Herpetology

Reptiles and amphibians can make wonderful pets, but they can be a challenge to care for.  Each species has different housing requirements.  Some require high humidity and lots of UVB light. Others like it dry and dark.

Come have a close encounter of the cold-blooded kind at the herpatology booth at Open House and find out more about these popular pets!

Did you know…

• Snakes cannot blink.
• The largest snake in the world, the Anaconda (Eunectes murinus), may reach over 30 feet in length and is capable of eating small children.
• A permit is required for snakes that are over 6 feet long.
• Some turtles and tortoises, including the Eastern box turtle, can live for more than a century.
• Snakes have three rows of teeth.
• Some lizards will eat their skin as they shed it.
• Venomous snakes shed their fangs like they shed their skin.
  

Some of the species you will see at Open House include the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularis) from the Middle East, the crested gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) from New Caledonia (off the coast of Australia), the corn snake (Elaphe guttata guttata) from southeast and central United States and parts of Mexico, Dumeril’s ground boa (Acrantophis dumerili) from southwest Madagascar, the bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) from Australia, the California king snake (Lampropeltis getulus californiae) from the West Coast of North America, and the ball python (Python regius) from western Africa.