Category Archives: Snakes and lizards
Dangerous if provoked
Today I attempted to go to the Children’s Zoo at the San Diego Zoo. It has been a long time since I went to the Children’s Zoo. The #1 reason is because, in order to get to the Children’s Zoo, one has to walk directly past the Reptile House. And I love reptiles! They are so cool! I never make it past the Reptile House unless I close my eyes, and then I run into people!
From China, and the only species other than cobras to spit venom.
A critically endangered rattlesnake since it exists only on
Santa Catalina Island off the southern coast of Baja California
in Mexico. Unique because this rattlesnake does not have a rattle.
(Great! Now we have to worry about rattlesnakes that can’t rattle
to warn us that we might be intruding into their territory!)
From Central and South America.
Distinguishing feature is a set of modified scales
above its eyes that look like eyelashes.
From Madagascar.
Gets up to seven feet long and feeds on bats and birds.
From South America. An uncommon species. Bites from it have not yet been recorded although the indigenous people of southeastern Colombia greatly fear this snake.
From Southern Africa. Rarely seen in the wild or in captivity.
From Southern Africa. Can spit its venom up to 8.2 feet!
Is known to “play dead” by rolling
onto its back with its mouth wide open.
From Africa. Known to be cannibalistic, which could explain
why juveniles are diurnal while adults are nocturnal.
Ranges from Southern Mexico through Central America and into northern South America. Called “the ultimate pit viper” because it is the most common cause of snake bites in its range. An irritable and
fast-moving species, the sign at the San Diego Zoo says it is
“dangerous if provoked.” Well, der.
A common exotic pet from southeast Asia.
Has been extensively “harvested” for leather.
From southern Asia. The largest known Indian Python was found in
Pakistan and was 15 feet long and weighed 115 pounds.
Did you find the head of the Indian Python in the picture above?
If not, here it is:
I must make a mad dash over to
On The Border
for my requisite
Grande Raspberry Swirl margarita
for Cinco de Mayo!
Hope you had as much fun here as Zoey the Cool Cat and I did!
Looking for real estate services in San Diego County?
I can highly recommend
James Frimmer, Realtor
Century 21 Award, DRE #01458572
If you’re looking for a home inspector,
I recommend Russel Ray — that’s me!
I just need to look at your two front teeth
The new Reptile Walk opened at the San Diego Zoo on July 4. I was first in line to get into the Zoo that morning and I’m pretty sure I was the first one down the walk. It’s an excellent addition to the Zoo. My next few posts will be of the Reptile Walk and the local residents there, so if you don’t like things like, uh, snakes, crocodiles, and the like, head on out to a ballgame….
This is a Woma (Aspidites ramsayi):
A woma is, you guessed it, a snake. It is indigenous to Australia and endangered in many of its traditional habitats due to habitat alteration and destruction. Although the woman is a python, which normally prey on warm-blooded animals, it feeds mainly on reptiles, so it doesn’t have the heat-sensing pits characteristic of pythons.
The woma is a desired snake in the pet trade because it readily eats dead rodents and breeds in captivity.
Looking for real estate services in San Diego County?
I recommend
James Frimmer, Realtor
Century 21 Award, DRE #01458572
If you’re looking for a home inspector,
I recommend Russel Ray — that’s me!
King of the……. snakes?
The new Reptile Walk opened at the San Diego Zoo on July 4. Of course, I was first in line to get into the Zoo that morning. It’s absolutely gorgeous, a great addition to the reptile holdings.
And finally, after all these years, the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) was being photogenic:
The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world, getting up to 18½ feet long. The resident of the San Diego Zoo is 13 feet long. Notwithstanding its name, it is not a true cobra. It is indigenous to India and Southeast Asia.
Looking for real estate services in San Diego County?
I recommend
James Frimmer, Realtor
Century 21 Award, DRE #01458572
If you’re looking for a home inspector,
I recommend Russel Ray — that’s me!
The San Diego Zoo’s albino burmese python
Pictures copyright 2010 by Russel Ray Photos
In my opinion, the best time to go to the San Diego Zoo is at 9:00 a.m. when it opens. It’s not very crowded and the wildlife is up and at ‘em, looking for food from the Zookeepers or looking for the best spot to lay out in the sun for the rest of the day.
Usually I go to the Zoo alone because none of my friends are morning people and I dislike the afternoon crowds since you can’t see the wildlife.
I’m making new friends…..
This morning I took my weekly trip to the San Diego Zoo but went with a group of about twenty members of the Pacific Photographic Society, a meetup group. Much more enjoyable.
In two hours I took 158 pictures. Since I had accidentally left my Canon 550D on the RAW picture setting instead of RAW + JPEG, it took me the rest of the day to process those 158 RAW pictures. Live and learn.
Here are some pictures of the Zoo’s albino burmese python:
Pictures copyright 2010 by Russel Ray Photos
Pictures copyright 2010 by Russel Ray Photos
Pictures copyright 2010 by Russel Ray Photos
Pictures copyright 2010 by Russel Ray Photos
The Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) is the largest of the Indian pythons and one of the largest snakes in the world. They average about twelve feet long but can get up to nineteen feet long in the wild. The resident at the San Diego Zoo is eighteen feet long.
Although they are native to India and Southeast Asia, they have taken up residence in Florida, specifically the Everglades, due to owners releasing their too-large-for-the-home snakes into the wild but mostly due to a breeding facility that destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. They are now considered an invasive species in Florida due to their apparent hunger for foxes, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, and even deer. Since 1992, sightings of raccoons and opossums are down by around 99%, and white-tailed deer signtings are down by about 94%.
Please, people, if you have a pet that you no longer want — dog, cat, snake, lizard, fish, whatever — first approach the business you bought it from. Many of them will take it back, some of them even paying you for its return. If the business is out of business, contact your local wildlife organization and they will help you. It’s cruel to dump an unwanted pet in the wild.
Pictures copyright 2010 by Russel Ray Photos
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