Reptiles Magazine
type: channel
description: Reptiles Magazine, your source for reptile and herp care, breeding, and enthusiast articles
date: 2026-04-09T21:32:08Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
generator agent: https://wordpress.org/
items: Reptile Show Attendees Leave Ball Python In Uber
items: 10 Venomous Snakes Of Africa
items: Brazilian Rainbow Boa Again Gives Birth Via Parthenogenesis
items: Information On The Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
items: Another Southern California Rattlesnake Bite Death Occurred March 19
items: 3 Geckos And A Venomous Snake From Cambodia Being Described
items: New Hampshire Receives Ecosystem Restoration Award To Help Herps
items: Python Blood May Hold Key To New Weight Loss Drugs
items: USCBP Seize 39 Live Pythons At Texas Border Crossing
items: New Forest Gecko Species From The Philippines Described

Reptile Show Attendees Leave Ball Python In Uber
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-04-09T21:32:08Z
subject: Snake Information & News
subject: ball python
subject: lost snake
subject: uber
description: The snake looks like a pastel enchi ball python and as of this writing (April 9) it has not yet been returned to its owner. Hopefully the owner finds out the police have it. The post Reptile Show Attendees Leave Ball Python In Uber appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: An Uber driver who picked up two reptile show attendees April 4 in Philadelphia got a bit of surprise after his shift ended. Earlier in the ride, his two passengers asked him to stop so they could look for some jewelry they dropped but he wasn’t able to stop. <img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126171" class="wp-image-126171 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Exeter-Township-Police-Department1000.jpg" alt="ball python uber" width="1000" height="1000" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Exeter-Township-Police-Department1000.jpg 1000w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Exeter-Township-Police-Department1000-400x400.jpg 400w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Exeter-Township-Police-Department1000-650x650.jpg 650w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Exeter-Township-Police-Department1000-250x250.jpg 250w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Exeter-Township-Police-Department1000-768x768.jpg 768w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Exeter-Township-Police-Department1000-150x150.jpg 150w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Exeter-Township-Police-Department1000-800x800.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /> The ball python in the car. Officer Grycon with the ball python. Hopefully the owner sees this post and can claim the snake. Photo by Exeter Township Police Department/Facebook After the driver’s shift ended, he parked the car in the garage. The next day, according to the Exeter Township Police Department, the driver went back to his car and found the snake, a ball python, in the trunk of his car. The driver then called the police and Officer Karen Grycon was able to secure the snake in a box made the necessary arrangements to keep the reptile safe. The snake looks like a pastel enchi ball python and as of this writing (April …

10 Venomous Snakes Of Africa
type: item
creator: J.V. Bolkan
date: 2026-04-01T21:50:11Z
subject: Venomous
subject: venomous snake
subject: Wild Snakes
subject: boomslang
subject: egyptians cobra
subject: Gaboon viper
subject: green mamba
subject: mozambique spitting cobra
subject: Saw-scaled viper
description: It is estimated that more than 32,000 people die from being bit in Africa every year (estimated approximately 500,000 envenomations) by venomous snakes. The post 10 Venomous Snakes Of Africa appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: Just like pretty much anywhere else in the world, excepting perhaps Antarctica, Africa has plenty of dangerous creatures. Understandably, people tend to focus on the large predators that may see you as a snack, or the even larger creatures that can end you just for being nearby. However, snakes in Africa are much more likely to ruin your life (or end it) than a hungry lion, crocodile, or angry hippo. Australia has a deserved reputation as home to the deadliest venomous snakes, but for a variety of reasons, Africa’s most venomous snakes are far, far more likely to kill humans. Snake bite statistics are notoriously unreliable—most aren’t reported, even when death results. Even when they are reported, species identification isn’t always reliable. However, it’s estimated that more than 32,000 people die from being bit in Africa every year (estimated approximately 500,000 envenomations). For all the potency of Australian snakes, there are less than a handful of such deaths yearly. Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) Truly the king of Africa’s legendary deadly snakes, the black mamba bite is most often fatal to humans if untreated. Even with antivenin treatment, about 14 percent of bite victims succumb and serious disability and long-term health problems affect a large portion of survivors. Untreated bites cause nearly 100 percent mortality. Because of the unique properties of the black mamba venom, bite wounds are unremarkable, with almost no swelling and rather than pain, the victim may feel slight numbness or tingling. Untreated, a healthy adult human can die from a full envenomation in as little as 20 minutes. Black mamba. Photo by reptiles4all/Shutterstock The black mamba is the longest venomous snake in Africa, commonly reaching nearly 10 feet with some specimens exceeding 14 feet. Relatively slender, the black mamba is typically gray, beige, or olive colored, darkening with age. The black moniker comes from its mouth, in which it opens wide as a warning before it s…

