reading all that you’re up for keeping some right?

If yes, let’s have a look at the captive husbandry. As already mentioned, these snakes are not common in the hobby but they will occasionally turn up on import lists. If you can get them, get them!

Wild caught specimens will need a lot of care and attention.

Expect imports to probably be dehydrated and stressed. Place them in a quarantine tub with plenty of damp, sphagnum moss, lots of hides and a bowl of clean drinking water. Keep at a suitable temperature and leave alone to acclimate. I would recommend trying to feed for a few weeks while you allow the animal to settle. Additionally, be prepared to feed the snakes live amphibians to get them started in captivity. If possible try and get some captive bred neos, these are much easier to progress with.

Post quarantine, let’s look at keeping these beautiful snakes.

Housing is relatively easy, tubs are an option, but I think vivs are better to really enjoy this species. I would suggest plastic “vision” style cages or exo terras as the high humidity these snakes prefer will affect wood or melamine vivs. Size wise I would suggest nothing smaller than a 3 foot long by 18 inch wide for an adult Herald snake. The vivarium needs to have a substrate that can hold moisture, such as orchid bark or ideally a bark, sphagnum mix. Plenty of cork bark hides should be present, as well as a large water bowl.

Lighting is where we will differ, I appreciate these are nocturnal snakes,however I recommend 12 hour light cycles with a full spectrum LED with an Arcadia Pro UV kit.

Ultimately, it’s up to you. Heating wise, I recommend a deep heat projector, temps need to be an ambient daytime of 84F and night around 76F. I mist just before lights out, so that the substrate is damp but not saturated.

Now let’s get into feeding. Again we may differ, with my entire collection, I strive to feed as natural of a diet as possible. These animals are amphibian feeders so a heavy rodent diet will not be beneficial to them long term. Yes, it is possible to scent rodents and switch them over, but is it best for the snake? Certainly easiest for the keeper but do we want easy over giving the snake its best life? Again a decision for you to make. I would suggest a diet of Pelophylax species if you are European, these are an invasive species in the UK. In the US I would suggest any grass frog species. Asian food markets sell bulk frozen frogs legs (normally bullfrog ssp) and I have had great success feeding my Boiga, Telescopus and False water cobra in this way.

17 Herpetoculturemagazine.com

“Wild caught specimens will need a lot of care and attention. Expect imports to probably be dehydrated and stressed.

Place them in a quarantine tub with plenty of damp, sphagnum moss, lots of hides and a bowl of clean drinking water.

Keep at a suitable temperature and leave alone to acclimate.”

No doubt, breeding will be high on your wish list for this species. As with many colubrids I would suggest food, light and temperature cycling is the key to success. Drop temps slightly, spray heavily and feed more frequently at the beginning of the year should induce mating. Pair the adults and await signs that the female is gravid. As soon as the female looks gravid remove the male from her vivarium. Raise the temps, spray less frequently and feed regularly. At this time, place a sphagnum filled nest box in the vivarium as an egg deposition site.

Females will lay a clutch of 5 to 20 eggs around 2 to 5 grams in size in the early summer. These can be incubated as you would any other colubrid eggs. I prefer the S.I.M. container style directly over water, but a moist vermiculite substrate would work just as well. Incubate at around 26 degrees C (79F) and eggs should pip around the 45 day mark. As with many colubrids, females may double clutch so after heavily feeding for a few weeks, it’s worth placing a male in with the female again. I always introduce the male into the females’ cage. I feel this is more naturalistic since males are actively seeking females in the wild.

Care of neonates is fairly similar to adults. I recommend keeping them individually in hatchling tubs or “Cadbury” style plastic boxes. Moist sphagnum substrate is ideal as the neonates are particularly susceptible to dehydration.

Small hides and a water bowl complete the set up.

Feeding neonates can be tricky due to their small size.

Neos weigh around 2 grams at hatching. Feeding after the second shed on live froglets or tadpoles would be ideal, however, a scented pinky head would do the trick. I suspect guppies or similar small fish would also be taken.

So there you have it! A stunning opisthoglyphous, mock viper of a snake, harder, but not hard to care for, and rare in the hobby. Crack on, what’s stopping you?

