Issue #23 - September 2021

Herpetoculturemagazine.com

erpetoculture agazine Issue #23 - September 2021

The Infamous Inland Taipan!

Where to Start with Uromastyx!

Reptile Mimicry

The New Exo Terra Thermostat Reviewed

& More!

-- On the Cover --

Travis DeLagerheim @travisaurusrex60

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Copyright © 2021 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.

Twenty Third Edition www.herpetoculturemagazine.com Herpetoculture Magazine

Your favorite things in a BlackBox cage.

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THE ALL NEW XC24 24" CUBE THE SAME BLACKBOX QUALITY IN THE SAME CLASSIC DESIGN.

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From The Publishers’ Desk magazine better and better every month.

This issue we feature Uromastyx, one of the very first lizards I August was a great month for us here at HM! We had a table at the NRBE in Daytona for the first time and the response at the show was overwhelming to say the least! We sincerely appreciate everyone who stopped by, bought a copy or a shirt, or just to check out what we were all about. We always say Daytona is more about hanging out with everyone, catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. The show for the weekend is the great icing on an already awesome cake!

ever kept as a kid. Uros have always had a special place in my heart both in nostalgia but also in their personality. Phillip was gracious enough to bring a great feature article to us that we’re proud to include in the publication!

With that being said, enjoy issue #23! - Justin

Justin Smith & Billy Hunt -Publishers-

Honestly, we went into the show as vendors not thinking we would sell much in the way of magazines or merch. But on Saturday we sold out of hard copies of the magazine and

by Sunday we were almost sold out of shirts! I know I speak for Billy and Phil when I say we really can’t thank everyone enough for the continued support both at the show and here month to month. Personally, it was a big inspiration that we got the response we did. It’s fueled me to want to make this

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Contributors Justin Smith - Publisher -

Tie Eipper - Contributor -

Billy Hunt - Publisher -

Phil Wolf - Editor -

Phillip Lietz - Contributor -

Ryan Cox - Contributor -

Paul Donovan - Executive Contributor -

Travis DeLagerheim - Contributor -

Natural Beauty. Rugged Durability

- Stackable & Customizable.

- Tempered safety glass doors.

- Will not swell, delaminate, or even fade.

- Beautiful wood grain unique to each piece.

- Many standard sizes to choose from or get a custom quote!

- Financing Available!

What substrate do you prefer to use and why?

"Paper towels for racks, puppy pads for adults.

Cheap, easy, clean, effective."

- Mike Kuppens

"It's so dry up here in the PNW in the winter. Cyprus seems to work well for me" - Randy Pegues

"Paper towels for quarantine, fine shred aspen for colubrids, reptibark for ball pythons." - Amanda Rua

"I’m currently experimenting with some hemp substrate I won at the USARK auction. Thus far it seems to be close to aspen but somewhat softer, no dust. I'm not sure about how mold resistant yet. My first impressions are positive."

- Stephen Poole

"This is a tough one because I don’t use just one type. For new hatchlings or anything coming into quarantine, it will always be paper towels. The rest of the collection gets kiln dried pine shavings. I’ve been messing with a 3:1 pine/coco husk mixture that I’ve been calling “carpet confetti.” That my Papuan/IJs, Puerto Rican boa, and yellow rat snakes seem to really like." - Ish Quiñones

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A R ad Map t

Ur mastyx With Phillip Lietz Of Arids Only

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Intr Duction Uromastyx lizards (also sometimes known as Spiny Tailed Lizards or Dabb Lizards) have been present in herpetoculture for decades. They are brilliantly colorful, primarily herbivorous, and long-lived desert lizards.

Their natural range extends from Morocco across North Africa into the Middle East and ends with a transition into the closely related genus Saara in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and India. The range of colors displayed by these lizards is truly breathtaking. Arabesque patterns of blues, greens, yellows, oranges, whites, purples, and jet black occur across 16-22 species and subspecies. In captivity these lizards can become very tame and make profoundly rewarding long term reptile pets.

Their care requirements resemble something of a mix between desert tortoises and desert monitor lizards. They have a bright future within herpetoculture in the United States!

Despite a steady increase in demand over the last 20 years in U.S. herpetoculture, a generally low success rate in captive breeding and sporadic importation have led to scarce availability of Uromastyx as a whole with several species having never been imported at all. Erroneous comparisons to bearded dragons made by many pet shops and wholesale outlets has also led to abundant misinformation about their care which further contributes to poor success especially for new and inexperienced keepers. Thankfully captive breeding efforts are starting to gain traction, but because of their slow reproductive rates Uromastyx still have a long way to go before they can be considered widely available and truly established in U.S. herpetoculture.

What follows in this article are the author’s recommendations for some of the most ideal starter species of Uromastyx for new keepers as well as a handful of care, maintenance, and breeding suggestions to help steer new hobbyists towards success in keeping Uromastyx over the long term.

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QuickCare Primer AMBIENT AND COOL ZONE RANGE BASKING ZONE TEMP RANGE 115-125F. The lower end of the range for fresh hatchlings while animals 6 months and older should have a large swatch of basking area that reaches 125F.

UV LIGHT Provide high intensity full spectrum UV lighting for all ages of Uromastyx. Like other reptiles, safe and secure exposure to natural sunlight will always benefit the health and well being of Uromastyx.