Brazilian Rainbow Boa Again Gives Birth Via Parthenogenesis
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-03-31T20:06:44Z
subject: Snake Breeding
subject: Snake Information & News
subject: brazilian rainbow boa
subject: parthenogenesis
subject: rainbow boa
description: A Brazilian rainbow boa kept at the City of Portsmouth College in Tudor Crescent, Portsmouth, United Kingdom, has given birth to 12 babies via parthenogenesis, marking the second time she has given birth without the aid of a male snake. The post Brazilian Rainbow Boa Again Gives Birth Via Parthenogenesis appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: A Brazilian rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria cenchria) kept at the City of Portsmouth College in Tudor Crescent, Portsmouth, United Kingdom, has given birth to 12 babies via parthenogenesis, marking the second time she has given birth without the aid of a male snake. The 14-year-old snake, named Ronaldo, gave birth to 14 snakes in 2024 via parthengenesis. This marks the fourth documented case in which a Brazilian rainbow boa reproduced via parthenogenesis, the college said in a news story announcing the births. “I’ve done as much research as I can and I can’t find any record of it happening twice,” Pete Quinlan, animal care technician at COPC said. “I had my suspicions for a couple of weeks and then suddenly she was showing all the signs.” “She was mine for nine years before she came here,” Quinlan said. “And it’s almost time for her to retire and come back to me. She’s clearly had a great time at COPC – for parthenogenesis to happen, the conditions have to be perfect. Which I think is a great testament to the facilities we have here.” Brazilian Rainbow Boa Births 14 Baby Snakes via Parthenogenesis <iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" title="“Brazilian Rainbow Boa Births 14 Baby Snakes via Parthenogenesis” — Reptiles Magazine" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/brazilian-rainbow-boa-births-14-baby-snakes-via-parthenogenesis/embed/#?secret=qPa7sgvCVV#?secret=HwJLz6Aqkj" data-secret="HwJLz6Aqkj" width="600" height="338" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"> Reptiles Conceived via Parthenogenesis A variety of species have conceived via parthenogenesis, including Komodo dragons, Asian water dragons, Anacondas, reticulated pythons, New Caledonian giant geckos, and more. According to the college, this is the fourth documented case of parthenogenesis in Brazilian rainbow boas. Rainbow Boa Care Sheet Brazilian rainbow boas are so named due to the beautiful sheen they exude when light shines…

Information On The Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-03-31T03:37:33Z
subject: Snake Information & News
subject: Venomous
subject: venomous snake
subject: rattlesnake
subject: Southern Pacific rattlesnake
subject: venomous
description: The Southern Pacific rattlesnake is the most common rattlesnake found in Southern California The post Information On The Southern Pacific Rattlesnake appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: The Southern Pacific rattlesnake is the most common rattlesnake found in Southern California. Its scientific name is Crotalus oreganus helleri. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the western rattlesnake or northern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus). The Southern Pacific rattlesnake is found in Southern California and in Northern Baja California, Mexico. The snake is found as far north as San Luis Obispo and Kern Counties. Its habitat includes coastal sage scrub, wetlands, chapparal, grasslands and rocky hillside areas. The venom of this species is primarily hemotoxic, which attacks and destroys tissue and blood cells, though it also in some cases has mild neurotoxic effects on those bitten by it. They grow from three to five feet in length. Females are smaller than the males. It is not an aggressive species but will defend itself, like all rattlesnakes. They feed on mice rats, squirrels, and gophers and occasional ground nesting birds and fledglings. They are also known to consume small reptiles and frogs. Rattlesnakes have been in the news lately in Southern California as two residents have died from rattlesnake bites in the last month. The snakes are out earlier than usual as SoCal has experienced warmer weather than usual, and with the rains, the wildflowers are in bloom, which gets people out on the many trails and open spaces in Southern California. In the last two months, there have been four reported, non-fatal rattlesnake bites in Ventura County, one fatal bite in Los Angeles County and one fatal bite in Orange County. What To Do If Bitten By a Rattlesnake If you or someone you are with gets bitten by a Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, or any rattlesnake, call 911. Keep the bite area immobilized and at or slightly below heart level if possible. Remove any tight clothing or jewelry as swelling will likely occur, and get to the nearest hospital, call emergency services as soon as possible. <a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="h…

