The ReptileChannel “Reptile-Loving Zombies Unite!” Halloween Photo Contest
By Russ Case
Despite the decomposition, zombies are people, too. And like ordinary folk, many love reptiles! That’s what we want to show in our 2011 Halloween photo contest! How to EnterE-mail photos of yourself, friends, children or relatives in zombie makeup, holding a reptile or reptiles. Submit as many photos as you like. Eligible submissions will be posted on this page. They may also appear on the REPTILES or ReptileChannel Facebook pages.
A sign reading “Reptile-Loving Zombies Unite for ReptileChannel.com” must be visible in the photo. It must be an actual sign, not a caption or type that has otherwise been added electronically to the photo. This is so we know the photo was taken for the contest, and that it was not taken from the Internet.
After the deadline, we’ll choose our two favorite photos, and the two people who submitted them will receive six free books of their choice from the Advanced Vivarium Systems catalog! Available AVS titles can be viewed in the BowTie Press catalog here. Important InfoThe UNDEADline to submit photos is 12 p.m., PST, ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28.
By e-mailing your photos to reptiles@bowtieinc.com, you are stating that the photos are your property, and, if applicable, that you have the permission of the people in the photos to submit them. After submission, the photos become the property of BowTie Inc. Once they have been submitted, BowTie is not responsible for any third-party claims to photo ownership.
The people who submit the winning photos are the people who will be contacted and who will win the prizes. Winners will be notified by e-mail.
E-mail submissions must include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address. Type “ZOMBIE PIC” in the subject field.
Check this page for a link to the contest entrants submissions. NOW GET YOUR ZOMBIE ON, AND LET’S SEE SOME GREAT PHOTOS! HAVE FUN AND GOOD LUCK!
Scientists Unlock Potential Of Frog Skin To Treat Cancer
Proteins in Phyllomedusa X sauvagii and Bombina X maxima stimulate or inhibit blood vessel growth
October 14, 2011
Click image to enlarge Waxy monkey frogs. Photo courtesy Petra Karstedt/Tiermotive.de.
Scientists in Northern Ireland, based at Queen's University Belfast, have discovered proteins in the skins of two species of frog that could be used to treat cancer, diabetes, and strokes, as well as assisting transplant patients by regulating the growth of blood vessels.
The award-winning research, led by Professor Chris Shaw at Queen's School of Pharmacy, has identified two short protein chains, technically known as peptides, which can be used in a controlled and targeted way to regulate angiogenesis - the process by which blood vessels grow in the body. The discovery holds the potential to develop new treatments for more than seventy major diseases and conditions that affect over one billion people worldwide. Mechanisms Of ActionThe proteins have been found in secretions present on the skins of the waxy monkey frog (Phyllomedusa sauvagii), which originates from South America, and also the giant firebellied toad (Bombina maxima) found in China. Scientists capture the frogs and gently extract the secretions, before releasing them back in to the wild. The frogs are not harmed in any way during this process.
Professor Shaw said: "The proteins that we have discovered have the ability to either stimulate or inhibit the growth of blood vessels. By 'switching off' angiogenesis and inhibiting blood vessel growth, a protein from the waxy monkey frog has the potential to kill cancer tumors.
"Most cancer tumors can only grow to a certain size before they need blood vessels to grow into the tumor to supply it with vital oxygen and nutrients. Stopping the blood vessels from growing will make the tumor less likely to spread and may eventually kill it. This could therefore transform cancer from a terminal illness into a chronic condition."
The secretion from the firebellied toad operates in a different way. "The protein identified in the case of the giant firebellied toad has been found to 'switch on' angiogenesis and stimulate blood vessel growth. This has the potential to treat an array of diseases and conditions that require blood vessels to repair quickly, such as wound healing, organ transplants, diabetic ulcers, and damage caused by strokes or heart conditions," said Shaw. The Value Of This ResearchExplaining how his research team looks to the natural world to solve problems where other methods of drug discovery have failed, Professor Shaw said: "Because of its huge potential, angiogenesis has been a prime target for drugs development research over the past forty years.
