Q&A

Due to the popularity of my last Q&A post, I thought I would add a second one. Don't forget that if you have any questions about reptiles, comment below and I will answer them in an upcoming post. No question is a silly question, we all have to ask one at some point!

1. What evolved first snakes or lizards? Lizards evolved first. When amphibians came on to land, they needed legs in order to move with ease, snakes then evolved from lizards and the evidence of this can be found when looking at boas and pythons as they have anal spurs which are remnants of legs. 


2. Can snakes tie themselves in a knot? The answer to this question is yes, they can tie themselves in to a simple not that is relatively harmless to the snake. Although sometimes a sick snake that has contracted Inclusion Body Disease from a rodent virus can tie its self into a fatal knot. NEVER try tying a snake in a mad made knot as you may break the snakes back and kill it.





Snake in a knot















3. If two snakes attack the same mouse can one eat the other? The answer to this question is yes sometimes this can happen due to the snakes feeding response. This is why if you have two snakes living together it is vital to feed them in separate feeding boxes.



4. Why can’t a person roll a snake egg? Due to the way a snake embryo forms an air pocket sits on top and if rolled this will pop the air pocket which will suffocate the snake.
   

   

   Snake Hatch

















5. How do I lift a leopard gecko? The best method is scooping the gecko into the palm of your hand with a gentle nudge. Avoid touching the tail as a leopard gecko will drop its tail off as a defense mechanism if it feels threatened.  It’s very painful for the animal to re-grow back.  


6. How do I know when to feed my snake a bigger prey item? The day after feeding your animal and you can see a bulge then the meal is adequate, if there is no bulge then consider increasing their prey size. Snakes can generally eat; prey 1.5 times larger than their widest part of the body. It is also good to keep records of when your snake feeds and also its weight.  If you are doing this then using a snake feeding chart may be valuable.


7. What is the smallest snake and lizard in the world? The smallest snake in the world measures no more than four inches and is found in Barbados and is called Leptotyphlops carlae. The smallest lizard in the world is 16mm long also found in the Caribbean and is called Sphaerodactylus ariasae.


8. Can a leopard gecko only eat meal worms? The answer to this is no, there are many different insects that a gecko can eat. They range from crickets, silk worms, wax worms amongst others but crickets and meal worms are better for your animal as they contain the correct nutrients. 






Leopard Gecko Hunting




















9. Do all lizards need to feed on insects? There are some vegetarian lizards although be warned some do grow large such as desert iguanas. Crested geckos can also be fed on a powdered diet although it is better for them to eat crickets as they get exercise by chasing after them.


10.  Can a snake eat a person? This depends on the size of the snake and is also extremely rare; in fact more people are bitten and killed by dogs than that of snakes.  If you have a large snake, such as a reticulated python or Burmese python, ensure you always handle correctly using caution. Always lift a large snake using a snake hook and have more than one person in the room in case the snakes feeding response is triggered. Smaller snakes could not kill a person such as a corn snake and a ball python. They are relatively safe to keep as pets but can bite!






Albino Burmese Feeding