PetHobbyist.com Site Blog - kingsnake.com

Top 25 endangered turtle species, some just a handful survive

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:33:03 -0600

Decimated by illegal hunting for both food and the pet trade along with habitat loss, many turtle species will go extinct in the next decade unless drastic conservation measures are taken, according to the report, which was released at a regional workshop hosted by Wildlife Reserves Singapore and WCS. Seventeen of the 25 species are found in Asia, three are from South America, three from Africa, one from Australia, and one from Central America and Mexico

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"Turtles are being unsustainably hunted throughout Asia," said co-author Brian D. Horne of the Wildlife Conservation Society. "Every tortoise and turtle species in Asia is being impacted in some manner by the international trade in turtles and turtle products. In just one market in Dhaka, Bangladesh we saw close to 100,000 turtles being butchered for consumption during a religious holiday, and we know of at least three other such markets within the city."
Liz Bennett, Vice President of WCS Species Program, said: "Turtles are wonderfully adapted to defend themselves against predators by hiding in their shells, but this defense mechanism doesn't work against organized, large-scale human hunting efforts. The fact is that turtles are being vacuumed up from every nook and cranny in Asia and beyond."

While pet trade is often blamed, as this article shows, there are far more factors more damaging to native reptile populations.

Cause of death in St. Augustine Alligator Farm Komodo Dragon revealed

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 13:46:52 -0600

When Krakatoa the Komodo dragon passed away this summer, my heart fell. I had the priveledge to get up close and personal to the amazing boy on a visit to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. But questions still remained as to what would kill such a young, seemingly healthy animal.

Now, the St. Augustine Record reports:

Dr. Darryl Heard said Krakatoa was a young lizard when he died, which could have put him at risk for viral infections, as young animals have yet to develop immunity against the diseases. Heard is the primary veterinarian for the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and the zoological medicine service chief at the Department of Small Animal Clinical Science at the University of Florida.

Krakatoa had minor changes in his spinal cord, which could have been on-going damage from a viral disease, Heard said.

Other signs of neurological damage included some spinal cord lesions and also a weakness in the lizard's legs, leading Krakatoa to position his legs awkwardly, Heard said.

Steps are being taken to prevent illness in Tambora, the 3-year-old female originally planned to mate with Krakatoa.

Brueggen said the results from Krakatoa's necropsy are frustrating, mostly because it doesn't allow the doctors or specialist to focus on how to prevent a certain disease or virus from affecting Tambora.

Heard and Brueggen both said Tambora will be vaccinated for equine encephalitis and West Nile virus to prevent either disease from causing the lizard harm.

Krakatoa tested negative for both viruses, but both the doctor and Brueggen said it was a preventive measure.

For the full article, click here.

Featured Pet Photo: Happy Hanukkah!

nospam@example.com (Cheryl Cooper) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:28:51 -0600

Be sure to tell natsamjosh you liked it here!

There are lots of great pet photos in our Photo Gallery... and throughout the year, we'll be featuring the best of the best. So come upload yours... it's free.

Featured Pet Photo: Subadult "Glacier" Leopard Tortoise

nospam@example.com (Cheryl Cooper) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 22:11:59 -0500

Be sure to tell tortoiseguy65 you liked it here!

There are lots of great pet photos in our Photo Gallery... and throughout the year, we'll be featuring the best of the best. So come upload yours... it's free.

Featured Pet Photo: Tree Boa Amazon Female

nospam@example.com (Cheryl Cooper) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 09:48:25 -0500

NARBC: Sunday photo-palooza from Desiree Wong

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:57:00 -0500

While Cindy was flying back to Milwaukee Sunday, I went to the show again and took another load of photos! Although I left before the Leo sighting (Leonardo Di Caprio attending the show just before close), I got some cool shots. And as always, many more photos to be found after the bump.

Saucy baby Red Foot Tortoise from Tortoise Supply:

Continue reading "NARBC: Sunday photo-palooza from Desiree Wong"

NARBC: The auction

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 16:23:00 -0500

Saturday night at the shows is auction night, and NARBC 2010 is no exception.

This year's auction proceeds went to two organizations working on legislative issues, PIJAC and USARK. Brian Potter was the ringmaster as always, and made it a fun evening. If you ever attend NARBC, please be prepared: this is NOT a family auction.

Brian and Bob, NARBC masterminds, are first up:

As always more photos after the bump!

