Fresh Eye

Captive care and husbandry.

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Kelly Mc
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Fresh Eye

Post by Kelly Mc »

I wondered if this would be fun, pleasant topic of discussion..

Curious about what opinions would be about personal favorites, for whatever reason, of animals that if they were not so readily available cb or regarded as a common species they would strike you as being really beautiful, have compelling attributes, or of particular study interest.

Little boas and pythons are cool like that, Rosy Boas and Ball Pythons. And the Leopard Gecko, if considered on its own merit really is a neat animal.

This same question could be posed on the main forum, with common favorites that are encountered collaterally and abundantly in the field, but hold personal appeal because of their own particular features.

I remember a guy from Japan telling me that California Kingsnakes were considered super special by herpetoculturists there, perhaps it was some Japanese artful aesthetic of the black and white, I dont know, but have always wondered.
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: Fresh Eye

Post by chris_mcmartin »

If you're looking for opinions as far as herpetoculture goes, respondents to the SWCHR 2015 Reptile and Amphibian Public Opinion Survey gave these as their top answers for U.S. Native herps they would like to keep (assuming it would be legal to do so--obviously some of these are listed at the State or Federal levels as threatened/endangered--but that's another story). Note that desire for these species may be for a number of reasons, which boil down to generic "appeal" (i.e., not necessarily beauty, or beauty alone).

Lizards: Gila Monster
Snakes: Indigo Snakes (unspecified Drymarchon corais couperi or Drymarchon melanurus erebennus)
Turtles/Tortoises: Gopher Tortoise
Frogs/Toads: none with more than one percent of respondents choosing
Salamanders/Newts: Tiger Salamander

Details to follow when I finish the report.
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Kelly Mc
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Re: Fresh Eye

Post by Kelly Mc »

Thanks Chris . Those are all nice animals. The generic appeal thing is understandable. I was wondering though about animals that we all kind of take for granted, or really stopped noticing because of their "over exposure" in the CB world.

Corn snakes are example, in and of themselves popularity in the mainstream aside, are really cool snakes - especially in the wild. I love to see them scaling a tree trunk.

Anoles too - truly outstanding little lizards.
Jimi
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Re: Fresh Eye

Post by Jimi »

Sidewinders and copperheads. Dirt common, but deserving of longer periods of observation. Sidewinders are kind of hard to look at for long unless you find them cratered up - they got places to be! - but unless you've got them crossing a road or otherwise out in the open, coppers will usually give you all the time in the world.

I'm not sure exactly what it is that either of these taxa has that appeals aesthetically so much to me. I think with winders it's structural, and coppers it's the absolute uniqueness of each one's pattern and color.

Plus I guess I just have a soft spot for animals I kept as a kid - I was keeping both these species starting around age 15. Lots of good memories, lots of good learning from them.
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Kelly Mc
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Re: Fresh Eye

Post by Kelly Mc »

Nice, I like those guys too - and submit a humble admission of my own dabbling with hots included sidewinders and copperheads - both times juveniles - the little cerastes at a Nature Center in the East Bay where I enjoyed a loose leeway of supervision compared to what it would be today with a youth volunteer. It affected me for life, it was the most wonderful of days.

The copperheads were from Missouri, from a young man who basically courted me with them as a gift hahaha. They ended up at Steinhart Aquarium in the good ol days. Long story.

Days move quicker now, in an ideal retirement situation with enough room I would like to keep a few in some naturalistic settings. I dont know ifthat will ever happen but I think about it often with that urge.
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Kelly Mc
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Re: Fresh Eye

Post by Kelly Mc »

Jimi actually I have a crush from afar on Rock Rattlesnakes, if again I had the time and means. But thats another topic...

I would love to see more crote guys on here with the full monty on their routines and set ups and pics.
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Kelly Mc
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Re: Fresh Eye

Post by Kelly Mc »

Brazilian Rainbow Boas. Original Version.

Crazily beautiful.
Jimi
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Re: Fresh Eye

Post by Jimi »

Courting with copperheads. There's a comedy in there somewhere. Ah, the smell of romance. Ha ha, if you know what copper musk smells like. It actually could form the base of a perfume...
I have a crush from afar on Rock Rattlesnakes
Oh, that's quite understandable. They are one of my faves too - very enjoyable to keep and also just to enjoy in the field. They are a little bit shy but also seem very curious. So while they may flee abruptly and loudly, or slink away quietly when you've turned your back, you can count on them to come back out to see what you're doing. Whether out in the woods, or in the house.

Also, with their small size and relatively high activity they are perfect for attractive, spacious vivaria. Strong lights and live +/- xeric plants do well with these guys.

Unfortunately, living in CA puts a real crimp in keeping out-of-state venomous taxa. If I lived there I'd surely try to get a permit or variance or whatever it's called there. I have no idea what that process looks like, nor the likelihood of success. I would give it a shot though.

A CA-native, medium-sized, saxicolous alternative or "substitute" for you might be Crotalus stephensi.
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