HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: seedman@IASTATE.EDU (Varanus Komodensis)
Subject: Re: thermostats (where to buy, how to make???)
Reply-To: seedman@IASTATE.EDU (Varanus Komodensis)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 15:46:15 GMT

In article <93020.130429U10119@uicvm.uic.edu>, Ed Dowtort <U10119@uicvm.uic.edu>
writes:
> 
> how do i install a thermostat in my tank?  where do i buy one?  i've seen
> some in a science surpluss store, but they were all for high temperature
> ranges, and i think only one came with a probe.  can i buy a premade one
> into which i could plug in my heating elements and put it's probe in the
> tank/cage?
> 
	I'm still looking myself.  I have found a "line voltage thermostat"
for around $20, but it does not have a temperature probe.  It is made to 
mount in a fixture box, like light switch, to control space heaters or other
small room heaters.  I have one, but haven't got around to tearing it apart
to see if there is a way to rig a probe onto it.
	Until then, see my post on building a temperature control box.  It 
fell as a followup in the RE: my balls got a pink belly  thread.  If you 
missed it, (it was just yesterday), mail me, I send you a copy.
  

> also, on the side note, what can i use to find out what the humidity
> is in there??   where would i find such a thing?
> 
> ed d.


	As spring approaches many hardware stores will start carrying
thermometers and the such.  "Menards", a "Do It Yourself" chain here in 
Iowa, currently has thermometer/hygrometers for sale for $5.  It has a 
dial read out, so if your are like a certain friend of mine that can't read
anything that isn't digital, these won't work.  You then must shell out the 
big bucks.  "Radio Shack" sells a digital thermometer/hygrometer for $29. Again
these don't have probes, so they have to be put in the cage with the animal.

					Hope this helps...

					-=- seedman@iastate.edu

===========================================================================
{                   2ND WORLD CONGRESS OF HERPETOLOGY                     }
{   DECEMBER 29, 1993 thru JANUARY 6, 1994        ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA     }
{                    (say, can anyone lend me $5000)                      }
===========================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: kamalm@sco.COM (Kamal A. Mostafa)
Subject: Re: Can igs overeat?
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 16:01:05 GMT


fsjdj1@acad3.alaska.edu writes:
 | 
 | [...] I was wondering if an iguana can eat too much.

I don't think eating too much is anything to worry about...  Iguanas
need loads and loads of food to keep that amazing growth rate going.
As your ig grows even more, you'll be amazed at the volume of food
he can pack away!

Iguanas can suffer from obesity problems, but I believe that is always
the result of incorrect diet (too much fatty food), not actually too
much food.

I'd say that as long as you're keeping an eye on what you feed your
iguana (make sure that it's not just lettuce or has too high a fat
content), you can feed him as much as he'll eat.


 | [...] He hasn't grown much, other than being just a little plump...
 | 

Mine seem to grow in spurts...  They'll get plump for a month or two,
then lengthen out, then get plump again, then lengthen out again...
Especially around 8 months old or so, I've noticed extreme growth spurts.


Does anyone else measure their iguanas periodically?  If so, I'd be
interested in the data...  I'd like to compare it with mine, and see
if the spurt-pattern is similar, or individual with each animal or what.


kamalm@deadhead.santa-cruz.CA.US    -or-    kamalm@sco.COM

-k

Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: pholland@iastate.edu (Paul J Hollander)
Subject: Re: corn snake housing (and care?) wanted
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 17:15:57 GMT

In article <119310037@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> ruska@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Dave Ruska) writes:
>In rec.pets.herp, aad@siemens.com (Anthony Datri) writes:
>
>> >     If you do decide to go with the wood shavings, make SURE they are pine
>> >and not cedar. Cedar is poisinous to herps!
>> 
>> Is Pine even safe?  We've all seen the warnings here against Pine-Sol -- is
>> pine wood safe?
>> -- 
>
>I've seen PINE shavings recommended in a least a few snake books, although
>I personally don't use them. Some species of snakes do need some kind of
>substate to hide in (such as a Kenya sand boa), and I've seen pine shavings
>used for that purpose occasionally.

I've had to shovel pine shavings from a pile into sacks.  My nasal passages
get full of the dust very quickly.  I'd expect a snake's lungs to get full
of it too, if the snake did much burrowing in shavings.  I'd expect mechanical
damage to the lung tissue would shorten the snake's life considerably.  So
I don't use shavings for my snakes.

