More New Additions

Christmas has certainly come early for me this year, thanks to Reptile Hunters Belfast for my latest new additions!

The first of which is a champagne royal python. As I give all my royals names, I have named him Cru as it's a type of berry used when making champagne.

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The second new addition is my first normal royal python and I have named him Dinger after a friends name. I think every royal python fan needs to have a normal in their collection! They are just as beautiful as morphs!

This is Mojo the mojave female. I know the name is not the most original but I like it. 

Finally we have Fyffe Hakkinen the F1 male banana. I never thought I would ever own a banana and I was really pleased when my local reptile shop acquired me this guy and all the above. I can't thank my friend Eddie at Reptile Hunters Belfast enough.

I will keep you guys updated with my royals progress and fingers crossed next season I will have my first breeding project!

Rewarding Rescue

Today's post is about a special ball python that came into my care as a rescue last year. His name is Mauve and he is a mojave royal python who has a bump on his nose and a prolapsed hemipene. A local breeder wanted to find him a new home that could offer him a caring and loving environment. I took him in as an extended part of my scaley family.

I am glad to report that Mauve is now doing really well. Last year I was concerned about him as he decided to fast for six months and as I was less experienced with royal pythons back then and I found this to be a major worry. I am now pleased to say that he is now one of my best feeders, loves his grub and has become a pretty aggressive feeder. I have also discovered if your ball pythons are a good weight, fasting can be nothing to worry about and being patient with them is the best way to go.

He also sheds great and does everything he should. I am so happy that this little guy is doing well and I love having him in my care as I know I can provide him with everything that he needs.

I would encourage people who can provide a good and loving home to take on a rescue as in some cases breeders who have an unbreedable snake would put him/her to sleep. In some cases the snake is actually healthy. I am a strong believer in not killing any animal that is healthy if the animal can be rehomed, even if it does have defects. Nothing in life is always perfect and giving a chance to an animal no one else wants is rewarding.

It's now been a year since I acquired Mauve and here is the orginal post, with lots of cute pictures! 

 

Reptile Therapy

A few months ago on Facebook, I read an interesting article about the NHS recruiting snakes to help treat depression. This is being introduced to their assisted animal therapy programme.

A hospital in Roehampton is the first to recruit a 5ft corn snake allowing patients to care for, handle and feed. Doctors have reported the new therapy to be significantly helping to improve patients' self worth and moods and even giving others something to live for.

As snakes are unusual and not everyone comes across a snake in the UK, this in itself can provide a sense of achievement and provides a talking point to tell friends, family and even colleagues about.

In some cases animals can provide a lifeline, as they are non judgemental towards people. The patient also has something to care for and this can help them to get out of bed in the morning.

To read more about the NHS recruiting reptiles click here

Snowy The Corn Snake

I personally think that this is a great idea, as I myself have suffered from depression on and off for years. I find that when I'm having a bad day, caring for my collection helps me cope better and gives me something to look forward to. I also think that interacting with animals can be relaxing and rewarding. I would encourage more hospitals to use reptiles as part of their animal therapy programme and not just for depression but a host of illnesses as it's amazing how helpful and therapeutic interacting with a reptile can be!

How The Lacey Act Could Effect The Pet Trade

The Lacey Act was first introduced in the United States in 1990 and is a law that prohibits the trade of various wildlife, fish and plants that have been illegally transported, sold or possessed. It has allowed local govering authorities to implement civil and criminal penalties for those who have broken the laws.

Some of the snakes that have been added to the act include:

• Burmese Pythons
• 2 species of Rock Pythons
• Yellow Anacondas

Burmese Pythons

Furthermore, the Lacey Act carries penalties for the falsification of any documentation and also prevents the animals listed above from crossing state lines.

How does this effect those living in the USA?

• If you move for work or family, you can't take your animals to a different state.
• If you do educational shows.
• If you are in the army.
• Lots of jobs shall be lost for breeders and pet stores.

 How does this effect the hobby?

In the United Kingdom and Europe, many of the imported animals in the pet industry have previously been obtained from the United States. If more animals are added to the list then they can't be transported.

PETA may also have a say in the future of reptile keeping and may even go as far to introduce new laws in both the UK and Europe.

What can we do?

The hobby needs to promote education first and foremost in order to change negative perceptions against the hobby. Breeders and hobbyists would also need to come together and put differences aside to make the industry more friendly instead of jumping down one anothers' throats and arguing over the most stupid issues. We need to show that the reptile industry is taken seriously and that the facts are clearly displayed and a few negligent keepers can't spoil it for everyone.

• According to CDC data, dogs killed 167 Americans over the age of 14 between 2001 and 2010.
• From 2003 to 2007 (according to www.geog.ucsb.edu), 22 people on average are killed by cows in the USA alone.
• Between 1990 and 2012, the amount of constrictor attacks that resulted in fatalities was 10. (rexano.org) This means the lifetime odds of being killed by a pet constrictor is 1 in 9,513,742!

Spotting A Fraud Part 2

Lately on specific websites, I have been spotting more people lying about the genetics of their animals in order to increase sales value. Sadly in the reptile industry this has been becoming more common and horrible to see, especially when the targets are people just getting into the hobby.  

The scammers are very popular when it comes to royal pythons as they are the most commonly found animal in the reptile trade. They also have extensive genetics and sometimes understanding the difference between dominant, co-dominant and recessive genes can be hard to grasp.

When purchasing a reptile, ensure that you have researched what morph you plan on buying carefully and only buy from reputable sources. When looking at advertisements, look for the words "possible and het." 

Possible means that the breeder is unsure if the animal has a specific gene so therefore don't expect that to be in the animal when you purchase it. This term should only be used when referring to a non visual gene, a recessive animal.

