Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Non herp but thought it was interesting

I feel bad for that cutie. It is going to burn up so bad from the Sun.
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Shannon in Reno
1.0 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
2.4 dogs
1.0 cat
5.32 rats
6.44 mice
7.50 chickens
1.2 beardies
0.1 black rat snake
~500 hissers
1 giant millipede
0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
1.1 rabbits
1.0 wonderful husband

It appears to be an adult, which means, going to, should have already been. Which means, its been out there doing that for its whole life.

Or do you think it was thrown out there this mourning? Cheers

FR, just an FYI. The albino is a youngster

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

Are you getting that? It has been doing what it has been doing for some time. Its without question, not a newborn, Therefore has been exposed to the sun for some time. It does not appear to be blistered from, hmmmmmmm yesterday, or the day before, week before, month, year, etc.

Of cousre thats not saying that in the future it may or may not, get skin cancer or other such ailment. It just appears to have good skin condition. Do you see something to suggest otherwise? Cheers

FR, I agree it's not a newborn. I also agree it looks to be in very good condition. Just that's it's not an adult. Besides, I would think a marine mammal, in general, would have sense enough not to expose itself to the upper elements for too long. I believe it's biggest problem will be predation. Would be nice to see something like this live a full life though, ya think?

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

I do question its eyes, take a look at that eye. I would think that would be the first go.

I have seen a fair number of albinos in nature(all that time looking) Most have been adults or midsized. Never a baby. All luck I guess.

Most have been birds and raptors at that. One red-shouldered hawk, one red-tailed hawk, and this year a sharp-shinned hawk. A handful of lizards, but only one snake. Thats not fair. Jefe and I found an albino whitetailed deer, while looking at a real nice Mohave rattlesnake. A dor albino raccoon. Oh wait, the worse. A living(for the moment)albino mexican blacktailed rattlesnake, with its butt smashed to the road. Found that while hunting Thayeri. an albino spadefoot, and albino spadefoot tadpoles. Oh heck theres more, One of the lizards was a horn lizard, about four years ago. Three of us old dudes were standing there with this two inch lizard in MY hands, saying, man this thing is odd, its weird, theres something different about it. hahahahaha of course it is, its an albino. I have seen earless and zebratailed albinos the where found locally. Enough, cheers

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/pinkdolphin.asp

You can read about it here.
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Shannon in Reno
1.0 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
2.4 dogs
1.0 cat
5.32 rats
6.44 mice
7.50 chickens
1.2 beardies
0.1 black rat snake
~500 hissers
1 giant millipede
0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
1.1 rabbits
1.0 wonderful husband

Patty Rosel, a Marine Biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has been studying the genetics of Albino dolphins for a few years and teamed up with Fertl on the report for the encyclopedia. She said that most of what they know about the behaviors or abnormalities of an albino dolphin, they have inferred from humans.

"Obviously, their skin might be more sensitive to the sun because it doesn't have any pigmentation," Rosel said. "They might also have poor eyesight, which is another common trait in albinos."

Fertl had other concerns for the dolphin's future.

Erik Rue of Calcasieu Charter Service

This pink dolphin was swimming with its mother in Lake Charles, La.
"You stick out like a sore thumb when you are white, and you become an easy target," she said. "You don't often see adult whales that are white. It is possible for them to reach full maturity but there are a ton of handicaps that come with having that funky coloration."
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Shannon in Reno
1.0 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
2.4 dogs
1.0 cat
5.32 rats
6.44 mice
7.50 chickens
1.2 beardies
0.1 black rat snake
~500 hissers
1 giant millipede
0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
1.1 rabbits
1.0 wonderful husband

>>Patty Rosel, a Marine Biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has been studying the genetics of Albino dolphins for a few years and teamed up with Fertl on the report for the encyclopedia. She said that most of what they know about the behaviors or abnormalities of an albino dolphin, they have inferred from humans.
>>
>>"Obviously, their skin might be more sensitive to the sun because it doesn't have any pigmentation," Rosel said. "They might also have poor eyesight, which is another common trait in albinos."
>>
>>Fertl had other concerns for the dolphin's future.
>>
>>
>>Erik Rue of Calcasieu Charter Service
>>
>>This pink dolphin was swimming with its mother in Lake Charles, La.
>>"You stick out like a sore thumb when you are white, and you become an easy target," she said. "You don't often see adult whales that are white. It is possible for them to reach full maturity but there are a ton of handicaps that come with having that funky coloration."
>>-----
>>Shannon in Reno
>>1.0 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
>>2.4 dogs
>>1.0 cat
>>5.32 rats
>>6.44 mice
>>7.50 chickens
>>1.2 beardies
>>0.1 black rat snake
>>~500 hissers
>>1 giant millipede
>>0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
>>1.1 rabbits
>>1.0 wonderful husband

wouldn't that be like saying black people cannot get skin cancer? and we know this isn't true at all....
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The New Redpython.net

LOL, yeah but animals in general live outside. They are built to take much more of the elements than humans are. I would think the same would apply to albinos as well. They may well have a weaker system than their kin, but I think they would still beat out humans. Just my thoughts.

