Twisted Logic Exotics

06/17/2024

Stella got a photo shoot yesterday 📸

06/17/2024

Happy Father's Day, Kings 👑

Wishing all the dads out there a good one.

www.savethesnakes.org

06/17/2024

This is absolutely disgusting. It also included a video of 2 ball pythons trying to slither off the hot concrete on their Instagram- but it has since been removed. We all know if this was a dog or cat, people would be up in arms.

06/11/2024

06/06/2024

Our Albino Tangerine Honduran Milk Snake, Luna, showing off her striking colors and pattern!

06/06/2024

https://wsed.org/why-we-should-not-kill-snakes/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR08tMdydrbaORoaHKxKll1Fytg10Yzr6WcrskCIH2mhlf8IEvkDHaJ6fVs_aem_AapwjSHTmxxm5xBwG-fHePlaiLXz8Zl_f69PKezIRHda_brSTDym5WZnOodW1FNgOPwgdi1Wvf1vopTMmMANgg5L

Snakes are some of the most misunderstood creatures around; whose instinctually driven brains, reactions, and energy can be hard to comprehend and so it can be hard for the mainly logic-driven human to relate.

06/06/2024

This is really fascinating to watch and helps us understand how in many ways, our fear of snakes stems from a lack of education/ knowledge about them, learned behavior, and/ or internalizing a bad experience you or someone else may have had. No one is born afraid of snakes- we are taught to fear them. Having a healthy respect for animals that have the ability to defend itself when threatened is necessary, but the over-exaggerated fear we place on them can be changed through education and outreach🐍

06/04/2024

It's Meet the Species Monday! This week's species is the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), also referred to as the canebrake rattlesnake in the southern US.

This large-bodied species of rattlesnake is found in a variety of habitats.
Most often it is found in hardwood hillsides, mountain valleys, forest edges, but southern populations may also occupy cypress swamps, barrier islands, and pine thickets. It is also highly variable across its range, with individuals coming in shades of black, tan, brown gray and even pinkish-lavender in parts of Georgia and Florida. Squirrels make up the majority of prey, especially in southeastern sections of their range, but they will target and eat a wide variety of mammalian prey, and even ground-nesting birds such as quail.

This species is particularly vulnerable to road development, as individuals are often killed crossing roads at dawn and dusk. In northern or montane populations, individuals that avoid roads often end up being cut-off from critical hunting habitat or hibernacula.
A subpopulation from lower South Carolina down into north-central Florida possess a potent neurotoxic venom which is considered similar in structure & lethality to the infamous Mojavetoxin of their western sister-species, Crotalus scutalatus. However, they are quite passive, calm, and unlikely to strike.

Fun fact: Timber and canebrake rattlesnakes are one of only a handful of rattlesnake species with recorded arboreal (tree-climbing) behavior, and possibly the largest of any rattlesnake to do so.

Photo by Court Harding

06/03/2024

Love them or hate them, we need them!

06/02/2024

05/31/2024

Happy !
USARK devotes posts every Friday to foster awareness and appreciation of rattlesnakes, and other venomous snakes, as they are valuable members of the ecosystems in which they live, but among the most persecuted reptiles.

Sidewinders (Crotalus cerastes) are small rattlesnakes native to deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Adults mature to right around one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half feet in length; quite small. There are three recognized subspecies.

These rattlesnakes are known for their specialized locomotion (“sidewinding”). While it is believed that this form of locomotion increases the snake’s traction on loose desert sands, the species is known to utilize sidewinding movements over any surface which the snake can cross rapidly. Sidewinding is also known in a few African viper species which are also desert specialists. Like most rattlesnakes, sidewinders tend to be diurnal (active during the day) during cool weather, and nocturnal (active at night) in hot weather.

Sidewinder rattlesnakes are also sometimes referred to as horned rattlesnakes due to the raised and pronounced supraocular scales above their eyes, resembling strong brow ridges. These rattlesnakes are typically light colored, in shades of cream, buff, pink, grey, or yellow-brown, with slightly darker dorsal blotches, and some banding near the tail rattle.