>The problem with Pine-Sol (and Lysol) has nothing to do with Pine. I 
>believe these cleaners have Petroleum based solvents which are dangerous
>to herps.

A friend used Ly-sol when first keeping snakes.  Nothing lasted more than
six months until he gave up Ly-sol.

On a related note, I was looking at disinfectants/cleaners in the store 
recently.  I found several that contained "pine oil."  Does anyone know
what this stuff is?

Paul Hollander    pholland@iastate.edu
Behold the tortoise: he makes no progress unless he sticks his neck out.

Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: mds5597@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Subject: Re: thermostats (where to buy, how to make???)
Reply-To: mds5597@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 17:15:07 GMT

In article <93020.130429U10119@uicvm.uic.edu>, Ed Dowtort <U10119@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
>
>how do i install a thermostat in my tank?  where do i buy one?  i've seen
>some in a science surpluss store, but they were all for high temperature
>ranges, and i think only one came with a probe.  can i buy a premade one
>into which i could plug in my heating elements and put it's probe in the
>tank/cage?
>
>also, on the side note, what can i use to find out what the humidity
>is in there??   where would i find such a thing?
>
>ed d.



	A company called Vivitarium has all that stuff, although expect some
moderatly high prices. I do not have the catalog now, but will give the number
next time I get on the system.

                                               
                                                      Treky and Tabatha
							    N8VFZ

P.S.
----
Live long and prosper.                   

Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: rotheroe@convex.com (Dave Rotheroe)
Subject: Re: Handling rats & Burmese
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 16:20:57 GMT
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

On an interesting side note, my CHS (Chicago Herp Society) newsletter just
came yesterday.  The cover story is the handling of large pythons in
captivity.  The authors (husband/wife) keep two Retic's, and have some
interesting comments.  Highly recommended reading for Burmese, Retic, and
Anaconda keepers.

As a side note, Don, my larger Burmese, weighed in at 25.5 pounds yesterday,
so this is a subject near to my heart.

==================================================================8--<
Dave Rotheroe                rotheroe@convex.com              DoD#0045
CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, TX 75083-3851, (214) 497-4512
A day without sunshine is like...   night
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: IEI036G@tjuvm.tju.edu (Mark F. Miller)
Subject: Re: QUESTION 'BOUT RATS
Organization: Thomas Jefferson University
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 03:01:47 GMT

In article <1993Jan22.015827.9602@leland.Stanford.EDU>
drk@leland.Stanford.EDU (David Koehler) writes:
 
>I suppose rabies, plague, and Lyme disease are among the worst.  Don't know
>if rats can carry the last one, and plague and Lyme are spread by the ticks
>on the mammal, not the blood per se.  Not too much risk with captive-bred
>rodents I would imagine.
 
Rats and mice are NOT known to carry rabies. Perhaps they are too small
to survive an attack by a carnivore.
 
         Regards,
                  Mark F. Miller                 FAX: 215-464-3561
               iei036g@tjuvm.tju.edu             CIS: 76702, 1127
         Herpetology Online Network (SysOp) -->  BBS: 215-698-1905
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: thompssp@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Steven P. Thompson)
Subject: Herp Dealer
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 22:10:47 GMT


     O.K. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     I'm going to start off by saying that no one should ever order any
animals from Gulf Coast Reptiles.
     Last Wednesday I made an order from them. I ordered 15 anoles, 2 Ball
Pythons, 1 red phase Amazon Tree Boa (captive bred), and a common boa.
     They talked me into this tree boa. I had wanted one for a while. They
had red & black phase ones that I liked. They were $35, captive bred. They
talked me in to buying the $75 red phase because it is so much better looking.
O.K. I have some extra dough, lets go for the nice one. DUH!!!! It just died 
this afternoon. I am not sure what happened, but I am planning to try and get
someone from the Purdue veterinary department to do an autopsy on it. The Ball
Pythons both came in with so many ticks on them you wouldn't believe it. One
has skin that is just flaking off, and the onther one looks like it was burned
all along it's ventral side. The boa had some "stuff" all around it's vent and 
a lot of black spots all down it's sides. 5 of the anoles were dead when I 
picked up the box. That is not such a big deal because they were so cheap, but
it is just more shit to add to the pile. This is the first mail order I have
ever made and it SUCKED!! I ordered from these people because they put out
a nice add, and the people I talked to seemed to be very helpful. I noticed
when I went back and read the fine print that they do not guarantee healthy 
arival like many of the other places do. They just guarantee "live" arival.
I am not a stupid person, and I do know my herps pretty well, but I go taken
and I am _PISSED_! 
     I am far from done now. I am planning to let the Better Business Bureau
know about this, and I am going to at least write Gulf Coast a nasty letter.
Maybe even seal a dead snake in there with it!!(O.K., maybe not)
     I would like to discourage anyone from ordering from these people. Maybe
I just got very unlucky, but I doubt it. I don't think these people give a
damn about their animals,or the people they sell them to. They are after the
almighty dollar....and I say we don't give it to them!!!

