Three-toed Box Turtle

NOTE: Education Animals are “behind-the-scenes” animals & only appear to the public during Educational events. This includes scheduled events or programs such as daily animal mingles, private onsite programs, and zoo reaches. For more information, please reach out to edureservations@lvzoo.org.

Program and General Information

The three-toed box turtle is a vulnerable species of turtle found near sources of water in woodland and meadow habitats of South-Central United States. They are a smaller species of turtle growing up to an average of 4-6 inches in length. They are brown in color with occasional colored spots. They get their name from their hind feet, which only have 3 toes. Three-toed box turtles are omnivores and eat a variety of insects, spiders, worms, small reptiles, carrion, greens, veggies, and fruit. Breeding occurs in June/July with a female looking for a place to nest.

Females lay 3-8 oval-shaped eggs, which incubate for 3 months before hatching. This species faces challenges from human activities, including agriculture, urbanization, and the pet trade.

Diet

Three-toed box turtles are omnivores. meaning they eat a variety of meat and plant matter. Younger box turtles are predominantly carnivorous eating insects, snails, worms, other small reptiles, and even smaller mammals. As they mature, they become more herbivorous and their diet is focused more on land plants. They are particularly fond of earthworms!

Habitat and Range

The three-toed box turtle is found throughout the South-Central United States in Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Alabama. They favor cool, damp weather, and will often find a shady area in which to roam. They have been found up and down the East Coast, and individual three-toed box turtles are known to migrate to different areas to maintain a preferred level of humidity in their environment.

You can often find three-toed box turtles soaking in puddles, seeps, and springs. They prefer warmer temperatures but will tolerate colder nighttime temperatures. If temperatures become too cold, box turtles will dig into the leaf litter and soil to brumate. Brumation is the reptile equivalent of hibernation.

Reptiles’ activity, temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate drops during brumation. Because metabolic rate drops during brumation, animals that brumate do not need to eat before entering a state of inactivity since it will take longer for their food to digest.

Common Physical Features

Three-toed box turtles are a smaller species of turtle, growing up to 4.5-6 inches in length. They are the smallest of the T. carolina subspecies and are duller in color. Their shells are usually a uniform olive-brown, and they often lack the bursts of red, yellow, and orange that other box turtles may have. To know if you are looking at a true three-toed box turtle look at its hind feet. If there are 3 toes on the hind feet then you indeed have a three-toed box turtle! Box turtles interbred with common box turtles will sometimes have 4 toes on their hind feet. Males and females will differ in color. Males tend to be a bit brighter with red/orange eyes, while females are darker with yellow/brown eyes.

A turtle’s shell is actually a part of it’s body. The turtle’s ribs and backbone fuse together to form the shell. The shell is covered with a layer of protective plates called scutes. These scutes are made of keratin, the same stuff that makes up our nails and hair, and can be shed. Turtles shed their scutes for numerous reasons: as they grow, to replace damaged scutes, and to shed off any parasites or disease.

Adaptations: Box turtles are not your typical turtle. Most turtles are adapted to life underwater with flat, streamlined shells, webbed feet for swimming, and a primarily carnivorous diet. Box turtles, on the other hand, have domed shells, thicker limbs with claws for digging, and are more omnivorous, all of which allow for a more terrestrial lifestyle. So while they may be labeled as one, box turtles are actually a bad example of a typical turtle!

Box turtles also have a unique plastron, or bottom of the shell. Their plastron is actually hinged, which allows the turtle to close up completely inside their shell, hence the name “box” turtle. The domed shell allows the turtle to pull its limbs in and the hinged plastron will act like a trap door and shut the turtle inside. This will protect the box turtle from predators trying to claw or bite at it.

Box turtles have sharp beaks for tearing food items into smaller, more manageable bite-sized pieces. Their sharp claws allow them to dig in the dirt to find food and help them traverse their environment easier.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Box turtles are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs outside the body. Three-toed box turtles are quite solitary animals and will only come together in order to breed. Females of this species can store sperm for several years and produce fertile offspring up to four years after copulation.

Mating usually takes place after they come out of brumation in June/July. Each year, females will usually have 1-2 clutches of eggs, which consist of 3-8 oval- shaped eggs. These eggs are white, brittle, and incubate for about 3 months. Hatchlings will only be about 1-inch long when born! The temperature of the box turtle nest will determine the sex of the hatchlings: 72-81 degrees tend to be males, 82 and above tend to be females.