These snakes can be very well camouflaged, so be sure to watch your step if you are out and about where they live! Remember, even venomous snakes are harmless when you give them enough space, and leave them in peace.
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The photograph used in this post shows a sidewinder rattlesnake (Crotalus cerastes) observed in California. The photograph was taken by iNaturalist user acturis, and shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0 Deed) license. The image was not altered for use in this post.
View license information here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

05/27/2024

Don Champlin captured this beautiful copperhead in the act of taking a drink. 🤎💧 TRR is made possible by RodentPro.com

05/27/2024

This Memorial Day, USARK is devoting some time to remember this holiday is meant to honor the brave men and women who gave all in military service for the United States of America. Their service will not be forgotten. We salute our fallen.
We send our deepest appreciation to all the men and women who served our country, and those who continue to serve.
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The photograph used in this post features the national bird of the United States, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). The photo was taken by Tom Mills, and shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. The image was not altered for use in this post.
View license information here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

05/25/2024

Did you know behavioral enrichment is an animal husbandry principle that seeks to enhance the quality of captive animal care by identifying and providing the environmental stimuli necessary for optimal psychological and physiological well-being? Here’s a perfect example!

Here’s Izzy enjoying her new ball! A great tactile stimulating activity that keeps our snakes happy and healthy!

05/25/2024

Recent submission from a follower who found a harmless milk snake basking by the river. Thanks for sharing!

05/25/2024

“The curiosity of a child is the spark for a lifetime of learning.”

05/24/2024

Happy Rattlesnake Friday!
USARK devotes posts every Friday to foster awareness and appreciation of rattlesnakes, and other venomous snakes, as they are valuable members of the ecosystems in which they live, but among the most persecuted reptiles.

The western black-tailed rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) is native to portions of New Mexico, and Arizona, as well as most of Mexico, as far south as Oaxaca, and has three recognized subspecies. These rattlesnakes have variable coloration, ranging between yellows, olive greens, browns, and black, but almost always with a notably black tail. Many have very beautiful dorsal patterns.

Western black-tailed rattlesnakes are generally considered to be among the most docile rattlesnakes, being fairly calm and curious animals. These rattlesnakes typically rely upon camouflage to avoid being seen, but will attempt to flee when confronted, or rattle if the snake feels cornered. Western black-tailed rattlesnakes typically eat rodents and similar small mammals, birds, and small reptiles.

Taxonomic research published in 2017 showed that eastern populations (in Texas and central and eastern New Mexico) which were previously believed to be C. molossus are distinct enough to be classified as a separate species, C. ornatus, commonly called the eastern black-tailed rattlesnake.
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The photograph used in this post shows a northern black-tailed rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus molossus), one of the recognized subspecies of the western black-tailed rattlesnake. The photo was taken by RJ (rjherpife on iNaturalist) and shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. The image was not altered for use in this post.
View license information here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

05/23/2024

Now THIS, is Wetlands Month art!

Alaska's Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge is nestled within the Upper Tanana River Valley. The refuge has abundant wetlands and forests that welcome thousands of birds and people crossing the border into the state each year. This must-see public land site provides habitat for 30 resident and 96 migratory bird species that stop and breed on the refuge.



Photo of a sunset at Tetlin by Jonathan Fiely (sharetheexperience)

05/23/2024

Turtles are our oldest living reptiles and have gone practically unchanged in the 200 million years they have been in existence.

Check out some tips for how to help our wild turtles 🐢⤵️

Learn more about Pennsylvania turtles ➡️ https://bit.ly/3MqwJMf.

05/21/2024

Get the word out‼️

You may be seeing more of our signs pop up around Broome County on light poles, store bulletin boards, advertisement spaces, and in local pet stores!

We want our local community to be aware of our services, and know we’re available when needed!🐍

Please like and share to help us spread the word!

05/21/2024

Not snake related, but had to share this post regarding the 5th oldest zoo in the United States: that also happens to be in our local community! How awesome they’re apart of this program! 🐺

that red wolves once roamed from Texas to New York? Today fewer than 25 red wolves are known to exist in the wild, making them the world's most endangered species of wolf. Ross Park Zoo is proud to be a part of the Red Wolf Recovery Program and is home to five red wolves. You can help support our work with red wolves by contributing to our Animal Care Fund here https://rossparkzoo.app.neoncrm.com/forms/animal-welfare-fund

05/20/2024

Izzy, our newest addition (Lemon Pastel Lace Ball Python) soaking up some sun!☀️

05/17/2024

This marks the largest number of snakes released in a single event since the captive breeding program began in 2010.

05/15/2024

Stella enjoying some outside enrichment ☀️