Continue reading "NARBC: The auction"

NARBC: The view from Desiree Wong

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:34:00 -0500

While we had some issues uploading, there was no shortage of pics at the show. Desiree Wong was kind enough to take a few yesterday as she walked around and she will also be taking pics at the show today as well.

Don Schultz and me

More photos after the bump...
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NARBC: The women of the reptile community

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:15:00 -0500

I had such a lovely time chatting with some of the most amazing women this weekend. I am still amazed that so few people realize that 49 percent of kingsnake.com users are female. I had some very involved conversations with these women this weekend and I have decided that, if given the chance, we could make world peace. We all are on the same page.

Tracy Barker of VPI and me

More photos after the bump.
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NARBC: One for the boys

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 03:14:18 -0500

The folks at Jon's Jungle have the right idea. If you want to attract a crowd, bring on the girls!

NARBC: Friends and family

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 21:41:00 -0500

The best thing about reptile shows is the chance to hang with friends and family. We enjoyed a quiet little family lunch with a small group of folks. I also got to see the Venom Doc reduced to purchasing a corn snake. The photo in the corner is our lunch group including Bryan Fry, Chip Cochran, and Desiree Wong, among others.

Photo after the jump is the snake Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry purchased, albeit for his girlfriend. Off to the auction and more photos will follow soon.

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NARBC: Day one photos

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:45:47 -0500

We've been having some upload problems from the NARBC show here in Anaheim, but here are a few photos to hold you over until we get back to our real computers!

Desiree Wong and Thusara from Zoomed:

More under the bump...
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NARBC: Getting started

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 11:51:43 -0500

Good morning from Anaheim, Calif., and the first day of the National Association of Reptile Breeders Conference!

I'll be keeping you posted throughout the weekend, but for now, here's a photo of Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry and me, in the blinding California sunshine.

I'll have more soon!

NARBC: San Diego Zoo conservation and Safari Park

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:01:00 -0500

At the top of my "must-see" list during this trip to California: Visiting Jeff Lemm and seeing his conservation work with the San Diego Zoo and the Beckman Center for Conservation Research.

Conservation programs run by the Chicago Herpetological Society are what got me involved with the reptile community back in the day, and conservation efforts continue to be where my passions lie.

Uber-herper Jeff Lemm is one of the research coordinators in the Applied Animal Ecology department, and he's long been one of my heroes for his work with Rock Iguanas. He met me, along with my husband, Brian, and my sister-in-law, Cheri, at the Beckman Center for Conservation Research and proudly showed off his Mountain Yellow Legged frogs project, including their goals for re-introduction and on-site breeding project. The current status of these frogs is quite dismal, but it's amazing to watch a species grasp the chance to return to the wild.

Jeff then took us to his newly designed iguana facility. The attention to detail, from the heating and cooling to the humidity sources, was amazing. Juvie Blue Iguanas greeted us in the grow-up cages, and Jeff shared where they would eventually be heading to live out their lives. We also discussed the processes he went through to learn exactly what was needed to breed the more rarer , how they started with the Cuban Rocks, which are stable in captivity.

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North American Reptile Breeders Conference in Anaheim

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:28:00 -0500

We're on the road again! I'm heading out to represent Kingsnake.com at the North American Reptiles Breeder's Conference in Anaheim, CA.

kingsnake.com will be covering NARBC live, just like we did Daytona last month. I'll be meeting up with Jeff Lemm from the San Diego Zoo as well as a pet author Liz Palika, who is very well known in dog land but also runs a reptile rescue from her home in California.

If you're there, look for me at set-up on Friday as well as at the show and auction over the rest of the weekend. Stop me and say hi!

Desiree Wong of the International Reptile Conservation Foundation and her sidekick, Xan, will also be helping with the online coverage.

You can follow us on the Kingsnake.com blog here.

We have a photo gallery made specifically for this show! Upload shots from the show while you're down there to share with everyone! You can find the NARBC Anaheim gallery here.

Be sure to "like" us on Facebook here -- we'll be updating there, too, as well as on Twitter, here.

Are you a regular Twitter user? We have started a hashtag for the event! Post from the show with #narbc to join in on the fun! Not familiar with how hashtags work? No problem! Check out this helpful link for more information.

Safe travels to all on their way to and from the show. If you see me, please stop and say hi! And don't be shocked if I ask for a photo with you!

Continue reading "North American Reptile Breeders Conference in Anaheim"