The Long-tailed Grass Lizard

Long-tailed Grass Lizard Takydromus sexlineatus Daudin, 1802 Robert George Sprackland, Ph.D. Family: Lacertidae, a family distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. This species is found in...

The Eastern Coral Snake

The Eastern Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius (Linnaeus, 1766) By Robert George Sprackland, Ph.D. Family: Elapidae, venomous snakes that include cobras, kraits, mambas, brown snakes, tiger snakes and coral...

The Silvery Legless Lizard

The Silvery Legless Lizard Anniella pulchra Gray, 1852 Robert George Sprackland, Ph.D. Family: Anniellidae, completely restricted to the California coast, from Monterey County south to central Baja...

TO THE PARENTS OF A YOUNG HERPETOLOGIST

Bearded Dragon Parasites and Adenovirus

Bearded Dragon, Pogona vitticeps. Used with permission. Copyright Michael R. Walden, 2009. PinwormsBearded dragons have a number of parasites and commensals, one of the most common is pinworms or Oxyurids. ...

The world's fastest snake may be the Black Mamba

The world's fastest snake may be the Black Mamba or what is commonly referred to in the Afrikaans language of South Africa as the Swart Mamba. The Swart is not only fast but it is also armed with a natural...

Boa Imperator – a guide to the Common Boa

This page is an introduction and care sheet for the Common Boa (boa constrictor imperator). Learn about the husbandry and care of the common boa, why they make an excellent choice as a pet snake, and what pitfalls to avoid when keeping this species.

Animals as Healers

You may be wondering how I came to be sitting cross-legged on the floor in a heart-to-heart embrace with Nessie, the 19 year-old alligator (see pics below). It was at ReptileFest, a yearly happening put on by...

Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature Book Review

In Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature herpetologist Harry Greene has set about to supply a clean complete look at the biology of families of serpents around the world. This aspire, I believe, is a in...

Protest 1: Petsmart

I've been away [again] and feel it's time to breathe words into this old computer another time. I'm hoping I'll be continuing a possibly never ending series called "Protest." This is for anyone who wants a...