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Category Archives: Reptiles

Should Columbus Zoo’s Python Snake be Named Fido or Rover – Mother’s Name was Fluffy

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Powell, OH – The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is conducting a naming contest for its newest snake, a reticulated python that arrived at the Zoo two weeks ago.

“Since her arrival she has been known as Fluffy’s daughter”, said Columbus Zoo President and CEO Dale Schmidt. “We are asking the many fans of Fluffy to help us choose a suitable name for her offspring.”

The contest is being conducted on the Zoo’s Facebook page which can be found under the name The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The Zoo will compile all of the name suggestions posted on the site between 9:00 a.m. on December 1, 2010 and midnight December 7, 2010. If any names are suggested multiple times, the first poster to suggest that name will be the only one entered in the contest.

Three finalists will be selected by Zoo staff and posted on Facebook on December 10, 2010 for final vote by those who “like” the Zoo on Facebook. The contest will end at 9:00 a.m. on December 17, 2010 and the winner will receive four individual Gold Memberships to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium which includes the 2011 Zoombezi Bay season.

Fluffy’s daughter hatched in 1998 and is currently about 200 pounds and 18-feet in length. Her famous mother was 300 pounds and 24-feet long and held the title of longest snake by Guinness World Records. Fluffy came to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in 2007 and died on October 15, 2010 due to an apparent tumor on her ovary.

Fluffy’s daughter can be seen in her mother’s former habitat in the Asia Quest region of the Zoo including each evening during Wildlights.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is open 363 days of the year. General admission is $12.99 for adults, $7.99 for children ages 2 to 9 and seniors 60+. Children under 2 and Columbus Zoo members are free. The Zoo was named the #1 Zoo in America by USA Travel Guide and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA.) For more information and to purchase advance Zoo admission tickets, visit www.columbuszoo.org.

To view Columbus Zoo’s web page on Zoo ad Aquarium Visitor, go to:   http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-20-Colombus_Zoo_and_Aquarium

Dozens of animals rescued from hoarder

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Animal Control officers are hoping animal lovers out there are willing to open their hearts and homes to a group of rescued animals.

More than 40 animals, from ferrets to cats, a few fish and some snakes, where seized from the home of a hoarder in Montville.

It all started when neighbors called complaining about a horrible smell coming from an apartment. When Montville Animal Control officers got there, they never expected to see what they found inside.

Neighbors at the Mountain View Apartments in Montville say before November 17th when the animals were taken from the apartment, the stench was so bad you could smell it three doors away.

Rob Antisdel says he went in before Animal Control officers got here.

“The rooms were just impacted with feces all over the floor, all over the bedding. The animals were just laying in their cages, no food, no water. There were some dying in the cage. There were four of them dead in the cages.

“And all the stench was just overwhelming the entire apartment. I took three steps into it, had to turn around and step back outside and vomit over the side. It was just too unbearable.”

Even now, two weeks later, the smell still lingers. The air conditioner is kept running to try to air the place out.

Across town at the animal shelter some of the animals are being nursed back to health… and adopted out to new homes. Officers say it’s one of the worst cases of animal hoarding in Montville ever.

“There were more than 40 animals found in the apartment ranging from tropical fish to ferrets, rats, guinea pigs, cats, a hamster, a dog, snakes, and a bearded dragon, several birds,” described Chris Martel with Montville Animal Control.

Some were dead. Two others had to be put down.

It’s still unclear whether the man who was keeping all the animals will face charges. Police are not releasing his name and say the case is still under investigation.

“I know that people didn’t intend to harm these animals necessarily,” Chris Martel added. “Unfortunately, they were overwhelmed.”

Animal shelters from all around the region have offered to take in some of the animals. Their goal is to keep as many as possible alive.

UPDATE: American Airlines passenger ‘found lizard’ in onboard meal

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An American Airlines passenger testified how she “wanted to die” after allegedly eating a lizard served up as part of an in-flight chicken dinner, the New York Post reported Wednesday.

Monserrate Luna, a beautician from Puerto Rico, said she absentmindedly popped the creepy crawler into her mouth while watching a movie onboard an American Airlines flight from JFK to San Juan in 2003.

After chewing for a while, she was unable to swallow the mystery meat and spit it into a napkin.