                                                           ~Steve

****************************************************************************
     Steven P. Thompson                     OH MY GAWD!!!!!!
                                            We've elected Hillary & Tipper
     thompssp@expert.cc.purdue.edu
     (317)-743-8153
                    _
                   /_\    Y 
              7   // \\  ( ) ----A poor graphical representation of one of
              \\_//   \\_//      the many serpents under my care!!
               \_/     \_/
****************************************************************************

Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: aad@siemens.com (Anthony A. Datri)
Subject: Re: Handling rats & Burmese
Organization: Siemens Corporate Research, Princeton (Plainsboro), NJ
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 23:38:22 GMT

>	I now have a pair of forcepts to feed Tabatha(corn snake). I feed her
>once and she almost bite me.

My corn's never come close to doing that -- which is why I wasn't careful enough
with the Burmese.  The corn only seems to notice motion near the floor of her
tank.

-- 

======================================================================8--<
From: walkera@cco.caltech.edu (Walker Aumann)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Re: Handling rats & Burmese
Date: 27 Jan 1993 03:28:13 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
NNTP-Posting-Host: punisher.caltech.edu

aad@siemens.com (Anthony A. Datri) writes:

>Last Saturday was the first time I ever fed a rat, and I must admit that the
>poor blighter was bigger than I expected.  I have to admit that I was nervous,
>given the rep that rats have for being evil, baby-eating hellspawn.  Should I
>treat them differently in any way than I treat mice?  I've already determined
>that they need a quite stronger whack to be stunned than does a mouse, but
>should I be worried that one will BiTe me when I'm grabbing or whacking it?

Because of paranoia (and the fact that I'm using bigger rats than I was), I've
started wearing gloves when dispatching food for my Burmese, but none of the
rats so far have tried to bite me.

>Lessons of the day:

>o Don't smell like a rodent when feeding a Burmese

Just don't be near the Burmese when feeding it.  I've seen mine miss its
intended target before, and I wouldn't want to be bitten by mistake.

>o Stun the food quite thoroughly before uncovering the animal, and either
>  drop in the food through a slit, or do so from a distance.

My preferred method is to open the cage before touching the rodent.  This 
wakes the snake up a bit and gets it to be alert.  Then, I leave the area,
fetch and kill/stun the rodent, and return to feed the snake.  However, I'm
still using store bought food that comes home in a bag.  This probably isn't
a good idea if you have to leave the room to fetch and dispatch the food 
unless you have someone else watching the snake.
From: tracer@carson.u.washington.edu (David P. Tracer)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Re: Surinam (?) iguana (was: Re: lighting Questions)
Date: 28 Jan 1993 21:31:24 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: carson.u.washington.edu

In article <1k7sslINNcf0@shelley.u.washington.edu> stevep@wrq.com (Steve Poole) writes:
>In article <C1JFwI.Mvv@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, thompssp@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Steven P. Thompson) writes:
>> 
>> >Might this be "Surinam Iguana"?  I think I've heard of that, but I don't
>> >know what makes some igs surinam-type.  Perhaps they're from Surinam?
>> >
>> >Can anyone shed any light on this, and while you're at it, what other
>> >recognized types of igs are available?  How do you tell them apart?
>> >
>> >-k
>>      I looked through some of my lists, and all I was able to find were
>> Green Iguanas (up to 4.5 ft.!!), and Rhinocerous Iguanas. What about those
>> Iguanas I have seen on T.V. that live by the ocean. Good swimmers, etc.?
>> Are they available in the pet trade?