Another Southern California Rattlesnake Bite Death Occurred March 19
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-03-26T17:52:16Z
subject: Snake Information & News
subject: venomous snake
subject: rattlesnake
subject: rattlesnake bite
subject: Southern Califorina
subject: Southern Pacific rattlesnake
subject: venomous
description: Southern California has the highest risk for rattlesnake bites due to denser populations that overlap snake habitat, year round recreational activity and a warmer climate. The post Another Southern California Rattlesnake Bite Death Occurred March 19 appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: Another Southern California resident has died from a rattlesnake bite, marking the second time this month that someone has died from a venomous snake bite in the state. Gabriela Bautista, 46, and a resident of Moorpark, was hiking in Wildwood Regional Park north of Los Angeles when she was bitten by a rattlesnake right before noon March 14, KTLA.com reports. She was airlifted to Los Robles Regional Medical Center where she later died March 19. According to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office, Bautista died of rattlesnake venom toxicity. Bautista was married with children and was an avid hiker. What is not known is what species of rattlesnake bit Bautista. In the region where Bautista was bitten, the Southern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus helleri) is known to frequent the area. A teenage girl was also bitten March 20 while riding her bicycle near the Wendy Hill trailhead in nearby Newbury Park. She survived. Wildwood Regional Park and the city of Newbury Park are adjacent to each other. This death makes two in the span of just a month. Julian Enrique Hernandez, 25, of Costa Mesa, CA was biking near the Quail Hill Community Center in Irvine, CA February 1 when he was bitten. Hernandez was transported to a hospital and placed in an intensive care unit, and despite more than a month of treatment, Hernandez died March 4. California has some of the most rattlesnake bites in the country, with an average of more than 800 bites each year. This represents 10 percent of the total rattlesnake bites nationwide, according to the Division of Medical Toxicology at UC San Diego Health System. This could be due to the sheer population of the state, and the ideal year round weather conditions that don’t occur anywhere else in the country. Rattlesnake Venom Potency Snake venom potency can be influenced by the weather and the prey that venomous rattlesnakes snakes eat, according to a research paper put out by the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute. The univ…

3 Geckos And A Venomous Snake From Cambodia Being Described
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-03-25T04:42:58Z
subject: Lizard Information & News
subject: New Species
subject: Snake Information & News
subject: Cambodia
subject: Gecko
subject: Lizard
subject: new species
subject: venomous snake
description: The researchers spent several years exploring more than 60 caves in Battambang Province in western Cambodia. The post 3 Geckos And A Venomous Snake From Cambodia Being Described appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: Researchers with Fauna & Flora and with collaboration from Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment have released information on several new reptile species that call Cambodia’s karst ecosystems home. The researchers spent several years exploring more than 60 caves in Battambang Province in western Cambodia, covering 10 hills. The expedition uncovered three new gecko species, and a new pit viper species. “Cambodia’s karst areas are a treasure trove of scientific secrets waiting to be uncovered. From undiscovered reptiles and snails, to hidden caves – there is still so much we do not know about these unique ecosystems and the diversity of creatures living within them, Sothearen Thi, Karst Biodiversity Coordinator, Fauna & Flora said in a statement released to the media. “But, without sustainable management, we may never find out what these areas truly hold. Karst landscapes are facing many human-driven challenges, and biologically significant species could go extinct before they have even been discovered. We are working with the Cambodian government and local partners to increase protection of the landscapes, with sustainable management being the number one priority.” <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126130" class="wp-image-126130 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/gehyra-species.jpg" alt="Gehyra sp." width="1000" height="668" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/gehyra-species.jpg 1000w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/gehyra-species-400x267.jpg 400w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/gehyra-species-650x434.jpg 650w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/gehyra-species-250x167.jpg 250w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/gehyra-species-768x513.jpg 768w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/gehyra-species-150x100.jpg 150w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploa…