HOUSING Uromastyx are desert reptiles and thus large enclosures with as much floor space as possible should be provided. Avoid housing Uromastyx of any species in cages smaller than 4ft x 2ft x 2ft. Sand and gravel mixed is an ideal substrate choice for most Uromastyx, but stones, tile, cypress mulch, and topsoil are all acceptable beddings. Securely stacking many stones, slates, tiles, and heavy logs will provide basking and hiding opportunities ideal for these lizards. Aim for smaller and tighter hiding spaces as these are preferred by most Uromastyx.

For more detailed and in depth care information, the author has a care sheet published on his website www.aridsonly.com and click on “Uromastyx Care”.

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80-90F. For younger and newly homed animals it is wise to keep the cool end of the enclosure no lower than 85F until a new Uromastyx settles into a regular routine.

DIET 95% Fresh leafy greens, flowers, and hard vegetables. 5% pelleted desert tortoise foods, timothy hay, sprouted lentils, bee pollen, and other treats. Avoid fruits and insects. Most healthy Uromastyx will get all the moisture they need from their rich diet, offering occasional but short warm baths, providing a shallow water bowl, or a humid hide box are other options for providing water to these lizards.

Great Starter Ur s Moroccan Uromastyx - UROMASTYX NIGRIVENTRIS U. nigriventris, also called Moroccan Uromastyx, have probably been in the pet trade longer than any other species. A Moroccan also holds the current record for the longest lived representative of the genus known so far at 52+ years! U. nigriventris have ebbed and flowed between being readily available in the way of fresh imports to difficult to locate either captive bred or wild caught animals. As with any reptile pet, seeking out and supporting captive breeding efforts is the best choice for the pet owner and the reptile alike.

Many species of Uromastyx exhibit strong sexual dimorphism, but in U. nigriventris males and females both achieve incredible adult color and pattern. They occur in roughly 3 color forms; orange, lime/yellow, and a bicolor showing varying amounts of both orange and lime. Most of the individuals in the U.S. also have bits of sky blue color usually occurring around the neck, chin, and chest but in some animals this blue can patch its way onto the flanks and nape as well. Black netting around the head and neck overlay the bright colors along with squiggles and splotches of black that stretch in a faint banded pattern down the backs of these lizards.

This species is larger than the average with most adults not exceeding 18 inches, making them the second largest species of Uromastyx along with U. d. flavifasciata. Moroccans often learn very quickly that their keepers mean them no harm.

They are however much less forgiving with cage mates.

Among experienced keepers Moroccans have a reputation for being the most aggressive species. Adults can be downright vicious to each other regardless of the sex of the animals.

Even babies as young as 12 days have been reported to begin fighting ruthlessly with their siblings and require separation.

Moroccan Uromastyx are lizard tanks! Along with U. geyri, U. nigriventris also tend to be relatively forgiving of early mistakes. They are tolerant of a somewhat wider range of temperatures than other species. Their larger size makes them somewhat bolder on average and thus relatively easy to acclimate to a new home. This long list of wonderful qualities make Moroccan Uromastyx an excellent choice for new keepers interested in working with Uromastyx.

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Saharan Uromastyx - UROMASTYX GEYRI Uromastyx geyri is the most commonly imported species into the United States. Hailing from Niger, Algeria, and Mali, this species occurs in either yellow or orange color forms. Occasionally the odd individual will show small amounts of both colors but this is quite rare and never really appears to be a true bicolor like that seen in Moroccan Uromastyx. Like U. ornata and others, U. geyri are highly sexually dimorphic with males being the significantly more colorful sex. Although technically this species can reach the same sizes as U. ornata, U. yemenensis, and U. d. maliensis, most captive Saharan Uromastyx stay below 14 inches in length. Many Uromastyx have colorful belly patterns, but Saharans may be the most intense of any of them. Males especially have extremely bold black striping across the stomach, chest, and chin.

One of the major perks of keeping U. geyri is that they seem to be the major outlier in terms of communal housing. It is far less common to hear stories of Saharan Uromastyx fighting as often or as viciously as other Uromastyx species, but be aware that it still happens!

Caution should still be taken when attempting to house U. geyri communally. Always have a backup enclosure ready in case pairs should be split. Watch for signs of a problem such as only one animal dominating activity in the cage, persistent chasing between animals, or bite marks along the nape, flanks, or legs of one or both individuals.

This species is similar to U. nigriventris in being rather forgiving to beginner error. While just about any lizard that is imported from the wild can be very difficult to acclimate to a captive home, many wild caught Saharan Uromastyx seem to settle fairly readily into captive homes. Attempting to find captive bred U. geyri is ideal, but when this isn’t an option imports can be good sources for pets as well. If picking from a group of wild caught animals, avoid individuals that are thin, have sunken eyes, or have a large amount of topical abrasions from fighting with other lizards. Because of their bright color and hardy nature, Uromasyx geyri make an excellent choice for both new and experienced herpetoculturists.

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ORNATE Uromastyx - UROMASTYX ORNATA Ornate Uromastyx are by far the most popular species of Uromastyx and not without merit. Uromastyx in general have qualities that resemble tortoises and varanids, but U. ornata are so colorful that they are like Panther Chameleons that live on the ground! They easily rank in the top 5 most colorful lizards on earth. While there are 2 dominant color forms (blue and green) nearly half a dozen other colors accent each major form. Yellow, orange, purple, teal, salmon pink, and black occur in dots, stripes, gradients, and patches across male and female U. ornata. Even the 2 dominant color forms have distinct variants. Blue males can range from a deep cobalt blue to a soft sky blue where green males can be found in an emerald green to a nearly pine tree green. In most cases males are much more colorful than females on average.