Conservation Messaging

Together with Nature
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are a major concern for the box turtle populations and have put them at risk. Human activities, such as residential and commercial development, farming and ranching, construction of roads and railways, and fishing have all contributed to the decline of three-toed box turtle numbers.

What can we do?: If you see a box turtle on the road and would like to help it be sure you are moving the turtle in the direction that it was headed. These animals limit themselves to a range about the size of a football field and if you remove them from their home range they can become confused and disoriented and may not be able to find their way home.

Never remove an animal from the wild! Some well-meaning people will trap and relocate “pest” animals but the truth is, trapping rarely ends well for wildlife and is not a long term solution. While you might be thinking you are helping that animal, most people don’t realize the amount of care and time that goes in to caring for these animals, and removing them from their natural environment can be detrimental to the wild populations. If wild animals are not causing damage or posing danger, the best solution is to coexist! If you come across injured wildlife please call your local wildlife rehabilitation center as they are better equipped to handle and care for that animal.

The most important thing that we can do to help sustain their habitats is to “Leave No Trace”. Once you leave nature, no one should know that you’ve been there. This means bringing out anything that you’ve brought in. Additionally, leaving the environment unaltered is equally important.

Supporting wildlands and forests that are habitable to this species can help protect box turtles numbers from further declining.

Fun Facts

In rare instances, three-toed box turtles can exceed a century in age!
They are the official state reptile of Missouri.
Box turtles are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day.
There are currently 6 recognized subspecies of T. carolina – 4 native to the US and 2 native to Mexico.

Bibliography

Eastern Box Turtle

Program and General Information

The Eastern box turtle is a vulnerable species of turtle found in the open fields, woodlands, pastures, and marshy meadows of Eastern United States. They can grow up to 8 inches in length and are characterized by their dome-like shell with yellow and orange splotches that develop into a pattern across the top of the shell, which fades as the turtle matures. Eastern box turtles are omnivores that enjoy eating a variety of insects, vegetables, greens, and fruit. Breeding season begins in the spring and continues through the summer, with females laying 3-8 eggs per clutch. Incubation lasts 2-3 months and it can take over 5 years for box turtles to mature. This species faces challenges from human activities, including agriculture, urbanization, and the pet trade.

Diet

Eastern box turtles are omnivores. meaning they eat a variety of meat and plant material. Younger box turtles are predominantly carnivorous eating insects, snails, worms, other small reptiles, and even smaller mammals. As they mature, they become more herbivorous and their diet is focused more on land plants.

Habitat and Range

The Eastern box turtle is found throughout Eastern and parts of Central United States, from Southern Maine to Georgia and westward to Michigan, Illinois, and Tennessee. They prefer open fields and woodlands, pastures, and marshy meadows where the habitats are moist and there is plenty of leaves and surface soil to hide in. They can often be found soaking in puddles, seeps, and springs.

They prefer temperatures between 70-85 degrees, but will tolerate colder nighttime temperatures.

Eastern box turtles will form ranges of foraged areas up to the size of 2 football fields over their lifetime. Not yet mature turtles, or unestablished male turtles will move more vastly, but only in one direction. Some turtles’ territories will overlap and they can often be found in groups. During the winter, box turtles will hibernate in soil, mud, or abandoned mammal burrows.

Common Physical Features

Eastern box turtles are a relatively small turtle, growing up to 8 inches in length. Their darker shell is high and domed with splotches of yellow and orange. These splotches form a pattern across the carapace, or top of shell, which will fade as the turtle matures. The unique pattern that forms can actually be used to distinguish between individuals in a population. Females tend to be duller in color when compared to males. Males have brighter colors, reddish/orange eyes, and a more concave plastron, while females are typically much duller and have yellow/brown eyes. They have 5 toes on their front feet and 4 on their hind feet.

A turtle’s shell is actually a part of its body. The turtle’s ribs and backbone fuse together to form the shell. The shell is covered with a layer of protective plates called scutes. These scutes are made of keratin, the same stuff that makes up our nails and hair, and can be shed. Turtles shed their scutes for numerous reasons: as they grow, to replace damaged scutes, and to shed off any parasites or disease.

Box turtles have sharp beaks for tearing food items into smaller, more manageable bite-sized pieces. Their sharp claws allow then to dig in the dirt to find food and help them traverse their environment easier.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Box turtles are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs outside the body. Unlike most species, the eggs are laid in nests within the leaf litter and left unguarded. Females of this species can store sperm for several years and produce fertile offspring up to four years after copulation, but reproduction doesn’t always come easy. Females take at least 5 years to sexually mature and must find a mate whose home range overlaps theirs. They lay very few eggs and not all will be fertile.

