Reptile Thread

[uwe]

Das ist schön. 

All it wanted to do is bid a merry Chrisssssassssstmasssssssss!!! "Jingle coil, jingle coil ...."

[veebass]

One of this years Dragon hatchlings. He first appeared about a week ago. This morning he was up at a downpipe getting a drink. It has been very hot here.

[uwe]

You live in a Garden of (reptile) Eden!

[daan]

All we get at my house, are Garter snakes, about as big around as my pinky. But I bet it's a ...bit colder than where you are. I'd love to see more interesting wildlife, but I'm glad nothing here is poisonous. (Because I'm the dummy who'd get bit while trying to take pictures of them  )
We have Moles, our lawn looks terrible because of all the holes and tunnels everywhere, so all we need is to send your guy to "summer camp" up here, and we'd be fine!

[veebass]

You live in a Garden of (reptile) Eden!

Yes, it lovely here.The wild life is fantastic. We have at least four species of Dragons- the Eastern Water Dragon (the juvenile one pictured), Angle Headed Forest Dragon, Bearded Dragon and very occasionally The Frilled Neck Lizard. I will try and get some pics of some of them over time.
One down side is that we have now had several reports of Estuarine Crocodiles a little further south than here this summer. The "normal southern limit is generally regarded as about 500 k north, but over the previous two summers several were caught about 100K north of here.

[66Atlas]

Saw this on the news a fews days ago.  I wonder if orange aligator tastes like chicken too.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/02/10/orange-alligator-south-carolina/97736352/

[Rob]

Saw this on the news a fews days ago.  I wonder if orange aligator tastes like chicken too.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/02/10/orange-alligator-south-carolina/97736352/

Curry

[uwe]

Any reptile meat I have eaten tastes unremarkable, not disgusting or anything, just unremarkable. Old rule: The more exotic something looks, the less exotic the taste. Mammals generally have the most individual taste.

I once ate (fruit-eating) bat in Africa, that had a memorable taste, very much of the wild.

[Dave W]

And in today's reptile news, ...or are you just happy to see me?

[uwe]

The reptile-loving juvenile delinquent should have been made aware that there are snake species that eat other snakes - but then perhaps that was part of his plan, that constricting muscle strength is one of nature's many wonders and puts Madam Palm and her five sweet daughters to shame.



It wasn't until comparatively recently that I learned that constrictor snakes don't suffocate their prey, but actually apply so much pressure to the body surface that all muscles - including the heart one - can no longer function. The prey dies because its heart stops beating due to compression not because of lack of oxygen.

[veebass]

The reptile-loving juvenile delinquent should have been made aware that there are snake species that eat other snakes - but then perhaps that was part of his plan, that constricting muscle strength is one of nature's many wonders and puts Madam Palm and her five sweet daughters to shame.



It wasn't until comparatively recently that I learned that constrictor snakes don't suffocate their prey, but actually apply so much pressure to the body surface that all muscles - including the heart one - can no longer function. The prey dies because its heart stops beating due to compression not because of lack of oxygen.

Yes I saw the story about the Eastern Brown eating the Carpet Python in Brisbane that you pictured.
I thought it remarkable at the time because we generally think of Eastern Browns eating small mammals and Red Bellied Blacks and the related King Browns eating other reptiles. People will often say if you have a big red bellied Black around you won't have Eastern Browns. Red Bellied Blacks are nowhere near as venomous or likely to bite as eastern browns. Goes to show it may just be a question of which one thinks it can eat the other.
Red Bellied Black eating an eastern Brown.

[uwe]

I guess - like often in life - you gotta be there first! Once your opponent's head is in your mouth, it's a matter of patience.

[veebass]

My family surprised me for my birthday recently with this Estuarine Crocodile strap. Good length at 1.5 metres.

[uwe]

Hopefully from a farm!!!

But I have to admit that my oldest guitar strap - mid-seventies - is from a python skin we brought with us from Zaire and that was a kill in the wild. I feel guilty. Some missionary my parents had invited for dinner gave it to us - I'm not sure whether his profession still let him hold a grudge against snakes after that little apple incident in paradise quite a while ago.

[veebass]

Hopefully from a farm!!!

But I have to admit that my oldest guitar strap - mid-seventies - is from a python skin we brought with us from Zaire and that was a kill in the wild. I feel guilty. Some missionary my parents had invited for dinner gave it to us - I'm not sure whether his profession still let him hold a grudge against snakes after that little apple incident in paradise quite a while ago.

Most definitely farmed. Comes complete with the farm's Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection Wildlife Farming Licence Number.
Australian native animal products are very heavily regulated.