New Hampshire Receives Ecosystem Restoration Award To Help Herps
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-03-23T19:04:50Z
subject: Conservation
subject: Frog & Amphibians Information & News
subject: Frog Amphibian Information & News
subject: Turtles & Tortoises Information & News
subject: blanding's turtle
subject: Eastern newt
subject: New Hampshire
description: The award will help the state to bolster reptile and amphibian populations by upgrading road infrastructure to reduce road mortality. The post New Hampshire Receives Ecosystem Restoration Award To Help Herps appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: The state of New Hampshire’s, Fish and Game Department’s Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program was awarded a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative to help support upgrading road infrastructure at four critical locations in the state to help wildlife. “Wetland fragmentation and road densities pose direct threats to semi-aquatic turtles and vernal pool amphibians as they move through the landscape for reproduction, food, shelter, and dispersal,” Sandi Houghton, a Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program biologist said in a statement released by New Hampshire Fish and Game. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-98893" class="wp-image-98893 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/data-import/31be509a/Blandings-turtle500.jpg" alt="Blandings Turtle500" width="712" height="534" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/data-import/31be509a/Blandings-turtle500.jpg 712w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/data-import/31be509a/Blandings-turtle500-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 712px) 100vw, 712px" /> The Blanding’s turtle is a critically imperiled species native to New Hampshire. Photo by Ryan M. Bolton/Shutterstock The grant, called the “Restoring Habitat Connectivity to Benefit At-Risk Wildlife in New Hampshire” will provide funding to help reduce wildlife mortality. It will help to ensure habitats are connected rather than fragmented. It will also help with wildlife safety, flood resiliency and culvert condition. “The City of Keene is a strong supporter of amphibian conservation as demonstrated by the implementation of road closures on nights when amphibians are likely to migrate, as we have since 2018,” said Duncan Watson, Former Keene Department of Public Works Assistant Director. “We see the project as a natural progression in our efforts to conserve amphibians.” The selected sites were chosen after being monitored…

Python Blood May Hold Key To New Weight Loss Drugs
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-03-20T03:35:31Z
subject: Snake Information & News
subject: ball python
subject: Burmese python
subject: pharmaceutical drug
subject: University of Colorado
description: The researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder were not even looking for a weight loss solution when they were studying the Burmese python. The post Python Blood May Hold Key To New Weight Loss Drugs appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: Researchers at Stanford Medicine and the University of Colorado, Boulder have studied what happens to the blood of the Burmese python (Python bivittatus) after a meal and have determined that a metabolite called pTOS in the blood that spikes in pythons after a meal also causes fat laboratory mice to refuse their food and lose weight. The researchers say that this phenomenon mimics the effects of drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy. The researchers note that they are uncertain that the metabolite in the Burmese python will result in a new pharmaceutical drug to reduce weight loss in humans. They do say that the study bolsters “the power of studying extremes in the animal kingdom.” The researchers say that reptiles have contributed so much in creating drugs to help humans. They cite snake venom in creating blood pressure medicines and anticoagulants as well as a semaglutide that was discovered in a Gila monster hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-99544" class="wp-image-99544 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/data-import/48a6ed0e/ball-python-shutterstock_305192663.jpg" alt="Ball Python" width="712" height="534" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/data-import/48a6ed0e/ball-python-shutterstock_305192663.jpg 712w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/data-import/48a6ed0e/ball-python-shutterstock_305192663-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 712px) 100vw, 712px" /> The researchers conducted tests on the ball python (Python regius) and were able to identify more than 200 metabolites that increased 32-fold in the blood of the ball python hours after feeding and 24 that decreased by an equal margin. Photo by RAYphotographer/Shutterstock The researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder were not even looking for a weight loss solution when they were studying the Burmese python. They wondered about the sudden growth of the heart …

