HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jthomaso@nmsu.edu (THOMASON)
Subject: crocs
Organization: NMSU Computer Science
Distribution: rec
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 17:40:57 GMT



  Since we're all herp lovers, I thought you might get off on a little
folklore. Yes, there have been documented cases of both retics (genus
Python) and anacondas (genus Eunectes) intentionally attacking,
constricting and digesting people. The anaconda, the larger ofcourse
has even been documented eating men of up to 220 pounds in weight.
This snake ofcourse has been known to grow up tp 37 feet in the wild,
and has a head the size of a tea tray, could accomplish this with
relative ease.
  In the US there are no cases of captive giant snakes 'eating' their
owners except for a couple cases of infants getting the squeeze,
however there are four cases in the last few years where irresponsible
handling has led to asphyxiation from the squeeze. Three involving
reticulated pythons and one with a burmese (P.molurus bivattus).
  Interestingly enough, the guiness book lists the saltwater crocodile
as the record holder for most people slaughtered in the shortest time.
In 1945, british war vessels had cornered a japanese force of around
nine hundred men in a saltwater marsh that skirted the bay of bengal
in Burma. It was knee-hip deep, with the Japanese soldiers cut off
from escape both by land and by sea. All through the night the British
heard the bellows and hisses of the crocs as they moved in and the
death screams of their prey. The next morning 20 were recovered as
POW's. 
  Yes, in India there are around 30,000 fatalities a year involving
poisonous snakebite. These bites are generally from cobras (gn,Naja)
and Kraits (gn,Bungarus), but some deaths from the various vipers
present do not go unnoticed. 

  WORLD RECORDS

 Anaconda-37 feet, 467 pds.

King Cobra-18 feet, 78 pds.

Saltwater Crocodile, 38 feet, 2976 pounds (whew)

Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake, 11 feet, 83 pounds

  More in future...

  Anyone else with these herpetofactoids are invited to post them, as
a few of the people here in the department are interested.



					j o h n t h o m a s o n

					New Mexico State University
					Biology




Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Date: Sat,  7 Nov 1992 18:43:39 -0500 
From: "Jennifer E. Swofford" <IGUANA+@CMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: iguana and a dog?

Excerpts from netnews.rec.pets.herp: 2-Nov-92 iguana and a dog? Jason
Perez@tamuts.tamu. (454)

> i'm intrigued by iguanas and am thinking about getting one.  but my
> roommate has a small dog.  is this a big problem?  would the iguana
> have to stay in the cage all the time, or once it gets bigger would it
> no longer be bothered by the dog?  thanks for your help.


Woa, a dog.  Well, I'd give the same advice that I gave to the
iguana/cat question:  Better safe than sorry.  I doubt they'd really get
along outside the cage.  If you keep it in the cage, it really shouldn't
be a problem, but, some doggie toys are green in color...

-------------------------------------------------------
Jennifer E. Swofford     

iguana+@cmu.edu   

Formerly affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University
Potentially affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University
-------------------------------------------------------
From: quest@iowegia.uucp (Steve J. Quest)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Re: Killing Food!!!
Date: Sat, 07 Nov 92 11:59:40 CST
Distribution: world
Organization: Iowegia Public Access Usenet/UUCP, Clive IA USA.

srh3@Ra.MsState.Edu (Steven R. Hollis) writes:

>      I myself do not enjoy killing my mice for my snakes either, but if it is
> smaller than a guinea pig and the table method seems a bit much.  Try this.
> 
>     Grab the little critter by the tail, hold him up and thump right where
> the head meets the neck.  If it is a mouse or small rat, it will dislocate
> the right things and he will twitch but be pretty spaced out.
> 
> 

Steven,

        I wanted to mention another method I use- which I 
neglected to earlier on this subject.  For all those who are like 
myself- and wish to preserve the "strike instinct" that nature 
provides in reptiles, here is a proven safe method for feeding 
live rodents.

        Holding a rat or mouse in the "kitten freeze" position, I 
insert a pair of diagonal "wire" cutters into the now open mouth.  
Using these cutters I clip off the lower incisor teeth as close to 
the gumline as I can.  After the first time I tried this, I 
subjected my own index finger knuckle to the "acid test".  I 
figured better the scar on my finger than on a snakes eyeball.  
The (at this point) very upset mouse tried despirately to bite me, 
but managed after SEVERAL attempts only a slight scratch of the 
outer dermal layer.