Het means heterozygous and this is basically a recessive gene that can skip a generation if not bred back to a visual. To get a visual recessive animal, two hets of the same gene need to be paired together and if this is not the case then the gene stays hidden. 

To avoid falling into this trap;

 1. Ask the breeder for paper work showing records of where the animal was purchased. 

 2. Ask questions, as if they are lying, they won't know the answers and get flustered. 

 3. Ask people who have had dealings with the breeder/seller. 

 4. Always go to a reliable shop/breeder. 

 5. Take extra care when purchasing an animal on sites like Facebook and Gumtree. 

 6. Visit World Of Ball Pythons or similar sites to learn about basic genetics. 

The only way to prove a heterozygous or possible animal is through breeding. Although don't let this put you off buying a het, just be careful and know what to look out for. 

Two examples of possible scams.

The first image may lead people to think they   are purchasing a cape morph, which does not exist. The snake appears to be a normal.

 The second image shows "100% het albinos". With no paper work the buyer relies on the seller's word. There is also no listed breeder for where the snakes came from, just a friend.







I have also seen people selling animals that can't be heterozygous for example; fire, banana, pastel and spider to name a few. These morphs are all visible and non recessive.

List of common recessive royal pythons;

1. Albino

2. Pied

3. Axanthic

4. Clown

5. Genetic Stripe

6. Ghost/Hypo

For more information and lists of recessive reptiles visit; http:/www.newenglandreptile.com/genetics_simple_recessive.html

For further information on spotting frauds 

Reptile Community Disputes

When first getting into reptiles, it may be an idea to use social networking to connect with other reptile keepers. I myself have done this and found that using social media to connect with other reptile keepers is not always a positive thing.

The reptile community online is full of passionate people and this can quickly escalate into anger. Everything can turn nasty from keeping your animals in different set ups to what bedding you use and even what disinfectant you use. Furthermore you could be drawn into 'shop vs breeder wars'. I have witnessed this quite a few times and don't understand what the issue is.

Frankly all the negative and personal attacks on people is giving the reptile community a bad name. If people accepted that there are various ways to keep the animals and as long as they are healthy and properly cared for, then there are no problems. Different things work for different people, whether it's using a rack system or vivarium. If you can't contribute in a polite manner then say nothing at all.

The bigger the group, the more chance of arguments breaking out is significantly higher. Admin cannot always control it due to the amount of people involved and admin are not always online to deal with these issues. In some cases, I have seen personal attacks on individuals that have been extremely heated and became very personal to those involved. Everything from the price you sell them for to where you buy your reptiles from could potentially start an argument. 

Another thing that angers me is trolling on the groups. For those of you who are unaware of what 'trolling' means, it is the process of deliberately angering someone to provoke a response. For example, in a pro-snake group, someone posted a video of a beheaded rattlesnake. In my opinion, this is simply sick and uncalled for. Most trolls tend to delete their posts after they have succeeded in upsetting people.  

If you are an admin of a group and find yourself with people arguing/trolling, the best thing to do is;

• Check who you are adding before you add them.
• Remove any posts that causes arguments or if possible, try to defuse the situation.
• Repeat offenders should be removed from the group.

With all these new acts being enforced to take away our reptiles, we need to stick together and not unleash personal attacks on each other. 
 

When Reptiles Get Too Hot

With a heat wave upon us, it is vital to ensure that any animal will not be effected. I heard a sad story last week about someone losing his reptiles because their enclosures were too warm. This made me sad because with the right equipment and proper care the loss could have been prevented. 

Temperature regulation in a heated enclosure is highly important and I can't recommend enough how important it is to use a thermostat. All reptile keepers should have one as it is a necessity and vital to the animal's well being. I use MicroClimate stats (B2 pulse stats) for my reptiles. This ensures my heat mats do not exceed the temperature that is required. As far as I am aware, mat stats can be used for bulbs. Do not use pulse stats as these can blow the bulb, although dimmer stats are more effective for bulbs. I recommend using a stat at all times.

• A mat stat is a thermostat that provides constant heat, although when reaching a certain point will turn off for a short period of time. They are the most common thermostat for first time owners and are not as expensive, however they are not as accurate.
• A pulse stat is a type of thermostat that provides bursts of heat when needed. They are more accurate than mat stats and are popular with racks or for heating multiple reptiles, assuming they need the same temperatures or thereabouts. 

B2 Microclimate

Microclimate Ministat

I would also recommend purchasing a digital thermometer and placing them inside the tank, one on the hot side and one on the cool side, although these are not always accurate. Alternatively if you are more fussy, invest in a temperature gun. These measure an exact spot and are more precise. 

Always look for signs that your reptiles are overheated. For example spending lots of time in the water bowl when not in shed, about to lay eggs or have mites. Signs of reptiles being over heated include, dehydration, skin abnormalities, lethargic, spending all their time in the cool side and soaking for long periods in the water bowl.

When temperatures reach 36°C is when you should turn off your heat source and allow it to cool down. Also always ensure that you have not placed your reptiles in direct sunlight as this will increase the heat. Always remember that when keeping reptiles, it's better to have them slightly too cold as reptiles can survive for longer when it is cooler. Too much heat is more dangerous and can kill a reptile within minutes.

If you find that the cool end of the enclosure is getting too hot, you may find that placing an electric fan beside the vents will help cool it down. You can also wedge the tank door open slightly but be warned this could lead to escapees! Furthermore you could lightly spray the enclosure though be aware this can raise humidity. In some cases, a bath might be more appropriate.


Click here for information on heating 

Click here for more information on thermostats