From: donb@igor.tamri.com (Don Baldwin)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Herp FAQ
Date: 8 Jan 93 02:04:48 GMT
Organization: TOSHIBA America MRI, South San Francisco, CA


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                | rec.pets.herp Frequently Asked Questions file |
	        | last updates:  11/3/92                        |
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1. How to add info to this FAQ file

   Send via e-mail to donb@tamri.com

   This FAQ file will be reposted once/month.  Updates and changes will
   be accepted at any time.
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2. What is r.p.h for?

   This newsgroup is a forum for the discussion of vivarium-living
   animals as pets.  The discussion will be limited to Reptiles,
   Amphibians and miscellaneous exotic animals, such as tarantulas.

   Mammals, Birds and Fish will not be discussed in this group.
   The existing group rec.pets is useful but is often inundated
   with postings concerned with the more usual types of pets.  The
   new group will be a dedicated forum, where only the specified
   types of animal will be discussed.
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3. Other related newsgroups

        Aquarium-based pets (primarily fish)
        ------------------------------------
        rec.aquaria 
        alt.aquaria
        sci.aquaria

     	All pets
        --------
        rec.pets

 	Graphic images (various formats)
        --------------------------------
        alt.binaries.pictures
        alt.binaries.pictures.misc
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4. definitions

  Boids - a general term for boas and pythons
  Brumation - the correct term for when a herp hibernates (because they
              don't actually hibernate).
  Colubrid - the largest family of snakes, several of which are toxic.
             Includes ring neck snakes, tree snakes, king snakes, rat
             snakes, garter snakes, earth snakes, whip snakes, racers,
             wolf snakes, mole vipers (including african mole vipers),
             rear fanged water snakes (from the Indopacific region),
             boomslangs, and snail eating snakes, among others.
  Gravid - a female reptile that is carrying eggs (all snakes reproduce
           via eggs, which they either lay or hatch internally).
  Slough - when a reptile sheds its skin (ecdysis).
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5. Info about other periodic postings and who posts them

      Care sheets (general snake, iguana), Finding escaped herps
      Breeders' list, Comments about breeders,  Herpetological societies
      (donb for Pete Donohue)
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6. Good beginner snakes / lizards / herps

   Easy
   ----
   Lizards:  House geckos (various species)
             Leopard gecko ()
             Southern Alligator lizard (Gerrhonotus multicarinatus)
             Fence lizard (Sceloporus species)
   Snakes:  Colubrids:  Corn snakes (Elaphe gutatta gutatta)
                        King snakes (Lampropeltis family) - must be kept
                             solo, as they will eat other snakes.
            Boids:      Captive bred juvenile Ball Pythons (Python regius) -
                             wild caught Balls will often present feeding
                             problems.

   More "challenging"
   ------------------
   Lizards:  Day Geckos (specialized diet, need extra food supplements)
	     Most Skinks (too delicate and skittish)
             Horned Toads (too specific of a diet - ants mainly)
             Iguanas (various species) - nutrition is delicate, can be
                      unfriendly and they grow quite large.
   Snakes:  Colubrids:  gopher/bull snakes (Pituophis family) - some people
                             feel they are bad-tempered; others disagree.
            Boids:  Boa constrictor group (e.g., Boa constrictor imperator) -
                             grow fairly large for a first snake.

   N.B.  Most of the animals (all the snakes) listed above are strict
         carnivores.  Be sure that you are willing to feed your snake
         its proper prey animal before you choose one.
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7. What to look for when buying a herp

   It is recommended that Captive Bred animals be kept, both to conserve
   wild populations and because they adjust to captivity better.  Wild
   caught animals will be less expenisive, which makes buying them tempting;
   however, many herp enthusiasts refuse to buy such animals, for reasons
   of conservation and due to the fact that MOST wild caught animals die
   before ever reaching their destination.

   The animal should appear healthy and well-fed, with no protruding
   ribs or spine and no sores or visible parasites (e.g., ticks).  lizards
   that store fat in their tail should have a tail with a plump base.
   Snakes should shed in one piece; if pieces of old skin remain on the
   snake, it may indicate a problem.

   The animal should appear alert and active; it should be strong, e.g.,
   having a strong grip when handled.

   Try to look in the snakes mouth; watch out for reddish or cheesy areas,
   as they indicate disease.

   Take an experienced herper along if possible, when selecting your pet.
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8. For the record, we STRONGLY discourage reptile enthusiasts from
   keeping venomous snakes.