Photos - More New Snakes

Well on Saturday we had another reptile show in Arlington. Late in the year I expected the turn out and vendors to be low it was but I went anyway. Dr. Neil Ford was to be there and he was to have a pile of house snakes strait from Don Shultz who is on vacation in Africa. Don shipped them to Neil and I got to pick from what was left after Neil had his pick.

Problem! Neil wanted adults and took all the red ones. The rest were young browns. I did not want them so Don has a lot of normal house snakes that will be available in January if you want any, :D, if so drop by www.mfezi.com in January once Don gets home an he will hook you up.

I did not find anything I wanted mostly big pythons, corns and milks were available. No old world rats, no unique house snakes, nothing no one else commonly has. In fact I was in the market for a JCP and not one in the house.

Still Dr. Ford is a very sharpe dude so I took time to talk to him. Turned out he had some extra het amel house snakes back in Tyler. So I agreed to buy one if he brought it on the second day. He did and I did so here is my latest new house snake.

This is a L. Capensis crossed with a "large green variety" as Dr. Ford referred to it. This is an attempt to get more size in eggs and hatchlings. So she will be bred to my L. Capensis who is also het Amel. Here she is you can see typical Capensis markings on her, the eye stripes with breaks, the stripe pattern on the sides but slightly less pattern over all.

http://www.jackspirko.com/images/sna...melfemale1.JPG


http://www.jackspirko.com/images/sna...melfemale2.JPG


http://www.jackspirko.com/images/sna...melfemale3.JPG

So as I am talking to Neil I mention that I am always looking for something different or interesting. Mentioned the Cat Eyed Snake I bought from his son dave about a month ago and he says, "hey you ever hear of a Diadem Snake", I said no and he shows me one.

They have a rep for being mean, the one he had on display was a firestorm, and made his deli cup look like a jumping bean. :taz: Stiking at the lid and making the cup jump.

He said I made his day with the Het Amel and offered to GIVE ME a Diadem for free. They are supposed to be hissy like bulls but this guy while squirmy and fast has not hissed or tried to bite.

They are rear fanged but considered harmless to people. I don't know much about them but Neil says they are bullet proof from a keeping stand point and just like keeping a bull or rat. They get about the size of a corn but with a bit heavier body.

Anyway Neil was awesome to give me this little guy and I really like him, check him out,

http://www.jackspirko.com/images/sna...em/diadem1.JPG


http://www.jackspirko.com/images/sna...em/diadem2.JPG



http://www.jackspirko.com/images/sna...em/diadem3.JPG

So more kids in the house! I am really starting to develop a nice collection of unique snakes for my shows with the kids. Anyone ever keep one of these Diadem snakes from the pics I found online they get prettier as they get older,

If I am remebering correctly we used to get diadem rat snakes in the shop back in the late 90's and we thought they were totally harmless!!:eek:



Again I may have species confused ( a lot of things we get here in europe have different names elsewhere) but they are famous for impersonating the rasping sound of the saw-scaled viper to try and frighten away... well everything really.

They certainly had a rep for not being all that friendly but I always liked the little spuds myself. They also ate everything we threw at them in the shop. :)

Congrats on the new arrivals and I can't wait to see pics of amel housies in the future.


dr del

Yea and I was actually looking forward to a snake that would be a bit mean for my shows but the bugger is nice and calm. I think we are talking about the same snake.

I have read they are rear fanged but harmless as you say. This variety is out of Eqypt. Neil says they breed very easy and have very large eggs but only throw about 4 to 6 eggs a clutch.

On the Amel House Snakes here is one of my adult males to hold you over till I have babies. Beautiful is he not?

http://www.jackspirko.com/images/snakes/house004jn6.jpg

Seriously so - I love how it brings out the pattern.:cool:



dr del

Nice! I've really fallen for those sweet African House snake faces too... just beautiful. :)

Jack, nice new pick ups!!! Those het amel house snakes are great!

I had (and still have) some JCP for sale. But alas, I was at Austin Reptile Bizzare that weekend.

Post picts!!! Seriously, next time anyone goes to a convention please take some photographs =-D