With that said, male mimic females do exist and many females develop more and more color coverage as they age. Many descriptions of Ornate Uromastyx paint them as ‘terrestrial’ desert lizards, but even though they live on stone this doesn’t seem like an apt description. Much like their American counterparts the Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) U. ornata are excellent climbers on both stone and plants. In the wild they dwell on the rocky mountainsides and cliff faces of Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia feeding on flowers and leaves of tall bushes and trees. Therefore housing U. ornata should focus a bit more on vertical climbing space when compared to other species of Uromastyx.

Most Ornate Uromastyx reach a modest size of between 14-16 inches.

The maximum lifespan of U. ornata is still in question. Some sources have suggested a range of 12-20 years, but this seems rather short compared to other Uromastyx species of similar size. It is likely that over the coming decades their true life span will be discovered as their basic average of care improves.

Ornates are highly active and will take advantage of new ways to explore their enclosures. Occasionally adding new large features and/ or lightly rearranging existing features can be entertaining for them.

Creative feeding methods like hanging leafy greens from the cage ceiling or hiding dry treats around the enclosure can be good for fun for the keeper and the kept. Like all Uromastyx some Ornates can be skittish or flighty for a while, but once they feel safe and unthreatened by the keeper they show their curious nature. They learn that the keeper brings treats or food and often learn to come running for both!

"Ornate Uromastyx are by far the most popular species of Uromastyx and not without merit."10

Tips for the new

wner

While there are many well known paths that lead to success with reptiles (buying captive bred, annual vet visits, etc) there are a handful of small steps that can be taken with Uromastyx that will help ensure that new keepers start off in the right direction. Neither a tip nor a trick is sufficient to understand or properly care for any animal. The most valuable and versatile virtues are those of patience and resilience coupled with ongoing research. Using those as a compass will always be cornerstones for success in pursuing success with any reptile.

1. RESPOND TO AN ANIMAL'S BEHAVIOR, EACH IS AN INDIVIDUAL. Learning to respond to a new animal is like learning a new language. With time and patience a reptile’s actions and communication will become very clear to the keeper. The importance of spending time simply observing Uromastyx cannot be stressed enough. Untold amounts of information can be garnered from observation alone. Watch what a Uromastyx eats, what it ignores, how long it basks, where it basks, where it defecates, where it sleeps, where it flees to when scared, etc. There is no care guide or book anywhere that can provide that kind of information!

Remember that a mind is like a parachute, it only works if it's open! With this in mind, be open and willing to experiment with different methods of care. Continued education as keepers must be a lifelong process.

2. LIMIT PROCESSED DRY FOODS, LENTILS, BEE POLLEN, AND SEEDS. Food items like bee pollen granules, dry red or green lentils, processed pelleted foods, and finch bird seed mixtures are very commonly suggested as treats for Uromastyx. None of these foods are inherently bad or wrong for Uromastyx in small amounts. While many keepers very much enjoy feeding these foods to their lizards, the foods themselves offer only small amounts of nutritional value. One way to think about dry foods and seeds is as “canaries in the coal mine” for flaws in overall care. If temperature gradients are not in an ideal range, if animals are being forcefully communally housed and under high levels of stress, or if another physiological concern is present then excess dry food, seeds, and bee pollen can exacerbate the issue and lead to major problems.

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Limit these foods to the warmer seasons to make sure that animals are in peak form when eating them. The cooler winter months already present physical challenges to Uromastyx and adding these foods during that time could lead to health concerns. Pushing this concept even further by limiting these foods to very small amounts when fed is another way to offer the variety desired without adding much health risk. Other modifications that make these foods safer are sprouting any lentils on offer and lightly soaking most pelleted foods before feeding.

While bee pollen is not as potentially harmful as processed foods or excess seeds, little if any data exists on how Uromastyx utilizes its contents which can vary greatly depending on where the bee pollen is harvested from. Therefore it is probably wise to only ever buy organic bee pollen and to restrain feeding to small amounts in the spring and summer.

3. AVOID HANDLING FOR THE FIRST 30 DAYS From the perspective of a Uromastyx, being skittish, flighty, or quick to hide is a very safe and powerful survival strategy. These animals live in deserts in which predators are many and hiding places are few and far between. Due to this fact it is very, very common for Uromastyx of all ages, species, and both Captive Bred and Imports to be prone to flighty behavior. Think of this as a sign that a Uromastyx is likely in good health, as a brand new animal that is too friendly or relaxed may in fact be ill.

For the first 30 days that a Uromastyx is in a new home its best to leave the animal alone to rest and settle. This will allow the animal to become comfortable in the new enclosure. Plenty of time will be spent exploring, digging, or rearranging small cage furnishings. Only once the Uromastyx has fully marked and explored every square inch of its cage can it begin the long process of learning to trust its new caregiver.

Once the first 30 days have passed, start the socialization process slowly. The length of time it takes for a Uromastyx to trust its keeper will vary from individual to individual. Some seem to hit the ground running and are tame from the start. Others can take years to fully unwind and trust a new keeper. Thinking about the socialization process in a step by step manner can be illuminating:

Initially just focus on getting the Uromastyx used to the keeper simply being present in the room. Many that become very skittish will bail for the nearest hiding place when a person enters the room. A few ways of making the Uromastyx feel unthreatened and less likely to run away are moving slowly, not looking directly at the animal, and having food in the cage before the animal comes out for the day. The next step is to perform bits of maintenance on the enclosure without scaring the animal into running away. Once again, slow movements are key.