Her five-year-old son confirmed it was “an animal,'” she testified in Manhattan federal court Tuesday.

Airline lawyer Kenneth Gormley claimed the masticated mess was chicken skin, and that “there may have been some feathers, or what looked like feathers … but there was no lizard.”

4WD occupants nearly become croc food

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Northern Territory Police say it is lucky five people, including three children, did not become “crocodile food” when their car got stuck on a remote river crossing in Arnhem Land.

The group were trying to cross the East Alligator River at Cahills Crossing.

More than one metre of water was flowing over the crossing at the time and their four-wheel drive was quickly pinned against a rock wall.

It was nearly high tide and the water levels continued to rise.

Police and rangers had to launch a boat and pull the group out one of the car’s windows.

Brevet Sergeant Adam Russell says he spotted several large saltwater crocodiles near the car.

“There were quite a few around the area, so we weren’t too keen to get too far into the water either,” he said.

The 51-year-old man driving the car did not have a licence.

The car blocked the crossing until police were able to tow it to the nearby community of Gunbulunya on Wednesday.

Reptile store to open in Village

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Brian Pataska and his wife, Stephanie, will open Family Values Reptiles, LLC on Saturday in the former Precision Photo location at 1533 S. Losey Blvd. in the Village Shopping Center.

The new business will sell reptiles such as snakes, lizards and bearded dragons, Brian said. It also will sell mice, rats, crickets, superworms and a variety of reptile supplies.

“We decided to turn our hobby and love for animals into a business,” Pataska said. “We’ve got numerous snakes and lizards at our house. We want to share it with other people.”

Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday and closed Monday.

The grand opening will be Saturday and Sunday. The store’s telephone number is (608) 796-WORM (9676).

Snakes a concern for Forests workers

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THEY can be a deadly hazard for forestry workers in summer and the race is on to prepare staff for the worst.

Snake awareness will be the focus for Forests NSW crews from across the region at their safety day next week.

“There would be few workers more likely to come face to face with a venomous snake than Forests NSW staff so this is an appropriate time for them to brush up on how to recognise the various snakes in the areas they work in and how to treat any bites,” said Forests NSW North East Region manager Craig Busby.

“More than 90 staff will be at the safety day at the Grafton Racecourse on December 9. We hold two all-staff safety days a year as it is a prime focus of Forests NSW.”

Mr Busby said Forests NSW had introduced a new safety feature this year with the Take Two initiative.

“This involves any staff starting a new task for the day to take two minutes to assess any potential hazards in performing the work.

“Those two minutes might make the difference between them going home safely at the end of the day or suffering potential long-term injury.

“Another safety issue that has been identified is the number of vehicle accidents that have occurred on gravel roads in state forests.

“There is always the potential for staff or forest visitors to meet log trucks on forest roads or simply find road conditions are different from what they expected.

“After a careful review, Forests NSW has imposed a 60 km/h speed limit on all vehicles travelling on gravel roads within state forests unless they are otherwise signposted.

“In some cases there will also be 40 km/h limits for log trucks.”

Mr Busby said it was incumbent on all vehicle users in state forests to follow the road rules.

“State forest roads are treated by the law the same as a public street so if you are unlicensed or your vehicle is unregistered, you are breaking the law and will be subject to police action.”

Two Dozen Pets Rescued From Smoky House

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Firefighters rescued more than two dozen pets from a smoky house fire Tuesday.

No people were injured in the fire at 356 O’Connell Drive, although some animals suffered from smoke inhalation, said Assistant Fire Chief William Perez. Two women lived in the house.

In all, 12 dogs and 14 cats were rescued, he said. A lizard also was found.

“He said every time he turned around, he pulled out another couple of cats,” Perez said of a firefighter.

The ranch-style house was severely damaged and is not habitable.

The fire was reported at 9:55 a.m., Perez said. The fire was mostly out a short time later, but smoke was still coming from the eaves at 10:30 a.m. Firefighters continued to remove animals until about 11:15 a.m.

The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen, Perez said.

Ed Ruiz, an animal control officer, took the animals to a local veterinarian. He ran out of room in his van and had to use Perez’s vehicle, Perez said.

A town ordinance limits the number of cats and dogs that may live in a house in town to 10, and that’s only if the owners have a kennel license, Ruiz said.

It wasn’t clear if the two women were going to be cited.