Mating usually takes place in the spring and continues through the summer. Each year, females will usually have 1-2 clutches of eggs, which consist of 1-8 eggs. These eggs are white, brittle, and incubate for about 3 months. The temperature of the box turtle nest will determine the sex of the hatchlings: 72- 81 degrees tend to be males, 82 and above tend to be females.

Conservation Messaging

Supporting wildlands and forests that are habitable to this species can help protect box turtles numbers from further declining.

Fun Facts

These turtles will hibernate through the winter months.
Box turtles eat poisonous mushrooms to make their skin poisonous to predators.
Box turtles form internal maps of a range about 1-2 square miles and will remain in this location for the majority of their lives.

Blue Tongued Skink

Program and General Information

The blue-tongued skink is a lizard native to the forest, scrublands, and deserts of Australia and New Guinea. They can reach lengths of almost 2 feet and weigh about a pound. Blue-tongued skinks have thick, silvery scales with dark bands that make them appear glossy; coloration can vary. They use their bright blue tongues to hunt prey, ward off predators, and attract a mate. Blue-tongued skinks are solitary lizards that only meet in the spring or winter to breed. Males will pursue females. These skinks are ovoviviparous and females give birth to 10- 20 live young. Skinks take about 3 years to mature. Because of their docile nature and relatively decent size, skinks have become popular pets. By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade so be sure to do your research and only purchase from reputable breeders.

Diet

Blue-tongued skinks are omnivores that eat both plant and animal matter. Their typical diet consists of a mixture of vegetables and protein, with minimal fruit. In the wild, they eat a variety of insects, snails, wildflowers, and fleshy leaves. Under human care, skinks can eat many types of proteins including pinky mice, mealworms, turkey, chicken, and insects. In order to ensure reptiles under human care receive the proper nutrients, many have their diets dusted with a multivitamin supplement with D3, which aids in metabolism. In the wild, skinks get these necessary nutrients naturally by licking rocks or basking in the sun all day.

Habitat and Range

Blue-tongued skinks are native to Australia and New Guinea. They are commonly found in forests, scrublands, and deserts inside burrows or other well-hidden spots. Blue-tongued skinks are specially designed to crawl into burrows for shelter and to find food. Their back legs, which look as if they have been put on backward, allow them to crawl backward out of the narrow openings of burrows. Their ear holes are located on the back of their heads and their scales are tightly interlocked and smooth to help keep dirt and debris out when crawling through burrows.

Suburban farms, gardens, and laws can often make a suitable habitat for blue- tongued skinks. Ground cover and lots of mulch provide adequate shelter for the skinks to hide in and skinks will eat many of the insects and other pests that destroy farmers’ crops, acting as natural pest control.

Common Physical Features

Blue-tongued skinks are a larger lizard species growing up to about 2 feet in length. They have a sturdily built body and relatively large head. Males do tend to have a slightly wider body, head, and neck. These skinks usually have a banded pattern that ranges in color from light brown streaks to earthy tones and silver coloration. They have a stout tail with dark bands that are believed to be unique to each individual. Their interlocked scales are supported by bony plates called osteoderms that give them extra protection from predators.

Adaptations: Blue-tongued skinks have unique adaptations that allow them to catch prey and avoid predators. These skins get their name from their bright, blue-colored tongue. They use their tongues to sniff out prey, find mates, and escape from predators. Like other reptile species, blue-tongue skinks have a Jacobson’s organ in the roof of their mouth. They will stick out their tongue in order to pick up scent particles in the air or from the surface of objects. They will then bring those particles into their mouth to the Jacobson’s organ, which will process the information from the scents. This information can help find potential mates, prey, or predators.

Their blue tongue isn’t just for sniffing! Because they are not quick enough to escape potential predators, blue-tongued skinks will employ a few fascinating defense mechanisms. When threatened, blue-tongued skinks will open their mouths wide and stick out their bright, blue tongue. Bright colors in the wild tend to indicate that an animal is either poisonous or venomous, like our poisonous, brightly colored dart frogs. The blue-tongued skink is neither poisonous nor venomous but uses its bright tongue to trick predators into thinking it is.

