You're Not A Croc!

In this blog, I will be answering the ultimate question: What is the difference between an alligator and a crocodile? Let's get physical. The easiest and quickest way to determine which is which is to look at the nose. Alligators have a "U" or shovel shape while crocodiles have a "V" or pointed snout. The alligator's shape is built for strength. It can withstand extreme amounts of pressure which they can use to eat hard shelled turtles. The crocodile's shape is designed for more general prey. Instead of biting down on a turtle, this jaw can be more accurate when biting down on a fish. Hopefully, you're never close enough to determine this, but alligators and crocodiles have a different way their teeth lay. An alligator's mouth overlaps, so only their top teeth show while their bottom teeth are tucked away. With the way a crocodile's jaw lays, their teeth are criss-crossed and both top and bottom teeth are exposed.

Shapes of the snout

Next big difference would be where they reside. Crocodiles like to swim in salt water habitats. Alligators would rather have freshwater marshes and lakes. Also, crocodiles can enjoy a day out in the sun. Alligators, however, prefer to be in some source of water. Usually, when one thinks of Florida, they think of an alligator. When one thinks of the Nile, they think of a crocodile.
Alligators and crocodiles also have many things in common which is what makes them so hard to tell apart. They both belong to the same family, Crocodylia, which means that they share a lot of similar characteristics. They both are ideal hunters. Their eyesight is top notch both above and below the water. Both of their teeth specialize in spearing their prey which also assists in taking large chunks of flesh of bones. This is a family said to have dated all the way back 240 million years ago, so it seems only fair that they have evolved to be a top predator. For any other questions, feel free to check out my links.   

Links: http://crocodilian.com/cnhc/cbd-faq-q1.htm
http://www.livescience.com/32144-whats-the-difference-between-alligators-and-crocodiles.html
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/reptiles/alligator-vs-crocodile.htm

The Pug of the Snake World

Puffed up Hognose Snake

The other day, I had hit a wall on what else I should right about. Immediately, told my dad to shout out some of his favorite reptiles. I wasn't exactly expecting his list of snakes, but I did appreciate all the new ideas for blogs. One of his favorite snakes was the Eastern Hognosed snake, which he used to see in his boyhood. So this blog is dedicated to my father, the king of reptiles.

Face of a Hognose Snake

Their heads sort of remind me of how a pug's face is smashed, thus explaining the title. They have thick bodies, a wide neck, and an upturned snout. They come in all the colors of the rainbow, so there is no easy way to describe their patterns. The cool thing about this snake is that it can flatten its neck like a cobra to make itself look bigger. To a bunch of young boys, I could only imagine their reaction to that action. The Hognose can also do a very convincing job of playing dead. It will roll over on its back, open its mouth, and stick its tongue out. If you try to flip it over on its stomach, it will just flop back onto its back. Finally, if neither of these things work, the snake can bite, but its very rare that they bite humans.They consume a large range of prey. However, toads are their favorite.

Baby Hognose Snake

Due to their choice location, they tend to find themselves in colder climates like good'ol Michigan winters. To survive such harsh temperatures, they with hibernate by burrowing themselves in the soil, or barrow the holes of mammals such as woodchucks and skunks. They prefer woodland areas of fields. They must be mindful of predators. Such predators include hawks, owls, Red Fox, and Virginia Opossum.

Hognose Snake playing dead

Scientific Name: Heterodon platyrhinos
Links: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_hognose_snake.htm

Painted Slow-Poke

Adult Painted Turtle

When I was little, my father and I would always find cool animals at our property. On occasion that I remember was when he found a painted turtle. I remember thinking that only snapping turtles bite, so the first thing I did was stick my finger in the turtle's face so I could see it retreat to its shell. Next thing I know, its sharp beak has a vice grip on my finger. I'm screaming and the turtle is not having a good day. My dad pried the darn thing off of me and put it back my the creek. In memory of that turtle, I thought I could do a story about my painted friends. I assure you that I am much nicer to them now.

Baby Painted turle

Painted turtles are very easy to identify. They have bright streaks of yellow or red that run up their olive or black skinned necks as well as a smooth shell. There are albino morphs of these animals. The reason why the turtle was able to get such a strong hold on me is because their upper jaw is notched, like a hook. They use this hook to eat vegetation and small aquatic animals such as fish. Males also have larger foreclaws and thicker tails in comparison to females. However, females grow at a faster rate than males and are generally larger and rounder than their spouse. Neither gender get to be very large. A female will reach a length of 25 inches and a male at 15 inches.
Their habitat reaches a large range. It is the only North American turtle that can be found all across the continent. They can also be found in Germany, Spain, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Their choice habitat is any place with shallow, slow moving water with a soft bottom of essentially poop and plant compost. While they are considered a fresh water creature, they can also be found in brackish water (a mixture of salt water and fresh water). If your ever on a river on a sunny day , chances are you'll probably see one of the little guys sitting on a log, soaking up the sun. Painted turtles have a healthy population that needs no concern.

