During this year’s Florida Python Challenge, one family bagged the ultimate grand prize — $10,000. As the ultimate grand prize winner, Paul Hobbs removed 20 Burmese pythons from the Florida Everglades… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 days ago
Gail Baker Nelson
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Gail’s love for a very misunderstood group of animals, reptiles, led her to write about and draw them. She loves the natural world and it’s endless inspiration for her work. She is a freelance writer and illustrator, and her latest book, “Pebble Skins and Fast Walkers: What’s In a Name?” Is due out in early 2023.
Exotic animal collections are difficult to insure and require specialized policies. Insuring a deadly (or any other) snake is expensive, but provides protection against unforeseen circumstances. Owning exotic animals like… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 week ago
Key Points Speckled rattlesnakes are also called Mitchell's rattlesnakes and only live in the southern half of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico and a few nearby islands. Using genetic… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 week ago
Key Points Rock rattlesnakes are native to southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, southwestern Texas, and parts of Mexico. There are four different types of rock rattlesnakes, and scientists elevated one… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 week ago
Key Points There is only one venomous snake slithering around Lake Anna. Lake Anna has two sides – the cold side and the hot side – the cold side is… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 week ago
Key Points Rattlesnakes aren't native to England, so you have to visit a zoo or other private collection to find one. England is only home to four snake species —… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 week ago
As with so many scientific discoveries, finding a new, purple snake species high in the mountains was purely by accident! One of their porters found the metallic purple snake as… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 week ago
Key Points Northern Pacific rattlesnakes are the only venomous snakes along the Sacramento River. The Sacramento River flows for 400 miles from the Klamath Mountains to San Francisco Bay. California… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 week ago
Key Points Reticulated pythons aren't native to Puerto Rico, but have colonized the island. Puerto Rico's climate is ideal for reticulate pythons, so they breed easily. Invasive animals like the… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 weeks ago
Key Points The five venomous snakes living along the Sabine River include the Texas coral snake. Sabine River Authority of Texas manages the Texas side of the river and its… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 weeks ago
Set along the Etowah River in Georgia, construction ended on Allatoona Dam, creating Lake Allatoona in 1949. Although it sadly flooded the town of Allatoona, along with homes, farms, and… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 weeks ago
Would your quiet afternoon be ruined if a snake invaded your living room and hid being a painting? Maybe, but that might depend on how you feel about snakes. When… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 weeks ago
A driver hauling beehives was charged after some of those beehives broke loose, spilling bees and hives on the highway. On the morning of August 30, before 6:00 a.m., residents… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 weeks ago
In a tremendous win for the Fort Worth Zoo’s conservation program, four baby gharials hatched last month. Gharials are an Asian crocodile species native to the Indian subcontinent, and critically… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 weeks ago
Texas, the second-largest U.S. State has a ton of snake species — at last count the total was around 80. So, wherever you go within the Lonestar State, there's a… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 weeks ago
Montana isn't as attractive to snakes as other states, and there are only ten native species. However, you'll find six of the Treasure State's ten snakes slithering around Flathead Lake.… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 4 weeks ago
Key Points The Birdkiss S1 Smart Bird Feeder's squirrel-resistant design keeps those fuzzy birdseed pirates out so birds can eat. A Motion-activated camera catches high-resolution videos and stills with sound.… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 month ago
Learn about a few of the most common snakes along the White River. Between Arkansas and Missouri, there are over 40 different snake species. While many of them overlap, a… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 month ago
British Columbia’s northern climate and its cooler temperatures make the reptile species count lower than in most of North America. Even so, there are over a dozen native reptile species… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 month ago
Pancho and Lefty. The names sound like something out of an old Western movie! However, they’re the names of each head of a two-headed western rat snake at the Cameron… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 month ago
Living in Texas has its challenges: hot summers, cold winters, dry air, humidity, tornadoes, hurricanes, and that's not even counting the wildlife. Clearly, the second-largest U.S. state is unforgiving. Still,… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 month ago
Pit vipers are some of the most diverse snakes that come in pretty much every color of the rainbow. Yet, have you tried to compare the size of a pit… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 1 month ago
Snakes are notoriously difficult to measure because they coil up, and their length actually changes! Often, it's easiest to compare the snake's size against more familiar items. Today, we're comparing… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