Another trick the blue-tongued skink employs is pretending to be a snake. Because of their banded patterns, these skinks can often look like big snakes, especially when hiding in the tall grass. Most predators prefer to stay away from big snakes and will likely avoid the skink if they think it is one. This trick is very useful for avoiding birds of prey. Skinks’ pineal gland can act as a third to spot birds high in the air. Situated on top of the skink’s head (it looks like a dark scale on the head in blue-tongued skinks), the pineal gland can detect changes in light. So, if a bird is flying over the skink, the pineal gland detects the bird’s shadow as it passes the skink alerting the skink of the predator. The skink can then tuck up its limbs and almost slither like a snake would in order to trick the bird into believing it really is one.

If all else fails and the skink cannot trick the predator into leaving it be, it does have a last resort. Like many lizards, blue-tongued skinks can release their tail, a process known as autotomy. Once a predator grabs ahold of the tail, the skink will drop the tail and run in the other direction. The tail continues to move around for a few seconds in order to keep the predator’s attention. While these skinks do have the ability to regrow their tail, it will never come back perfect. They have to regrow the tail using cartilage to replace the original bone, therefore, the tail grows back shorter, off-color, or even misshapen.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Because blue-tongue skinks are solitary, they only meet during breeding season. Males are very aggressive and will fight other males for a chance to breed; they even tend to bruise females during mating. Breeding season occurs during the spring and winter. Blue-tongued skinks are ovoviviparous, which means that females will lay eggs inside their bodies. The eggs hatch inside the body and the mother will give birth to live young. The mother can then reabsorb all of the nutrients left behind from the eggs inside her body. After reproduction occurs, females will give birth to 10-20 live young 100 days later. Several days to a few weeks after birth, baby skinks will begin to explore on their own eating slow- moving insects and licking fruit when available. They take 3 years to mature.

Conservation Messaging

Purposeful Pet Ownership
Although a relatively large-sized lizard, blue-tongue skinks are incredibly docile and rarely bite unless threatened. This has made them quite popular in the pet trade. Many people don’t realize, however, just how much work goes into caring for reptile species. Reptiles require specific lighting, humidity, space, nutrients, substrate, heating, and if they do not receive the proper care then that reptile’s health can decline rapidly. It can be difficult to find veterinarians that are equipped to care for reptiles if they get sick.
By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade. Oftentimes these exotic pets are taken out of their natural habitat to be sold in the pet trade, which can be detrimental to wild populations. One more exotic pet in captivity is one less animal in the wild which is resulting in species population numbers dropping drastically.

Do not release an unwanted pet into the wild. While you may think that you are doing something good by releasing the animal back into the wild, animals that have been kept under human care often do not know how to survive on their own out in the wild and could end up getting hurt or dying if left to their own devices.

Fun Facts

While they may resemble snakes, skinks have external ears and eyelids which make them lizards.
Feral dogs and cats have become non-natural predators to young skinks. As well, the Northern Blue-Tongued Skink eats the invasive Cane Toad which poisons and kills them. Certain skink populations are decreasing due to this invasive species.

Bibliography

Blood Python

Program and General Information

The Blood Python is medium to large-sized, non-venomous snake species found in the Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Sumatra, and other smaller islands. They inhabit forested hills, marshes, and tropical swamps. These snakes can reach an average of 4-6 feet in length and weigh up to 30 pounds. Females are larger than males overall, but males tend to have longer tails. Their body color ranges from tan, brown, and yellow to a cherry red, bright red, or oxblood. Lighter gold, tan, or orange and black blotches and stripes overlay the main body color. The belly is usually white, very often with small blackish markings. Blood pythons are carnivores that eat mainly small mammals, but will also consume birds as well.

Breeding season likely occurs in late fall/winter. Females are oviparous and about 60-70 days after a successful mate will lay 12-30 eggs. Hatchlings will emerge after 2-3 months and mature around 2-4 years old. Snakes are becoming more popular in the pet trade. By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade so be sure to do your research and only purchase from reputable breeders.

Diet

Blood pythons will prey upon small mammals and occasionally birds. Rats, mice, and other rodents make up the majority of their diet.

These pythons are more active during the night and will often hide under leaves, brush, or in the water to ambush prey.

They are non-venomous snakes, like all pythons, and kill their prey by constriction. After biting their prey, they wrap around it and squeeze tighter every time the prey lets out a breath, until the prey is dead. Blood pythons then swallow the item whole. They are also aided by heat-sensing pits on their upper lips that help them to detect their warm-blooded prey.

Habitat and Range

Blood pythons are native to the low forested hills, marshes, and tropical swamps of Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Unconfirmed records state that these snakes may be found in several other countries, like Singapore, but it is more likely that they were introduced there by humans.

