March 11, 2010
Mac the Scarlet Macaw
By: Joe Maierhauser
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Mac the Scarlet Macaw posing for one of his many portraits
On Wednesday, 10 March, we lost one of the very few living creatures that has been at Reptile Gardens longer than even us long-timers, Mac our Scarlet Macaw.
Like most parrots in the days before wildlife laws and captive breeding, Mac was captured in the wild, in South America. He was brought to the US in the early 1950’s and arrived here at Reptile Gardens as a large adult bird in 1956. We estimate his age at the time of his death to have been over 70 years. He was a huge, brightly-colored bird loaded with personality. In fact in regards to his size, many parrot breeders and bird fanciers remarked that he was the largest scarlet macaw they had ever seen.
Mac achieved legendary status here at the Gardens once we moved (more…)
January 14, 2010
Yikes! Another Fake Giant Reptile
By: Joe Maierhauser
This photo keeps resurfacing and several of our staff members just got it emailed to them again. So, in our unending crusade to dispel as many reptile myths as we can we will have a go at this one.
Huge gator, or forced perspective?
Here is the current ridiculous story attached to this photo:
“This alligator was found between Centre and Leesburg, Alabama, near a house! Neighbors had been telling the Rogers that they had seen a mammoth alligator in the waterway that runs behind their house, but they dismissed the stories as exaggerations. Alabama Parks and Wildlife game wardens were forced to shoot the beast. Joe G., 6′5′ tall, a game warden, walks past the 28 foot, 1 inch alligator he shot and killed in their back yard.”
First of all let’s start with the “6 foot 5 inch” game warden. Really? Six foot five inches? Give me a break. (more…)
December 17, 2009
GIANT RATTLESNAKES!
By: Joe Maierhauser
The Internet Such a Resource!?
Sometimes the internet is a great source of information and sometimes…well…it is like the National Enquirer. If you are not intimately involved in a particular area of study it can be pretty hard to know the difference when reading things online or seeing them on TV. To make matters more complicated, most of us (me included) tend to be pretty trusting anyway. When it comes to reptiles and amphibians, you can count on the staff at Reptile Gardens for the true facts, no sensational tabloid-style lies or exaggerations from us.
The infamous "giant" rattlesnake
We have all seen the viral photo below, or something like it, haven’t we? Our staff gets sensational reptile photos sent to us on a regular basis, so we want to address some of the over the coming months. Today, it’s time to talk about GIANT RATTLESNAKES!
Giant Snake Caught!
Each time we see this photo, the snake gets bigger and the story more fanciful. It is 8 feet long, it is 9 feet long, it is 10 feet long, it weighs 50 pounds, it weighs 75 pounds, it weighs 100 pounds. (more…)
November 19, 2009
HOW TO CARE FOR A DEAD TREE
By: Joe Maierhauser
This week I am posting a column written 44 years ago by long-time Reptile Gardens General Manager, Jim Campbell. In 1965, Reptile Gardens ran a series of newspaper columns in celebration of the move to our new location on Highway 16. For our first 28 years we had been closer to town but were forced to move when the highway was widened and moved.
Right smack in the center of the giant dome at the new Reptile Gardens there is a huge, gnarled pine tree, some forty feet high. And lots of it is underground to keep it from falling over.
Cavorting, or resting, in the tree are lizards, monkeys, snakes, and hundreds of beautiful birds from all over the world. [Over the years we tried a lot of different animals in the Safari Room, including monkeys, muntjacs, wallabies, giant fruit bats, and, free roaming iguanas and snakes. Some worked and many did not. JM]
Several times daily someone asks casually, “Where did the tree come from, was it already here?” When we tell them “No, we had to move it in,” it is always with the feeling that if they really knew the whole story they might be less casual about it. (more…)
November 5, 2009
“Protecting Your Family, Pets and Livestock from Snakes”
By: Terry
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
This is part 3 of our answer to a recent question involving increased snake activity in the Black Hills. If you missed them, read Part 1 and Part 2 . This time we’ll give you some advice on how to protect yourself and your animals from snakes.
A Little Snake Education
Interestingly enough, South Dakota hasn’t had a death from a rattlesnake bite in over 50 years. But, no one likes to get bitten at all, so if possible, it’s always best to avoid an encounter altogether. Here are some tips: (more…)
November 3, 2009
Not the Best Way to Keep Your New Bride Around
By: Joe Maierhauser
Earl & Maude Brockelsby
During the many years we have collected snakes, we have accumulated dozens of experiences, some of which were nearly tragic, but as long as they didn’t end in tragedy, they can be looked back upon with humor.
In honor of Maude Brockelsby’s 93rd birthday this week, I would like to offer this article which was written in 1965 by Reptile Gardens founder, Earl Brockelsby. He wrote it as part of a series of articles commemorating our move that year to our current location.
October 20, 2009
6 Ways to Entice Snakes Onto Your Property
By: Terry
Mojave Rattlesnake
We recently responded to a question about the rattlesnake population in the Black Hills. Part of the question asked if people could take steps to actually reduce that population.
As we explained, this perception of a snake population increase is mistaken, so there really isn’t an overpopulation issue.
Even if there were, it’s somewhat difficult to locate snake dens without quite a bit of foot-work. Even if you did locate it, your options are truly limited. There is no way to truly eradicate a population of snakes. There may even be several dozen den sites within a 4-5 mile search area, some of which you just won’t find. (more…)
October 1, 2009
More Rattlesnakes in the Black Hills
By: Terry
Rattlesnake
A recent question about rattlesnakes prompted us to write this post, since we figured it may be helpful to many people in the Black Hills area.
The question involved concerns that there has been an increase in the population of rattlesnakes, or that there was a nearby den of snakes that contributed to increased snake encounters and danger to children and pets.
In fact, there have been many such questions this year. In nearly 13 years here at Reptile Gardens, I have never received so many calls about rattlesnakes.
More Activity, Not Snakes
The short story is we don’t have more rattlesnakes this year. We are just encountering them more frequently because both humans and snakes have been more active due to more temperate weather. (more…)
September 11, 2009
Welcome to Reptile Gardens’ Blog!
By: Joe Maierhauser
Reptile Gardens
Welcome to our new blog!
We started this blog because many of you have questions about reptiles and about Reptile Gardens.
Some of what we offer here will be technical, some fun, and some will simply be news.