        I can now drop LIVE prey into the cage and watch a 
predator take his food like nature intended- without risk to the 
herp.  Nothing makes me more ill than to see a snake that is 
AFRAID of live animals- and recoils away from them in fear!  This 
is often the case of animals who are consistently fed dead 
rodents.  Although I keep a supply of frozen rats and mice on 
hand, I prefer to feed live when I can- this keeps the animal more 
alert and healthy I believe.  For example, my (rather large now) 
monitor lizard is a LOT of fun when he takes off on a run around 
his cage- chasing a mouse who is running for his life!  When he 
makes his strike, it is almost always at the shoulder blades, and 
he pins the mouse (4 wk rat) to the floor and holds him until he 
is dead.  This makes my monitor a very spunky and alert pet.  Of 
course when I reach in on him I have to be careful, he has gotten 
into the habbit of striking about anything that moves in his cage, 
but his teeth are still too tiny to do much harm............sq

(does anyone else clip teeth and feed live [active] prey?)
From: voorhees@sdd.hp.com (Joe Voorhees)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: More Gecko Gifs
Date: 13 Nov 92 00:59:08 GMT
Article-I.D.: hpsdlss3.1duuksINNhhr
Distribution: world
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, San Diego Division
NNTP-Posting-Host: hpsdlm14.sdd.hp.com

Look in alt.binaries.pictures.misc for another gif file of a gecko. This
time it's of Eublepharis macularius (Leopard Gecko).

Enjoy!
Joe
voorhees@sdd.hp.com
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 21:00:34 EST
From: <KAB137@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Re: Plants for an Iguana tank
 <1992Nov11.165901.16860@panix.com> <19212@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>

In article <19212@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>, nathan@charles.ucdavis.edu (Nathan
Rollins) says:
> I do take it though, that you want plants that are non-toxic but that
> the ig won't eat?>>

Yes!!! That is what I meant! Any suggestions?
Right now there is a palm tree and a climbing type of ivy in my 8'x 6' x 2'
tank...they haven't tried to eat them, but they climb the palm tree, sit on
top, resulting in a crushed tree on top.  Oh, yeah, there's a large rubbertree
plant in there too...(it all looks really cool...) they don't mess with the
rubbertree, except to hide behind it when frightened.
-=Kymberlie, Ren and Stumpy=-
>the iggy won't eat?
>
> -Otter (not nathan)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Brown Ig Head
From: <KAB137@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 14:20:08 EST
Organization: Penn State University

Hmmm....I've got a puzzling question...My Igs hav been with me now about two-
three weeks...they were fairly green when I got them. Now both of their heads
have turned brown...like they were burned (but I know they weren't) and I was
wondering if I should worry.  Is this common, or a sign of sickness?
-=Kymberlie, and Ren and Stumpy=-
From: mojo@reed.edu (absinthe)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Re: Ball Python won't eat.
Date: 9 Nov 92 20:53:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: reed.1992Nov9.205338.28377
Organization: Taliesin


I'm not sure I understand the deal with the egg.  If this is a gravid or
brooding female, she probably won't eat until the eggs are over and done
with.  If she laid only one egg, something is wrong; she could well be
egg-bound, which can be life-threatening.

Eggs aside, Philippe de Vosjoli lists a few tricks for getting recalcitrant
balls to eat; try putting the snake in a (closed) cloth bag overnight with a
dead rodent; try gerbils (many balls are very species-specific, and gerbils
apparently smell like their natural prey---various rat species, jerboas,
etc.) or hamsters; try a rat pinky, if the snake is small enough to eat one
reasonably.

Balls can fast for a LONG time; I believe the record is 22 months.

	NT
-- 
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/
< If you choose, choose to choose,     }     Nathan Tenny  / mojo@reed.edu or >
< Choose to go.  - Lou Reed            {     tenny@euclid.uoregon.edu         >
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: hall@kronos.arc.nasa.gov (Michael Hall)
Subject: Re: snakes in apartments
Organization: NASA/ARC Information Sciences Division
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 20:57:43 GMT

In article <1992Nov6.093100.5442@desire.wright.edu> jknife@desire.wright.edu writes:

>	Right now I still live with my parents, but I'm planning on moving out
>next year.  How much trouble does anyone think I'll have finding an apartment
>which will accept me and my corn snake and boa?  From what I've heard so far, 
>most "no pets" rules apply to pets with fur.  Any comments on this?

