Archive for the ‘Reptiles’ Category

Yikes! Another Fake Giant Reptile

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

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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?

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…)

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Posted in Crocodiles and Alligators, Reptiles | 1 Comment »

GIANT RATTLESNAKES!

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

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

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…)

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Posted in General, Reptiles, Snakes | 7 Comments »

“Protecting Your Family, Pets and Livestock from Snakes”

Thursday, November 5th, 2009
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

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…)

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Posted in Reptiles, Snakes | No Comments »

More Rattlesnakes in the Black Hills

Thursday, October 1st, 2009
Rattlesnake

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…)

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Posted in Reptile Gardens News, Reptiles, Snakes | 4 Comments »

Welcome to Reptile Gardens’ Blog!

Friday, September 11th, 2009
Reptile Gardens

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.

(more…)

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Posted in Reptile Gardens News, Reptiles | No Comments »