Search found 521 matches

by VanAR
September 3rd, 2013, 9:31 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: egg tooth photo request
Replies: 9
Views: 3465

Re: egg tooth photo request

Also- if a species clearly lacks an egg tooth, we'd be interested in photos of that as well
by VanAR
September 3rd, 2013, 9:24 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: egg tooth photo request
Replies: 9
Views: 3465

egg tooth photo request

Hi all, Do any of you have any pictures of an egg tooth on a lizard, snake, or amphisbaenian soon after hatching? My colleagues and I are collating available data on egg teeth to try to determine whether it is present in live-bearing species specifically, but we are also interested to see if there a...
by VanAR
August 21st, 2013, 5:38 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Peeling Bark?
Replies: 29
Views: 10852

Re: Peeling Bark?

can count on one hand the number of SK's I've ever seen under loose, dead bark. (Heck, I've seen more in palm trees than pines.) On the other hand, I've seen a couple hundred or so while flipping AC early in the mornings and on the crawl while shining on foot after dark. Where I live, if you want n...
by VanAR
August 11th, 2013, 2:18 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: curious what you guys think
Replies: 16
Views: 3191

Re: curious what you guys think

Flipped some tin in north FL one time that had a rubber snake and a note that said "find your own tin site", or something to that effect. That's the only similar experience I can think of.
by VanAR
August 8th, 2013, 11:54 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: control
Replies: 52
Views: 46842

Re: Anyone know of fire ant control to use on alligator nest

That's an interesting observation. In my experience, its rare for hatchling turtles or snakes to emerge before they internalize yolk sacs if they pip before doing so, and I agree that their survival in those cases is likely to be low. I've removed them from their shells and they always seem pretty l...
by VanAR
August 8th, 2013, 6:02 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: control
Replies: 52
Views: 46842

Re: Anyone know of fire ant killer to use on alligator nests

The mode of embryonic gas exchange is characterized as passive. The structure of the shell facilitates its steady rate. Unlike Respiration per lungs in air breathing organisms, or gills in aquatics, which are defined as active. The more I think about it, the less I agree that embryonic gas exchange...
by VanAR
August 8th, 2013, 1:58 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: control
Replies: 52
Views: 46842

Re: Anyone know of fire ant killer to use on alligator nests

None of what you are saying is all that correct - especially if you are talking about some of the more absorbent collagen character reptile eggs. Care to elaborate on what you think isn't correct? The absorbance of the eggshell protein itself makes no difference. If a chemical gets absorbed into th...
by VanAR
August 7th, 2013, 11:48 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: control
Replies: 52
Views: 46842

Re: Anyone know of fire ant killer to use on alligator nests

Most insecticides act by targeting neurological capacities, or most currently they are designed to interrupt developmental stages and reproductive cycles of the bug. Most. Not all. Gases transfer through the eggshell of a living embryo albeit passive - is absolutely unrelated to the permeability of...
by VanAR
August 7th, 2013, 9:08 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: control
Replies: 52
Views: 46842

Re: Anyone know of fire ant killer to use on alligator nests

Regarding my original post I was talking to one of my younger brothers friends earlier today who told me there was an episode of the Billy The Exterminator show last season where he was at an alligator farm applying a pesticide directly to an alligators nest because they were losing too many babies...
by VanAR
August 6th, 2013, 10:47 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: control
Replies: 52
Views: 46842

Re: Anyone know of fire ant killer to use on alligator nests

I don't disagree with the point of most of these responses, i.e. there are few effective insecticides safe to use on the eggs or in the surrounding environment, tell someone trained to deal with the situation, don't handle it yourself, etc., but this quote: so don't watch, already Jesus, when did we...
by VanAR
July 26th, 2013, 5:02 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Traveling with snake hooks and other gear?
Replies: 30
Views: 11591

Re: Traveling with snake hooks and other gear?

You can get shorter hooks, too. M1 and whitney-style tongs are much less dangerous for snakes than pilstrom snake scissors. You can still pinch smaller species with the tooth in the front, but with careful use they can be 100% safe. If they injure the snake, they aren't being used properly, pure and...
by VanAR
July 26th, 2013, 1:58 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Traveling with snake hooks and other gear?
Replies: 30
Views: 11591

Re: Traveling with snake hooks and other gear?

