|
1-10 of 10 messages
|
Page 1 of 1
|
|
IL-Snakes alive!-Rob C
|
Reply
|
|
by tigers9 on June 14, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1005599,5_1_WA14_SNAKEBABY_S1.article
Snakes alive!
Rare rattler born at wildlife center in Lake Forest
June 14, 2008
Recommend
By FRANK ABDERHOLDEN Fabderholden@scn1.com
LAKE FOREST -- There's a new little baby down at the Wildlife Discovery Center who will eventually grow his own rattle.
Rob Carmichael, manager of the center, announced the birth of a rare Ridge-nosed rattlesnake and Lake Forest city employees are making suggestions for a name for this Crotalus willardi, the first Greek word of the scientific name meaning "little bell." The second is the name of the man who discovered the snake in 1905.
» Click to enlarge image
A ridge-nosed rattlesnake that was born on May 28, 2008 and presently weighs 4 grams is part of the venomous rattlesnake exhibit under construction at Lake Forest Park District Wildlife Discovery Center.
(Thomas Delany Jr./News-Sun)
» Click to enlarge image
Thomas Delany Jr. ? tdelany@scn1.com A 14-day-old ridge-nosed rattlesnake that was born on May 28 now weighs 4 grams. The snake is part of the venomoous rattlesnake exhibit under construction at Lake Forest Park District's Wildlife Discovery Center. The center is part of Elawa Farm, located on Middlefork Road in Lake Forest. The snake is native to Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.
» Click to enlarge image
Wildlife Discovery Center program manager and curator Rob Carmichael handles an adult ridge-nosed rattlesnake.
Lake Forest Public Works is in the running with their name "Recycro talis." "They have a good sense of humor over there," laughed Carmichael.
He said the reptile is one of the first rattlers of this type to be born in captivity anywhere in the world. It is an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act; its numbers down from over-collecting and habitat loss. It took five years to successfully breed the pair they bought from a German collector.
"There are a lot of collectors in Europe. They have a thing for rattlesnakes," he said. Collectors would pay about $3,000 for this baby and he has had offers from zoos. The snakes give birth to miniature replicas of the parents.
This new little guy is about the size of pencil and has a beautiful tan color, with spare markings and white facial stripes. Their home range is moist pine-oak canyons of Arizona and New Mexico in remote mountain ranges with elevations between 5,000 and 9,000 feet. Adults grow to about 30 inches and they are considered small in the snake world.
"We were hoping for more, but one works," said Carmichael. There were two stillborn snakes. The lone survivor was born May 28 and shed its skin for the first time June 2. It's first meal, a small lizard, was June 6.
"He has to shed a few more times before he gets his buttons," which are the rattles on the end of the tail," he said.
He plans on trying to get the snake to snack on mice that have been rubbed on a lizard so it has some of its scent. The road to parenthood was pretty mundane -- no mood lights or Al Green songs.
"We just mimicked the seasonal changes of light and temperature," said Carmichael. The female was pregnant the entire winter.
"The whole idea is if the wild population plummets, we can tap into captive colonies and return some to certain areas," he said.
By nature they are timid reptiles and while they are venomous, it is not very strong and no human has been known to die from a bite.
The newest addition to the venomous collection, which numbers over 80 and includes snakes like an albino cobra, a 14-foot king cobra and numerous other rattlesnakes, will soon be joining its cousins in a brand new exhibit at the Discovery Center.
"We hope to have it open in about three weeks," said Carmichael. The center is located at Elawa Farms off Route 43. It is adjacent to the Middlefork Savanna, a rare black soil, tallgrass savanna-prairie complex that offers many wildlife viewing opportunities.
|
| |
|
RE: IL-Snakes alive!-Rob C
|
Reply
|
|
by Rob_Carmichael on June 14, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
This is the first time I've seen the text of the story - I'm leading a field herpetology class in Beaver Island, Michigan so I missed it. Looks like some of it is out of context....I never said that this was the only willardi born in captivity but rather that this species is rare in captivity. Oh well.
Yes, the little tike has already fed twice - young mourning geckos. I've got some scelops and earless lizards on the way and hope to do some scenting once this guy is on auto pilot with the feeding.
I'd be happy to send a pic if you are interested.
Rob
|
| |
|
RE: IL-Snakes alive!-Rob C
|
Reply
|
|
by AquaHerp on June 15, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Sure. I've got a score of willardi pics floating around on one one of my cds from the ones born at the zoo. Cute little buzzworms aint they?
Had one hold-out on my mangrove hatchlings, and he fed this morning finally. The others went pretty quick at the San Antonio show. Be nice to have a decent popualtion of CH mangrove snakes out there one day. Such a great animal when they are healthy.
Except I got halfway home with my cobras and it hit me that I was going to pick up Glades' pair of Sulawesi mangroves (jet black/no banding) to add to my breeding program. I'll have to fly them in now. man I hate getting sidetracked!!!!!!
DH
|
| |
|
RE: IL-Snakes alive!-Rob C
|
Reply
|
|
by stopgetinpopped on June 15, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Hey Doug,
I had very good luck with just plain old live brown Anoles with our captive born mangroves.
Congrats on them Doug and you too Rob on the willardi...I love em!
T-
|
| |
|
RE: IL-Snakes alive!-Rob C
|
Reply
|
|
by tigers9 on June 15, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Brown anole is what I used to feed back in early 1990 when I kept wild caught green tree monitors. Many were coming to the USA in bad condition to begin with and would only eat other lizards. Here is footage of them in 1991
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3868Ms3MSE
I have more of these guys's video, I have to convert/digitalize footage from 1993 (it is on Hi8 now) in the taller bigger cage, smaller cage was good to make close ups as I did in 1991. Anyway, I would smear raw meat on anoles to make them look/move like anoles but smell like raw meat. Then after a while I would leave ground beef on anole’s back, like a little back pack, and monitors would eat both that way, anole and raw meat attached to it.
Then I would put the raw meat on live baby mice, eventually after weeks/months, monitors would readily eat live mice or ground beef with vitamins.
Z
|
| |
|
RE: IL-Snakes alive!-Rob C
|
Reply
|
|
by AquaHerp on June 16, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Yeah Terry,
Anoles are what I used to kick the other little squigglers in. There always has to be one hold-out though it seems. But I got that one finally going.
Mangroves have always been among one of my favorites. You just can't beat that "classy" look.
DH
|
| |
|
RE: IL-Snakes alive!-Rob C
|
Reply
|
|
by stopgetinpopped on June 16, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Agreed...always one stubborn lil bugger.
I'm always surprised that more people are not breeding Mangroves...so many imports and it seems that everyone must kill em all off...? They are great snakes! Certainly, one of my favorites...
Did you see this link to a dendrophila bite? I think Al forwarded this one to me..
http://venomdoc.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3927
Sorry Rob, for hijacking :)
Terry
|
| |
|
RE: IL-Snakes alive!-Rob C
|
Reply
|
|
by AquaHerp on June 17, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Yeah, I saw the pictures.
I am surprised too, although historically it's not a snake that fares well when first imported- let alone breeds willfully. I'll be pairing mine up again soon.
(yep, sorry for the hijack)
DH
|
| |
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
Check our help page for help using
, or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the
Manager.
|