USCBP Seize 39 Live Pythons At Texas Border Crossing
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-03-18T22:00:54Z
subject: Snake Information & News
subject: Mexico
subject: pythons
subject: smuggling
description: When the officers encountered the driver, the driver gave a negative declaration of prohibited goods. The post USCBP Seize 39 Live Pythons At Texas Border Crossing appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced March 17 that Office of Field Operations officers intercepted 39 live pythons that were hidden within a tractor at the World Trade Bridge March 5. The officers encountered a 2021 Peterbuilt tractor that was traveling into Mexico. The officers selected the driver and the tractor for inspection. When the officers encountered the driver, the driver gave a negative declaration of prohibited goods, according to a press release put out by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The search of the tractor, however revealed 39 live pythons. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was contacted and its agents took custody of the reptiles. because the condition of the pythons they were transported to a controlled environment. The tractor and trailer were seized and the case remains under investigation. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126108" class="wp-image-126108 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/seized-pythons2.jpg" alt="seized pythons" width="600" height="410" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/seized-pythons2.jpg 600w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/seized-pythons2-400x273.jpg 400w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/seized-pythons2-250x171.jpg 250w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/seized-pythons2-150x103.jpg 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /> The bags had 39 live pythons. They were headed for Mexico. According to USCBP, penalties totaling $34,824 were issued for export violations. “Exporting live reptiles from the United States to Mexico requires compliance with several U.S. and international regulations. For authoritative information on the processes and requirements for exporting live reptiles, please refer to the following sources to avoid fines and penalties,” USCBP wrote in its press release. Those sources include: U.S. Fish and Wildlif…

New Forest Gecko Species From The Philippines Described
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-03-17T18:47:31Z
subject: Lizard Information & News
subject: New Species
subject: Forest gecko
subject: Luperosaurus
subject: new species
subject: Philippines
subject: Sibuyan Island
description: Luperosaurus alvarezi is currently known to exist only in a protected forest area that surrounds Mt. Guiting-Guiting National Park, in central Sibuyan Island in the Romblon Island group. The post New Forest Gecko Species From The Philippines Described appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: A new forest gecko species from the central Philippines has been discovered and described. The gecko, Luperosaurus alvarezi, is described based on two species collected from Sibuyan Island in Romblon Province in the Central Philippines. Its closest relatives are L. cumingii (southern Luzon), L. angliit (northern Luzon), L. corfieldi (from Panay and Negros islands), and L. macgregori (the Babuyan and Batanes island groups), according to the researchers. These lizards are far from the locality of Luperosaurus alvarezi, which is currently known to only exist on the deep water Sibuyan Island in the middle of the island archipelago. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126101" class="wp-image-126101 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Luperosaurus_alvarezi-Meneses_Brown.jpg" alt="Luperosaurus alvarezi" width="1000" height="334" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Luperosaurus_alvarezi-Meneses_Brown.jpg 1000w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Luperosaurus_alvarezi-Meneses_Brown-400x134.jpg 400w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Luperosaurus_alvarezi-Meneses_Brown-650x217.jpg 650w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Luperosaurus_alvarezi-Meneses_Brown-250x84.jpg 250w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Luperosaurus_alvarezi-Meneses_Brown-768x257.jpg 768w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Luperosaurus_alvarezi-Meneses_Brown-150x50.jpg 150w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Luperosaurus_alvarezi-Meneses_Brown-800x267.jpg 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /> Luperosaurus alvarezi is described based on two species collected from Sibuyan Island in Romblon Province in the Central Philippines. Photographs by Camila G. Meneses and Rafe M. Brown. The gecko is named after the late James Alvarez, a renowned Filipino taxonomist-ecolog…