DeviantHerps Club- Reptile Photography

One thing that online communities do is share, in the case of animal communities, often through the medium of photography. As much as many of us like to share, many of us also love to look. For some people, use of forums might be just for the sheer pleasure at looking at photos of people’s collections. We love it when we get to see rare species, cool morphs, funny moments or just some excellent photography skills. If you’re one of these people who just can’t get enough of reptile photos, why not check out a place dedicated to just that? For those of you who don’t know Deviantart.com, it’s an online community featuring the galleries of all sorts of artists, including photographers. You can stumble on all sorts of neat treasures just by browsing, but if you know you want to see some excellent reptile photography, I’ll point you in the right direction! Check out the DeviantHerps club, which features galleries of the four major classes of reptiles, and even reptile inspired art from a large group of reptile enthusiasts. If you don’t want to sign up for a deviantart account, you’ll still be able to browse through the club photos, but if you do, then you can choose to join the club and contribute yourself! It’s a great way to gain exposure for your photography to a group of people interested in the same topic as you!

Reptilia Zoo

If you have a love for Reptiles, then this should definitely be a stop on the next trip you make to the GTA. With about 200 different species on display, you’ll find rare and exciting reptiles and amphibians, including the giants and an impressive venomous collection. Within the zoo you’ll find the longest reticulated python, longest venomous snake (King Cobra) and largest crocodilian (Nile Croc) currently kept in Canada.
However you have to love this place for more than just their outstanding collection. View one of the four daily feedings, or watch some of the six daily interactive shows.
Reptilia does a lot more than that though, they give you the opportunity to get involved and experience hands-on interaction with the animals through many different avenues. They do birthday parties, zoo tours, curriculum compliant programs for schools, day camps, and even the junior keepers program to teach future reptile pet owners the basics of caring for their pets properly.
With the vast variety of beautifully crafted exhibits, and all the activity going on, you won’t find it hard to spend the entire day at the zoo, and it won’t be wasted!
Additionally, Reptilia has an amazing gift shop and pet store.It is packed with rare animals from breeders, as well as animals produced right at the zoo. They have all the supplies you could imagine needing. One of my favorite aspects of the store, is that along with selling exoterra and other name brand reptile products, they also sell great alternatives for cheaper prices, such as crock water bowls and planter feeder dishes, so you can set up your animals home just the way you want it, for the price you want to pay!
If you love your hobby, you won’t want to miss this place! Check it out at Reptilia.org.

Reptiles Canada Forum

One thing you’ll find out quickly if you stick around to read my blog is that I’m all about education. I believe as pet owners and hobbyists, we are responsible to provide for the needs of the animals we keep.
With that in mind, I want to introduce you to the wonderful world of the forum, if you’re not already familiar.
There are a few ways you can educate yourself about a new pet you’re considering bringing home. You can talk to the pet store staff or breeder, you can purchase books, or you can look up care sheets online. Personally I find the use of online forums to be the best education tool you can discover. Why? You can ask specific questions about specific problems that may not be covered in other static sources, and you can receive knowledgeable answers from a variety of people with real experience.
But this also brings up the main fault of a forum as well, as it demands you to take what you read with a grain of salt and think critically. Some people may answer your question, but not give you the correct answer, or may be speaking from a source they’ve read instead of actual experience. So the bottom line is, forums are fantastic, as long as you know how to take advantage of the resource.
Now, before you go running to the forums to ask the almighty experts about how to care for your corn snake, remember this! These are dedicated people volunteering their time to help you and the animal your caring for, and just about anyone will eventually get ticked off at answering the same basic question over and over and over again. So go to other sources first. Read up on a care book or a few internet care sheets and compare information across the sources: learn the basics. Then take your questions to the forum!
There are many reptile themed forums out there, including ones that target specific families or species. However, I strongly encourage Canadian herpers to become a member of Reptiles Canada. This will link you with other Canadians interested in the same thing as you, inform you of herp events going on, allow you to learn the national and local legislation, allow you to share photos and see what sort of animals other Canadians are keeping, and give you access to the best herp classifieds.
I definitely encourage any Canadian reptile lover to join! See you there!

Book Review- The New Encyclopedia of Snakes by Chris Mattison

Having a collection of reptiles often creates a fascination that fosters the desire to learn as much as you can about them. If snakes catch your interest, then you’ll have a hard time beating the New Encyclopedia of Snakes by Chris Mattison. This book covers all the bases such as senses, reproduction, defense and even taxonomy. The book isn’t a heavy read, it uses language and a level of detail that is easy for everyone to understand. Of course, the most important part is that it is packed with hundreds of color photos, making it just as fun to flip through as to actually read! No matter what level your previous knowledge of snakes is, you will defiantly learn some cool, new material out of this book! If you perform educational programs with your animals, or teach children about nature, the book also works as a great teaching aid with the graphical illustrations of anatomy.
Education is always an important aspect of life, but is especially critical for our hobby. The general public views reptiles in a negative light, but through gentle education and exposure, we can change that! By proving that we are highly educated about the animals we keep, and by sharing the information to others around us in a noninvasive fashion, we can make sure that in the future, the animals we love are respected and admired by all!
Overall, I highly recommend this book! You can order it from any major bookstore, such as Chapters, and it is well worth the modest price tag. Many worthwhile reptile books cost outrageous prices, but this book is packed with information at a much more affordable cost!
Chris Mattison is the author of many reptile related books, so if you enjoy the Enclyclopedia of Snakes, but you’re still thirsting for more info, check out some of his other titles.