>>in close...i hope...LOL i am not condeming(sp) his book. i am against books that only tried it once to get the photos and write a bio and sell a label.



Well, I would've liked to have seen much more evidence in DeVosjoli's book of having used his system with more species, but still it at least has gotten a lot of people thinking outside the box in regards to how snakes are kept.



>>

>>yes i know the aza bit. i wish i could work with better zoos. zoos that had enough help financially to work with say, madagascar species as a captive breeding effort and work with hobbiests to ensure the survival of a species of genus.



Unfortunately most zoos won't work with private keepers even in regards to the species survival plans. Some zoos will work with people in the private sector to acquire animals or move on surplus animals, but it's becoming less and less as the years go by. Zoos these days seem to want to distance themselves from the private sector. It's tough for me sometimes because I'm involved in both and I find working a zoo to be frustrating sometimes but it's still the most rewarding job I've ever had.



>>

>>I can't tell you what zoo but it's a sad snake. just lays there all day with out a mate. the currator tried to duplicate what i was doing in hopes of cancelling the job for other habtiats and failed. she put holly instead of oak, she cut living trees instead of finding felled ones, she refused a newer heating system and stuch with the old noisy blower fan...one keeper one currator one bad taste. you sound pretty even so accept my curt comments.



That's too bad. I wish more zoos in the states worked with Taiwans as I'd like for our zoo to have some to work with. However, we won't acquire animals except from another AZA accredited facility and so with only about 6 zoos in the whole country holding sp. of E. taeniura and each one of them only holding between 1 and 3 or 4 animals, there's no stock for us to acquire.



>>

>>i found that in paludariums for snakes and larger lizards, it's

>>best to use a mix of MH and Phos lights,



Our zoo is currently doing a study on UV fluorescents and UV mercury vapor bulbs - I can't say more because we haven't published anything but so far it's yielded some interesting results. Also, fortunately my curator is open to new thinking and we've been talking a lot about light intensity in regards to some of our breeding projects as well as in regards to trying to provide better lighting for live plantings in exhibits.



>>introduce dry air and build the "hides or burrows" far above the water line and of a concrete mix that is sealed of course but with two entrances. also i've found that having a uv sterilizer in the sump area or in-pond circulation system.



This is whole new concept to the U.S. scene be it zoo or private sector - ie. the idea that an enclosure can actually serve as a miniature ecosystem if properly designed and constructed. We had a good discussion a few months back on the Cage and Habitat forum about trying to build microclimates into larger exhibits - ie. cooler or warmer burrows, elevated hides, etc.
-----
Matt Campbell

25 years herp keeping experience

Full-time zookeeper

Personal collection - 21 snakes (9 genera), 20 lizards (4 genera), 6 chelonians (2 genera)

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