After the Uromastyx is comfortable with the keeper cleaning the cage, short hand feeding attempts can begin. Use high value treats like flowers or soaked pelleted foods to entice the animal to come feed from the hand. Dandelions make perfect choices for this as most Uromastyx cannot resist the temptation! Finally, once the animal is comfortable eating from the hand, gentle and brief handling sessions can be incorporated into the

routine. Don’t feel rushed or push the Uromastyx too quickly. As stated before, patience is the way!

Remember that changes in enclosure, changes in cage placement in a room, major renovations to the enclosure interior, the presence of other pets like dogs or cats, and stressful events like vet visits can all set back the process of trust building with a Uromastyx. But these animals live 30-50+ years so the goal is to have the long arc of their care and interactions with keepers trend towards the positive. Remaining patient and focusing on routine will ensure a fun and positive life with a Uromastyx pet.

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NOTES ON BREEDING UROMASTYX FOR BEGINNERS: Because Uros are nowhere near established in captivity there is a need for more people working towards that end. Until something of a “critical mass” is reached in terms of breeding colonies their existence in this industry can only be considered temporary. For those interested in breeding these enigmatic animals, the author strongly suggests that all species of Uromastyx be housed alone for 99% of the year. Uromastyx can be fiercely territorial and very often the signs of aggression and suppression between animals can be very difficult to discern for even moderately experienced keepers. Solo housing ensures that each animal can get into peak condition without competing with others. Animals in top form will breed readily, so eliminating challenging variables like communal housing is a wise move.

Much like many other reptile species, rather strong winter cooling periods are useful in using seasonal change to induce breeding.

Observing their native habitats will show that these animals are some of the toughest in the world! Don’t be afraid to let night time temperatures drop into the low and mid 60s for Uromastyx during the winter. Keep daytime basking temperatures in the normal range but allow ambient temperatures to drop by about 10 degrees F. To add effect to this process, cut daytime light hours down to 8 hours of lights on. This combination should send any Uromastyx into winter slumber, although many individuals will do this on their own without any change to their light and heat schedule.

Food variety and amount should also decrease during the Fall and Winter months. Offer less nutritionally useful foods (and smaller amounts of food if the animal is eating at all) such as green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, or escarole. The transition from nutrient dense foods in the Summer to lower value foods in the Winter will be another way of signaling to Uromastyx that it is time to slow down and rest before the coming breeding season.

Caring for hatchling Uros may be the most enjoyable part of breeding Uromastyx. The hatchings are mostly fearless after a few days and will come running for their food. Be very careful that any greens offered to hatchlings are chopped small enough to bite and swallow. At too large a size, leafy greens present a choking hazard to baby Uromastyx and dry food should not be fed at all to young babies. Especially species such as U. thomasi and U. princeps as these foods can be fatal to small hatchlings.

Hopefully the information contained here will provide a helpful reference for newcomers to the wonderful genus Uromastyx!

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Herp Book Review: Cornsnake Cultivar Compilation Volumes 1 & 2

By Sarah Mohr Review by Justin Smith A lot has changed in the corn snake world since I was a kid. What once seemed like a lot of morph options has now exploded into endless new combinations of color and pattern. If you’ve been out of the loop on what’s been going on in this world there is a ton of catching up to do, a position I found myself in recently. There hasn’t been much in the way of updated literature on the latest and greatest the corn corner of the hobby has to offer but, luckily, one breeder has put in serious work to fix that. Thanks to Sarah Mohr of Sarah’s Snake Shop and her two volumes on Cornsnake Cultivars.

To start, both of these books are ebooks and combined are made up of about 90+ pages. The first volume covers the proven mutations, unproven morphs, detrimental mutations, and a text version of an interview done

by Donovan Winterberg with Kathy Love from the Corn on the Pod Podcast. The follow up volume covers phases and localities, basic selectively bred traits, traits tied to mutations, non-inheritable traits, hybrids, more detrimental traits, het markers and the traits of the future.

Sarah does a fantastic job of explaining all of the above along with a brief history of each. Each section has just the right amount of information to make these books handy for quick reference but also good reads if you really want to dive into both volumes. Pictures of each cultivar discussed are included as well with the added comfort of knowing those pictures are accurate representations of them.

It’s clear that Sarah really put a lot of work into these writings with the help of herpetocultural legends like Howie Sherman, Donovan Winterberg, Kathy Love, Don Soderberg, Rich Zuchowski, and many, many more. I also have to mention that Sarah has a youtube channel with a ton of videos on the morphs or morph groups she discusses in the books. The channel coupled with the books makes getting up to speed on the corn morph world so much easier!

Whether you’re just getting into corns, coming back to them after many years, or a seasoned breeder, both of these books are well worth the money.

I very much look forward to what Sarah publishes in the future to continue the series. Grab both volumes at sarahssnakeshop.com.

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Specializing in Morelia & Old World Ratsnakes.

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uwabamireptiles.com @uwabamireptiles

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Product Review: The Exo Terra 100W Thermostat Finding a thermostat right now is terrible. Like everything else, it seems that COVID has created a thermostat shortage. It seems that when many websites run out of them the restock time is indefinite. Now what if I told you we may have a back up? For this, we now have the Exo Terra Thermostat. Yes, it’s finally happened. Exo Terra has made a thermostat you can pick up at your local big box pet store. I picked one up at the beginning of the summer to run a heat mat on my bioactive rat snake tub.

The particular controller I bought was the 100w variant. They also offer this model in a 300w option. Both of these are an on/ off model which means the probe is told what temp we would like the element to be kept at. The heating element will then turn on and heat to that temp. Then it will just turn off and turn back on until it gets to the set parameter, usually a few degrees below the setting. This is important to note because Exo Terra does offer a 600w option which has a pulse thermostat design.

