Archive for the ‘Snakes’ Category

GIANT RATTLESNAKES!

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

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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 »

Not the Best Way to Keep Your New Bride Around

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Earl & Maude Brockelsby in the early 1940's.

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.

(more…)

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Posted in Snakes | No Comments »

6 Ways to Entice Snakes Onto Your Property

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Mojave Rattlesnake

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…)

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Posted in Snakes | 2 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 »