They have been known to exist well in human populated areas and are especially found in oil palm plantations where they feed on rodents attracted to the area. It is believed that the ability to thrive in these human-modified areas is leading to an increase in the general population of the species.

Common Physical Features

Blood pythons are a medium to large-sized snake. The blood python is a thick bodied snake with a long, broad head and short tail that tapers at the end. They can reach an average height of 4-6 feet (some individuals can grow to 8 feet, but that is very rare) and weigh up to 30 pounds. Females tend to be larger than males, but have shorter tails. Blood pythons range greatly in coloration, from a dark brown to a light yellow.

The head is usually gray, although some specimens may exhibit a black or even reddish head, they are also known for their changing head colors. So a black-headed snake in the morning could have a very pale, faded head coloration in the evening and vice versa. They are the only species of the three short-tailed pythons with a red color phase – leading to this snake’s common name “blood python.” Individuals with the red color phase have patterns of rich, bright red to orange, to a duller rusty red ground color. The main color pattern of each snake is overlaid with yellow and tan blotches and stripes that run the length of the body, as well as tan and black spots that extend up the sides. The belly is usually white, very often with small, blackish markings. Those with the blood red color phase go through a gradual, yet significant, color change prior to maturity.

Adaptations: Blood pythons have adapted to hunt better during the night when they are most active. Above their lip they have heat-seeking pits, which are able to detect wavelengths of light in the infrared spectrum and the signal is processed visually, meaning, they are capable of seeing a thermal image of their surroundings giving them an advantage in hunting in the dark as well as seeking out refuges when temperatures are too hot or cold.

Snakes have an interesting way of sniffing out their prey items. Like other reptile species, ball pythons have a Jacobson’s organ in the roof of their mouth. They will stick out their tongue in order to pick up scent particles in the air or from the surface of objects. Their tongues are forked at the end, splitting in two directions in a V-shape, allowing the snake to pick up scent particles from two different directions. When the tongue is brought into the mouth to the Jacobson’s organ, the organ will process the information and determine which side of the tongue the scents came from. This will inform the snake which direction to go to find that scent. (If it picks up the scent on the left fork, then it knows to go to the left. If it picks it up on the right, then it goes to the right. And then if it picks up the scent on both forks then it knows the scent is coming from straight ahead. )

Pythons are ambush predators; they will sit and wait for their prey to come to them; blood pythons typically hide either in the leaves and brush, or in the water. Like other snakes, they do not have moveable eyelids. Instead, they have a special clear scale that covers the eyes, making them appear to be always awake. Not having eyelids allows pythons to refrain from blinking and keep their cover when camouflaged. Once a prey is close enough, they will grab the prey and wrap tightly around it.

They have powerful body muscles to squeeze and suffocate prey. Snakes have a highly flexible skull that allows them to swallow their prey whole. Contrary to popular belief, they do not actually unhinge/dislocate their jaws to swallow prey because there isn’t anything to actually unhinge/dislocate! A snake’s jaw is only loosely joined to its skull by ligaments, which allows the jaw to be solid enough to bite, but flexible enough to expand for swallowing. Once prey is inside the mouth, the snake alternate using the left and right sides of the upper and lower jaws to “walk” the prey to the back of the throat where powerful muscles will help force the prey down the rest of the body. To better visualize the movement of the jaw imagine laying on your stomach and crawling using your elbows and knees to move. That is similar to how the snake’s upper and lower jaws work to push the food into the mouth and down the throat.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Breeding season for the blood python likely occurs in late fall/winter. Females are oviparous and about 60-70 days after a successful mate will lay 12-30 eggs. Unlike most snakes, pythons do not leave their eggs and will stay coiled around them during the incubation period for temperature and humidity control. Since pythons cannot regulate their internal body temperature, they cannot incubate their eggs per se; instead, they raise the temperature of their eggs by small movements of their body (known as thermogenesis). Because of this, they may lose half their body weight during incubation.

After a 2.5 – 3 month incubation period, hatchlings will emerge from the eggs. These hatchlings are about 12 – 14 inches long and generally shed for the first time between the ages of 2-4 months. They are independent and will mature between 2-4 years of age.

