Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, so I've been looking through this old snake identification book

that my mother purchased a while back when we found this bullsnake in our yard in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

This was the revised edition of the book, released in 1987. The part that disturbs me is this portion I've highlighted:

O.o I really hope nobody actually followed that advice back then. >_<

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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake possible mix (Eddie Gein)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

Yeah, I think they actually should have told readers how to remedy the problem rather than endorsing releasing sick snakes. But in any case, the tannic acid from decomposed vegetation in natural water such as in lakes and ponds helps combat the fungus that causes the browning of ventral scales, and the "blistering" on the dorsal surface captive snakes get when exposed to over-damp conditions. Water snakes(ironically) are extremely susceptible to this ailment as opposed to many other species.

I have a lot of old reptile books too, and it's fun sometimes to see the things that were written back then. I have an old book that shows the EXACT same picture you posted of the California Kingsnake in the wooden cage!..LOL!

best regards, ~Doug

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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Yeah, I've been collecting old herp books for a while now.

By the way, I love the picture of that little guy you posted! Very beautiful.. what's the usual term for that color combo?
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake possible mix (Eddie Gein)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

Thanks Holly,.....It's what's known as an "extreme" hypomelanistic Honduran Milksnake(tangerine phase). They have such reduced dark pigment(melanin), they display deep "ruby-red" eyes, and usually have a very reduced band pattern, even to the point of vanishing in some idividuals, especially on the belly and sides.

When compared to this normal "tangerine" Honduran, you can really see the drastic difference that this "extreme hypo" gene has on the animal.

best regards, ~Doug

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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Hahaha! I have a somewhat older guide, that still suggests sucking the poison out of a snake bite. I was very surprised.

This one did too. >_
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake possible mix (Eddie Gein)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

Yeah, .....nowadays most think it's better to stay envenomated, than to bleed-out from accidentally slicing through veins/arteries..LOL!

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

I think the advice not to cut is based on the idea that venom spreads so quickly that cut and suck has virtually no cahnce of removing a meaningful amount of venom, that the real cause of death from snake bite is hypotension caused by internal fuild loss, and that cutting the skin leads to infection, besides leaving deep and permanent scars.

Cutting of skin is today only recommended in case of "compartment syndrome" and best left to experts.

Besides, the first rule is "keep the victum calm" - field surgery with a hunting knife really doesn't qualify.

The best First Aid for snkebite today in cludes two items: a cell phone and a set of car keys.

I'm feeloing relly lesdyxic today...

JHON
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I am so not lesdysxic!

0.1 Creamsicle Cornsake
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
1.1 Eastern Kingsnakes

I was being just a little sarcastic(as usual) in my post.

best regards, ~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Here are a couple of books that I have in my collection. I used to check these out from my school library when I was in the 6th-8th grades (I'm 32 now). These books were printed in the late 60s (66 & 69) and were twenty years old when I read them. When I was in high school, the library at my middle school finally got funding to update their collection. My old librarian tracked me down and sent these and a couple of old camping books to me. Pretty cool, huh?

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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

Very cool. They don't also tell you to turn sick snakes loose, do they?
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake possible mix (Eddie Gein)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

I don't remember that, but it's been years since I read these. I may reread them and see what old gems I unearth.
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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase