Happy National Serpent Day 2018!

ok so i was perusing the newswire for all the wierd and wacky when i saw...

OMG it's National Serpent Day!! Horray!

from National Day Calendar: https://nationaldaycalendar.com/nati...day-february-1

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NATIONAL SERPENT DAY
Across religions and cultures, the serpent has been used as a symbol of evil, medicine, fertility and much more. Recognizing serpents and snakes alike, February 1st observes National Serpent Day.

Around the world, there are over 3,000 species of snakes. The world’s smallest snake is the Barbados thread snake. This serpent is smaller than a night crawler at about 4 inches.

In comparison, the longest snake is the reticulated python and the heaviest is the green anaconda.

SNAKE FACTS
-- Only 1/8 of the known species are venomous.
-- Their upper and lower jaw separate to allow snakes to consume prey up to three times larger than the diameter of their head.
-- Snakes eat their prey whole.
-- Most snakes are nocturnal.
-- Their tongue is used to smell their air.
-- Snakes are cold-blooded, or ectotherms, and must sun themselves to regulate their body temperatures.
-- While most snakes lay eggs, some give live birth.
-- From anti-tumor treatments to antibacterial properties, snake venom has been studied for medical purposes for many years.

HOW TO CELEBRATE
Do some research on snakes or go to a zoo to see some in person. Use #NationalSerpentDay to post on social media.

Educators, visit the National Day Calendar Classroom pages for activities surrounding National Serpent Day.

HISTORY
Within our research, we were unable to identify the creator of National Serpent Day.

There are over 1,500 national days. Don’t miss a single one. Celebrate Every Day with National Day Calendar!

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here's the article i saw. simple, very neat and great for kids: https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed...r-rad-reptiles

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A snake that can “fly,” plus 6 other rad reptiles

February 1 is National Serpent Day. Serpent is another word for snake. There are almost 3,000 different snake species in the world, and you can find them on every continent except Antarctica.

Let’s celebrate these radical reptiles and see who slithered onto our list of the coolest snakes ever.

Malagasy leaf-nosed snake
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...osed-snake.jpg
For the Malagasy leaf-nosed snake, the name says it all. That’s right — it looks like it has a leaf for a nose! Researchers aren’t sure why, but the leafy nose could help this snake blend into its natural jungle habitat.


Feathered tree viper
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...tree-viper.jpg
This snake may be native to Central Africa, but it looks out of this world! It doesn’t really have feathers, they’re actually long scales that give the feathered tree viper its shaggy appearance.


Chrysopelea (Golden flying snake)
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ying-snake.jpg
Native to Southeast Asia, the flying snake species prefer to travel by air (to avoid those pesky predators on the jungle floor, of course!). Instead, this snake launches itself from tree to tree and has the ability to flatten and curve its body so it glides like a Frisbee!


Horned viper
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...rned-viper.jpg
We’re used to seeing horns on a rhinoceros or a bull, but not on a snake! These desert dwellers look a little devilish but their ‘horns’ are just really long scales. They protect the horned viper’s eyes from sand and help them camouflage in desert brush.


Barbados threadsnake
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...hreadsnake.jpg
The world’s smallest snake can be found on the Caribbean island of Barbados! The average length of a Barbados threadsnake is only 10 centimetres long and are about as wide as a spaghetti noodle.


Olive sea snake
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-sea-snake.jpg
This snake prefers to swim, not slither! It has a large lung that helps it hold its breathe underwater for hours. Its paddle-like tail makes it a great swimmer and this snake can even sense light! This allows the olive sea snake to find dark places in the coral reefs to hide from predators.


Reticulated python
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ted-python.jpg
The reticulated python is the world’s longest snake! In the wild, they can grow up to 6.5 metres long and weigh up to 75 kilograms. But a pet python named Medusa in Kansas City, U.S.A., took the Guinness World Record for the longest living snake in captivity. Medusa is 7.67 metres long and weighs 158 kilograms!