"But despite an investment of around $4-5 billion by scientists and drugs companies around the world, they have yet to develop a drug that can effectively target, control and regulate the growth of blood vessels.
"The aim of our work here at Queen's University is to unlock the potential of the natural world - in this case the secretions found on frog and toad skins - so as to alleviate human suffering. We are absolutely convinced that the natural world holds the solutions to many of our problems.
"We just need to pose the right questions to find them," he added. "It would be a great shame to have something in nature that is potentially the wonder drug to treat cancer and not aim to do everything in our power to make it work."
Got From: http://www.reptilechannel.com/reptile-news/2011/10/14/frog-skin-proteins-potential-cancer-cure.aspx
Check out these articles on basic reptile health. The articles here pertain to most reptile and amphibian species. If you are looking for specific health articles for snakes, lizards, amphibians, and turtles and tortoises, click on the proper tab for that section on this page.
Boa constrictor imperator is one of the more beautiful constrictors
By John Bergman
October 10, 2011
I was 17 years old when I entered a pet store to buy bird food and a mouse for my gopher snake. The owner, a big guy who introduced himself as Rich Ihle, approached me in the bird department. "If you like those birds," he said. "You will really like this." He took me to the other side of the store and placed a female red-tail boa (Boa constrictor imperator) in my hand. She was incredibly smooth compared to the snakes I'd grown up with in Arizona, and she sat calmly in my hands, studying me while I studied her. Within the hour I put money down on the snake, and I immediately started planning how to get another. Her name was Ruby, and she was the foundation of my boa colony for the next 11 years.
That encounter with Rich was 22 years ago. Now I'm the manager of his websites. I have made boa constrictors a lifelong passion, and working with a large number of them has taught me a ton about husbandry.
Click image to enlarge This albino blood boa is the first ever produced. It is a combination of a blood boa from Central America and a Sharp-strain albino boa.
Cold-Blooded FactsBoa constrictors (Boa constrictor ssp.) are ectotherms, which means they rely on external resources to maintain their body temperatures. When a boa senses its body needs warmth, it goes in search of warmer conditions, such as a basking spot. It may only sit in that spot for 20 minutes, but instinctively it knows how long it needs to be there to maintain a certain temperature.
In captivity snakekeepers have to provide the necessary temperature options for their boas, so the reptiles can decide what temperature they need at any given time. If owners don't give their boas access to these options, including a warm enough basking spot, their pets could encounter health problems such as parasites, which can quickly wreak havoc if not dealt with as soon as symptoms are noticed.
A boa enclosure's ideal ambient air temperature is about 84 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The basking spot should be between 95 to 100 degrees, and the cool side should drop to 83 to 84 degrees.
With these temperature ranges, your boa should spend a sufficient amount of time on each side of the enclosure depending on its feeding schedule and humidity regimen. If your boa spends all of its time on the cool or hot side of its cage, that's a good indication something is wrong. Generally speaking, if your boa never leaves the basking spot, then the basking temperature might be too low, or the boa might be suffering from an illness, causing it to seek constant warmth.
Click image to enlarge A close look at the scales of this 12-week-old coral sunglow male's sides reveals white and pink scales. Someday they will turn rich-pink and red-coral colors.
Enclosure NecessitiesMy personal rule of thumb is to provide an enclosure large enough for the boa to coil completely under the basking site and still have enough room for at least three-fourths of the cage floor to be a cooler temperature. Many caging and heating options are available. Rack systems with stackable plastic cages work great for medium to large boa collections. They are simple to organize and keep clean.
