Reptiles, November 1999, Anaconda attack guidelines

Have you ever wondered what to do incase you run into an anaconda, and you dont know the steps to survive?
Step 1: If you are attacked by an anaconda do not run. The snake is faster than you are.
Step 2: Lie flat on the ground. put your arms tight againts your sides, your legs tight against one another.
Step 3: Tuck your chin in.
Step 4: The snake will come and begin to nudge and climb over your body.
Step 5: Do not panic.
Step 6: After the snake has examined you, it will begin to swallow you from the feet and always from the end. Permit the snake to swallow your feet and ankles. Do not panic.
Step 7: The snake will now begin to suck your feet into its body. You must lie perfectly still. This will
take a long time.
Step 8: When the snakes has reached tour knees slowly with as little movement as possible, reach down,

take your knife and very gentaly slide it into the side of the snake's mouth  between the edge of  

its mouth and your leg, then suddenly rip upwards, severing the snake's head.

Step 9: Be sure you have a kinfe.
Step 10: Be sure your knife is sharp.

My opinion on this artical is that this a a good way to escape from getting eaten alive by an anaconda. I have reaserched on ways to survive and basically everywhere i have looked its been similar ways to stratigies and get you away from the anaconda, but the steps up their, are the best way to do it because they are so fast and will catch up to you if you run.

Reptiles, June 2006, The Southern Hognose Snake

 I chose to write about this reptile artical because i wanted to learn more about the Southren Hogsnakes. I like this article because it provided many information of where their found and what they find to eat. It also provided many pictures so you can get an idea of what they look like. Also everything was in deapth detail. , and It wasnt a boring article.  I've learned that you can find them in notrth america, west of the mississippi river to the rocky mountains and from above the canadian border to below the mexican border. They also are a small snake, and come in different types of colors. Hognose snakes are not that hard to maintain as well. I quetioned myself asking if theis snakes are extinced. i wouldnt want to purchese one because im not the biggest snake guy out their but i like handeling them. the current market price is from $50 to $250 depending on the morphs. heres a site; http://www.hognoses.co.uk/?cat=4. Their are 4 different color morphs. They are not endangerd in the wild. Their are no special capativity with theis snakes at the moment. The care requirment sare making it a safe home, an appropriate cage for its size, fresh water and food, just some little maintence because theis snakes are a beginner pet to keep. The most interesting thing about this snake it the little sharp tip on the front of their nose.

Reptiles, March 2011, The other BOA

Dumeril's boas. They are found in the islands of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, just off the eastern coast of Africa. Theirs also other two species of boid snakes that share the island as well, the Madagascar ground Boa (B.madagascariensis) and the Madagascar tree boa (B.manditra). The Dumeril's Boa are found in dry scrub and thorn bushes, dry forests, and near human developments. Often live in caves and crevices, heavy brush, leaf litter and abandoned mammal burrows. Also they make their homes near a permanent source of water. In the wild their diets are almost anything they can hunt down or find (to catch); small mammals, birds, and even lizards. Practically no boas are imported from the wild. They are medium sized and have a stocky build, which means it’s powerful, so you must handle them with percussion. Adult sizes range from 4 to 6 feet. Boas can array of colors, such as peaches, tans, browns, grays, green, reds, and mahogany. A cage is a good idea for this kind of snakes (4Lx2Wx14inch.T); this should be a good cage size for a adult Boa, with plenty of space. They need cool temperatures of 75 (F) and warm side of 85 (F) in its cage, but they spend most of their time on the cool end. Their diets can consist of mice, rat’s guinea pigs or rabbits. A good feeding regimen consists of one appropriate sized food item every 7 to 10 days. For adult, sized Boas feed them every 10 to 15 days. Always provide fresh water, it’s a must. Overall I wouldn’t want a Dumeril's Boa in my house because it’s a pretty good sized snakes which I don’t think I could be their for it at all times when needed, and its a dirty job and clean after them. 