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

Albinos have no pigment in their skin. So that means that they are WAY MORE sensitive to the Sun than the norm. Mammals anyway, not sure about herps. The Marine Biologists are saying that it is more sensitive to the Sun so I am going to go with what they say. Albino hippos get bad sun burn. And white, not albino, horses get cancer from the sun.
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Shannon in Reno
1.0 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
2.4 dogs
1.0 cat
5.32 rats
6.44 mice
7.50 chickens
1.2 beardies
0.1 black rat snake
~500 hissers
1 giant millipede
0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
1.1 rabbits
1.0 wonderful husband

Did I misread that, didn't they say they were going by common assumptions form other animals???? Heck, anyone can make an assumption. But you know what that does?hahahahahahaha

My point is the same, look at the animal. Then talk. Not listen to assumptions and predictions.

And yes, the sun beats the holy crap and ages all living things. Even non living things.

As well as providing life for all. But again, that porposies skin looked good. Didn't it?

Are you getting this? we all can read any old thing. Thats great. But how much of what you read FITS and is right?

I know from experience, if you were out there, you would be burned to a crisp, and your not an albino. Having sailed many seas and oceans, that sun will tear you up. I have not sailed Lake Charles, but I did canoe it. hahahahahahaha I still have my trusty New Orleans canoe. Cheers

That was owned by a farmer near me years ago, his only problem was keeping it safe from hunters during deer season (why people are so dumb to shoot an animal behind a fence on private property??). He took it inside (the barn) during deer season or was outdoors with it until the season ended. Get this 2 of his horses were shot by hunters from their cars along the highway once, but not the deer (again dumb hunters).
Anyways, this deer lived a very long healthy life, except periods of time inthe barn during deer season (winter), he was outdoors most of it in an open field.

Deer are covered with fur. Shave all it's fur off, leave it in the Sun, and wah lah, you have a Sun burnt deer. I'm sure the top of it's nose would get Sun burned. Just like the tops of dogs, cows, and horses noses that have little to no pigment in that part of their body. Chickens get Sun burn to if they have no feathers. Pigment in the skin is what protects from the Sun. If you have no pigment or little pigment, you have very little to no protection from the Sun.
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Shannon in Reno
1.0 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
2.4 dogs
1.0 cat
5.32 rats
6.44 mice
7.50 chickens
1.2 beardies
0.1 black rat snake
~500 hissers
1 giant millipede
0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
1.1 rabbits
1.0 wonderful husband

Why did it never have a single health problem, nor has the albino stag not far from me in another private collection have a single problem in the sun.
I know why, they cant read the papers that say it happens, so therefore it doesnt happen with them because they dont know about it, LOL.
I cant understand why else. It just happens, and I cant explain why they dont get all of the health problems that some people say they should because they are albinos.
The point is that these animals dont have these problems, why, they have some sense, they take cover like their normal relatives do when they need to.

I was working at Tyler Texas, Caldwell zoo, they had a deer exhibit. Whitetails I believe. A hunter shot the buck. IN THE ZOO. dude!

I worked at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. They had a bighorn sheep exhibit. This time a hippy fool decided to kill the buck and decapitate it and run around with the head.

It makes me wonder about people. On our forum we were discussing monitor cages. I was thinking about analogies with prison cells. Then it dawned on me. They design prison cells to stop the inmate from killing themselves. Which brought up this question, WHY? I mentioned, If I was the warden, I would install ropes ready for hanging in all serious crime cells, maybe a little sign, use at your own risk. My bet is, I would be the most successful warden in the system. Cheers

I think that research should be done on life prisoners. That is all I will say about this, I don't "de-rail" the forum too much
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Shannon in Reno
1.0 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
2.4 dogs
1.0 cat
5.32 rats
6.44 mice
7.50 chickens
1.2 beardies
0.1 black rat snake
~500 hissers
1 giant millipede
0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
1.1 rabbits
1.0 wonderful husband

But don't forget hunters fund F&W, and the good ones are some of the most envionmentally conscience of the bunch......but you won't see these guys with dread locks and SUV's eating vegan burritos with sour cream and wearing leather burckenstocks hahahahahahahah

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"Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew!" Charlie Papazian

they swab your arm with alcohol before they give you the lethal injection. They wouldn't want you to get an infection! BAHAHA. I never understood that one either about prisons being designed to prevent people from killing themselves. If I was warden I would hand out manuals on how to do it, give classes, put on TV shows, etc...

They have alot of time to think about these things.
The problem is that bleeding heart liberals dont want them dead.

I read articles one night about hunters, and trappers doing their hobby after hours in zoos and and parks. Yes, thats a sick individual. One was caught when a park visitor stepped into one of his fur traps, the authorities set a trap for the trapper, gotcha!
It is sad the amount of hunters that will try to sneak up to and shoot an animal caged in a zoo. Its actually a common occurence for some sad reason. Thats a great white hunter for ya.
Believe me Im not against hunting, I dont do it myself, but I have many friends and family who do so LEGALLY. For the comment about hunters paying for FWS, and game commisions, thats great, but half or more of what they spend their budget on is crooked hunters, trappers, and fisherman. Its no wonder these people should pay for those programs, they need to pay more until they can follow the rules better.
Or the sickening one is the wacko who throws poisoned food into the exhibits, sounds like a PETA tactic.
PETA= People for Eating Tasty Animals, LOL.

