I agree with Dusty that keeping shed skins is a worthwhile endeavor.

I've kept shed skins for years, because of my interest in the integumentary system of snakes, the use of the skins to study the scalation, and also to help identify individuals.

I learned a few years ago that freezing skins isn't good for the DNA, so I don't keep skins in the freezer anymore, but in the crisper of my refrigerator. That keeps them fresh and keeps any bugs from getting to them.

A couple years ago I started writing folks, because of my interest in the Emory ratsnake group and it's taxonomy. I learned that some labs can use shed skins in DNA studies and hopefully I'll be able to contribute to some of those studies one of these days.

Good strand. Thanks to all for the input...

TC


>>*p.s. I think what you did with the shed skins is GREAT. I wish more breeders and herpers would participate in studies like that.
-----
Conserving reptiles by helping to protect habitat...
www.ratsnakehaven.com
www.scenicsantaritas.org

[ Hide Replies ]

• a point I would like to make ... - pinstripe15, Sun Jun 27 16:01:54 2010
• did you post this in every forum? - a153fish, Sun Jun 27 16:38:55 2010
• RE: did you post this in every forum? - tbrock, Sun Jun 27 17:41:18 2010
• RE: did you post this in every forum? - pinstripe15, Sun Jun 27 19:45:10 2010
• RE: did you post this in every forum? - tbrock, Sun Jun 27 20:21:56 2010
• What are you really after? - a153fish, Sun Jun 27 20:59:43 2010
• the Noah's Ark method of conservation... - dustyrhoads, Mon Jun 28 01:51:53 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservation... - ratsnakehaven, Mon Jun 28 09:46:20 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservation... - a153fish, Mon Jun 28 10:14:12 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservation... - dustyrhoads, Mon Jun 28 20:49:03 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservation... - a153fish, Mon Jun 28 10:19:48 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservation... - dustyrhoads, Mon Jun 28 12:55:19 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservation... - a153fish, Mon Jun 28 13:17:41 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservation... - dustyrhoads, Mon Jun 28 14:36:25 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservation... - Aaron, Fri Jul 2 14:32:45 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - dustyrhoads, Sat Jul 3 00:57:30 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - Aaron, Sun Jul 4 19:30:50 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - ratsnakehaven, Sun Jul 4 21:11:10 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - Aaron, Mon Jul 5 01:10:41 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - dustyrhoads, Mon Jul 5 12:05:35 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - Aaron, Mon Jul 5 22:09:32 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - ratsnakehaven, Mon Jul 5 20:00:53 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - Aaron, Mon Jul 5 22:20:58 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - dustyrhoads, Mon Jul 5 00:52:13 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - Aaron, Mon Jul 5 22:41:52 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - dustyrhoads, Tue Jul 6 11:24:36 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - dustyrhoads, Tue Jul 6 12:36:30 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - ratsnakehaven, Tue Jul 6 22:57:19 2010
• RE: the Noah's Ark method of conservatio - dustyrhoads, Tue Jul 13 20:51:34 2010