Snakes - Blog Posts
One Mountain, Two Tigers: A New Species of Gloydius (Serpentes: Viperidae) from the Upper Lancang Valley in Xizang, China, with Comments on the Diagnostic Characters and Evolution of the G. strauchi (Bedriaga, 1912) Species Complex
Jinlong REN, Junjie HUANG, Wei WU, Ke JIANG, Jiatang LI
Abstract
The Hengduan Mountains Region (HMR) in China, a globally significant biodiversity hotspot, has garnered attention for its potential to harbor cryptic species within the Asian pit viper genus Gloydius Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981. Based on comprehensive morphological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Gloydius strauchi complex, this study identified a previously unrecognized species of Asian pit viper. Discovered in the upper Lancang (Mekong) hot dry valley of Xizang, China, this species is geographically proximate to G. huangi but exhibits clear morphological distinctions from other members of the genus, representing the second Gloydius species identified along the upper Lancang River. We describe here this new species and highlight the significance of skull and hemipenis morphology, which were instrumental in its diagnosis and in resolving taxonomic boundaries and ambiguities within the G. strauchi complex. This study provides insights into the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of this newly described species, enhancing our understanding of diversification patterns in this genus.
Read the paper here:
One Mountain, Two Tigers: A New Species of <italic>Gloydius</italic> (Serpentes: Viperidae) from the Upper Lancang Valley in Xizang, China, with Comments on the Diagnostic Characters and Evolution of the <italic>G</italic>. <italic>strauchi</italic> (Bedriaga, 1912) Species Complex
SnakeWing
I decided to change a little, added details. I like
I can't find an old drawing, but a gift from a friend helps out.
1.12.2024- Suited Siblings With a bit of inspiration for The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, I was struggling a bit with balancing chibis that range in detail/age but I always loved this on GameCube. I have a few books about it and took to trying to use the style I love. The background was also partially inspired by Slime Rancher's trees with how soft they look. This is a collection of homebrew gorgon/wendigo hybrids, the furthest being my darling Spade and the eldest being Euci. They all represent variations for the tarot/playing card suits.
Projet en cours "la fille aux serpents"
Ongoing project "snake girl"😊
‘Medusa’ Angela Hadrill
This piece was created in response to an amazing talk “Women in Power” by Mary Beard in which, among other things, she discusses the origins of the medusa myth and its depictions in modern design.
You can listen to the talk here: https://youtu.be/VGDJIlUCjA0?t=33m23s
'Medusa' Angela Hadrill
This piece was created in response to an amazing talk “Women in Power” by Mary Beard in which, among other things, she discusses the origins of the medusa myth and its depictions in modern design.
You can listen to the talk here: https://youtu.be/VGDJIlUCjA0?t=33m23s
Last little snek 🐍
Endless scales
Inner Beauty
36 x 24 in
I'll take 20
This clickbait is literally SO funny because while I get they wanted it to look intimidating, that's a fucking ringneck snake.
I guess it looks kind of scary if you dont know what it is. But the ringneck snake (called "southern ringneck" in Florida, where I live) is probably one of the most non-lethal and completely harmless snakes ever. They're not venomous, are nocturnal, and also....
ONLY GROW TO BE THIS FUCKING BIG. They're super tiny!!!! Adorable little things!!! They're just babies. And I love them with my whole heart.
How can you look at this thing, full grown and harmless, and be like "that thing is gonna kill me"? U can't. Is babie.
