Search found 44 matches
- September 17th, 2015, 1:03 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Frustration
- Replies: 28
- Views: 8817
Re: Frustration
It's always frustrating. What's weird is that now I'm a "professional" I get emails from people who have found my website from the college. This January I got an email from someone saying they had a cobra in their yard. In NH. In January. I asked for a photo, and they have a curved object ...
- July 5th, 2015, 1:45 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Andrea and Mike's 2015 Species Seen
- Replies: 5
- Views: 4686
Re: Andrea and Mike's 2015 Species Seen
These are all beautiful shots. I'm jealous of your finds in Mass.
- April 13th, 2015, 7:52 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Northeast Member Biographies- Introduce Yourselves!
- Replies: 32
- Views: 14248
Re: Northeast Member Biographies- Introduce Yourselves!
Hi. My name is Bill Ryerson, and I am reappearing after a few years in the ether. I've been an active field herper since the early 2000s, and somehow turned it into a career. When I was last active here, I was working on a PhD from the University of Connecticut. Well, I finished it (which is why I w...
Re: Research
Sometimes they can kill a project from their requests. I wanted to work with rattlesnakes and copperheads, but they told me I needed to carry the antivenom with me in the field at all times. Prohibitively expensive and has absolutely nothing to do with the care of the animal.
Re: Research
I'm curious about "The Committee" ... ? Who are they? This would consequently invalidate any head-starting; I've been involved with the Mass Dept of Wildlife for years headstarting endangered Norther Red Bellied Cooters over the winter ... these are raised to the size of a 2-3 year old co...
Re: Research
Chris said it best.....some research is cool, some is not. Very frustrating to read about worthless research that is more for someone making a name for themself than helping the species. The Blue Spotteds in a blender study comes to mind.....lots of good came from that one. :roll: What do you study...
Re: Research
I'm all for it. I hate working jobs (and have quit because of it) when there is a strict kill everything and freeze it mentality. The samples inevitably languish in the freezer for years and are then thrown away. I worked one job where we processed everything in the field and released it. It took a...
Research
Given some of the discussion here lately regarding the pet trade/collecting, I was curious to see what the group's feelings were to collecting animals for research purposes. In my research I do need to collect animals, but my research doesn't require euthanizing the individuals for tissue or anatomi...
- April 2nd, 2011, 12:06 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Another one caught, in case you missed it.
- Replies: 47
- Views: 12029
Re: Another one caught, in case you missed it.
I can respect that. When I generally buy an animal from a vendor, I do spend some time examining it, and when one of the first things I notice is how the individual deals with being handled. Any animal that stresses that quickly is not an animal I'm going to take home.
- April 1st, 2011, 10:38 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Another good job stopping illegal trade
- Replies: 37
- Views: 4689
Re: Another good job stopping illegal trade
Yeah, I'm just seeing this now too. Bruce, Tom's business partner, was killed. Tom was grazed but is OK (as Kyle said). Oh, speaking of ethical and illegal elements to the pet trade, I just started reading "Stolen World" about the early days of the reptile industry and zoo collections. Cru...
- April 1st, 2011, 8:44 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: cobra still loose????
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1286
Re: cobra still loose????
somebody check recent sales of young cobras to undisclosed buyers...... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ......(JOKE)......at bronx zoo's expense .........but i'm a PHILLY GUY........couldn't control it...... :shock: Bob, are you telling me that the beautiful 20 inch Egyptian cobra I just bought off of crai...
- March 31st, 2011, 8:12 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Hampton Roads Herping
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1634
Re: Hampton Roads Herping
Should have bought the Kyle Loucks snake hook! How crazy is it that there are signature model snake hooks out there. Use to make them out of a wire coat hanger... JJ Haha. I have a coat hanger soldered onto a broken golf club. It's the "Grad Student" model, comes with one packet of Ramen ...
- March 31st, 2011, 8:10 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Identification Help Thread
- Replies: 83
- Views: 17400
Re: Identification Help Thread
I always ID small black tadpoles as Bufo, but I'm probably wrong a good portion of the time. The toad looks to be americanus, but I can't quite see the ridges that run along the eyes to the parotoid gland.
- March 31st, 2011, 8:05 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Another good job stopping illegal trade
- Replies: 37
- Views: 4689
Re: Another good job stopping illegal trade
but are they really legal????......the ones already here are "FAIR GAME"?...WTF??...only until somebody decides to enforce the law.......when was it legal to import them.....the breeders would need a paper trail waaay back.......don't mistake my purpose in this string......this was pointe...
- March 31st, 2011, 7:19 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Another one caught, in case you missed it.
- Replies: 47
- Views: 12029
Re: Another one caught, in case you missed it.
If anything, the problem is only getting worse. I mean, when a guy goes out and finds some snake, lizard, or whatever and wants to find out what it is, he goes right to the internet and what does he find? sites like "not allowed" and other classifieds. Then instantly, someone who hadn't e...