Years ago, aquariums were the way to keep boas. A 10-gallon aquarium was - and still is - an ideal size for one baby boa. The only problem with aquariums is their screen lids; they don't hold in humidity. I recommend that aquarium-users make a new top out of pegboard. This material retains humidity while allowing adequate air circulation. A fluorescent lighting fixture is simple to attach, and handles can be added to the top for ease of use.
A better option for housing a new baby boa is a rubber storage container. My company uses 12-quart Rubbermaid storage containers to house baby boas up to 6 months old. Then they're moved into 28-quart sweaterboxes until they require larger quarters. Our baby-snake room is constructed with custom pegboard shelves built by Rich. Flexwatt heat tape is securely fastened along the back of the shelf, which heats just one-fourth of each baby box.
Once your red-tail boa measures 3 or 4 feet in length, it needs adult-sized caging. A sufficient-sized cage for adult boas measuring up to 8 feet long is a container with 8 square feet of floor space, such as containers measuring 4 feet by 2 feet. A cage height between 18 and 24 inches is OK. For boas longer than 8 feet, we have a number of rubber containers measuring 6 feet long by 2 feet wide by 2 feet tall. These are stacked in custom rack systems that provide excellent air circulation and temperature control.
Substrate depends on the snake's age. We use aspen bedding for babies and juveniles. Once they are adults ready to breed, we use corrugated cardboard because it is easy to clean. Also there aren't particles, which can get in the way of the snakes' copulation. Newspaper is another good substrate option. Although many snakekeepers offer their snakes hides, we do not because we feel it makes them more reclusive and shy. However, our snakes are kept in a rack system, so they aren't as exposed as those in display enclosures.
Click image to enlarge This sunglow male was born from a pair of adult Kahl-strain sunglows. His grandfather was a coral sunglow and his father was a Kahl sunglow.
Keep It TropicalBoa constrictors come from the rain forests and jungles of Central and South America where water is abundant in liquid form and in the air as humidity. Thus fresh-filtered drinking water and proper humidity are essential to the survival and health of captive boa constrictors. Fresh, humid air is critical to their respiratory system.
Boas do best with humidity ranging between 60 and 80 percent; occasionally it can go higher. Accomplish this humidity with a spray bottle and daily misting, with a more elaborate electric humidifier, or even with a complete open-air system that pushes evaporative cooled air through the enclosure. Evaporative cooled air is also called "swamp cooling," and it is essentially air pulled through damp pads to increase the air's moisture level as it flows into a structure.
Our facility is a perfect example of an open-air system. It includes an evaporative cooler that draws air into the building, a second evaporative cooler that pushes air from the front room to the main room, and then an industrial exhaust fan that pushes the air out of the building. Fans are strategically placed to maximize airflow in every square inch of the facility. If you have this option in your home, or at least in the boa collection room, use it to increase the overall air humidity. Healthy Food ChoicesCaptive boa constrictors readily accept rodents. Although those keeping larger constrictors are often required to feed rabbits and pigs, the red-tail boa doesn't reach a size that necessitates this, and rats and mice are usually sufficient.
Some hobbyists feed their snakes live rodents and some feed thawed, previously frozen rodents. Live rodents present many more risks than the frozen variety. They might bite or scratch the snake, or seriously injure it by chewing on its skin and muscle. If feeding live prey to your boa, always keep an eye on the event at least until the snake constricts and kills its meal.
The simplest and safest way to feed your snakes is with thawed, previously frozen prey items. These are available in small frozen packs at your local pet store, online or through a local distributor.
Click image to enlarge The author keeps baby boas in 12-quart rubber storage containers. Once the snakes reach 3 to 4 months old, they are moved to a 28-quart sweaterbox container.
A boa's growth rate is dependent not only on its genetics but also on its feeding program. Boas fed every week and kept in a warm, humid environment grow faster than boas fed twice a month and kept only moderately warm to the point they cannot properly thermoregulate.
Some hobbyists try to speed up their boas' growth to get them to breeding size much sooner than normal by manipulating external variables. This is not a good practice because it can shorten the boa's life by forcing its organs to grow too quickly to support the rest of the body.