Conservation Messaging

Purposeful Pet Ownership
Many snake species are becoming more popular in the pet trade. Blood pythons are large snakes and can live for quite a long time, and many people are not properly equipped to handle such a large snake species. While reptile might seem like an easy pet, you may not realize just how much work goes into caring for them. Reptiles require specific lighting, humidity, space, nutrients, substrate, heating, and if they do not receive the proper care then that reptile’s health can decline rapidly. It can be difficult to find veterinarians that are equipped to care for reptiles if they get sick.
By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade. Oftentimes these exotic pets are taken out of their natural habitat to be sold in the pet trade, which can be detrimental to wild populations. One more exotic pet in captivity is one less animal in the wild which is resulting in species population numbers dropping drastically.

Fun Facts

Also known as Brongersma’s Short-tailed Python or Red Short-tailed Python. This snake was originally considered as subspecies of Python curtus but was recently upgraded to its own species in 2001.
They spend most of their time underwater waiting to ambush their prey.
A special tube on the bottom of its mouth stays open to one side of the mouth so it can breathe while swallowing.
In Thailand, they are called ngoo lahm pad ped.
Despite the fact that these pythons appear stout and don’t move around much, scales on their belly are designed to grip the bark of trees making them good climbers.
Although the increase in palm oil plantations is potentially benefitting this snake species, palm oil plantations are the leading source of rainforest destruction in Malaysia and Indonesia and are negatively impacting the survival of endangered animals.
Blood Pythons are hunted frequently for their scales for leather. 50,000 skins are reported to CITES by Indonesia every year. Be careful when buying leather or snake skin. Do not buy leather or fur from real animals.

Bibliography

Ball Python

Program and General Information

Ball pythons are a non-venomous, constrictor species native to the bushlands and savannas of Central and Western Africa. They are a medium-sized snake ranging from 3-6 feet with females being larger than males. They are typically a light brown-green and black in color, with a tan-yellow underbelly and splotches of brown/tan along their body. Ball pythons are carnivores that prey primarily on rodents. Breeding season occurs from mid-September through mid-November. The male will use his spurs to clasp onto a female during mating. Females are oviparous and lay about 4-12 eggs. After about 75-80 days the eggs will hatch. Hatchlings are independent and will mature between 18 months – 4 years. Due to their docile nature, ball pythons have become popular pets. By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade so be sure to do your research and only purchase from reputable breeders.

Diet

Ball pythons are primarily rodent hunters, but will also hunt birds, amphibians and other reptiles.

They are largely nocturnal preferring to hunt for their food at night. Heat- seeking pits above the mouth help the snakes to figure out the distance and direction of warm-blooded prey.

Habitat and Range

Ball pythons are native to Western and Central Africa, and can be found primarily in Benin, Ghana, and Togo. Ball Pythons prefer savanna, sparsely wooded plains, and dry bushland habitats.

They are mainly terrestrial snakes and spend the majority of their time on the ground, but may occasionally be found in water or in low stumps and foliage.

Common Physical Features

Ball pythons are a smaller, heavy bodied snake with a small head and short tail. They average 3-6 feet in length and weigh between 2-4 pounds; females are generally larger than males. They are primitive snakes that still possess a pelvic girdle and “vestigial” limbs (an early stage presence of hind limbs, left from evolutionary adjustments). They are typically a light brown-green and black in color, with a tan-yellow underbelly and splotches of brown/tan along their body.

Adaptations: Ball pythons are terrestrial, nocturnal hunters and have adapted to hunt better at night. Above their lip they have heat-seeking pits, which are able to detect wavelengths of light in the infrared spectrum and the signal is processed visually, meaning, they are capable of seeing a thermal image of their surroundings giving them an advantage in hunting in the dark as well as seeking out refuges when temperatures are too hot or cold.

Ball pythons are ambush predators; they will sit and wait for their prey to come to them. Ball Pythons (like other snakes) do not have moveable eyelids. Instead, they have a special clear scale that covers the eyes, making them appear to be always awake. Not having eyelids allows the Ball Python to refrain from blinking and keep its cover when it is camouflaged. Once a prey is close enough, the ball python will grab the prey and wrap tightly around it.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Breeding season for the ball python typically occurs from February to April during the rainy season. Males will seek out a female and use their spurs to clasp on during mating. Females are oviparous and lay about 4-12 eggs inside an abandoned animal burrow or log. Once the eggs are laid, females will coil around them for temperature and humidity control. Since pythons cannot regulate their internal body temperature, they cannot incubate their eggs per se; instead, they raise the temperature of their eggs by small movements of their body. Eggs will hatch after 75-80 days and hatchlings will be completely independent. Hatchlings will take anywhere from 18 months – 4 years to mature. Males typically mature faster than females.