Understanding what and how often to feed your ball python can make the difference between a healthy snake and one that struggles with health. Ball pythons are smallish pythons that… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
With 29 different snake species slithering across the state, the Cornhusker State has a ton of variety! The flat grasslands, sandhills, and famous rocky outcroppings that make up the Nebraska… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
Key Points These snakes get their name because their coloration looks like a braided whip. Coachwhips are a type of whip snake — and part of the same genus. Most… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
Key Points England's deadliest snake is their only venomous snake species. Snakes are most active from April through July in England. Common adders aren't aggressive and prefer to avoid people.… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
Key Points: Most snakes in Canada aren't big and only live in southern areas. Garter snakes live as far north as the 60th parallel. The biggest snake in Canada is… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
View Post The snake world is more diverse than most people realize. Rattlesnakes are proof. With approximately 56 rattlesnake species and over a dozen subspecies, the rattlesnakes are fascinating. Some… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
Key Points New Jersey’s snakes only include two venomous species, the other 20 or so are harmless. Snakes are vital to controlling insect and rodent populations; they keep these quick-breeding… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
Key Points Nevada has approximately 28 snake species, depending on how you count. Some scientists consider a few snakes as subspecies rather than species, which changes the number. The only… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
Key Points There are only about ten snakes around the St. Lawrence River, which forms part of the border between the U.S. and Canada. The river flows northeast from Lake… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
Key Points There's no scale to determine whether a Nevada lake is snake-infested. It all depends on your perspective. Nevada is home to nearly 30 snake species, but only about… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
Key Points Depending on how you count, New Mexico has 55 snake species. There are only ten venomous snakes in New Mexico, including the Sonoran coral snake. Many rattlesnakes are… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 2 months ago
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 3 months ago
Key Points Whether rivers are snake-infested in North Carolina is a matter of opinion. Snakes are hard to find because they usually hide underneath leaf litter, logs, and rocks. Some… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Corn snakes are southeastern United States natives. Their easy-going temperament, easy care requirements, and beautiful colors make them popular snake pets worldwide. Corn snakes almost never need to eat anything… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Key Points Michigan's northern climate means there aren't as many snake species as in southern states. There's only one venomous snake in Michigan and it’s endangered. The most common snake… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Key Points Oklahoma has over 40 snake species, and most of them live in or near their rivers. Cottonmouths are the only venomous semi-aquatic snakes in North America. There are… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Can snakes look cool? We think so! As terrifying as they are to some of us, snakes fill a vital role in the ecology of a habitat. The very smallest… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Key Points Massachusetts only has two venomous snakes — both are relatively rare. There are around 3,000 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs in Massachusetts. Most of the reservoirs are protected by… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Regarded by many as the most venomous rattlesnake in the world, the tiger rattlesnake is a specialized predator with outrageously toxic venom. This snake lives in southern Arizona and parts… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Key Points Whether a river is snake-infested depends on your perspective. Washington State only has one venomous snake. The further north you go in Washington, the fewer snake species you’ll… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
North Dakota is one of the least populated states in the union, with fewer than a million full time residents. It’s known for dinosaur hunting and bison viewing, along with… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
New York State is known for its world-class cities. But it’s the many different types of habitats in New York that attract snakes. The state has mountains, many lakes and… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Imagine drifting peacefully on the calm waters of a picturesque lake in British Columbia, basking in the gentle warmth of the sun. The tranquil silence breaks as a ripple of… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 3 months ago
Over a dozen snake species also call the Cumberland River home. Flowing through parts of Kentucky and Tennessee, the Cumberland River’s 688 miles are home to thousands of plants and… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 4 months ago
How many types of snakes are there? It's hard to quantify with one final answer because it changes. The short answer is that currently, there are over 4,000 snake species on… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 4 months ago
With over 4,000 snake species worldwide, you can bet you'll find a snake on every continent except Antarctica. Like the European adder, a few can even live above the arctic… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 4 months ago
Snakes are almost everywhere in the world except for Antarctica. Of course, a few regions where people live are cold enough that they haven't colonized them — Alaska lacks snakes,… Read More
By Gail Baker Nelson 4 months ago
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