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Paper Breakdown: Flying Herps

By Kai Kolodziej I guess many of us have seen flying reptiles in films and movies, and I am not talking about the (sadly fictional) massive fire breathing dragons in Game of Thrones or similar series. I am talking about the real flying reptiles: flying snakes (Chrysopelea sp.), flying lizards (Draco sp.) or even flying geckos (Ptychozoon sp.), but don’t forget our amphibian friends like the flying frogs (Rhacophorus sp.), just to name the most famous ones. Many of them are regularly shown in documentaries about Southeast Asian rainforests. This is the first thing we notice when talking about flying herps, nearly all of them are native to Southeast Asia.

This regional phenomenon is not exclusive to herps, but is also seen in some of the native mammals.

So, there must be a reason for this occurrence across several groups of animals? As a matter of fact, the main reason for the gliding ability of vertebrates in the Asian rainforests is the structure of the habitat. Even if rainforests look quite the same on the first glance, they are vastly different in Africa, Asia or the Neotropics. In the Neotropics, there is a higher density of lianas, an important structure in rainforests that provide horizontal pathways between different trees. With less lianas, arboreal animals would have to leave the safety of the canopy and access the next tree by walking on the ground, potentially exposing them to a higher risk of predation.

Another feature of Asian rainforests are the high trees, the so called emergent layer. The higher density of emergent trees together with the lower density of lianas in the rainforests of Southeast Asia made the evolution of gliding vertebrae not only possible but arguably necessary. You may have noticed that although they are called “flying” snakes, geckos, and frogs, I speak of a gliding ability and not flying. Flying is referred to as an active powered flight, whereas gliding isn’t powered. But how good are these gliders? Can they maneuver their flight or do they just slow down their fall so that they won’t get hurt? This question is easier answered for the reptiles, as the gliding ability of the flying frogs was never compared to their kin.

Firstly, we will take a look at the flying frogs, Rhacophorus nigropalmatus in particular. One study compared this species to non-flying frogs of the genus Polypedates. Surprisingly, the gliding performance (in terms of distance) in the non-flying frogs was better than in the already adapted flying frog. But together, with behavioral changes, the flying frogs are able to maneuver their flight which appears to be more important to them than gliding as far as possible.

The several flying reptiles were compared in 2005 and the results found that flying geckos are the worst gliders in terms of the gliding angle. Flying snakes are on par with mammalian gliders, like sugar gliders, which is amazing considering the lack of limbs. The best gliders by far are flying lizards of the genus Draco, but who would have thought different if a genus is named Draco? Considering these results, there may be a predator/prey relationship between Draco and Chrysopelea, which resulted in an evolutionary arms race. Chrysopelea are faster gliders but Draco is much better in maneuvering, which makes sense if you think about it, however, more studies are needed to evaluate this relationship.

Recent studies about Chrysopelea showed that they are indeed capable of maneuverability and even stabilizing their flight. They use aerial undulation to stabilize their flight that is especially recognizable in long glides. Due to this behaviour, Chrysopelea are able to turn in flight and glide greater distances.

We still have much to learn about flying herps, the relationships between the different species, and the capabilities of this “flying” ability.

Literature: - Emmons Louise und Gentry A.H. (1983): Tropical Forest Structure and the Distribution of Gliding and Prehensile-Tailed Vertebrates. American Naturalist 121 (4).

- Socha John J, Labarbera Michael, O’Dempsey Tony (2005): A 3-D kinematic analysis of gliding in a flying snake, Chrysopelea paradise. Journal of Experimental Biology 208 (10).

- Yeaton Isaac J. et al (2020): Undulation enables gliding in flying snakes. Nature Physics.

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Specializing in Morelia & Old World Ratsnakes.

uwabamireptiles.com @uwabamireptiles

Industry Spotlight Clint & Jennifer Martin & Kevin Mauro Of

REPTILE CAGES & RACK SYSTEMS

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Deciding to carve your own corner in the rack and cage industry in a rollercoaster year is undoubtedly a brave leap! One brand that has been with HM from early on is BlackBox Cages & Rack Systems.