What makes anyone think that just because a pet store says an iguana is a
"Surinam Iguana", that it is?  

Pet stores in my experience make up exotic/marketable names for herps that
have no basis in reality all the time.

Things like "Pac-Man Frogs" for example.  In addition, some 90% of Boa
constrictors sold as "Red-Tail Boas" are not red-tail boas.  Rough green
snakes are now being sold as "vine snakes".  All of these are names
recently made up for the purpose of more effectively marketing these
animals.  If you really want to know what you've got, find out the
taxonomic name - and buy from a captive breeder.

(I'm off my soapbox now).

-David
 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: kamalm@sco.COM (Kamal A. Mostafa)
Subject: Surinam (?) iguana (was: Re: lighting Questions)
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 12:04:32 GMT


In article <93025.140018TEM2@psuvm.psu.edu> <TEM2@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
 | 
 | By the way, we got Spike at the same time.  He (we think) is an Surname
 | Iguana,a least that was what the pets store said.  I have never seen this

Might this be "Surinam Iguana"?  I think I've heard of that, but I don't
know what makes some igs surinam-type.  Perhaps they're from Surinam?

Can anyone shed any light on this, and while you're at it, what other
recognized types of igs are available?  How do you tell them apart?

-k
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: thompssp@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Steven P. Thompson)
Subject: Re: Questions...Garter Snake (Astro-turf)
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 16:00:06 GMT

In article <1993Jan26.081957.5216@memstvx1.memst.edu> nvonstein@memstvx1.memst.edu writes:
>In article <1993Jan26.021740.9419@parc.xerox.com>, putz@parc.xerox.com (Steve Putz) writes:
>> In article <93025.181106CBTCC@CUNYVM.BITNET>, CBTCC@CUNYVM.BITNET writes:
>
>> the sink.  We'll see.
>
>I have astro-turf in my ig's terrarium.  It looks really nice and since he
>sits up on a branch most of the day, I had very few qualms about using
>astro-turf.  Yes, it is very easy to clean, but my little ig doesn't poop very
>much - right now it's kind of like a bird.  HOWEVER, for a snake I think I would
>be hesitant to use astro-turf for the following reasons:  1) It's hard to tell
>how much moisture is in the bottom of the "cage".  2) Newspaper absorbs odors
>well and you can easily see when it is time to clean the bottom of the cage. 
>These are only my perceptions.  In short, astro-turf can mask some potential
>problems.
>

     I have astro-turf in all 7 on my herps cages. I have NEVER had a problem.
I think it is better than paper, because it remains fir when trrying to remove
it, and it looks much nicer. The only hint is to have two pieces of turf, so
that after you wash one it can be drying while the other is in the cage.


                                                       ~Steve


Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: jallard@microsoft.com (James 'J' Allard)
Subject: Re: thermostats (where to buy, how to make???)
Date: 25 Jan 93 18:13:04 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corporation

In article <93020.130429U10119@uicvm.uic.edu> Ed Dowtort <U10119@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
>
>how do i install a thermostat in my tank?  where do i buy one?  i've seen
>some in a science surpluss store, but they were all for high temperature
>ranges, and i think only one came with a probe.  can i buy a premade one
>into which i could plug in my heating elements and put it's probe in the
>tank/cage?

I use a chicken incubator thermostat that I picked up at a feed store for like
$15. It's not sophisticated, it's just a little copper disk that expands and
trips a switch, turning off the light. Of course you need a thermometer to
calibrate it, and it's probably accurate within only 4 or 5 degrees, but it
works perfectly.

I've always wondered if it drives ACK and NAK crazy to have such short days!
(it turns off for about 10 minutes every 45 or so)...
 

-- 
_______________________________________________________________
J. Allard                                 jallard@microsoft.com
Program Manager of TCP/IP Technologies    work: (206)882-8080
Microsoft Corporation                     home: (206)860-8862
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: seedman@IASTATE.EDU (Varanus Komodensis)
Subject: Re: Monitor Eats Shit
Reply-To: seedman@IASTATE.EDU (Varanus Komodensis)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 16:12:02 GMT

In article <C1FKuz.MJF.1@cs.cmu.edu>, tmohler+@cs.cmu.edu (Tim Mohler) writes:

> Apparently eating your own shit won't kill you.
> 
> Tim
> 

	You may or may not have proved your hypothesis in the case of 
savannah monitor lizards.  Any further results you find in regard to monitors
eating their own excrement are welcome here in r.p.h.  Any discoveries you
make about eating your own should be directed to alt.tasteless or some 
other newsgroup that I don't read.  Frankly, I'm not interested in that kind
of personal problem.  

