Surprising New Study on Snake Eyes and Vision

[bronxzoofrank]

Hi All,

Herp enthusiasts are a lucky bunch, as we never need to wait too long for the next new discovery. I’m especially thrilled by those that are completely unexpected, and which change “what we know” about animals and their lives. The past few years have been especially productive, with news of Reticulated Pythons that regularly attacked people (Philippines), skin-feeding tadpoles, communal skinks, lung-less frogs and so much more (please see the articles linked below). Recently, a Waterloo University researcher was startled to discover that snake spectacles (eye-caps) contain a maze of blood vessels. These would seem to interfere with vision. Intrigued, he investigated further…and made discoveries that broke new ground in snake biology.Read the rest of this article here Reptile News - Surprising New Study on Snake Eyes and Vision

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My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with: That Pet Place welcomes Zoologist/Herpetologist Frank Indiviglio to That Reptile Blog | That Reptile Blog

Best Regards, Frank Indiviglio

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Haha nice read frank

 

[bronxzoofrank]

Haha nice read frank

Much appreciated,,are you in the Philippines? ..I hope you and yours are okay, Best, Frank

 

[Tongue Flicker]

I'm currently in Bahrain. My mom and sister lives there as we own an island resort and the weather's always nasty there this time of the year.

I have a yellow vinesnake & a green vinesnake and i'm always fascinated how their binocular vision works to seize their prey lol

 

[bronxzoofrank]

I'm currently in Bahrain. My mom and sister lives there as we own an island resort and the weather's always nasty there this time of the year.

I have a yellow vinesnake & a green vinesnake and i'm always fascinated how their binocular vision works to seize their prey lol

Good to hear. Oxybelis? Fascinating snakes..do yours accept mice? I've kept w/c ones that were difficult to wean off lizards, but yes, very interesting to observe hunting. Be careful...no serious reactions to venom as far as I know, but allergies etc always a possibility. best, Frank

 

[Tongue Flicker]

No, Ahaetulla prasina hehe.. I always handle with caution but mine were always calm. I'm currently keeping non-venomous and rear-fanged snakes from the Philippines. I breed house geckos and golden skinks for feeders and i sometimes buy cheap live frogs in our local pet store for feeder purposes as well

 

[bronxzoofrank]

No, Ahaetulla prasina hehe.. I always handle with caution but mine were always calm. I'm currently keeping non-venomous and rear-fanged snakes from the Philippines. I breed house geckos and golden skinks for feeders and i sometimes buy cheap live frogs in our local pet store for feeder purposes as well

WE don't see them much in the states; I kept a few at the Bx Zoo but they arrived in poor shape, did not do well. What sort of herps are in the regular pet trade in Bahrain? Best, Frank

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Just desert tortoises. They are considered a household pet and not exotic. Terrapins are considered food here and snakes are feared a lot. Native scorpions are illegal to keep and the only exotic pets that are readily available here are big cats like cheetahs, falcons and oddball fishes

 

[bronxzoofrank]

Just desert tortoises. They are considered a household pet and not exotic. Terrapins are considered food here and snakes are feared a lot. Native scorpions are illegal to keep and the only exotic pets that are readily available here are big cats like cheetahs, falcons and oddball fishes

Very interesting...thank you; have read a bit about the falcons, cheetahs, but no direct communication from someone living there; best, Frank

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Big cats and raptors are commonly sold at marketplaces. No special permits or licenses are required to keep imported exotics here even the dangerous ones.

The only person i know who keeps cobras here are the old town's snake charmers. House geckos are nice to keep here. They're really huge, like 7 inches long and really fat. I've also kept some nice desert agamids here too but they don't accustom well to captivity so i usually end up releasing them.

 

[bronxzoofrank]

Big cats and raptors are commonly sold at marketplaces. No special permits or licenses are required to keep imported exotics here even the dangerous ones.

The only person i know who keeps cobras here are the old town's snake charmers. House geckos are nice to keep here. They're really huge, like 7 inches long and really fat. I've also kept some nice desert agamids here too but they don't accustom well to captivity so i usually end up releasing them.

Thanks; have had trouble with some desert agamas here in US zoos as well...they seem to thrive only in outdoor exhibits, in the warm dry states in the southwest; Hard to meet their UVB needs via artificial lamps, I imagine. Any updates appreciated,..let me know if you need anything in the way of article links, etc, best, Frank

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Are desert agamids immune or resistant to scorpion venom? I was wondering what the adults eat since the only bugs that i seem to encounter here are small scorpions, small black dung beetles, blue bottle flies, mosquitoes and really huge black ants. Unless they feed on cacti, slugs or land crabs then i'd say the endemic lizard species here are malnourished lol

 

[bronxzoofrank]

Are desert agamids immune or resistant to scorpion venom? I was wondering what the adults eat since the only bugs that i seem to encounter here are small scorpions, small black dung beetles, blue bottle flies, mosquitoes and really huge black ants. Unless they feed on cacti, slugs or land crabs then i'd say the endemic lizard species here are malnourished lol

Hi...i'LL BET SOME ARE, as herps elsewhere have developed immunities. I've seen footage of African Bullfrogs being stung repeatedly by scorpions (see here re a meal of spitting cobras...but not sure if toad was bitten), saw marine toads bitten by centipedes, etc . Lizard scales may offer some protection, and they may be able to grab scorps in a way that minimizes risk, crushes scorp right away, etc. Slugs/crabs could both be taken, along with small lizards; likely inverts that are hard to find (by us!) but which may also factor into diet. Are there streams nearby for the crabs to breed in?..any info on them?

Best, Frank

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Hi...i'LL BET SOME ARE, as herps elsewhere have developed immunities. I've seen footage of African Bullfrogs being stung repeatedly by scorpions (see here re a meal of spitting cobras...but not sure if toad was bitten), saw marine toads bitten by centipedes, etc . Lizard scales may offer some protection, and they may be able to grab scorps in a way that minimizes risk, crushes scorp right away, etc. Slugs/crabs could both be taken, along with small lizards; likely inverts that are hard to find (by us!) but which may also factor into diet. Are there streams nearby for the crabs to breed in?..any info on them?

Best, Frank

We should probably make a new thread haha! Anyways, there are no natural bodies of freshwater here. Most of the desert agamids i found here were mostly caught beside a a dusty/sandy roadside, a sparse patch of shrubs in a burial ground near the city or amongst the rocky seaside. The usual sizes i could catch without humiliating myself in public are in between 3-6 inches long, tail included. They look somewhat like geckos in physique but their shiny scales, extended hind leg toes, sharp claws and undroppable tails would prove otherwise.

 

[bronxzoofrank]

We should probably make a new thread haha! Anyways, there are no natural bodies of freshwater here. Most of the desert agamids i found here were mostly caught beside a a dusty/sandy roadside, a sparse patch of shrubs in a burial ground near the city or amongst the rocky seaside. The usual sizes i could catch without humiliating myself in public are in between 3-6 inches long, tail included. They look somewhat like geckos in physique but their shiny scales, extended hind leg toes, sharp claws and undroppable tails would prove otherwise.

Thanks...forgot about the ocean!! (re crab breeding); I've embarrasses myself with lizards even in large zoo exhibits...Best, Frank