After talking to them at this years’ NRBE in Daytona and getting to see their products first hand, we wanted people to meet the family behind this awesome brand!

HM: You had a table at this past Daytona show, how was that?

HM: What have you kept or what do you currently keep?

C/JM: We currently keep some Hognoses, Boas, Ball Pythons, Kingsnakes, Leopard Geckos, a Pixie Frog and a Leopard Tortoise. Looking to get a Leachie in the future.

HM: What made you decide to start making cages?

C/JM: We tried purchasing some PVC enclosures for our animals, and were disappointed in the lead time for delivery.

It took months. We started talking to Cyndi, the owner of Reigning Reptiles in Buford, GA about the wants and needs of the industry and what was missing in GA. She really helped us lay out some enclosure sizes and gave us some great feedback.

The shop was very supportive and willing to help as well as take on our product. They were the first store we featured our products in. We can’t thank them enough for their input and support.

HM: Have you found it to be a difficult part of the industry to work your way into?

C/JM: Fortunately for us, no. It has not been difficult. There are so many enthusiasts and so many types of reptiles that there really is far more demand than supply in the industry for our products. Offering great customer service, well built products, and quick turnaround time, tends to allow us to stand out in the industry. People have been very receptive, and helpful in suggesting improvements, as well as completely new products. It has been a very rewarding and encouraging experience.

C/JM: Daytona was our first show and it was amazing. We met so many great people and saw so many awesome animals.

We weren’t sure what to expect at that show, and unfortunately, the pandemic made things somewhat more complicated for so many folks. Several of the other vendors mentioned that the show was WAY smaller than in past years in terms of the number of exhibitors and that the turnout was also quite a lot smaller than usual.

Even with the complexities of the pandemic, and all the precautions that were necessary, we met so many people in the industry and so many breeders and enthusiasts. We couldn’t have asked for more! We talked to so many great people, and got a chance to introduce them to our products. After the show, we saw quite a lot of new interest in our rack systems as well as our enclosures. We took the feedback that people gave us to heart about where our products didn’t quite fill the niche they needed and improved them.

HM: How do you find a way to differentiate yourself in the rack and cage business?

C/JM: Our goal is to provide the best customer service in the industry. Every single person is important to us, and we will spend as much time as necessary to help them make the right purchase decision; even if the best product for them isn’t one of ours. It is more important to us that people be comfortable and happy with their purchase than it is to sell them something that doesn’t fulfill their needs.

Our products are designed to last. Our racks are constructed

Herpetoculture Magazine 22

from solid, ½ inch PVC Foamed Sheet. The Shelves and Back are Dadoed to add a more sturdy and structurally sound rack which will withstand years of use. All of our racks feature recessed heattape to prevent wear and tear on the heat tape from sliding tubs, and we cut temperature probe inlet holes on each shelf to allow the most flexibility when setting up the temperature control for the rack. We constantly get kudos for how well tubs slide in and out of our racks, as well as the tight clearances we achieve.

Our smaller enclosures are built from ½ inch pvc, however our larger enclosures are made using ¾ inch pvc sheets. We design our enclosures with the same solid, fully-dadoed construction that we build our racks with. All of our enclosures are designed to stack nicely on each other.

HM: What’s the most popular rack or cage in your catalog?

C/JM: Popularity or most sales in the rack catalog is very dependent on the season. When the hatching season is approaching the hatchling racks seem to be very popular. The rest of the time our V-70 six stack seems to be the most popular.

As for cages, our XT-6 seems to be the most popular. There are so many enthusiasts with large snakes and lizards; the XT-6 fits their needs quite well.

HM: BlackBox really seems like a family affair. Who does what in the business?

C/JM: Black Box is definitely a family owned and operated business. Jennifer Martin handles all of the website, sales, customer service and all the heat taping. Kevin Mauro runs the manufacturing shop, cutting and assembling almost everything.

Clint Martin designs and draws all of the products and helps out with assembly in the shop.

HM: Has COVID caused as many dilemmas for you as it has for others in the industry?

