Welcome to this month’s Practical Reptile Keeping.
 Happy New Year! Looking back over 2011, it was remarkable to see that some 84 new reptiles were discovered. It’s almost becoming a rush to track them down in case they go extinct! The intriguing question is as to how many species may have disappeared already, without become known to science?
This is something that is of great interest to PRK contributor Dr. Karl Shuker, who discusses the possibilities of the existence of megaspiders this month. Karl’s new book, The Encyclopaedia of New and Rediscovered Animals includes an entire section devoted to reptiles and amphibians, and makes fascinating reading.
He writes about newly-discovered monitor lizards, the world’s first-known lungless caecilian, the hairy frog, Blomberg’s giant toad, the goliath frog, dwarf amphiuma, the chameleon snake, Venezuelan skunk frog, new anaconda species, the world’s largest species of spitting cobra, taipans, plus the rediscoveries of giant Canary Island lizards and the painted frog of Palestine.
Karl also covers the fascinating history of Delcourt’s giant gecko, new crocodilians and chelonians, India’s purple frog and the Galapagos pink iguana, plus the vampire tadpoles of Vietnam! Signed copies of the book are available from Karl, priced at £49.99 (inc p&p) and can be ordered through his Paypal address, which is czbikerguy@aol.com. If this year is exciting as last, who can predict what will be discovered?
David Alderton,
Editor.
 David is an acknowledged expert with more than 40 years of experience in this area. He has written and broadcast extensively about the care and biology of these creatures, and also speaks regularly to various herpetological groups..
Guide to pet insurance for reptiles
Though pet insurance for reptiles is widely available it is not included in standard policies. So what should you look for from pet insurance for a reptile and where can you find the cover you need? Read more… |
Snakes Without Scales
In the depths of Leicestershire, there is very well-respected reptile shop called Scales & Tails, which is run by David Cooke. Dave usually has some really interesting species available, and just recently, Scales and Tails became possibly the first UK establishment to welcome the scaleless Texas rat snake into its inventory. These snakes essentially lack scales over their entire bodies, with their skin having an amazingly smooth appearance, although usually, there are a few odd scales remaining, which give them a kind of “bejewelled” appearance.
The mutation is a simple autosomal recessive, and the heterozygous animals are therefore entirely normal in appearance. Dave is very keen to point out that although these snakes do not have the scales of a typical colubrid, they are no different, in terms of shedding, eating, drinking and their overall level of activity. “There is nothing other than their appearance that distinguishes them from a normal colubrid,” he adds.
I have noticed that there were some very mixed opinions about these snakes online, and I suppose they are not for everyone. Many people seem to take the view that snakes evolved scales for a reason, and it is rather unethical and unnecessary to breed animals that lack them. In my opinion though, these animals appear to be totally problem-free and as long as it stays that way, I don’t think there is a worry. They cost £1200 each. It is also worth mentioning that scaleless corn snakes are also becoming increasingly popular in the US and Europe at present, and it will only be a matter of time before a large number of people are working with them in the UK. |
|
|