The apartment complex where I live permits cats and dogs, but reptiles are
specifically forbidden in the lease.  (Fortunately, the lease didn't say
anything about amphibians :-)

-- 
Michael Hall            \ YOU HAVE THE ROCK.   VEGAS HAS THE ROLL.
NASA Ames Research Center\ - billboard near San Francisco
hall@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov \
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: waynel@cray.com (Wayne Lichte)
Subject: Re: Killing Food!!!
Organization: Cray Research Superservers Inc., San Diego CA, USA
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 00:32:15 GMT

Howdy;

My girlfriend and I have 2 pythons and 1 Boa [formerly 2 and 2],
and we have to feed them a range of foods [from mice to guinea pigs].

For the smaller beasts, use some kind of stick, rod, pole, etc.  Hold
the beast by its tail, and clock the bugger right at the base of its'
neck/head.  1, maybe 2 hits, and it's all over.

For the guinea pigs, we use a hammer.  A bit messy, but fast.

Both of these methods are fast and 'humane'.  It's also a bonus
to find someone who dislikes these beasties, and enjoys 'preparing' 
them for feeding.  I lucked out and have a friend like this. :)

Wayne's World
From: walkera@cco.caltech.edu (Walker Aumann)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Re: Heat lamp question (cracking glass)
Date: 7 Nov 1992 22:02:01 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
NNTP-Posting-Host: punisher.caltech.edu

I had the same problem heating the cage for my Burmese.  Move the light up
a couple to a few inches.  Four inches made the difference for me.

Walker
From: mike@jammin.nosc.mil (mike pawka)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Re: Tortoises
Date: 5 Nov 92 17:08:04 GMT
Organization: NRaD

In article <1992Nov5.151652.24084@cs.cornell.edu>, clewis@cs.cornell.edu (Craig Lewis) writes: 
|> 3) Are there any species easier to raise than others? Would I be better
|> off with a box turtle to start? 
|> 

	According to a couple of sources we talked to when looking for a
tortoise, box turtles are among the most difficult to keep.

						Mike
From: jffowler@beerbust.Eng.Sun.COM (John F. Fowler)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: New SF Bay Area Herp Store
Keywords: Herp Store Bay
Date: 10 Nov 92 19:26:20 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: beerbust

A friend of mine has recently opened a herp store in the San
Francisco Bay area.  Called Western Zoological Supply, he sells
reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, cages, books, and supplies. He
has lots of live or frozen feeder rodents.  He just took delivery
of Blood Pythons, white-lipped pythons, and an assortment of 
Monitors from Indonesia.

Check it out!

Western Zoological Supply
481 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA  94066

(415) 871-9149
(415) 871-9308 [fax]
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: mds5597@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Subject: Re: How long do you leave food / water out?
Reply-To: mds5597@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 18:19:01 GMT

In article <1992Nov12.153615.474@sei.cmu.edu>, bjz@sei.cmu.edu (Barbara Zayas) writes:
>
>I've heard conflicting info about how long the food and/or
>water dishes should remain available to my green iguana.
>
>
>About food:
>One source said to remove food bowls/leftovers after they've
>been available to the ig for 15-20 minutes. (I'm assuming
>that this is to prevent bacterial growth.)  Another source
>implied that you can keep the food out all day.
>
>   Question: Is it harmful to leave food out 
>   through the day (putting the food out before 
>   I leave for work and refreshing it at the end 
>   of the day)?
>	

	No it is not harmfull at all. When the food gets dried out the iguana
just wont eat it. This is why it is important to change the food every day.