Unlike the on/off version, it can gently heat up and maintain that temperature in a manner that isn't near as hard on the element.

Going back to the 100w, this is the cheapest in the line up. I picked mine up for $46.99 but you can find them cheaper in other places. The big chain store near me is 2 miles away and I say the extra in the price was pure convenience. After unboxing, it has a simple fold out instruction pamphlet with a breakdown in multiple languages. The adjustment knob on it is turned by a smaller flathead screwdriver. The knob is marked with white lettering so it's simple to use and read. This thermostat has a range of 68-95 degrees fahrenheit. The probe wire is a good length and same goes for the power cords.

When it comes to my rat snake tub, I shoot for a more ambient temp. So I set the thermostat to 84 degrees. After this, I hung out in the room and cleaned tubs and stuff while I checked the heating mat for the first few heat cycles. Now something I've noticed from other lines of work in the past is that if something fails, it is likely to happen very quickly from start up. I thought this had happened at one point. While the thermostat was set on 84 I was getting an 87 degree reading. I double check it against other hotspots in the room. But this one was reading hotter than the desired temperature. I gave it a chance and thought maybe it was a bad install on my part. So I just pulled up the probe and retaped it back on. I completely shutdown the stat by unplugging it during this process. After that we had a 84 degree hot spot and a happy little ecosystem. I ran this set up for about a month to really test this thermostat.

By Ryan Cox

Around the 4th of July, I got another new piece of equipment. I snagged a F40 rack from Focus Cubed Habitats. I messaged them about the energy requirements of this rack and when they said it was around 80 watts I thought “Lets see how this is gonna go?”

So I unhooked the thermostat from the rat snake tub and used it to run this new rack from the most creative cage builders ever.

Now let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised that it runs it like a champ. Even to this day that stat is still running on this rack. I have it dialed into a 88 hot spot and it works great. In the rack, with high quality heat tape, it has been on the money for months.

This little thermostat has proved itself and earned its keep in my room.

Now for the downsides of this easily accessible thermostat. It is not to the same quality as other thermostats in this style from other brands. The Spyder Robotics and Vivarium Electronics entry level stats are still better in my opinion. They are at a similar price point to this thermostat and I can now say I have had all 3 models. But the Exo Terra model has something that they don't and that's availability. I know in today's world we want the convenience of having something come to your door, this thermostat has a leg up in that regard. You can get it the same day if it's in stock at your local pet shop. Now my other gripe is something you see a lot in these baseline thermostats and it's not a huge issue. That is that after you get an audible on/off sound.

That little click of it turning on and off will not be the end of the world. But it is there so if you used it to run an enclosure in a bedroom it is something to keep in mind.

In the end, I highly recommend giving one of these stats a try if you don't have access to the other brands. But if you just impulse bought that new monkey tail skink at the local expo and you need a thermostat that day, then I say check the availability of your local pet shops or big box stores and give it a go. I think in today's world the regular availability and quality of this stat makes it a solid choice.

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g in th e m o S

Fierce

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Tie Eipper of Nature 4 You gives us insight on keeping the infamously toxic Inland Taipan!

Photos by Scott Eipper

Disclaimer:

The Inland Taipan is a species of snake that must only be kept by experienced elapid keepers. The toxicity of the venom combined with the fact that they can be unpredictable make the Inland Taipan a species suited for the more experienced keeper. We at Nature 4 You and Herpetoculture Magazine do not endorse the keeping of venomous snakes without suitable experience and only when you have the appropriate permits and facilities to care for the animal properly.

T

he Inland Taipan is also commonly referred to as: Western Taipan, Fierce Snake and Small-scaled snake. The Inland Taipan is native to Australia, found in far western Queensland, north-eastern South Australia and adjacent areas of the Northern Territory. A small population has been found near Coober Pedy in South Australia. Historically, they are recorded at the confluence of the Murray and Darling Rivers near the Victorian, New South Wales and South Australian borders. Inland Taipans live on gibber plains, clay pans and similar areas of the arid channel country. They shelter underground in the deep cracks in the soil and in mammal burrows. They are diurnal and most of their activity is in the earlier part of the morning, however, in the cooler months they are also active in the afternoon.

Their natural food source is mammals. One of the main prey items in the wild is the Long-haired rat (Rattus villosissimus).

The abundance of these rats fluctuates from year to year – a voluptuous wild Inland Taipan generally signifies the rats are in plague proportions that year. They tend to lean off and are forced to find other mammals when the rats are not in high numbers. Inland Taipans are one of a few species of snakes which change their colouration depending on the season. In summer they are light gold to pale brown above with dark brown or black markings giving a herringbone appearance. The head is usually a glossy black to dark brown which lightens with age. In winter the colouration darkens considerably to dark brown to almost black above and the head will almost match the body. The underneath is bright yellow, usually with orange spotting or greyish mottling.

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They are a large, moderately robust elapid reaching approximately 220cm in length and over 3kg in weight. A fast, shy snake - they prefer to flee rather than interact with humans, that combined with their remote location is why there isn’t a lot documented on wild Inlands. If provoked they will defend themselves, but it is a very last line of defence. The Inland Taipan is almost at the top of its food chain. There isn’t much that will take on an Inland Taipan in the wild. Mulga snakes (Pseudechis australis) have been known to eat young Inland Taipans (being immune to most of the venomous snakes) and a Perentie (Varanus giganteus) might take one on as it gains size and confidence. Their venom is strongly neurotoxic, with prothrombin activity. Inland Taipans are reasonably easy to keep and can be quite calm. However, they can also be unpredictable.