I'm not a big fan of collapsible handling tools because most of them are not very strong, IMO. I prefer to pack shorter-length hooks/tongs in checked bags. I've found that a 24-30" set of tongs works for nearly every snake I'm likely to encounter.
by VanAR
July 22nd, 2013, 12:40 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Constantly Dreaming About Snakes
Replies: 18
Views: 4578

Re: Constantly Dreaming About Snakes

When I was working with venomous species on a daily basis, I had a semi-annual recurring dream where I'd get envenomated by something. Occasionally waking up soaked in sweat thinking I was hooked to an IV in a hospital bed was always a good way to stay focused on safety and avoid complacency.
by VanAR
July 8th, 2013, 2:52 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Victoria (australia!) Herping!
Replies: 9
Views: 4076

Re: Victoria (australia!) Herping!

Hi Nick- do you have any pictures of P. entrecasteauxii from that area? The reason I'm asking is I'm working on the reproductive biology of this genus and have some ideas for future work in Victoria. They're really easy to tell apart in NSW, but it seems like the Victoria/Tasmania animals are a lot ...
by VanAR
July 5th, 2013, 5:33 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Victoria (australia!) Herping!
Replies: 9
Views: 4076

Re: Victoria (australia!) Herping!

Great pics! How sure are you that your P. pagenstecheri is not a P. entrecasteauxii? I know entrecasteauxii often have spots in central/west Victoria, but pags usually have multiple dorsolateral lines in addition to the lateral lines.

Van
by VanAR
June 17th, 2013, 9:32 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snakedays, Sanderson Texas
Replies: 11
Views: 5321

Re: Snakedays, Sanderson Texas

Cool trip yall!
by VanAR
June 11th, 2013, 11:54 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Ethical Education Question
Replies: 28
Views: 7487

Re: Ethical Education Question

I have not put much thought into having classroom pets but can see valid points on both sides. So the question, if you were to have your own high school biology classroom, would you include live animals? I think its a good idea, with some caveats. Like others have said, its a great way to spark int...
by VanAR
May 31st, 2013, 4:27 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: "Justified" Season 4 Ep 1 (Hole in the Wall) snake species?
Replies: 5
Views: 1851

Re: "Justified" Season 4 Ep 1 (Hole in the Wall) snake speci

jdustin- that is it, thanks. I forgot- it looks like a really big jungle corn to me, but could also just be a big anerythistic corn.
by VanAR
May 31st, 2013, 7:24 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: "Justified" Season 4 Ep 1 (Hole in the Wall) snake species?
Replies: 5
Views: 1851

Re: "Justified" Season 4 Ep 1 (Hole in the Wall) snake speci

Been some time since I saw it, but I thought it looked like a big desert kingsnake. I could see gopher as an alternate.

Funny thing is, if you look close, you can tell they either taped and/or photoshopped a rattle onto its tail to make it look like a Crotalus.
by VanAR
May 27th, 2013, 6:45 pm
Forum: Reading Room
Topic: non-fiction pleasure reading?
Replies: 29
Views: 14343

Re: non-fiction pleasure reading?

"The Last Place You'd Look for a Wallaby: My Obsessive Quest to Seek Out Alien Species"

By Glen Chilton
by VanAR
May 19th, 2013, 4:19 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: EDB-like WDBs?
Replies: 25
Views: 7361

Re: EDB-like WDBs?

LOL! - I know because it's mine
That's what I get for linking directly from google image!
by VanAR
May 19th, 2013, 2:00 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: EDB-like WDBs?
Replies: 25
Views: 7361

Re: EDB-like WDBs?

To me, it looks like an EDB. EDBs can have a slight coontailish look similar to WDBs, but without the extreme contrast of white/black, which that animal doesn't seem to have, or else is not clearly visible (to me at least) even when blown up. Here's an example (not my photo): http://www.venombyte.co...
by VanAR
May 10th, 2013, 5:05 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

I'm pretty sure that the any chemical cycle in herps is highly affected by temperature... Why would freezing be considered by many to be a humane way to put down a herp. I would think that the availability of the ions and the activity of the ion pumps are highly reliant on temperature were herps ar...
by VanAR
May 10th, 2013, 4:13 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

VanAR... I notice that you keep saying that the metamolism in a reptile is not directly related to the pain cycle... aren't the chemicals directly responsible for the pain governed by the reptiles metabolic rate... No. Neuronal action potentials are unaffected by metabolic rate. The sodium/potassiu...
by VanAR
May 10th, 2013, 6:29 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