>Two books that I've read mention that calcium-supplemented
>dog food is welcome by most igs (providing that it's done as
>a supplement to the normal/vegetarian diet).
>
>   Question: Which dog food is best for an ig?  
>   I want something low-fat and not loaded with 
>   a junk/preservatives.
>

	Wow....dog food huh....well there are plenty of suppliments out there
so that you can let the dogs eat their food/supplements and the iguana eat
theirs.  I would not feed the iguana dog food.
>
>
>
>About water:
>One book that I have states that young/new igs need an
>acclimation period of 3-4 months where water should be
>available round the clock (a lot of new igs may be
>dehydrated).  Another book that have I contradicts this,
>saying that igs get most, if not all, of their necessary
>water from an adequate diet.  This book recommends making
>water available just 2-3 times a week.  (The reasoning for
>this is that the water might easily get contaminated with
>waste, should the waste drop into the water bowl.)
>
>   Question: What is the popular practice or 
>   frequency for providing water?
>
	Have fresh water ALL the time. This is very important. I wouldn't worry
about waste in the bowl. They will do their thing every where except in their
food and water(at least that is what I have seen).


>
>Thanks for any help from me and my ig (Licorice).
>
>
>
>Barbara Zayas				Software Engineering Institute
>Information Management			Carnegie Mellon University
>bjz@sei.cmu.edu				(412) 268-6378




                                               
                                                      Treky and Tabatha
							    N8VFZ

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


Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: datri@egsner.cirr.com (Anthony Datri)
Subject: Re: Killing food....
Organization: Central Iowa (Model) Railroad, Dallas, Tx.
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 01:58:23 GMT

>Does no one buy frozen rodents any more?

Some snakes won't take them.  My Black Pine, for example, wasn't interested
in the thawed mouse I tried.

>  Can you not get these from pet
>stores?

Around here it's a hit-or-miss proposition. 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: dboldt@dsdbqvarsa (David Boldt (x5679))
Subject: Re: How long do you leave food / water out?
Organization: United States Geological Survey
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 17:58:24 GMT

In article <1992Nov12.153615.474@sei.cmu.edu> bjz@sei.cmu.edu (Barbara Zayas) writes:
>
>I've heard conflicting info about how long the food and/or
>water dishes should remain available to my green iguana.
>
>
>About food:
>One source said to remove food bowls/leftovers after they've
>been available to the ig for 15-20 minutes. (I'm assuming
>that this is to prevent bacterial growth.)  Another source
>implied that you can keep the food out all day.
>
>   Question: Is it harmful to leave food out 
>   through the day (putting the food out before 
>   I leave for work and refreshing it at the end 
>   of the day)?

I can't imagine what the problem would be.  Vegetables aren't going to go
"bad" in half a day.  The greens may get a bit wilted, but this is hardly
cause for concern.  --Food that I eat often sits out for more than 15-20
minutes.

>Two books that I've read mention that calcium-supplemented
>dog food is welcome by most igs (providing that it's done as
>a supplement to the normal/vegetarian diet).
>
>   Question: Which dog food is best for an ig?  
>   I want something low-fat and not loaded with 
>   a junk/preservatives.

I have read several articles suggesting that use of dog food should be
minimized (I seem to recall a figure of no more than about 5% of an iguana's 
diet).  It seems that dog food is a bit too much for animals who rather 
marginal omnivours.

I just recently saw a study that suggested using tofu as a source of
protein to avoid the problems caused by things such as dog food.

My iguanas seem to like the tofu.


-- 
                           -- david boldt   dboldt@qvarsa.er.usgs.gov
                                            US Geological Survey
                                            Reston, VA    (703 648-5679)
From: voorhees@sdd.hp.com (Joe Voorhees)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Gecko Gif Repost
Date: 10 Nov 1992 22:45:19 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, San Diego Division
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: hpsdlm14.sdd.hp.com
Keywords: gecko, gif, lizard

For all of you that are requesting a re-post of the Phelsuma standingi
gif, it's once again in alt.binaries.pictures.misc in 9 parts (so I don't
choke some servers) as phelsuma.gif (01/09, 02/09, etc.).

Joe

Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: meh0570@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Subject: Need a roomie in Austin, TX??
Reply-To: meh0570@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 20:59:59 GMT


I know this does not exactly belong here, but since I got
two snakes it cant hurt.

Im moving to Austin, TX for an internship.

Will need a place to live, and if anyone knows 
of a place cheap that will take snakes, let me know.

Also intrested in breeders, and herp socities in that
area.

many thanks
JC

please contact via e mail.