C/JM: COVID was a fairly impactful setback when it first hit the USA. We had just set up our shop and started manufacturing when the first lock downs hit the country. The fall-out of the lockdowns and all of the job losses that resulted from the lockdowns cut severely into everyone’s purchasing decisions.

Food, shelter and such is more important than getting a bigger enclosure for growing snakes or getting new reptiles. It is completely understandable! We had to make the same decisions and concessions as everyone else.

The lag time due to lockdowns allowed us to spend more time designing products, tweaking our manufacturing process and finding suppliers. We looked at it as an opportunity to improve our products and our capabilities.

Eventually, the market started picking up for the reptile industry and more stores were interested in carrying our products. We currently sell our products at Reigning Reptiles in Buford, GA, Exotic Envy in Dallas, GA and GHC Exotics in Cleveland, GA. These stores really love our products and we get a lot of support from them.

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SNAKES IN SERVICE:

Ethics & Husbandry for Optimal Venom Production

INSIGHTS REVEALED BY KENTUCKY REPTILE ZOO’S FOUNDER JIM HARRISON & DIRECTOR KRISTEN WILEY.

By Harmony Tenney

One Man, A Dream, & an Intern You may have seen Jim Harrison and Kristen Wiley on National Geographic’s Snake Wranglers - they’re in both the Arizona and St. Lucia episodes. Today, they’re ensuring that venom is available for research in cancer, heart disease, blood clotting, new antivenins and other research.

Jim started herping as a youngster, and his life supported his hunger readily! He excelled in global kickboxing; His father was an Ohio school teacher, a coach, and a semi-professional baseball player in the Farm Leagues. Frequent traveling both stateside and abroad gave Jim access to multitudes of species and terrains.

Jim also had great mentors, like Dr. Sherman Minton, Jr., a physician, philanthropist, herpetologist and author of multiple books, and member of the Hoosier Herpetological Society, and Mike Goode at the Columbus Zoo, who helped him learn about venoms, handling venomous snakes, and safety for the public, the keepers and employees.

Kristen’s story is a bit different. She liked all animals growing up, but in college, she began studying with Case Western Reserve Professor, Dr. Marty Rosenberg, one of the founders of the Northern Ohio Herpetological Association. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Biology, with a concentration in Ecology.

“The vast majority of herpetologists caught a little snake when they were a kid,” she recalls, “and that was it. I’m not like that.” Instead, she connected with the herps Dr. Rosenberg had in his office, and began working with them. Next up was an internship at the Cleveland Zoo, working with aquatic turtles.

Photo>>John Verm Sherman

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She applied for an internship at the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, and included a reference letter from Dr. Rosenburg. “I was so excited,” she recalls. “I even brought along my pet corn snake.

Jim laughed when he saw it, and asked me if the man I bought it from looked like such and such. Indeed he did, and Jim proceeded to share with me that the corn snake had been born and bred at KRZ. Quite the homecoming for it!”

Paradigm Shift “At Kentucky Reptile Zoo, we provide venom for research purposes and medical use, in a way that’s humane and sustainable to the animals,” says Kristen. “When Jim opened 45 years ago, keepers and researchers pulled their snakes from the wild, force fed them, and extracted from them until they died: about six months later. Securing snakes was easy, cheap and unregulated.”

Husbandry and Ethics of Animal Keepers and Researchers: One of the most significant differences in husbandry for venomproducing animals is that they MUST eat more often. Extracting venom on a schedule is far from a normal experience for the snake, whether wild-caught or captive bred. And whereas picky eaters in private collections can go a bit further before their next meal, production animals must be nourished.

“The key,” says Kristen, “is catering to their preference, or at least making a few compromises in their favor.” If a large snake refuses rats because it only ate mice, it’s ok to let it eat mice.