One zoo I worked at(7 years) had this fella jump into dangerous animals cages, in an apparent attempt to kill himself.

So the zoo reacted by forming a HIT SQUAD. And yes, I was a proud member of that hit squad. The zoo purchased a number of high powered rifles. I loved the rugers. We would target practice once a month on zoo time. How good does that get. All we did was target practice. In the desert. again, how good does it get.

Our job was, if a person jumped in or fell in an enclosue that held a dangerous animal. They use a siren to inform us and we would go and UNLOCK the hidden cabinet that held the guns, load them, go to the exhibit and shoot the animals in the exclosure. That was our instructions and training.

This would be great fun and we would be paid to have this fun. Life is good. But, unknown to the zoo, we made a pact(all but one) to accidently(hehehehe) miss the animal and hit the jumper. Accidents do happen. Lucky for all involved, that jumper never returned. Maybe he found a better way to off himself. Sir, the above is the absolute truth. Cheers

In some places in the orient they have a high suicide rate, it seems to be common to see videos of individuals climbing into, jumping into, or falling into zoo exhibits. Of course jumping off of bridges, and buildings in popular to.

My friend living in Japan says they have an enormously high suicide rate. Not by jumping into animal cages, but by jumping out in front of the bullet trains (one of the most common methods there). I am sure some jump into animal cages too there.

I heard somewhere that they were the first country to put high fencing around the top edges of every bridge no matter how high or low it is, because of the suicide problem.
Hawaii has a big suicide problem, and for years people going postal at work, go figure, the highest population of Japanese people and visitors in the US.

Hi, I do not disagree that one should think that to be a problem. And surely albinos of all types are a square peg going in a round hole. But that was not my point.

My point was I guess, you look and think, not read and believe. In that pick, that albino, had good skin condition. And it is not a newborn.

I say dumb things like these because as far as I can figure, there has to be reason people are so poor with monitors. And in my humble opinion, its because they do not believe their eyes, they have no faith in animals. And they listen to heresay and out of context information. Hey I'am kinda making a study out of this.

As the years go by, and we see success after success, and others are suggling like nothing is known about monitors, Well, it simply amazes me. I and others have had success for a VERY LONG time now. Yet even seemingly intelligent people keep failing in the same sad old ways.

So I keep on keeping on, trying to find the key to why they fail. To think about what they see, seems high on the list. It appears to me, they see something then think of bad data that they read.

That those folks are studying a albino porpoise means somebody is passing genes on. As hets mathematically wash out very quickly. Cheers

A whild back there was an Adult "I believe" Sperm Whale. I will find a pic for you if I can.....Bill
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Found this in wicapedia

An albino Humpback Whale that travels up and down the east coast of Australia has become famous in the local media there on account of its extremely rare all-white appearance. The whale, believed to have been born in 1990, is called Migaloo (the Aboriginal word for "white lad". Many years of speculation about the whale's gender were resolved in June 2004, when it found a mate for the first time and was proven indisputably male. Because of the intense interest, environmentalists feared that the whale was becoming distressed by the number of boats following the creature each day. In response, the Queensland government ordered the maintenance of a 500-metre exclusion zone around the whale.
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Hello,

It sounds like Patty put together a nice rattle of "sounds good on the News academic babel". 1. Pigment is not all that important under water (dolphins don't bask or sunbathe) and dolphin skin is loaded with epidermal lipids and collagen which aids in dermal health and regeneration- 2.They don't use sight all that much anyway(we've all heard of sonar...)be alot worse if it were deaf...
So the point is it is alot better equipped to survive in that environment than You or I even being albino. My albino snapper has lived in the sun for years with only the eyes showing any sensitivity at times. It digs down in the mud and all but the eyes get coated in the thick mud. We put shade over part of the pond and have never had a problem with the eyes since... Anyways, the animals figure out quickly what we sit around and brainstorm the possibilities of- which is why we can't talk about providing for our monitors, we have to act just to keep up. Best to you- Mike

Did not know this would cause such a debate! cant we just enjoy the unusal animal for what it is? Nature usually works against albinos but many do survive into adulthood as Frank pointed out, but it takes man to collect and breed them into a proven morph. IMHO albino retics are some of the most impressive albinos. Cherios, Big Jim

there are plenty of white/light colored sea creatures (most sharks) so how will it stick out in a watery world where being white might actually have an advantage seeing as though it reflects not collects the sun when being viewed. Being a totaly emersed, except the head on occassion, will help avoid the drying out condition any water creature would experience in the sun so will also help protect from being overly exposed. The only problem I can see is eyesight, which so far many albinos do have a problem with. As far as predators more then likely the pod will help the mom protect it.