		
			MEH0570@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
			engineering student
			professional daydreamer
			aspiring mad sciencist
			and bad speller.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: mds5597@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Subject: Re: How long do you leave food / water out?
Reply-To: mds5597@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 13:18:41 GMT

In article <1992Nov12.175824.26472@rsg1.er.usgs.gov>, dboldt@dsdbqvarsa (David Boldt (x5679)) writes:
>I just recently saw a study that suggested using tofu as a source of
>protein to avoid the problems caused by things such as dog food.
>
>My iguanas seem to like the tofu.
>
>
>-- 
>                           -- david boldt   dboldt@qvarsa.er.usgs.gov
>                                            US Geological Survey
>                                            Reston, VA    (703 648-5679)



	I LOVE IT!!! TOO BAD I CAN'T GET TABATHA TO EAT THAT!!! I AM A VEGI
		MYSELF!!!


                                               
                                                      Treky and Tabatha
							    N8VFZ

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

Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: jmm7076@ultb.isc.rit.edu (J.M. Maurer)
Subject: Re: Killing Food!!!
Originator: jmm7076@ultb
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 20:25:40 GMT

In article <1992Nov6.043855.49560@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu> dhm1@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (DANIEL HILL MCCAULEY) writes:
>
>    I have a burmese python who will only eat freshly killed animals.  It was
>    brought up this way from a baby because the breeder didn't want the mice
>    to scratch or bite his prized snake, so now he only cringes away from live
>
>            -Dan McCauley (DHM1@NS2.CC.LEHIGH.EDU)

I just put 'em in a hefty bag, push out all the air, give a swing around
then WHAMO! wack them on the floor, Rather effective and non-messy, they
don't even bleed if you hits them just right.

Jim and Socrates (a rather full ball python)
Organization: University of Central Florida--Computer Services
Date: Tuesday, 10 Nov 1992 12:44:03 EST
From: <COP80208@UCF1VM.BITNET>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: Re: Killing food....

Several people have responded to the question of how to kill their pets'
food.  I agree with most of them.  I have one question though...
If poison or gas is used, is this toxin not passed on to the pet?
Just wondering,
Mike ;)
From: wrfisher@cats.ucsc.edu (William Robert Fisher)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
Subject: dwarf chameleons
Date: 13 Nov 1992 07:13:18 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: am.ucsc.edu


Hi out there, I almost bought a dwarf chameleon today, but by luck I
was out of checks.  Tomorrow is another day...

I was hoping someone out there had a working knowledge of carpet chameleons
or jeweled chameleons or Chamaeleo lateralis.  I was looking at an 
unbelievable colored male.  I think he was near full grown.  4" nose to
vent (??)  He looked plump, didn't run off while I held him (He wouldn't
be a handled lizard), and had a great grip.  I wasn't sure who was holding
who.  The price I think was 61$ (Some other chameleons were 91$ and today
was his 1st day there - so his price might go up a bit).  60$ dollars for
2 years might be acceptable.  I would really enjoy anyone who has had
experience with this particular species, dwarf species or chameleons in
general to contact he before it might be to late...

William Fisher
wrfisher@cats.ucsc.edu
fisher@cloud9.arc.nasa.gov



Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: pholland@iastate.edu (Paul J Hollander)
Subject: Re: Killing food....
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 17:09:17 GMT

In article <srh3.721667395@Ra.MsState.Edu> srh3@Ra.MsState.Edu (Steven R. Hollis) writes:
>     A suggestion on frozen food.  Sometimes when the food is frozen it loses
>its scent. Try rubbing some raw chicken or something like that on the mouse
>after it has thawed.  This will give it a little scent

I prefer to cut a flap of skin off the top of the head.  It releases the smell
of the blood and tissue juices and makes a good place for the snake to start
swallowing.

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

Newsgroups: rec.pets.herp
From: harrison@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Subject: Re: Ball pyton that won't eat
Reply-To: harrison@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Organization: LMSC, Sunnyvale, California
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 19:13:05 GMT

One factor that has been discovered recently is that Ball pythons like a lot
of humidity.  I had a Ball that wouldn't eat for a year and a half, under 
conditions in which another Ball ate just fine.  Once I had placed her in a
tightly closed cage with a large water bath (with lots of surface area) she 
started eating within a couple of weeks, and I've had no problems.  Actually,
she seems to be trying to make up for lost time. (Despite force feeding, she
was getting pretty skinny.)