Reptiles, September 2006, Sunbeam snake

Sun beam snakes one of the best looking snakes you can find in south east Asia. It's a very cool snake. The sun beam snake gets its name from its scales there very glossy (xenoopetis unicolor), has an incredible iridescence to its scales. The sun beam spends some time in the rice paddies, but most of the time its under ground. The snake have a pointy head and a thin body to make its way around under ground, and thats very cool.  The sun beam gets to grow up to about 2 feet in length, people might say that's not big but sunbeam snakes can eat a lizard, or another snake and other small mammals. The snake can be stressed out very easily; from the stress the snake can get blisters on the skin. Some might think its a illness but its not, its from the stress the snake is getting, with the right antibiotics that blister can be fixed. Breeding this snake is tough, if the sunbeam is getting a home you should be looking forward to a cage for its appropriate size (3Lx2Wx12H). It's also comfortable with humidity because its from southern Asia, so keeping the cage humide is a must. In my opinion theirs alot of work to keep these snakes in good shape, I wouldnt want one of theis snakes because they cant be handled much, so why risk getting bit? 

Reptiles, February 2006, Diamondback Terrapin

Diamondback terrapins are phisically variable turtles, they have different shell patterns, skin color. Also they have large back hind feet so they can swim through strong tidal currents, and have better mobilty in water (webbed Feet). They have strong claws for climbing riverbanks. Dimondback terrapins are medium sized turtles. They have A grayish black carapace, and plastron is usually yellowish or greenish gray. They have white skin thats patterned in black and gray, also they have markings unique as human fingerprints. Male Terrapins are about 5 inches long, and females are about 9 inches. Terrapins live more than 40 years old. They are found in brackish water, saltmarshesand lagoones along the atlanticand golf coasts from New York to Texas. Adult terrapins need at least a 60 gallon tank waith a large basking area, and should have a heat lamp that keeps temperatures in the 80's (F), the water temperature should be at 78 (F). Providing captive terrapins with saltwater is important (1/4 cup of salt per 20 gallons of water). Good filteration is essential to maintaining their health. Dimondbacks are addapted for eating hard-shelled pray; aquatic snails, crabs, small bivalves, Also eat carrion, fish, marine worms, and plant material. In my opinion dimondbacks would be somthing fun to have in the house, with a huge tank to keep them in, and make somthing amuzing inside the tank so its not jus water with a log in it. They shouldnt cost much to take care of aswell.

Reptiles, may 2011, King of the Mountain

Black milk-snakes are a Central American milk snake found mainly in the high altitude cloud forests of panama and Costa Rica. Black milk snakes start off as a big tricolored hatching. It takes a female around a full day to finish laying her eggs. Black milk snakes grow steadily, Reaching as long as 7 feet by 4 to 5 years of age (length of 5 to 6 feet are more common). They weigh about 3 to 3.5 pounds. People believe that theis snakes eat anything they can overpower in the wild, rodents, lizards, other snakes, and possibly small birds. Taking care of the Black milks is important. They need to have a large cage (3feet long, 2 feet wide, 1 to 2 feet tall), Bigger is better. Milk snakes are a montane species. Black milk snakes like it cool, temperatures around the 70s are fine. Avoid temperatures over 80. I would not want this snake because it doesnt interest me that much, its just a plain simple color, black and scary looking. I couldn't really trust them in my opinion.

Reptiles, June 2006, Black-Headed pythons

Black headed pythons are found in Australia's outback. They are one of the most ancient of all pythons in the world. They have an variety of habitats, from sandy ridges to subtropical forests and savannas. Black heads are medium sized pythons, Adult males reach to lengths of 6 to 8 feet and weigh 6 to 10 pounds. Females reach the length of 8 to 12 feet and weigh 12 to 20 pounds. Occasionally, a male may exhibit little interest in breeding with a female Black heads have a nickname of ''Tommy tar pots'' due to their black head and neck, as if it was dipped in a pot of tar. The coloration of the body is also highly varied. the base color can range from a light brown through brilliant white or yellow. The banding can even be black, brown, red, orange of shades in between. On rare occasions, some blackheads go through incredible color transformations during early childhood (5 to 7 years old). Black-headed pythons are probably one of the easiest pythons to maintain. They are very easily housed in captivity. Babies and adults need a thermal gradient. For babies you need a cool end about 80 degrees F and warm end of 90 degrees F. Also they need a suitable space for their sizes as they grow. The bigger they get the more space is needed. Feeding Black headed pythons is one of the great joys of keeping them, they say. A good feeding schedule is a meal 5 to 7 days. Babies are usually feed smaller rats, and adults are feed medium to larger rats depending on their size. Overall i wouldn't mind having one of the Black-headed pythons but then i would have to buy lots of stuff making them comfortable  at home and i would start liking them, so then i would have to get more which means even more money is put into this.