I always thought that the metabolism of a reptile is directly related to temperature...
It is, but neuronal function isn't directly related to metabolic rate.
Comparing human choices to wild animal prey and predator relationship is irrational to me.
So do you choose to eat meat?
by VanAR
May 9th, 2013, 11:44 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

Is pain related to metabolism? Pain is related to temperature, but not directly via metabolism. Action potentials (the changes in voltage that transmit information down neurons) work via the rapid fluxes of sodium and potassium ions into and out of neurons. Most motor/sensory neurons connect to one...
by VanAR
May 9th, 2013, 6:17 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

Mywan- thanks for your take. Admittedly, I hadn't seen the term "superinfection" before, but after reading, it made sense that it was an infection caused by an antibiotic/antifungal-resistant strain. My skepticism however, was less technical than even your explanation. My understanding (pe...
by VanAR
May 8th, 2013, 2:51 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake Fungal Disease
Replies: 95
Views: 34636

Re: Snake Fungal Disease

I would think that a cloth and rubbing alcohol wipedown of hooks and tongs between sites would do the trick and not leave any residue that would be harmful for snakes? Possibly, but when in doubt.... soak in 10% bleach. That'll kill EVERYTHING, and is safe for reptiles. The problem with alcohol is ...
by VanAR
May 6th, 2013, 10:27 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Fishing Bycatch
Replies: 3
Views: 1156

Re: Fishing Bycatch

Big bathtowels are the best way to handle softies. Put them in the towel face first and wrap the ends over their carapace and plastron and they calm down pretty quick. It gently encourages them to retract their head into the shell and they don't struggle nearly as much. Of course, you have to get th...
by VanAR
May 4th, 2013, 3:40 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

It is inhumane to put a reptile in the freezer. We went over this in a chameleon forum where vets chimed in. They said something to the point of: The blood capillaries will freeze and bust before the animal is dead causing immense pain. They also said that decapitation is quicker but still the anim...
by VanAR
May 4th, 2013, 7:07 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

I like how you get snippy when your self-righteousness is questioned. I would also like to hear some of the other ways you think the enthusiastic jayder person who makes the youtube videos, and so many others who do the same, benefits the standing and face of herpetoculture , so as to stay on topic....
by VanAR
May 4th, 2013, 4:05 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

One item of proof is the extremis extent of the lesion presented in the snake. Which could happen even under the care of a vet who knew what they were doing. Fungal infections are very difficult to treat successfully. Also - Often when an individual is familiar with a singular issue - ie: because t...
by VanAR
May 4th, 2013, 3:33 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

First off , if you are able to do microbial cultures with your eyeballs by looking at photos on the internet - wow very impressive. I've seen a lot of them over the years in wild snakes. They're pretty distinctive, especially with his description of the lesion resembling a wart. Unfortunately, my s...
by VanAR
May 4th, 2013, 2:04 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

Yes, hearsay. The photo the OP linked of the guy getting an IV was (according to his FB post) due to a throat bacterial infection, not a snakebite . After a few minutes of searching, I can't personally find any reference to this on his FB site, and the only discussion of it I see on the Crotalus pag...
by VanAR
May 3rd, 2013, 10:29 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report
Replies: 62
Views: 22017

Re: Texas: animal cruelty and neglect report

While it is a terrible situation for the snake, it's difficult to blame the entire problem on the owner's cruelty and neglect based only on hearsay from you. It's quite possible the guy doesn't live near a vet who is comfortable working with venomous snakes, particularly in rural parts of Texas. It ...
by VanAR
May 1st, 2013, 6:05 am
Forum: News
Topic: Does this bite look real? "Bear Grylls's Producer"
Replies: 20
Views: 10978

Re: Does this bite look real? "Bear Grylls's Producer"

It has been pointed out in the comments that the wall sockets look Australian, although China and Israel have similar-shaped sockets. If it's real, I am sure all will come out eventually. I disagree- the sockets don't have built-in power switches, which seem to be ubiquitous in Australia (perhaps n...
by VanAR
April 30th, 2013, 6:02 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Does this bite look real? "Bear Grylls's Producer"
Replies: 20
Views: 10978

Re: Does this bite look real? "Bear Grylls's Producer"

It definitely could be real if the photo was taken very soon after some sort of tissue debridement/fasciotomy. Any word on where in the world the bite occurred, or the species?
by VanAR
April 22nd, 2013, 3:26 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: timber question
Replies: 7
Views: 1302

Re: timber question

84cm (SVL) and 460g.
The snake I worked with was similar in size to this. I can't say much more because it wasn't my study and my memory isn't clear on the specifics.
by VanAR
April 21st, 2013, 2:43 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: I Diddnt think this was possible.
Replies: 11
Views: 3471

Re: I Diddnt think this was possible.