While many keepers refer to them as placid, some Inland Taipans can be every bit as nervous and defensive as the Coastal Taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus scutellatus. Inland Taipans have been recorded living over 25 years in captivity.

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Housing The housing of juveniles is best done by housing them in plastic style enclosures with ventilation holes either drilled or melted with a soldering iron. This plastic tub can be placed inside the larger enclosure. Plastic tubs are often utilised for small snakes as they are cheap, easy to clean and seal very well. This is important as a small snake can escape through very small gaps, which are often present in timber enclosures. Juveniles should be kept by themselves. Not only can cage-mates turn on each other, but the unpredictability of their nature combined with the toxicity of their venom makes one snake per cage a lot easier and safer to deal with.

We house our juveniles singularly in plastic tubs. These tubs have clips on the side to lock the lids in place, are readily available and easy to modify. We start our hatchling Taipans in 7L tubs measuring 32cms L x 21cms W x 12cms H and move them up to appropriately sized caging as they grow.

We use paper towels on the bottom of these tubs as it is easy to clean - simply remove the soiled paper towel and replace with new. Apart from a plastic hide and water bowl, the tub is free from furnishings.

A single adult Inland Taipan needs a terrestrial enclosure about 600mm wide X 1200mm Long X 450mm High. If you have the room, bigger is better as they will utilize the whole floor space. The adult cage can have a variety of substrates ranging from bark to paper. We personally use either a kitty litter made of recycled paper – it helps absorb some of the smell and clumping “deposits” or newspaper or butcher’s paper as it's easily cleaned. Other effective substrates include synthetic grass mats, bark chips and paper towels. If using the bark chips for a more natural look, make sure no fertilizers or chemicals have been added by reading the bags.

Avoid as much dust in the enclosure as possible. If using

synthetic grass, you should have 2 pieces cut to size so when one gets soiled the other can be put in while the other gets washed. Pet shops sell a variety of suitable substrates as well as the synthetic grass and bark chips that are available from hardware shops.

Inland taipans need cover in which they can hide, it helps them to feel more secure in their enclosure. This can be provided by a hollow log, empty pot or a rock near the back wall, leaf litter, etc. Pet shops have an ample range of naturalist looking hides readily available also. At least one hide should be in the warm end and one in the cool end of the cage. The use of trap boxes as hides is an excellent idea with this species. A trap box is a secure hide used predominantly for nervous or venomous species which contains the animal during servicing. This minimizes the risk to the handler and stress to the captive.

The cage needs to be well ventilated. A series of cupboard vents cut into both the front and back of an adult enclosure work well allowing the air to flow through. In housing for younger animals, the holes should be placed in both the lid and around the sides of the plastic containers.

The water bowl should be large enough for the snake to soak in. This is invaluable in the hottest parts of summer and also for sloughing. This should be situated in the cool end of the cage. The water bowl should be washed when clean water is added, not just topped up. Not washing the bowl and continually topping up the water can lead to illness in the animal and a green water bowl.

The cage should be cleaned out at least once a week to prevent the build-up of germs and microbes. Cleaning out weekly will also allow you to check the animal over whilst removing them from the cage. This is when you will pick up things you may miss from just looking at the animal in the enclosure.

However, traces of faeces and urine should be cleaned as soon as it’s noticed. Taipans, like almost all elapids, don't feel comfortable if nothing “smells like home”. They will defecate very quickly after returning to their enclosure if everything is clean and new to them. To get a bit longer out of a clean, any furnishing that does not need cleaning shouldn’t be cleaned or replaced. This is also beneficial in animal temperament, - it is “theirs” - not a new environment.

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Heating, Cooling & Lighting All heating should be placed at one end of the cage and controlled by a thermostat. This creates a thermal gradient.

This is vital for the survival of the occupants. If the cage is either too hot or to cool the snake has a place to retreat to. Excessive heat will kill your snake very quickly - ideal temperatures for the Inland Taipan are approximately 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 F) at the warm end of the cage and 27 (80.6F) degrees Celsius at the cool end of the cage.

Ways of heating include a light bulb(s) placed at one end of the cage connected to a thermostat. A light makes viewing easier as well as heating. A heat mat or heat cord at one end, or both the light bulb and the heat mat/cord. Any light globes inside the enclosure should be placed in such a way that the snake is unable to come in contact with them.

A mesh type globe cover is ideal as it prevents the snake coming in direct contact with the globe but allows the heat generated from the light to escape. Uncovered light bulbs usually result in nasty burns to the snake. Heat cord under the enclosure is another way to heat the cage effectively.

Heat rocks are commercially available; however we do not recommend using heat rocks with any animal as they are not reliable and may cause fire. We use heat cord in a rack system for our younger animals and for our older Inland Taipans in cages we run heat cord under tiles on the bottom of the enclosure.

Cooling allows for the males sperm to be produced and the females ova to be made. The temperature of cooling should drop to about room temperature. However, this drop should not be sudden, by turning on the heat for 4 hours in the morning for 4 weeks either side of the cooling period (1-month) this will allow the snake to gently go into torpor.

(In Australia most reptiles don't truly go into hibernation.)

Inland Taipans should be cooled from early April.