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i'm starting out National Serpent Day by making social media posts including this one: https://imgur.com/a/mW20wyC

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/RMW1c9U.jpg

i don't have an educational events planned or anything like that, so imma just chat my friends and co-workers. giving them updates on my snakes and dropping cool facts and stuff. and gonna drinks to celebrate!

here's another nice article about the famous Sepentarium in Florida: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...201-story.html

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National Serpent Day: Slink into Reptile World Serpentarium to see snakes

Though visitors are behind the glass, a distinct rattle sound can be heard from the lab at Reptile World Serpentarium.

Two men stand around the crate. One quickly opens the lid and grabs the Eastern diamondback rattlesnake’s tail as the other uses a hook and then his hand to secure the snake’s head, bringing the reptile over to a beaker. In an instant, the serpent lashes out at the glass, reveals its fangs and expels its venom into the receptacle.

This is part of the venom demonstration at the reptile zoo, the main event offered at noon and 3 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.

Part research center and part attraction, Reptile World Serpentarium is home to more than 75 species of snakes, making it the perfect pitstop on National Serpent Day: Feb. 1.

George Van Horn, Reptile World’s owner and director of operations, founded the “serpentarium” in 1972 as a research facility for the production and distribution of snake venom.

Thinking that someday the venom business would be obsolete, he wanted to increase his company’s longevity by also offering educational opportunities to the public.

Reptile World’s venom show teaches guests about snakes — especially the 35 species indigenous to Florida — and reveals how Van Horn and his employees milk venom from four varieties of serpents.

During the speech portion, Van Horn debunks myths — snakes don’t chase people, he said.

He shared serpent facts, including that these creatures have been around about 130 million years longer than humans; serpents are like “fast food” for wild animals, as they have no arms or legs and very few self-defense mechanisms; snake neurotoxins are some of the most potent natural toxins; and Reptile World can’t treat bites — so head to the hospital instead, but get ready for a bill averaging $100,000-$250,000 for snake bite treatment.

In addition to the demonstration, the serpentarium also features walk-through snake exhibits as well as crocodile, alligator, iguanas, turtles and more.

Van Horn said he had a “passionate interest in snakes” from the age 6.

“You don’t get interested, you just are,” he said. “You don’t know where it comes from.”

On a Cub Scout field trip to the Miami Serpentarium, he found his calling. He said he saw an employee working with snakes, discovered the science of venom and “was pretty much cooked at that point.”

After graduating from Florida Atlantic University, Van Horn secured some land in St. Cloud from a dairy farmer and began work on his own reptile zoo, modeling the facility after the Miami Serpentarium.

Most of Reptile World’s clients are universities and research facilities that use snake venom in their physiology research, though his facility also works with companies that produce antivenom for North America. For example, he sends coral snake venom to Pfizer, which makes antivenom used in United States hospitals.

Van Horn said serpents “often get the bad end of the stick,” but he thinks the creatures are beautiful with unique structures.

“There are many other animals in the world that are able to use venom to secure prey, but snakes are extremely efficient in what they do,” he said.

Plus, he said there are a variety of snakes, from seas snakes to flying and blind snakes, that provides for a “lifetime of learning.”

“I never run out of things to learn about these creatures,” he said.

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Isn’t it 2019??

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Happy National Serpent Day 2018!

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http://i63.tinypic.com/rjh8gi.jpg 2019

Thought it was 2019 now?? :P

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Originally Posted by Deborah

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...com/rjh8gi.jpg 2019

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wait wut? lol

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...KGCA/giphy.gif

but 2018 was soo good.

:P

Ummmmm???

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

Ummmmm???

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mmmmm typo. ;)

Ax, you really do look for things to do, don't ya?

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Originally Posted by Ax01

i'm starting out National Serpent Day by making social media posts including this one: https://imgur.com/a/mW20wyC

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/RMW1c9U.jpg

i don't have an educational events planned or anything like that, so imma just chat my friends and co-workers. giving them updates on my snakes and dropping cool facts and stuff. and gonna drinks to celebrate!

here's another nice article about the famous Sepentarium in Florida: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...201-story.html

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Ok, ok. Your snake isn’t saying that. It can’t talk!!!


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