Harry Greene has had one of these for years. Apparently it rattles its tail vertically even though it has no rattles.
by VanAR
April 21st, 2013, 2:42 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: timber question
Replies: 7
Views: 1302

Re: timber question

I don't remember the exact length, but I caught one for a study that was well under a meter.
by VanAR
April 5th, 2013, 8:24 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Photo request- stinkpot
Replies: 2
Views: 778

Photo request- stinkpot

Hi all, I'm submitting a paper on the effects of coal fly ash on turtle and bird reproduction to a journal called Environmental Science and Technology, and I need a high-quality, high-resolution photo of a stinkpot to go along with it. Unfortunately, I neglected to take any photos of them while I wa...
by VanAR
March 25th, 2013, 11:54 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Arkansas checking in...
Replies: 12
Views: 4047

Re: Arkansas checking in...

I miss Arkansas in March/April. That's some good stuff there!
by VanAR
March 16th, 2013, 3:35 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Success! Florida Python Bio-Blitz
Replies: 57
Views: 18203

Re: Success! Florida Python Bio-Blitz

I’ve always wondered why Australians don’t offer a bounty on Cane Toads (e.g. $1.00 for 20 toads). It would be a great source of income for the unemployed, students and backpackers and would at least limit their spread/impact. Then I realised every man and his dog would be breeding the toads for ea...
by VanAR
March 12th, 2013, 6:48 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Turtle ID Debate
Replies: 18
Views: 3649

Re: Turtle ID Debate

If not a Trachemys, maybe a Red-bellied Cooter?
I don't think so. The head looks more like a slider and the carapace isn't domed enough.
by VanAR
March 12th, 2013, 3:46 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Turtle ID Debate
Replies: 18
Views: 3649

Re: Turtle ID Debate

I agree it is most likely a slider, but I'm not sure it's necessarily an older animal since the growth rings are still so visible on the carapace. On the males that are old enough to have gone melanistic, those growth rings are typically worn smooth.
by VanAR
March 12th, 2013, 3:15 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New Lizard Discovered ???? On Mars ????
Replies: 7
Views: 2868

Re: New Lizard Discovered ???? On Mars ????

Must be one of the elite ruling reptilian aliens the conspiracy nuts are always going on about.
Donald Rumsfeld is not amused

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/2 ... 28284.html
(audio may be NSFW)
by VanAR
March 11th, 2013, 7:48 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Success! Florida Python Bio-Blitz
Replies: 57
Views: 18203

Re: Success! Florida Python Bio-Blitz

could be, and it would be nice. or the participants didn't know what they were doing. Based on the area of ENP and Big cypress alone, even an estimate of 100,000 pythons still translates to just one python in every 20 acres, if randomly distributed. Even if there are a lot of snakes out there it do...
by VanAR
March 9th, 2013, 6:20 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Cool photo....real or fake???
Replies: 9
Views: 2793

Re: Cool photo....real or fake???

The photo's a bit small to pick out signs of photoshopping, but why wouldn't it be real? It doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility that 3 male rattlesnakes would fight simultaneously.
by VanAR
March 2nd, 2013, 2:14 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herps Found on Fishing Trips
Replies: 9
Views: 2778

Re: Herps Found on Fishing Trips

Awesome series! It reminds me quite a bit of fishing trips in Northwest Arkansas. I once had a black rat swim right up to me and rest against my legs before it continued on- I just stood still and let it do what it wanted. Your softshell "nose wrinkling" could be due to it dehydrating slig...
by VanAR
February 24th, 2013, 12:02 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Interresting article some may be interested in
Replies: 24
Views: 5879

Re: Interresting article some may be interested in

I've always wondered if FOIA laws would apply to these type of sensitive local studies being they are often funded by government grants would this information have to be released as part of a FOIA request? That's a whole other issue because once the data are published, they're technically owned by ...