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Feeding Your snake should be feeding on mice or small rats. The size of the prey item and the amount of them is dependent on the snake in question. As juveniles, they should be fed weekly, but once at adult size this can be reduced to once every fortnight. A suitable feed for the snake is a meal that will cause a slight bulge in the snake’s mid body. Inland Taipans will also readily take day old chicks, quail, and young rabbits. Food should generally not be offered while the snake is coming into or having a slough. Some Inland Taipans will readily eat while opaque, but the loss of sight can make them a little bit more nervous than normal, making it a lot riskier if you don’t know the animal well.

Reproduction Introductions should be from May - October, but Inland Taipans will continue to mate until January. We always introduce the male to the female, not the other way round. A female will want to examine every inch of the enclosure, making her less receptive, while the male is more interested in the job at hand and isn’t bothered by his new surroundings as there is a female there!

The males can be removed in and out of the female’s enclosures, allowing them time to rest. We do 2 weeks together, 2 weeks resting. Once the female appears gravid, place a lay box filled with moist sphagnum moss so the snake becomes used to the new item. By removing other hides from the enclosure the snake will usually lay in the laybox. Inlands are oviparous and capable of double-clutching. The clutch can vary from 8 - 23 eggs with an average clutch of about 14 eggs.

These take about 64 days to hatch when incubated at 30 degrees Celsius (86 F). We use the over-water method for all of our eggs. This method involves a container which has water in the bottom, a grill placed over the water and the eggs are placed on top of the grill. We mark all eggs with a line so we can see movement and the lid is removed periodically to allow air flow and then replaced. Newly hatched Inland Taipans have a TBL of approximately 45cms. Inland Taipans are common in captivity in Australia and are bred frequently.

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Practices of Reptilian Mimicry

By Paul Donovan

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The animal world around us is full of impersonators who would have you believe they are something they are not.

Harmless species do this, by playing on the strength and reputation of dangerous species, for their own safety or gain with a behaviour called Batesian mimicry. Mimicry comes from a Greek word for mime or copy.

The British naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1933) was fascinated by mimicry, and was convinced that mimicry and camouflage helped with natural selection, as an insect which blends in with its background is less likely to be eaten by a predator. As Wallace put it…. “Nature selects for successful traits' '. The genes responsible for a particular trait which has become successful, will be passed onto future off-spring. The same reasoning can also be said of snakes which mimic one another.

In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one organism to that of another that evolved to a selective behaviour which favoured that animal, such as appearance, behaviour, sound, or scent. This can be played out to serve concealment, or protection against predators. But the two organisms which are playing out this ruse, may be quite different from genus, species, class, family or even phylum classification. One of the most astonishing of which, is where the larva of a moth found in South America and Central America, called Hemeroplanes triptolemus, mimics a snake.

I am sure just about everyone is familiar with the mnemonic rhyme; ‘Red to yellow kill a fellow, Red to black venom lack’ (or one of the many variances of it). This is a commonly used rhyme when trying to distinguish between the venomous North American Coral snakes Micrurus, and Micruroides, and the harmless Milk snakes and Kingsnakes of Lampropeltis. It is, however, known that this rhyme only applies to North American Coral snakes, and not the South America variants, as these show different patterns, with the red bands touching the black bands. Even with the North American species, the rhyme should not be taken as cast in stone, as a number of Coral snakes can display variations in colouration and patterning from one another, called polymorphism.

Mimicry is found throughout the world in all species of organisms. Out here in Africa I see it in a lot of insects, and some snakes, one of which is the Rhombic Egg Eating Snake, Dasypeltis scabra. This harmless African snake eats only eggs, so has no teeth to use for self defence. This leaves it in a vulnerable position when it comes to defending itself.

But all is not lost for this harmless snake, for it mimics the venomous Rhombic Night Adder, Causus rhombeatus, and

to some degree the Saw-Scaled Viper, Echis carinatus. It not only mimics appearance, but puts up a very convincing display when threatened; enough to make even the most persistent predator have second thoughts about approaching it, and the eager herpetologist to double check before grabbing it.

Although it is commonly said that the egg eater can be distinguished from the Night Adder by the slight variations in the V-shaped markings on the head, and the shape of the pupils (vertical in the egg eater, and round in the Night Adder), in some regions of Africa, the egg eater may have round pupils, so the latter does not always apply.

The Common Egg Eating Snake (above) mimics the Rhombic Night Adder, and to a certain degree the Saw Scale Viper (below).

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To the extreme...

In 1977, an extreme case of mimicry was discovered in the Southern African Bushveld Lizard, Heliobolus lugubris (formerly Eremias lugubris). While adults are brown with yellow stripes, juveniles are jet black with creamy broken stripes. While it is not unusual for juveniles and adults to be patterned differently, what makes the juvenile patterning of this lizard so special, is why it is patterned like that.

Observations of juveniles showed that they were similar in size and colour to Ground Beetles of the genus Anthia, in particular Anthia thoracica. But the similarity does not stop there, for the beetles also mimic the way in which the beetles move. But why should a lizard mimic a beetle? Well, these beetles have robust mandibles and squirt acids from the abdomen in defence. Many predators give these beetles a wide berth for that reason. This is the most highly specialised form of mimicry in the reptile world, and is the only known case of a terrestrial vertebrate mimicking an invertebrate.

Mimicry in amphibians...

As so many amphibians have poison glands, or poisonous skin secretions, one would have assumed that mimicry amongst this group would be widespread. In fact, mimicry is not well practiced amongst amphibians. One of the reasons for this, may be the type of predators which prey on them or, the fact that they are so well camouflaged and mainly nocturnal, they don’t need to practice mimicry.