Conservation Messaging

Purposeful Pet Ownership
Although a decent sized snake, ball pythons have a very gentle disposition and tend to curl into a ball when threatened rather than immediately bite. This has made them quite popular in the pet trade. Many people don’t realize, however, just how much work goes into caring for reptile species. Reptiles require specific lighting, humidity, space, nutrients, substrate, heating, and if they do not receive the proper care then that reptile’s health can decline rapidly. It can be difficult to find veterinarians that are equipped to care for reptiles if they get sick.

By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade. Oftentimes these exotic pets are taken out of their natural habitat to be sold in the pet trade, which can be detrimental to wild populations. One more exotic pet in captivity is one less animal in the wild which is resulting in species population numbers dropping drastically.

Fun Facts

Coiling around the eggs and using body movements to maintain temperature is one of only a few documented cases of parental behavior in snakes. The mother will stay to warm and protect her young until they hatch and will not eat for this whole time period.
The oldest recorded Ball Python reached 48 years of age in human care.
Ball Pythons are also called Royal Pythons because it is believed that Cleopatra used to keep them coiled around her wrists.
Ball Pythons like to burrow, and although they spend most of their lives on the ground, this species of python is able to climb and be perfectly comfortable up in the trees.
The name Ball derives from its tendency to, when stressed, curl into a tight “ball” with their heads hidden inside, often for long periods of time.

Bibliography

deVosjoli,Philippe. 1990. The Care and Maintenance of Ball Pythons, Advanced Vivarium Systems, Lakeside, CA, pp. 2-6.
Mehrtens, John. 1987. Living Snakes of the World, Sterling Pub., NY, p. 62. Stidworthy, John. 1971. Snakes of the World, Glosset & Dunlap, NY, p.58. Internet.
https://www.reptilia.org/care-sheets/snakes/ballpython
https://www.hoglezoo.org/meet_our_animals/animal_finder/ball_python/
https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/ball-royal-python
https://www.saczoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Ball-Python-1.pdf

Argentine Black and White Tegu

Program and General Information

Argentine black and white tegus are a larger lizard found in the tropical rainforests, savannas, and semi-desert regions of Eastern and Central South America. This species is the largest of the “tegu lizards” reaching lengths up to 4 feet long; males are typically larger. These tegus have black and white beaded scales that are often arranged into a banding pattern across the back and tail. They are omnivores and prey primarily on smaller mammals, invertebrates, eggs, and other reptiles. They will also eat vegetation, fruits, and seeds. They have a very long and powerful tail that they can use to defend themselves. Brumation for wild tegus occurs between September-March, and breeding will begin a few weeks after waking up and will last about a month. Females build a nest and lay 12-30 eggs about 1-2 months after breeding. Eggs will hatch after a 120- 170 day incubation period. Young tegus will mature around 3 years of age.

Diet

Tegus are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. As juveniles, wild tegus eat a wide range of invertebrates, including insects, spiders, and snails, as well as, fruits and seeds. They may seek out eggs from other reptiles and from birds’ nests, and will eat small birds and other vertebrates. As adults, they will continue to eat the same diet, but can now prey on larger mammals and reptiles.

Similar to snakes, tegu’s use their tongues to sniff out prey. Their
tongues are forked to assist them in figuring out which direction to go for food. The Jacobson’s organ on the roof of the mouth will process the information from scent particles on the tongue and determine which side of the tongue the scents came from.

Tegus are diurnal and more active during the day.

Habitat and Range

Black and white tegus are native to the tropical rainforests, savannas, and semi- desert regions of Eastern and Central South America. They have also been found disturbed habitats such as forest clearings, roadsides and fence rows, and can adapt to both drier and wetter environments.

Tegus are terrestrial lizards, rarely climbing more than a few feet off
the ground. And although they prefer the land, tegus are also excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for long periods of time. To stay hydrated and protect themselves from the extreme temperature of their native habitats, these lizards will dig or take over burrows deep underground where temperatures do not fluctuate a great deal.

Tegus are considered an invasive species in Georgia and Florida.

Common Physical Features

Tegus are a relatively large and stocky lizard. They can reach lengths of up to 4.5 feet and can weigh upwards of 15 pounds. They have a mottled black and white coloration that often is arranged into a banding pattern across the back and tail. Hatchlings display similar markings, but are more green in color; this green color will fade to white as they grow. Tegus have powerful jaws and sharp teeth, as well as thick claws. Males are larger and thicker than females. Males also have bigger jowls (“chubby cheeks”), which not only house large
jaw muscles, but also help male tegus attract a mate. The larger the jowls the stronger and more attractive the tegu!