It is best to offer regular weekly meals for baby boas and then settle into a maintenance feeding schedule for older males and breeding females. The ideal feeding schedule for a baby boa is every five to seven days, and then feed them once weekly through their adult life. A good rule of thumb regarding prey selection is to choose a meal the same width or just slightly bigger than the thickest part of the snake's body. Baby boas do great on hopper mice at first, and adults average one to two jumbo-sized rats per week. Health WatchIt's important to observe your boa and learn its patterns and habits. Note its routines, such as what time of day it resides on the cage's cool side or when it is hungry and cruising around its enclosure. By logging or journaling events such as feeding, defecating and shedding, you will learn to predict behaviors and diagnosis problems or potential negative situations quicker.
For example, if you know that boas are normally quiet creatures with a clean nose and face, you can respond faster when you hear a cough, or see a runny or constricted nostril.
Remember, a healthy boa kept in the proper heat and humidity almost always sheds a complete skin. If your boa sheds in small pieces, you must determine whether the cause is a lack of heat, humidity or something worse.
Boakeepers' most dreaded fear should be mites. These tiny insects feed on the blood of snakes and lizards. They look like a single, round piece of pepper, and they're usually first detected in a boa's water bowl. Mites are heavily suspected of transmitting inclusion body disease from boa to boa. Often nicknamed "reptile AIDS," IBD is a fatal disease in boas with no known cure. There are many efforts in the boa community to develop early detection strategies and/or vaccines that will prevent IBD from destroying a boa or python. Make sure your reptile veterinarian is familiar with the efforts being made to fight against this deadly disease. The bottom line is that if one boa with IBD is infected with mites, every nearby boa that comes in contact with a mite has a significant chance of contracting IBD and/or other related infections.
Red-tail boas are incredibly beautiful animals. They can be resilient when cared for properly, yet they also can be the most fragile of creatures when neglected and mismanaged. If you continue to search out new information, provide proper captive care and use common sense while observing your boas, they will reward you for many years. REPTILES Got From: http://www.reptilechannel.com/snakes/snake-care/boa-constrictor-caring-for.aspx
Click image to enlarge It's not clear why the spotted salamander never really made it as big in the pet trade as its larger cousin, the tiger salamander, but perhaps it has to do with its difficulty to find in nature.
There are very few things that would drive a man to lead his four children into the forest on a frosty, late winter's night. But as I have since my own childhood, ever since they were able, I've lead my children to see a wonder of nature observed only by the most motivated of naturalists. It is our annual pilgrimage to search for subterranean dwellers on their own migration, a migration that will occur only briefly, yet will ensure that their populations remain viable - a migration to the temporary breeding ponds of the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum).
A Genus With Range
Ambystoma is a large genus, consisting of 15 recognized species. The more popular in the reptile and amphibian hobby include the tiger salamander (A. tigrinum), marbled salamander (A. opacum) and blue-spotted salamander (A. laterale). All of the species have been dubbed mole salamanders because of their crepuscular habits and subterranean hides. The Ambystoma genus can be found across the United States and in parts of Canada, with the spotted salamander's range running from southeast portions of Canada south to Georgia and west to east Texas.
Big but CrypticA fairly large species, the spotted salamander may reach lengths of almost 10 inches, with sizes closer to 6 or 7 inches being more typical. Females are approximately one-third larger than males, but individual characteristics do apply. Having a short mouth and head with tiny, protruding eyes, the spotted salamander bears an almost comical appearance. The body is stocky, with a black dorsum characterized by two rows of bright-yellow spots (often appearing orange in southern populations) and sometimes numbering as many as 40, but usually a lot less. Spotted salamanders have a slate-gray ventral surface sometimes lightly speckled with white or blue flecks. The typical 12 costal grooves along the sides are strongly apparent, and the tail is compressed and muscular.