The second most significant difference in husbandry for venom production is that you MUST REDUCE all other stressors in

Photo>>John Verm Sherman Jim realized that to achieve consistent, quality venom production for his clients, there would have to be ecological and ethical support for the animal; resulting in a longer lifespan, and multiple viable generations. He approached the animal providing venom as a “whole being.” Jim and Kristen bring forth that vision admirably: Their oldest snake is about 45 years old, and many of their animals are now captive bred grandkids or great grandkids. They also have fifth generation captive bred cobras.

the animals’ lives. Extractions are their enrichment. “One way I keep this in focus is to see how stress-free the extractions and maintenance can be. How many rattlesnakes can I move and service their habitats without having one rattle? Will it be only 5 in 200? How many cobras can receive extractions and maintenance without hooding? Snakes are almost always portrayed in the media in their defensive posture, which is only 1% or 2% of their repertoire. Being able to work with them without making them feel defensive is a Prime Directive.”

Thinking of starting a venom production business? “The easiest part is acquiring snakes and handling them,” relates Jim, “keeping them healthy and stress-free is tantamount.

Maintenance of a large colony of animals has special challenges in terms of biosecurity, efficiency, and focus. And you must be present and provide for them 365 days, 24/7. That includes holidays, natural disasters, electrical outages, etc.”

The third most important difference is a greater focus on Ethics, via Giving Back; Jim holds firm that “you must educate yourself, and those around you to the understanding that you’ve taken on the responsibility for this animal, and you must do your best for it. What is often forgotten is that once you’ve taken an animal from the wild, its place in the ecosystem is now void. You must find a way to give back to the species.” Kristen is quick to expand on this “everyone who keeps and / or works with wild animals has this moral obligation - personally and professionally”.

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Some of Kristen’s go to models for giving back to the animals for what they do for us include: •

Support conservation organizations, like the Rattlesnake Preservation Trust, the Rattlesnake Conservancy, the Orianne Society, or others that work with reptiles.

•

Volunteer your time for an organization, especially if you have specific skills that can be expensive to pay for - like accounting, legal expertise or construction.

•

Write letters or otherwise contact regulators and legislators to help protect local habitats near you.

•

Educate people about the habitat and ecosystem of your pet; use their interest to help them understand the larger picture

•

If you own property, consider forming a Land Trust to preserve it in the future

Best Business Practices for Animal Keepers and Researchers Having a venom production business is more than just “looking after a few more animals than a private hobbyist / keeper.” It has to be approached as a business: set up that way, maintained that way, and carefully guided where growth and change intersect in your strategic plan.

Kristen recommends you “learn the tedious business ownership Photo>>John Verm Sherman fundamentals: Financials, recordkeeping, logistics/permits, social media, marketing, finding electricians, plumbers, and other to then acquire the species in a sufficient quantity, and strong service people that you can count on to come and help when you health - with a vision for subsequent progeny. call.”

“As a business owner within the herp industry,” Jim notes, “you are also called on to help community members frequently; there are interviews, media relations, even talking to a panicked lady about a snake in her yard.” People also call with questions about their pet snake, or their aspirations to become herpetologists.

“You must be willing to be able to do all that cheerfully, and at any time.”

Once Jim opened KRZ, the pharma companies sought him out - and there were many word of mouth and referrals by professionals in the trade. Now, clients still find KRZ through word of mouth, but also through relationships built over time in the venom research community. KRZ aims to be flexible in providing for their clients’ needs. Some companies prefer to own the snakes themselves, which builds in a layer of security for their supply chain.

Being in the venom production business, it’s important to be aware of trends and upcoming research trajectories. You have

It’s also important to provide support at the local, state and federal levels; to be of service. KRZ provides training in the safe practices of handling, first aid and transporting for law enforcement, and frequently gives snakebite talks to first responders and physicians.

Mark your calendars NOW for a spectacular visit at KRZ in person. Their Spring Opening begins March 5th, 2021.

Until then, visit them online at www.kyreptilezoo. org, or get your KRZ fix on Youtube!

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Kentucky Reptile Zoo Venom Contributions: Species:

Research / Function:

Specifically:

S. American Pitvipers

Regulation of Blood Pressure.

ACE Inhibitor dev.

Mambas

Passage of Neurotransmitters

Pain control

S. American Rattlesnakes

Blood Clotting

Stop wound bleeding

Copperheads, some rattlesnakes, spitting cobras

Cytotoxic activity

Malayan pit viper

Anti-clotting Activity

Reduce stroke damage

All Venomous

Anti-Venoms

Reduce Snake Bite Deaths

Cancer treatment

Photo>>John Verm Sherman

Jim and Kristen share their favorite thermostats and features.