Adaptations: Tegus use their out their tongue to sniff out prey items. Like other reptile species, Tegus have a Jacobson’s organ in the roof of their mouth. They will stick out their tongue in order to pick up scent particles in the air or from the surface of objects. Their tongues are forked at the end, splitting in two directions in a V-shape, allowing the tegu to pick up scent particles from two different directions. When the tongue is brought into the mouth to the Jacobson’s organ, the organ will process the information and determine which side of the tongue the scents came from. This will inform the tegu which direction to go to find that scent. (If it picks up the scent on the left fork, then it knows to go to the left. If it picks it up on the right, then it goes to the right. And then if it picks up the scent on both forks then it knows the scent is coming from straight ahead.)

Because of their large size, tegus don’t have many predators. However, if a predator does come along, tegus have a few defense mechanisms for protection. If tegus feel threatened they will puff out their cheeks, open their mouth really wide, and try to make themselves look bigger. They may also huff and stomp as a warning. This is especially useful for defending their territory from other tegus. Tegus are also capable of running at high speeds
and can run bipedally (on their back legs) for short distances.

If this warning display does not deter the potential threat, tegus will begin to thrash their incredibly powerful tail around. The tail can be curled into a J-shape and used like a whip to keep threats away. If this warning also fails, then Tegus can charge and bite. They have a strong jaw that clamps down and is unlikely to let go.

Many lizard species can drop their tail, a process known as autotomy. While Tegus appear to have the ability to lose their tail and regenerate it, it is unlikely that they will do so. Their tail is important for locomotion and defense, and because Tegus do not have many predators, it is not worth the energy needed to regrow the tail if dropped. There is very little research done on the family Teiidae and their ability to autotomize their tail, but from what research has been done it is likely that smaller members of the family Teiidae are more likely to drop their tail than larger members like the Tegu.

Behavior and Life Cycle

During the colder months of September – March tegus will go into
brumation, the reptile equivalent of hibernation. During this time they will burrow under the ground, their heart and respiratory rate will slow and their activity level and body temperature will drop. Breeding occurs a few weeks after waking up from brumation. Tegus are typically solitary, but will come together to breed and will sometimes brumate in groups.

Tegus are oviparous, or egg-laying. After a successful breed, females will begin building a nest and will lay eggs about a month or two later. The average clutch size is around 12-30 eggs. The female guards the nest and will aggressively defend it against all perceived threats. The eggs will hatch anywhere from 120-170 days later. Hatchlings are around 8 inches and will stay with their mother for a short while. Maturity occurs around 3 years of age.

Conservation Messaging

Purposeful Pet Ownership
Tegus are becoming more popular in the pet industry and pet trade. Before buying these lizards one should know where they were bred, as catching them from the wild is decreasing their populations, and wild caught tegus can be very aggressive. Potential pet owners should also know the size that these lizards reach and the amount of space required, as well as what these lizards need for daily care. Many people don’t realize just how much work goes into caring for reptile species. Reptiles require specific lighting, humidity, space, nutrients, substrate, heating, and if they do not receive the proper care then that reptile’s health can decline rapidly. It can be difficult to find veterinarians that are equipped to care for reptiles if they get sick.

What can we do?: Be sure to fully research any pet before buying one. While you may think a reptile would make a cool pet, it’s important to know all of the care that goes into providing that animal with the best possible welfare, and as mentioned before reptiles require a lot of extra care. It is important to make sure that if you do buy an exotic pet that you are buying it from a reputable breeder, someone who knows how to properly care for the animal and hasn’t taken that animal from its natural habitat. Do not release an unwanted pet into the wild. While you may think that you are doing something good by releasing the animal back into the wild, animals that have been kept under human care often do not know how to survive on their own out in the wild and could end up getting hurt or dying if left to their own devices.

Fun Facts

Black and white tegus are one of the few partially warm-blooded
lizards, having a temperature up to 10 degrees higher than the
ambient temperature at night time. However, unlike true endotherms, these lizards only display temperature control during their reproductive season from September to December.
Tegus have a moderate temperament and are very intelligent and
inquisitive; Many tegu keepers have found that the intelligence of this species rivals that of a dog.
Black and white tegus are considered an invasive species in Florida and Georgia. Escaped or released pets remain a primary source of introduced species.
Tegus prey upon the nests of other animals, and researchers have documented tegus eating American alligator eggs and disturbing American crocodile nests in Florida.