A king cobra vs. a rattlesnake in a fight? Who would win this epic, imaginary battle? We examined these fearsome predators' physical characteristics, predatory behavior, and overall lifestyles to find… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 month ago
Gail Baker Nelson
Follow me on:
Gail Baker Nelson is a writer at A-Z Animals where she focuses on reptiles and dogs. Gail has been writing for over a decade and uses her experience training her dogs and keeping toads, lizards, and snakes in her work.
A resident of Texas, Gail loves working with her three dogs and caring for her cat, and pet ball python.
Do rattlesnakes have dens? Where do snakes go when it's too cold for these ectotherms to function normally? Finding the answer means learning a little about the animals, and where… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
The state of Washington is known for wet weather, great forests, and stunning mountain vistas. The Evergreen State is mild, giving the native plants and wildlife a great chance to… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
The Zebra Snake, also known as the Western Barred Spitting Cobra, is a venomous snake native to southern Africa, characterized by its distinctive black and white stripes. The zebra snake… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Venomous bites from cone snails, scorpions, spiders, and snakes are responsible for injuries and deaths every year. Of course, some are more dangerous than others. The earliest research-driven medicine is… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 7 months ago
Blood in the urine is no joke, and if you can see it when your dog pees, it's time for a vet call. There are numerous causes, ranging from easily… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 8 months ago
Originating in the same region as Labrador retrievers, Newfoundlands are big lovable teddy bear dogs. Bred for work, these gentle giants have retrieved lost fishing gear, rescued people in the… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 8 months ago
Axolotls are perhaps one of the most difficult exotic pets to care for properly. And, of course, this was the animal my friend chose for her first exotic. This Mexican… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 8 months ago
As birds of prey, California condors are one of the biggest in the world, behind the Andean condor and lappet-faced vulture. They are impressive birds! Vultures get a bad rap.… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 8 months ago
Discovering your dog has an upset stomach is bad enough, but black poop is worse and can indicate your dog needs to see the vet. However, not everything that causes… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 8 months ago
So you're getting a Weimaraner! Your amazing pup has a couple of centuries of breeding specifically for hunting game animals, so early training is necessary and we have a few… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 8 months ago
These lovable, yet feisty dogs are in movies and homes around the world. Rat terriers, as their name suggests, were originally bred to hunt rats. These dogs are the descendants… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 8 months ago
According to some estimates, as many as one-third of the population suffers from a fear of snakes, known as ophidiophobia. There may even be a genetic component! However, by taking… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 8 months ago
Can you hypnotize a cobra, like snake charmers do? What's really going on when snake charmers hypnotize cobras? Are they hypnotized or just aggravated? Let's explore this ancient tradition and… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 9 months ago
Manatees are gentle, peaceful animals that have no natural predators and are mostly herbivorous. Although they’re fully aquatic, their closest relatives are elephants! There are precious few zoos and aquariums… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 9 months ago
When the Great Seal of the United States included a bald eagle, some disagreed. One founding father called it a lazy bird and said he preferred a turkey. Benjamin Franklin… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 9 months ago
For more advanced reptile keepers, chameleons are often the next challenge. Chameleons and their bizarre, unique appearance make beautiful pets, but keeping one can be difficult and often expensive! These… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 9 months ago
Alligators are apex predators — but are they smart? Do they possess any intelligence aside from formidable survival instincts? The answer may surprise you! Some crocodilians, including mugger crocodiles and… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 9 months ago
German shepherds get a lot of attention and these big, strong dogs can reach 100 pounds. A versatile breed, they were bred to herd and protect, without being overly aggressive.… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 9 months ago
Your pet snakes need names too — if only to have something more interesting than, “my ball pythons have no names, so I just slapped a number on their enclosures.”… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 9 months ago
Alabama’s many waterways are perfect habitats to see the bald eagles that live in the state. There is plenty of open space and lots of their preferred food — fish.… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
Different venoms attack the body differently. Neurotoxic venom directly attacks the nerves and prevents the brain from receiving or sending signals to the muscles. This dangerous venom causes paralysis and… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
Walmart offers low prices on thousands of pet products. Some items are shipped and sold from independent vendors in the marketplace, but many come directly from the low-price leader. Here’s… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
Welcome to the first Costco pet department round-up of the year. Although their available products don’t change as frequently as other stores, that doesn’t mean they don’t change at all.… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