- March 30th, 2011, 4:16 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Another one caught, in case you missed it.
- Replies: 47
- Views: 12029
Re: Another one caught, in case you missed it.
If anything, the problem is only getting worse. I mean, when a guy goes out and finds some snake, lizard, or whatever and wants to find out what it is, he goes right to the internet and what does he find? sites like "not allowed" and other classifieds. Then instantly, someone who hadn't e...
- March 30th, 2011, 4:07 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Another good job stopping illegal trade
- Replies: 37
- Views: 4689
Re: Another good job stopping illegal trade
I'm not saying the commercial breeders are doing it for the right reasons. They are doing it for the money, but I feel this would be a good first step. These people are invested in raising and breeding animals, and if profit is the motivator needed to save a species, then I'm fine with that. Is this...
- March 30th, 2011, 10:17 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Another good job stopping illegal trade
- Replies: 37
- Views: 4689
Re: Another good job stopping illegal trade
A head start program is very different from commercial breeding. I agree, but I think the motivation of a commercial breeder (while not as...noble) trumps the head start program. Especially if you put in the hands of someone who has the experience. For example, fly river turtles, Carretochelys insc...
- March 29th, 2011, 2:49 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Another good job stopping illegal trade
- Replies: 37
- Views: 4689
Re: Another good job stopping illegal trade
I didn't realize Pennsylvania required a permit to breed some of these animals in captivity. I completely understand the ban on possessing native species, but an expensive permit to do your own breeding could be just as detrimental. Some really good conservation programs are built using the knowledg...
- March 26th, 2011, 5:01 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: new species?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1606
Re: new species?
Be careful about that photo, you might be able to get some locale data out of it, and we don't collectors ravaging the population.
- February 3rd, 2011, 6:26 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: 2011 Member Check In
- Replies: 28
- Views: 3177
Re: 2011 Member Check In
Checking in...
First name: Bill
First name: Bill
- December 7th, 2010, 6:48 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Craigslist wild reptile for sale posting
- Replies: 14
- Views: 2719
Re: Craigslist wild reptile for sale posting
Yeah no one is breeding narrowmouths, if thats what they are. In any case you cant sell live animals on craigslist. Flag it and shut this profit avenue down. Hope he cant move animals quick enough and seeks a new profession. The problem with the craigslist avenue is the semantics one can use. While...
- December 6th, 2010, 6:31 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Craigslist wild reptile for sale posting
- Replies: 14
- Views: 2719
Re: Craigslist wild reptile for sale posting
I wonder about some of these. This one was so awesome I had to save the ad, it comes off of the Hartford, CT craigslist. I flagged it, so the email no longer works, but still...take a look for yourself.
- November 24th, 2010, 6:48 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: second post
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1217
Re: second post
That black color works so well with the eye of that one snake. Absolutely beautiful...must...have...
- November 24th, 2010, 6:46 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa Time
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1785
Re: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa Time
I don't have the cash for a really nice camera, so I'm looking to get a Pentax Optio W90 (super macro, 1 cm focal distance). Also, a new longer hook, and a scale that can accurately weigh my big rainbow boas.
- November 18th, 2010, 6:21 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Snakes of Summer 2010 in Maryland plus two lifers
- Replies: 61
- Views: 13763
Re: Snakes of Summer 2010 in Maryland plus two lifers
I know it is pretty bad...I visited the berks reptile show in PA and man there is some shady stuff going on there holy moly...even heard one guy offer to sell someone a king cobra for 20 dollars, you will never EVER catch a me with a venomous snake in my house, accident waiting to happen as I see i...
- November 17th, 2010, 6:26 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Snakes of Summer 2010 in Maryland plus two lifers
- Replies: 61
- Views: 13763
Re: Snakes of Summer 2010 in Maryland plus two lifers
I know copperheads don't mind it as much, my former labmate did some home range work on them, but I don't know about the timbers. I try to avoid handling anything unless I'm working on it. That being said, I pretty much handle every snake I see. Tubing one might seem safe, but the safest thing would...
- October 26th, 2010, 10:21 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Thrill of the hunt (racer chase)
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2475
Re: Thrill of the hunt (racer chase)
aren't reptiles handeled for all these "studies"????.......injected with a pit tag????.......toenails & tails clipped....blood taken...... and maybe removed from the environment.....transported to a lab... molested in other ways & then transported back????......whatda heck is so w...
- October 15th, 2010, 11:17 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Photo Request
- Replies: 11
- Views: 2079
Re: Photo Request
You guys rock. I'm a member of the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology, and I will be presenting some of my data at a regional meeting tomorrow and at the national meeting in January. In case you're curious, the talk title is "Fluid Mechanics of Tongue Flicking in Snakes" at the...
- October 14th, 2010, 6:25 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Photo Request
- Replies: 11
- Views: 2079
Re: Photo Request
These are amazing. Matt, I will definitely grab that first racer shot. Jay, would you be okay if I altered the photo to put your name on it?