	You seem to be fascinated by the concept of eating excrement.  I wonder
if their are any other like you out in netland.  I certainly hope not, but 
anything is possible.  Maybe you could start your own newsgroup?

	possible newsgroup titles:	alt.food.feces
				or	alt.stupidity.feces.eaters
				or	rec.cuisine.excrement
					

					-=- seedman@iastate.edu


P.S. #1  This was not a flame, just some funny comedy material that I thought
up as I sat here pondering Tim's statement.  Don't take it personally Tim.  
I try to find humor wherever and whenever possible.  It's the only way that
I can find to remain sane.

P.S. #2  I don't mean to offend any excrement eaters, it just happened.  :^|

P.S. #3  Okay, I meant to offend.  I can admit it.  I liked it.  {:^)   

P.S. #4  Okay, I admit it, I lost my sanity years ago.  Humor is just how I
deal with the loss.

===========================================================================
{                   2ND WORLD CONGRESS OF HERPETOLOGY                     }
{   DECEMBER 29, 1993 thru JANUARY 6, 1994        ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA     }
{                    (say, can anyone lend me $5000)                      }
===========================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: thompssp@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Steven P. Thompson)
Subject: Re: Snake Mites
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 04:17:33 GMT

In article <16B5D13816.IEI036G@tjuvm.tju.edu> IEI036G@tjuvm.tju.edu (Mark F. Miller) writes:
>In article <C18HvG.FAr@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
>thompssp@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Steven P. Thompson) writes:
> 
>>     I have 2 new Ball Pythons that have some sort of parasite.
>>     I thought that they were snake mites, and treated them as such. But, now
>>that I have read some more, I think that they were ticks.
>>                                                     
>>
>Wild-caught ball (royal) pythons usually come in with various internal and
>external parasites. Ticks are generally larger and tend to reside with their
>"head" buried under a scale. Mites are usually smaller and more mobile.
> 
>Did you remove all the ticks? Is the snake eating? Good weight to it?

     Yes, I did remove all of the ticks. They were sort of round and flat and
had a tiny tiny head. They looked alot like the ticks I used to pick off my
dog except they were a deep red and not too big.
     The snakes have not eaten yet, but I am not concerned. They have VERY good
weight to them. Maybe too much?

                                                 ~Steve


Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: bjz@sei.cmu.edu (Barbara Zayas)
Subject: Coriander for an Iguana?
Organization: Software Eng. Inst.;Carnegie-Mellon U.; Pittsburgh, PA 15213   _USA_
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 09:00:04 EST


I bought some coriander and was preparing it (washing,
separating, etc) right before I was getting Licorice's food
together. As I was hand feeding Ig, he kept going for my
fingers -- I think that he liked the smell of the coriander.
(He also does this with spagetti sauce -- he'll go for my
fingers whenever I've been cooking spagetti sauce (maybe it's
the oregano?).)  Anyway, I tried feeding a sprig or two of
the fresh coriander to him and he quickly wolfed it down.

Is there any nutritional value in coriander?  If so, I'll
include it in his diet a couple of times a week; otherwise,
I'll ues it only as a treat.

Thanks for any info.
Barbara Zayas


By the way, Ig used to eat spinach almost exclusively.  I
tried other foods (carrots, brocolli, tofu, parsley, frozen
vegetables, squash, zucchini) but he took only spinach and
occasionally, to fresh kale (NEVER canned) or collards.  He'd
take the spinach pretty readily but had a smallish appetite
(eating ~6-10 pieces, twice a day).  Recently, I was
(finally) able to find fresh chinese cabbage and leeks.  In
the last couple of weeks, he's been eating about a cup of
greens a day. This is amazing to me since before, he'd eat
such a comparatively small amount.  (Ig's body is about 4-5"
and his tail is about 12-13" long.)  At this rate, I'm
expecting a huge growth increase, and soon!



Software Engineering Institute		bjz@sei.cmu.edu
Carnegie Mellon University