Behind the scenes tour of the Houston Zoo's Reptile House

[Hypnotic Exotic]

My herp society got a private behind the scenes tour of the Houston Zoo. It also gave us a chance to take pictures of the displays without 50 people crowded around them. This was an unbelievable experience. Not all pictures turned out like I liked them as it is difficult taking pictures through glass/bars but I'm including even some of the subpar shots. Hope you enjoy.

A chameleon but I forgot what kind:


These tags are on the back of each display cage indicating what's in it, how many, what sex, venomous or not, and antivenin codes:



A very hacked off Mojave rattlesnake:


This is a type of iguana but I forgot what type. They were stunning and this picture doesn't do them justice. They also are a much more manageable size. If anybody knows what they are, please let me know:


My 4-year old son petting a pancake tortoise:


Leucestic American alligator:



A large male Komodo dragon. This guy was incredibly cool! The keeper said he is very intelligent and super tame:






Western Green Mamba:



Cuban Crocodile:



Lace Monitor:


King Kobra:


Burmese and Retic:


Leucestic Texas ratsnake:


Rhinoceros Iguana:


Giant Waxy Monkey Tree frogs:


Eyelash Viper:


Bushmaster:


Puff Adder:


Gaboon Viper:


Black mambas:





Large rattle on a Canebrake rattlesnake:

[redstormlax12]

Awsome pictures. Just one question though. The zoo keeps the burm and retic in the same enclosure?

[Hypnotic Exotic]

Awsome pictures. Just one question though. The zoo keeps the burm and retic in the same enclosure?

Yeah. I didn't get a chance to ask that question but they have been kept together for years I believe. It's a very, very large enclosure although every time I've seen them, they seem to be on top of each other. There are other examples of different species being kept together. The eyelash viper had two other snakes in the enclosure that were different species so 3 species in one in that case. The Texas ratsnake had a timber rattler in with him! I guess they know what's compatible and what's not. Kind of the same principal as a vivarium I guess which I wouldn't mind having at some time. Just have to know what can and can't get along.

[BrucenBruce]

Nice trip, and pretty cool shots!

From what I can see in your photo of him/her, that smallish iguana is a Fijian banded. They're gorgeous, with white or blue bands, and very endangered and hard to come by.

~Bruce

[Hypnotic Exotic]

Nice trip, and pretty cool shots!

From what I can see in your photo of him/her, that smallish iguana is a Fijian banded. They're gorgeous, with white or blue bands, and very endangered and hard to come by.

~Bruce

That's not good news. I thought they were pretty freaking cool but if you are right, I won't ever have one