Although there are no known accurate age records for this species, by comparing it to others of its kind, I would guess that it lives for seven to nine years.
For much of the year, the spotted salamander is absent from view. A nocturnal animal, it prefers to move about on cool, moist evenings in spring and fall. It spends the warmer months foraging for small vertebrate and invertebrate prey beneath the forest leaf litter and loose soil, sometimes taking refuge in fallen trees with rotten, soft cores. It is here that the salamander will find grubs and beetles. The salamanders may be found throughout much of the year beneath rotting hay bales or at the center of a compost pile made of vegetation, such as mulch or cranberry leaves.
With its tender skin and clawless digits, the spotted salamander is a weak burrower on its own. As the season becomes excessively dry, however, it will find refuge beneath the ground in damp stump holes and the burrows of other subterranean creatures, such as moles and shrews. It is here the spotted salamander spends cold winters, hiding beneath the ground under a blanket of fallen leaves cemented by ice and frost. It emerges in the evening, during the late winter and early spring rains, when its fat stores have been reduced and it needs food.
Once awakened from their winter's slumber by the seasonal rains, spotted salamanders may travel in large numbers across the forest floor, seeking the same vernal pools where they were spawned and they themselves will reproduce. Many predators await the traveling salamanders, including mammals, such as raccoons and foxes, as well as other amphibians, such as bullfrogs and green frogs. I have also observed snapping turtles eating them in breeding pools.
It has been suggested that the spotted salamander may have noxious skin secretions, which may act to deter some predators; however, in almost 40 years of experience with this species, I have not personally seen evidence of this. Autonomy has also been suggested as an escape mechanism, but again I have never observed this, nor have I found specimens with detached or regenerated tails.
Click image to enlarge Keeping the spotted salamander successfully will require dampness and a substrate in which the salamanders can burrow. I use ground pine bark mulch successfully with this species.
Easy to Please It's not clear why the spotted salamander never really made it as big in the pet trade as its larger cousin, the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum), but perhaps it has to do with its difficulty to find in nature. The spotted salamander is easy to locate only for a brief moment of time each year, whereas the tiger salamander is often found in its larval stage until it has attained an adult size, and it is more obvious during the warmer months as well.
Despite its obscurity, the spotted salamander does have some dedicated fans and is a relatively easy animal to care for if a few basic husbandry rules are followed. The spotted salamander is not very demanding of space in nature, occupying an area of only about 600 or 700 feet and an actual home area of only about half a square foot. An adult pair or five to 10 juveniles may be maintained comfortably in a 10- to 20-gallon glass terrarium, with minimal light requirements. This salamander is rarely, if ever, found in natural sunlight, thus eliminating the need for full-spectrum lights in captivity. I recommend normal fluorescent bulbs that emit no heat. The spotted salamander thrives in cooler temperatures and will be more active when temps are between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keeping Ambystoma maculatum successfully will require dampness and a substrate in which the salamanders can burrow. I use ground pine bark mulch successfully with this species. It provides moisture retention along with acidity, which prohibits the growth of harmful bacteria and fungus. Other alternatives are sphagnum moss, ground peat moss or coconut mulch. I avoid substances that have a tendency to become moldy when kept at a higher humidity level, or those that dry out too quickly. I also avoid those substrates that have harmful odors or oils, such as cedar. Replace the substrate on a monthly basis.