How about a few post-holiday treats for your furry and scaly babies? Amazon’s selection never disappoints. Plus, Amazon’s competitive prices make the online giant the first stop in price comparisons… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
This January, enjoy a few great deals from Chewy and keep your pets happy with these post-holiday deals. Chewy’s already excellent prices make finding discounts easy. But we found a… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
This Christmas, stick a few toys under the tree for your dog. We found 20 great gift ideas your pup will love, and might even give you a few minutes… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
Known as Cowtown to some and Panther City to others, Fort Worth got its start as Camp Worth, an army outpost located in northern Texas. The original purpose was to… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
The idea of birthstones by the month goes back to about the fifth century when St. Jerome drew a connection between the gem-studded breastplate of Aaron in the Bible and… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
Stargazers have watched the moon and the skies around it for generations. The December full moon occurs right after the winter solstice and after the Geminid meteor shower's peak. Read… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 10 months ago
Costco isn’t known for a huge pet department. Instead, they focus on providing members with great deals on a few items. This December we found a few things we think… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Amazon’s endless selection makes scrolling through any department a potentially bank-draining endeavor. However, we’re here with a few great deals on products that might actually make your pets’ lives better… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
What can we say? We love Chewy! The online pet retailer has nearly everything you could want for your furry and scaly pals — plus discounts that make Chewy hard… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
The low-price leader has thousands of pet items. Walmart’s online marketplace is full of deals on everything from cat food to reptile enrichment, and while it may be tough to… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Love running alongside your dog? What if your dog could help you run faster, even uphill? If that sounds like fun, consider getting started in canicross. This dog sport can… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Since most dogs don’t have the chance to do the jobs people originally bred them to do, they need an outlet for their physical and mental energy. There are dozens… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Treibball is one of the newest dog sports and its popularity grows daily. If you're looking for something new to do with your dog, this could be just the thing.… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Although most dog sports are newer, having been developed within the last few hundred years or so, some are much older. Lure coursing is quite possibly the oldest dog sport… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Key Points During a chase, cheetahs can go from zero to 45 miles per hour in 2.5 seconds. The cheetah’s speed makes them the fastest land animal in the world.… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Snakes are misunderstood animals — venomous snakes even more so. Some cultures revere them, while others fear and even hate them. Yet, snakes are as necessary to rodent control as… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Did your bearded dragon go on a hunger strike? It can be frightening when our beloved pets stop eating, even more so when they are small and need to eat… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Mantrailing is a dog sport where dogs track down a person for fun and is surprisingly easy to get started. It’s the civilian version of police manhunts. You can take… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
You’ve probably seen dogs jumping amazing distances into pools of water. But did you know it’s a sport? Dogs compete and earn titles through one of the various organizations that… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Alligators are part of a big, scary, awesome group of ancient animals. Of the two living alligator species, the American alligator is the largest. It's certainly the largest reptile native… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
The Dutch shepherd is a beautiful dog breed that originated in the Netherlands during the 19th century, although they were likely running around Dutch farms for much longer. Farmers needed an… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
As with all things pet-related, there is more than one way to entertain your dogs when you can’t. The pet market has exploded with hundreds of puzzle toys for dogs, cats,… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Even though the Fusarium fungus disease makes the banana’s future uncertain, bananas are grown and exported worldwide. Dozens of countries grow bananas, but a few really stand out as being… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Fall is here and the leaves are on the ground. Aside from creating big leaf piles for kids and pets to play in, what do you do with tons of… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 11 months ago
Also called tail necrosis, tail rot is relatively common in bearded dragons. They’re active lizards that take falls, and they’re territorial and may fight with other beardies. Tail rot can… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 12 months ago
One of many exciting dog sports, flyball is a relay race – where the dogs are the racers! It’s easy to get started in flyball and lots of fun for… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 12 months ago
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure.
A-Z-Animals.com is Copyright © 2008 - 2024 A-Z Animals