DECCW Reptile Ballot

[Crood]

what id find interesting i was reading a write up on burkes backyard on how marsh snakes can sometimes be confused with eastern brown snakes an going on deccs history it would be interesting with a person with no experience or little end up with one of those

Marshies look nothing like eastern browns
Are you thinking of whips?

 

[booboomoomoo]

im not sure dont know anything about the two snakes only looked them up when i saw this post if they have been mixed up ask burke as it mention on his website

 

[Crood]

Whips are sometimes mistaken for browns. If you know what to look for it's easy to differ the 2

 

[Nephrurus]

I have a yellow faced whipsnake that eats pink rats. He's very unusual and I've had some experience attempting to get other whips to eat pinky mice. It's very hard work that tends not to work particularly well.

The main problem is that whips rely on visual cues rather than scent based cues on whether to strike. They are diurnal hunters... big eyes=sight based hunting. Scenting doesn't seem to work unless the snake is really hungry. You can't put much condition on the snake as scent alone doesn't really initiate a feeding response. I ended up force feeding many of the feeds... not a way you want to keep a snake.

-H

 

[booboomoomoo]

can u post a pic i would love to see one

 

[Nephrurus]

Sure, here are some whipsnake photos.

Interestingly the snake never ate the gecko. The smell was right but as it was deformed, it never moved so it didn't stimulate a feeding response.

-H

 

[booboomoomoo]

such a beautiful snake.

 

[Serpentes]

LOL smartypance,but i think youll find that they dont employ DECCs anymore on their wildlife skills,most these days are climate change specialists like the weather forcasters at channel nine,cant ask such stars to identify geckos,Hurstville is like Hollywood these days

There are some very competant zoologists in DECC. The problem seems not to be the personell so much as the organisation not communicating within itself (right hand doesn't even know it has a counterpart?). Comes across as pretty substandard when they can't accurately identify reptiles they are holding! If every effort has been made to identify an animal, it is possible to identify any taxon known to contemporary science. So why the contradiction?

 

[Bearded_Lady]

Sure, here are some whipsnake photos.

Interestingly the snake never ate the gecko. The smell was right but as it was deformed, it never moved so it didn't stimulate a feeding response.

-H

Out of curiosity what was wrong with the Levis?

 

[Nephrurus]

Badly deformed.

 

[Bearded_Lady]

Badly deformed.

Lol... but how? Bone deformity preventing it from moving? Neurological problems?

 

[Nephrurus]

the right leg was a stump. the left one was very thin as well. Tail was also bung.

 

[phillthediamond]

parasites or not, feeding on mice or not. its worth a shot. with the right quarantine methods and feeding stimuation tecks and a bit of luck will be all good. fingers crossed i win and good luck to the rest of ya going for something!

 

[Bearded_Lady]

So did anyone snag any of the animals?

 

[fuegan13]

So did anyone snag any of the animals?

my brother in law is getting the marsh snake