The FUTURE-VERSE

“We use a wide variety, Helix, Vivarium Electronics, and a few others. I can’t say we have a favorite setting. as it varies depending on what the snake needs. We do like the alarm features of the better thermostats.”

Jim shares his awareness that extractions from live animals will soon become unnecessary. Synthetic venoms are coming, and only a small sample from different species of live animals are needed to begin that process. One of the biggest advantages in the emergence of synthetic venom is that instead of catching, housing, extracting and generating progeny, as few as one member of each species could share its venom, and then it can be replicated in perpetuity.

Jim and Kristen’s experiences give them a wide array of experiences to share: “I think with temperature and humidity regulation, the key is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer for each set up. Different animals have different needs, depending not just on the species but on its life stage (reproductive, hibernation, etc.). Each setup will hold heat and humidity differently (plastic vs wood for example).

The key is to MONITOR and adjust as necessary until the correct parameters are met. Sometimes the thing you thought was great last year doesn’t work as well this year. Never assume it is all good - check it! “Outside of the box” thinking can also help - maybe move the location of the enclosure to make it easier to get things right, or add misting or change substrate, etc. You have to be willing to be flexible and do what it takes to make it right for the animal.``

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Another huge advantage will be that new antivenins will be able to cover a multitude of different snakes specifically; rather than using one species of cobra venom, the genotypes will enable delivery that is effective for all cobra species. This will also lower costs, as synthetics will be easier to make and distribute in bulk.

Book Review

Review by Harmony Tenney

Elysium Coast

By Dāv Kaufman

Elysium Coast, Dav Kaufman’s latest novel, is an easy read with a potent truth that pulls you into the world of conservationists versus poachers. Based on a true series of events, Elysium Coast shares a dangerous life and death adventure of one man’s struggle to save a protected Olive Ridley nesting beach in Costa Rica. Sharing in the saga are his wife, residents of the area, local and federal governments and corrupt poachers.

Can one man’s leadership save an entire species against an ever-escalating set of odds? Is every step forward met with two steps of resistance? The book’s afterword frames the everyday struggle for survival, and the conflict between those who are stewards of the planet’s resources, and those who exploit them.

Living in ecological balance, with a mindset of respect and guardianship of this planet’s wildlife, water, air and soils comes with a cost.

The book brought to mind the ceaseless attacks on environmentalists, conservationists and indigenous peoples around the globe; they’re targeted and assassinated one after another (some quietly, some publicly), in the name of greed. Memorials to these eco-warriors abound. Dav Kaufman, a critically acclaimed author and multiple award-winning filmmaker, shines a new light on this oft-overlooked subject that so clearly portrays the forces of conservation and destruction. Elysium Coast is available for purchase exclusively at www. rattleonmedia.com.

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A Mercedes & A Snapping Turtle A Story of Resilience

By Dominique DiFalco Warning: This article contains some graphic photos viewer discretion is advsed Every year starting in April, Arrowhead Reptile Rescue near Cincinnati, Ohio starts receiving phone calls about injured turtles. Hit by cars, run over by lawnmowers, chewed on by dogs, even dropped from the sky by birds of prey into parking lots, we have received and rehabilitated them all. This year, one of the first calls we got was from a local dog warden who calls me every few weeks letting me know they’ve found an injured turtle or calling to confirm that the large snake in a local park is not a man-eating retic, but rather a large rat snake.

When I got the call saying there is an injured snapping turtle, I was told it had been hit by six cars and didn’t look good.

My hopes were not high when the SPCA truck rolled up to my apartment, delivering me a blood-soaked, cardboard box.

Staring up at me from the box was an adult female common snapper with multiple wounds and an angry, open mouth letting me know she had some fight left in her, the best we can ask for in these situations. These animals are more resilient than we can ever truly appreciate, and this is one of the best cases of that.