I will humbly request that these keep on comin'.
I will humbly request that these keep on comin'.
- October 13th, 2010, 4:06 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Photo Request
- Replies: 11
- Views: 2079
Photo Request
Hey all. I was wondering if anyone could supply with me some images of snakes with their tongues out. I have to give some talks in the next few months, and I lack both the photographic equipment and amazing talent some of the posters here have. Ideally, the photo has the tines of the tongue spread f...
- October 1st, 2010, 6:14 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Idiots are everywhere...
- Replies: 7
- Views: 1549
Re: Idiots are everywhere...
Oh, and corals...oh, and mambas...oh, and taipans...oh, and...@#()#*$(@# nevermind.MarcLinsalata wrote:Poisonous snake - triangle head
Oh, except cobra........
If they get a rattlesnake roundup, can we have an idiot intervention?
- September 22nd, 2010, 3:48 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Alligator in the Charles River outside of Boston
- Replies: 8
- Views: 2155
Re: Alligator in the Charles River outside of Boston
Connecticut had one last year, and a couple gators were turned in, as well as a few venomous snakes.
There was a booth for the New York Reptile Rescue agency at the White Plains show, I picked up a female Cal King from them.
There was a booth for the New York Reptile Rescue agency at the White Plains show, I picked up a female Cal King from them.
- September 22nd, 2010, 3:42 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: The Legend of Crotalus Rex; a story of Demons and Monsters
- Replies: 31
- Views: 3951
Re: The Legend of Crotalus Rex; a story of Demons and Monste
I could be persuaded to "re-invade Jersey". I grew up there and it's been years since I herped anywhere.
- September 21st, 2010, 1:22 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: I need help with this shed...
- Replies: 65
- Views: 8875
Re: I need help with this shed...
Last one is definitely a quarter. Quarters have that little bit of copper coloring to them, nickels are completely silver. There do also appear to be some keels.
And there is no way something with the name "loonie" gets to be dominant. Mendel would roll over in his grace.
And there is no way something with the name "loonie" gets to be dominant. Mendel would roll over in his grace.
- September 21st, 2010, 7:35 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: I need help with this shed...
- Replies: 65
- Views: 8875
Re: I need help with this shed...
Elliot, to be frank, I don't think you know what you are talking about anymore. In fact, I daresay you are a loonie. no, no the loonie is a different species from Canada. While a different species, you often see loonies and quarters together, especially in upstate NY and Maine. There does not seem ...
- September 7th, 2010, 6:23 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: OMG, WTF!!! (Duskies...)
- Replies: 15
- Views: 2353
Re: OMG, WTF!!! (Duskies...)
Agreed on the first one. D. quadramaculatus can get big. I'm only familiar with NW Georgia/Tennessee/SW North Carolina, but the little one looks like a D. ochrophaeus or D. ocoee. I know D. ochrophaeus is being broken up, but the do have wildly variable coloring.
- September 3rd, 2010, 12:31 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: The last from up north this year
- Replies: 22
- Views: 3657
Re: The last from up north this year
I don't know about anyone else, but I definitely stared at that rock picture for a good thirty seconds looking for a snake before I even noticed the deer.
- August 4th, 2010, 7:39 am
- Forum: Image Lab
- Topic: Compact camera recommendations?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 3829
Re: Compact camera recommendations?
You may also want to take a look at the Pentax Optio W80...around $150. It does underwater, and has a good super macro mode. I had a w60 for a while and loved it.
- July 16th, 2010, 9:27 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Northeast Member Biographies
- Replies: 197
- Views: 56105
Re: Northeast Member Biographies
I'm Bill. Herping since a kid. Currently a PhD student at UConn, my dissertation focuses on biomechanics in snakes. I have broad interests in vertebrate physiology, morphology, and biomechanics. I also keep captive bred reptiles, currently around 10 snakes, seven turtles and a few lizards.
- July 16th, 2010, 9:25 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: NE Region Database Activity
- Replies: 46
- Views: 6133
Re: Seriously people, we can do better!
Bah, I need a new camera. Then I'm gonna turn that eastern CT so red...
- June 30th, 2010, 1:33 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: New Hampshire Trip
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3200
Re: New Hampshire Trip
I think it is a Maritime subspecies. I don't know if you saw the whole snake, but the dorsal stripe appears to fade as you get away from the head, which I think is one of the morphological characters you can use to distinguish them. I also think the color/pattern of the checkered pattern on the back...
- June 25th, 2010, 11:44 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Quick after work herping with a two for one special.
- Replies: 17
- Views: 4009
Re: Quick after work herping with a two for one special.
Hey Matt what kind of staining technique are you using? All of my histological work uses alcian blue and alzarin red, but I feel like both of those would be too dark to efficiently count rings.
Asking as one grad nerd to another.
Asking as one grad nerd to another.
- June 8th, 2010, 6:52 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Check in thread
- Replies: 42
- Views: 11451
Re: Check in thread
Bill, reporting in for duty.