Keep the substrate moist but not wet. Allow only the top of it to dry naturally. Spray the top of the substrate with fresh spring water to accommodate the salamanders' hydration needs. It is not necessary to use a water bowl, but it doesn't hurt. As long as the mulch is given a good soak with fresh spring water, the salamanders will perfuse what they need through their skin and vent. I have to emphasize spring water; do not subject the salamander's sensitive skin to the tap's hard, chlorinated water. In the event that tap water is necessary, dechlorinate it by letting it sit in an open container overnight. This will not, however, eliminate other impurities or harmful pathogens, such as heavy metals and dangerous bacteria. Captive FareIn nature, Ambystoma maculatum has a varied diet, which includes, but is not limited to, earthworms, beetles, grubs, moths, other salamanders and most probably other small vertebrates, such as neonate rodents. In captivity, the spotted salamander will thrive on soft-bodied worms, crickets and the occasional pink mouse for adults. I have observed peculiar feeding strategies with this species that have, to the best of my knowledge, no prior documentation. Among my animals, I have observed juveniles that, when in the presence of live crickets, will raise a front limb one at a time and turn their wrists forward and backward continuously in a possible effort to attract wandering prey similar to digit tapping in Fowler's toads (Bufo fowleri). I've also seen tail luring among my salamanders that mimics what is seen in many snake species.
Breeding Spotted Salamanders NaturallyThe spotted salamander is not, and may not ever have been, bred in captivity other than when utilizing natural outdoor conditions within its natural range. Successful captive breeding would entail enclosing an area of approximately 8 feet wide and 12 feet long with railroad timbers or concrete. Sink retaining walls around 8 to 10 inches below the surface. A relatively shallow pool of water approximately 4 feet in diameter should suffice for egg laying. Provide shade in at least two-thirds of the enclosure, if not all of it, and offer a thick layer of deciduous castings over loose soil or sand. This helps salamanders search for food and escape the heat of the day.
Peaceful CaptivesThe spotted salamander is unaggressive, which is one of the many reasons it is an attractive captive for beginners. Just respect its soft, sensitive skin. Handle only when necessary, and make sure it is done with clean, wet hands, so you lower the risk of passing on harmful bacteria and possible skin damage by desiccation.
Keep specimens outdoors year-round, and turn the soil late in the season to enable the salamanders to burrow below the frost layer in the winter. During late winter and early spring, spotted salamanders surface and search for a place to reproduce.
In nature, males typically arrive at the vernal pools first and deposit spermatophore along the bottom. These resemble small, white cones. Once females arrive a day or two later, males will nudge at them in a semi-nuptial dance, stimulating the females to pick up the sperm capsules with their swollen cloacal lips.
Fertilization occurs internally, and the female will release a small gelatinous paste, which will rapidly absorb water, anchoring the eggs to submerged branches. The clear, gelatinous mass typically contains 100 to 200 eggs. It will often develop a greenish algae, which helps the developing embryos by producing oxygen. In turn, the algae benefits by having a source of carbon dioxide and a place to live. Developing eggs will release larvae after 30 to 60 days, and larval development from there will depend on variables such as oxygen levels, temperature and evaporation rate of the natal pool.
Larvae feed on algae and small aquatic invertebrates, such as mosquito larvae and worms. In nature, most larvae metamorphose and leave the water in anywhere from 14 to 20 weeks, which means around August or September, and sometimes sooner. Larvae occasionally overwinter in water until the following spring. The new land-dwelling spotted salamanders are approximately 2 inches long. They will develop faint yellow spots within a week and will eat appropriate-sized invertebrates immediately. Do not house babies with adults, as they are at risk of being eaten. Juveniles can be cared for the same as adults. Worth the EffortThe spotted salamander can satisfy even the toughest of critics. Long-lived and easy to care for, this wonderful species is an excellent choice for everyone from the beginning hobbyist to the seasoned professional. Respect your laws and native populations, but give this gentle animal a chance if the opportunity presents itself. REPTILES Leo Spinner splits his time between Cape Cod in Massachusetts and southeast Pennsylvania. He has studied amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates for more than four decades, and he is the founder and owner of Skin & Scales, as well as the Spotted Turtle Institute of Herpetology. GOT FROM: http://www.reptilechannel.com/reptile-magazines/reptiles-magazine/april-2011/care-and-breeding-spotted-salamander.aspx
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I was 17 years old when I entered a pet store to buy 