A.R.R. is run by Damien Oxier who is a vet tech that dedicates his time “off ” to helping the wildlife that comes to his door every day. Operating out of his house, we head downstairs into our quarantine and medical room so we can finally get a better look at her injuries. Knowing she had a bit of work to go through, she was given a local anesthetic and we waited for it to set in before we began. We clean the wounds with a chlorhexidine/water mixture poured across her shell, flushing out dirt and debris that came along with the tire tracks.

There was obvious trauma to her shell from the multiple cars, but the biggest concern is the large piece of plastic lodged in the center. A gentle tug on the protruding plastic let’s us know that it is deep into the musculature of the animal. Using a scalpel

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and a tight grip on forceps, Damien worked at clearing the injured tissue around the plastic piece. It was significantly deeper than expected upon first inspection.

After a few minutes of gentle tugging, a four-inch JackPad from a Mercedes Benz, complete with a serial number, was loosened and emerged from the back of the turtle. This four inch piece of plastic was obviously dislodged from one of the many cars that didn’t move quick enough to miss this prehistoric creature crossing the road. A sigh of relief washed across myself as I realized the jackpad came out in two complete pieces, indicating there were no further fragments stuck inside the back of the snapper. Though it looked rough, we were confident that the snapper would recover from her wounds. The large gash in her back and fracturing from there was clear of debris and ready for the beginning of reconstruction.

For a bigger turtle like this with these injuries, we started with leaving the wound open and allowing it to fully dry from the washing solution. After this, we started applying clean gauze and tape to the largest part of the wound, replaced every few days with the chlorhexidine/water wash in between. We let the wash thoroughly dry and continued the gauze cycle until we could begin the epoxy coating. Gauze, mesh, and epoxy were layered on, creating a firm surface, which would allow the shell to safely heal and still protect her just as well in the wild.

Unfortunately, before she was released, this snapper laid us a clutch of a few dozen eggs. Without the ability to incubate, the eggs were not viable and our ecosystem missed out on dozens of baby snappers from this rehabilitated mama. It is very common that the injured turtles we received are gravid, as most are often hit by cars while searching for a good location to lay their eggs. With the help of Arrowhead, we can only hope that in the future she is able to go on and procreate, as she was successfully rehabilitated and released in early July, after just over a month in A.R.R.’s facility.

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Specialty Enclosure Designs Built for our passion...

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3-D printed cage supplies for YOUR arboreal needs.

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Product Review

C Serpents Hatchling Rack Review By Billy Hunt I have used the 18-tub hatchling rack from C Serpents for a little over two years now. I use three of them stacked on top of each other so I have a stack of 54 tubs with each level being three tubs across. They are lightweight and easy to move by one person. My snake room is upstairs so that is a huge plus. The rack uses Iris shoe box tubs which are a perfect fit and are completely smooth on the inside making cleaning a breeze. The rack itself is made with 1/2“ PVC and has three inch recessed heat tape already installed with foil tape over the tape to create a smooth surface for the tubs to slide across on. The racks ship fully assembled. All you have to do is hook up your thermostat and you are ready to go.

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Over the past two years I have used these racks for my hatchling carpet pythons. I used homemade racks prior to using these and the difference is insane. The tubs slide perfectly every time and still do to this day. The gap in between the top of the tub and the rack itself is perfect for carpet pythons and all the random species I have housed in this rack over time.

The tubs also hold humidity very well so high humidity species will do well in these racks. Temps are stable and consistent throughout the whole rig. For me personally, the iris tubs are the star of this product. After years of using tubs that weren’t smooth on the inside and just have lips and grooves to get stuff caught in, the iris tubs were a game changer. So all and all, this is a great rack for anyone that breeds. It is affordable and C Serpents has done everything they can to make buying one of these racks easy as possible. You order it, it comes fully assembled with the tubs included, and all you have to do is hook up your thermostat of choice and you are ready to go. I highly recommend this rack and all the other products from C Serpents.

Special Thanks to our Patreon Supporters for this issue!

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- Mitch - Dominique DiFalco

Thank you!!

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In The Incubator...

- Spider reproduction - Strophurus Geckos - Common genetic myths

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