If you look at the range of predators who feed on snakes, they are predominantly birds. If you look for the same for amphibians, they are predominantly (although not exclusively) snakes. Compare the colour perception of birds against those of snakes, and you will see birds are far superior. Birds also have the ability to learn and remember. An experience of a bird interacting with something which tastes bad and advertises to leave it alone with bright red colouration is quickly learnt, and remembered for next time.

Juvenile Bushveld Lizards (above) mimic this Ground Beetle, Anthia thoracica (below).

The same does not apply to snakes, they see the world in a different aspect, and lack the ability to learn from experience. That being said, I have seen some amphibian-eating reptiles avoiding certain frogs. It may be, and this is just my thought, the poison in the skin of these frogs gives off a different type of smell which the snake may be able to relate to. I will expand on this in a moment.

So, where is mimicry seen in the amphibian world? Possibly the greatest degree are those species mimicking the Poison Arrow Frogs of Dendrobates such as Lithodytes lineatus and Eleutherodactylus gagei.

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One of the most interesting cases of mimicry amongst this group, was discovered in 1999 during an expedition to Peru. During the expedition, a new species of Poison Arrow frog, Ranitomeya imitator (formerly Dendrobates imitator), was discovered. It was eventually given the name ‘imitator’ because it was found

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to mimic another species of Poison Arrow frog, Ranitomeya variabilis (formerly Dendrobates variabilis). These two species are sympatric, that is they share the same geographical areas. This suggests that different populations of R. imitator have evolved to look like the members of the populations of other species that they are sympatric with. But why this should be, is still not known.

selective towards those which can see colour, and would be ineffective towards a colour blind animal. The reasons why mimicry evolved are interesting ones indeed.

Not Without Faults...

Outwardly, Batesian mimicry would seem a positive evolutionary behaviour. If you can mimic something which is recognised by predators as being dangerous/poisonous, they will leave you well alone. But predators are smart animals, and some research has found that if batesian mimics are too common, the advantage they have over non-mimic species is lost, as the predators begin to ignore the warning signs.

Mimicry has evolved in a number of the genus Lampropeltis.

Moreover, this belief that mimicry is based on the principle of ‘once bitten, twice shy’, is a bit of a fallacy. No predator would learn anything from receiving a fatal bite from a Coral Snake. If it was distasteful, as many insects are, and advertised this through bright colouration/warning patterns, then a predator would learn to leave well alone because it would associate the two. As for the mimic, it has nothing to gain, either. What would be the point in a milk snake mimicking a coral snake, if it were still going to be attacked because its warning colours/patterning have no significance?

Mimicry has been shown to be an evolution of harmless animals copying venomous animals when the two share the same sympatric geographic region. This poses an interesting question, “What happens if the species you are mimicking vanishes from the region you are sharing with it? Does the mimic colouration remain or regress? Considering that the colouration/patterning was evolved to avoid predation, would predators, over time, come to learn that the mimicker is just wearing a cloak of falsehood?

There are a lot of theories as to why warning colours have come about. An animal which could see colour may have a natural aversion to bright colours. Red being an obvious one. It is widely used in our daily lives. The brake lights of a car are red; the stop light of a traffic light is red, and of course we have learnt that most red berries are poisonous.

This is all well and good if the animal can see colours, but we know many animals are colour blind. How are they perceived by these? Well, these animals would recognise these bright colours in their basic form, as shades of dark and light banding. So, irrespective of how these bands were arranged, the animal would recognise it as being ‘dangerous’. This is why we can interpret the ‘red to yellow kill a fellow, red to black venom lack’ rule, but a colour blind animal couldn’t. And of course neither can one see colour, because it associates to the bright colours, and not to their arrangement.

A lot of speculation also reasons, that to be suddenly confronted by a brightly coloured snake shocks a predator for a few seconds, just long enough for the snake to make its escape. But this is only

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Mimicry is still evolving?

Well, studies in the Sandhills forest of North Carolina, can give us a clue as to what may happen. The region is home to the Scarlet Kingsnake, Lampropeltis elapsoides. It was also the home to the Eastern Coral Snake, Micrurus fulvius, but the coral snake vanished from the region during the 1960s. One would imagine that the absence of the coral snake would have an influence on the kingsnakes colouration. And it has, but not in the way we would envision. Researchers expected to find the patterning to begin regressing, but were surprised to find the kingsnake was actually evolving to resemble more closely the coral snake, where the red and black bands were becoming more equal in size.

Evolutionary biologists are still in a quandary as to why this is happening. Some think that the resemblance will become even stronger, while others speculate that eventually it will begin to regress, because they believe that predators will sooner or later learn that the snakes are not venomous. Evolution is a fascinating subject, but unfortunately it can take an awful long time to get the answer to the question.

Conclusion

Mimicry is characterised by two factors; an emitting organism (referred to as the model), and a receiving organism (the copier). It has evolved since the earliest forms of life inhabited the earth, and came about through a number of criteria, notably; exterior characteristics, behaviour, sympatric geographic, and the mimic's inability to defend itself. Something which I have not touched on, is mimicry also requires little or no energy on the part of the mimicker, and it is perhaps another good reason to explain why it evolved.

On a final note. If we look at how red, or variations of it, and patterning are played out in the reptile world, even the humble Corn Snake, Pantherophis guttatus, plays on mimicry to a certain degree. The length of its body is covered in a series of saddle-markings which could be interpreted by a predator as meaning the snake is venomous. Is the Corn Snake showing mimicry evolution in progress?

Further Reading Huey, R.B; Pianka, E.R (January 1977). Science 195: 201-203. Natural selection for juvenile lizards mimicking noxious beetles.

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