Painted Turtle isn't mad, just disappointed 

Some cool facts about the painted turtle:

• They shed their while they're growing
• A group of turtles are called a 'bale of turtles'
• A female turtle can store extra sperm, so a clutch of eggs could be fertilized by multiple males

Scientific Name: Chrysemys picta

Links: http://www.arkive.org/painted-turtle/chrysemys-picta/

http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/painted_turtle_k6.html

Brush Your Teeth

Could you imagine having so much bacteria in your mouth that it is actually lethal? The Komodo Dragon, the largest living lizard of 10.3 feet, are mother nature's most deadly lizard. They can see up to 985 ft during the day, a strong sense of smell that can reach 2.5 miles, run at speeds of 13 miles per hour, and large curved teeth that rip its prey to shreds while spreading a bacteria in the preys system that keeps its blood from clotting. If the prey does manage to escape the Komodo's grip, it will not live past a week due to the Komodo's 'bad breath'. They will eat essentially any meat, living or dead. Most of their bacteria originate from the rotting flesh that they so love to consume.  However, if one Komodo attacks another Komodo, the bacteria will have no effect. They can be found in a few volcanic Indonesian islands where they linger in the tropical savanna forests and wander from ridges to beach fronts.

Baby Komodo Dragon

They have thick, leathery skin with a rounded snout and a forked yellow tongue. They are usually a grey or light brown in color. They have a long, thick tail and stubby legs that support a rather chubby body. Honestly, they look like a crocodile with a turtle's head and a snakes tongue. They do not have any morphs and are currently endangered due to their limited range. They also have fallen prey to hunters over the years that collect the Komodo's saliva to poison their weapons. In 1980, strict laws were established to protect the animals.

Links: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Komododragon.cfm

Beards Are Cool

Baby Bearded Dragons

If you ever read my post, Reptile Care, you would know that when I was younger, I owned a baby bearded dragon. In my youth, I never had any interest in bearded dragon facts. I only knew that they looked cool and I wanted to own one, but now that I have grown in my interest of the funny looking creatures, I thought I could learn more about them and share my knowledge with the few people that actually read my blogs. To start like David Copperfield, they were born in the continent of Australia in the Northern and southern territories towards the eastern parts of these regions. They grow up in woodlands and deserts. They were introduced to the United States in the 1990's and quickly became popular pets. However, it has since been named illegal to import these animals from Australia in the 1960's to maintain the natural population and habitat. They make such ideal pets due to their gentle dispositions and the rarity of finding an aggressive one. They also require the lowest level of cleaning and maintenance.

Adult Bearded Dragon

Bearded dragons derive the name 'bearded' from their spikes and scales surrounding their heads giving the appearance of a beard. They can actually use these spikes as a defense mechanism by puffing up their throat, much like a frog, to ward off predators. As far as the rest of their appearance, they have triangular heads. They have four stout legs that support a flat, somewhat squishy body. They have additional rows of spike that run along the sides of the body. Though these spike may look painful, they are actually rather dull and do not hinder the holder's enjoyment of the animal. Their tails do not fall off like other lizards, but they do take up half of their 12 inch to 24 inch body length. A healthy bearded dragon who is well looked after by its owner can live to be 8 to 12 years old. The maximum lifespan is about 14 years or more, but these are very rare.

Scientific name: Pogona Vitticeps
Morphs: there are just so many morphs of bearded dragons, that I thought it best to just give you an extra link: http://beardeddragonsource.com/info-center/about-breed-types/

Links: 

http://pogopogona.com/bearded-dragon-facts/how-big-do-bearded-dragons-get

http://pogopogona.com/bearded-dragon-facts/how-long-do-bearded-dragons-live

http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2008/04/25/bearded-dragon-care-and-history-in-captivity/

http://www.beardeddragon.co/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=168

http://www.freewebs.com/maz78949/sexingyourbeardie.htm

http://www.beardeddragon.org/bjive/viewtopic.php?p=1097368

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Reptiles-704/2008/4/sexing-bearded-dragon.htm