Snakey bois :>🐍
(⚠️WARNING⚠️ mention of sexual abuse/assault, animal abuse, stalker, blood, gore, traumatized character, scars, etc. if feel uncomfortable of any topic I listed please leave the blog)
Both of their names are Kaa(idk why ppl name their snake ocs Kaa until I find out that name is from Jungle Book- so ye I made some changes for Orange Kaa, so ye here’s Green Kaa and no they are NOT the same person, family members, friends, or any relationship but they know each other and Green Kaa is the uncle figure of Orange Kaa)
Kaa(orange snake guy): I made him both hypnosis and Gorgon snake, his mother is an Gorgon and his father is the hypnosis, y’all know his backstory for those who are new so ye imma explain his backstory, Kaa live in the jungle around in South America(he is both python and viper, I made any snakes have their own species of any snake) till he and his family to North America but he was also stalked by Darker as well, every day and all day he been stalking Kaa(yes Darker really hate humans but he may also stalk any one who isn’t an human try to murder them) he met Joel in the asylum(it is an hospital similar to the mental hospital) and befriended him thinking that he need someone to be his friend(like I said he bit someone with his venom becuz pythons and vipers do have venom) he also met the others as well growing up he struggle with Darker stalking him, at the age 13, he was tape by an demon(he is still tape by this person who is hurting him) until Jassy finds out she hit him with an bat unconscious and drag him to road that look exactly where she got killed and hunted by Darker, she make noises to lair Darker closer and then ran to hide but it was an random entity who hear her but killed Kaa’s assaulter by ripping his limbs and eating his limbs also eating his organs and then burn Kaa’s assaulter alive, she explain to Kaa about his assaulter got murder in 3 days ago, he feel relief and finally got into an relationship with Katio(yes Katio and Kaa are dating) Kaa is inspired by Medusa the Gorgon in Greek mythology and he is an 18 year old snake
Kaa(green snake guy) he is an 39 year old green anaconda hypnosis, he has been neglected by his family expect his grandfather, he was sexually abused by one of the hunters they also abuse him as well(that’s why there are so many scars around him) he been tape, used, abuse, and injured a lot, he couldn’t find any peace at all, trying to escape but they kept putting in the cell full of blood and scratch marks, they also lock him up, they are also trying to sell him but the people noticed that he look hurt and wanting to be free some even called the police, few are too stunned to speak and feel so bad for him, the police arrived but the hunters killed them as well, years later he have enough of it and killed the hunters but he saw Jassy as an 8 year old watching the violence, he let her be and try to move but he was stuck by the rocks and still have his chocker on but Jassy and few others help him out to set him free, he was finally free Matthew uses bandages to cover his scars, bruises, wounds, and hickeys, he thank the kids and left without an trance, he lives around the forest enjoying his freedom but he feel bad for other people getting the same abuse that he have, including the entities, he is inspired by Kaa from the jungle book and Medusa from Greek mythology but I prefer to make some changes as well, also he isn’t in any haunted hallucinations series(the main series I wanted to make but will release in a 2 months) he is only on the Horror Never Ends series(also will be release in few months)
aw omg its sooo cuteeeeee i love ittt
i follow this 1 user on twitter who posts pics of their snakes and i really want you all to look at this snake they have. i’ve never seen a snake that was built like this
Thom Browne Lunar new year collection 2025 (for future reference - I do NOT have the money for anything from this collection unfortunately but I might use it for sewing reference later down the line)
Real Science II: The Cookening
What I've been pondering for the past couple of years. It's a lot so I put it under a cut because I'm sure not everybody wants a wall of text.
The problems with the current standards of corn snake feeding:
One big barrier for budding snake keepers, particularly those living with parents or roommates, is the aspect of feeding live or frozen/thaw whole prey. Though someone may be fine having butchered meat in their freezer or refrigerator, there is a "squick" factor when the meat in question is a whole mouse with eyes and fur and a face. I would like to be able to recommend a viable alternative to whole prey to those who are uncomfortable offering it, and an alternative to frozen prey to those for whom the issue is keeping dead mice in the freezer next to the ice cream.
Frozen/thawed prey presents a potential food safety hazard if the prey is not properly handled. Prey that is not completely thawed before being fed can result in spoilage in a snake's stomach and may cause regurgitation or death of the snake. Prey items that have been thawed during transport and re-frozen may begin to break down and spoil, which could result in illness for the snake that is later fed this prey. I would like to be able to suggest a safer means of feeding pet snakes, with less risk of spoilage or foodborne illness.
Whole prey with intact gut microbiota may begin to putrefy more rapidly than butchered meats or cooked food. Snakes who hesitate to eat thawed prey for more than an hour or so may inadvertently make themselves sick, necessitating monitoring by keepers and increased food waste. I would like to be able to suggest an alternative food for picky or finicky eaters that is less likely to be tossed in the garbage if it's not consumed within 30 minutes.
Corn snakes in the wild eat a huge variety of prey including other reptiles, amphibians, small rodents, and birds. Corn snakes in captivity are limited to available prey in an appropriate size range, which for baby snakes usually means baby mice exclusively. This is not nutritionally ideal. I would like to be able to explore means of offering larger prey in a smaller package, in order to diversify prey types and ensure balanced nutrition for small snakes.
Keeping snakes has, until very recently, been largely a niche interest and those who keep snakes are still considered "weird" or "subversive" when corn snakes are truly an ideal low-low-maintenance family pet. I believe the "squick factor" associated with the feeding of snakes is a contributing factor in their continued marginalization. I would like to help make snake keeping more accessible and approachable to "everyday" people.
The rationale:
Domestic cats, an obligate carnivore that have evolved to eat raw whole prey, have transitioned very easily and rapidly to cooked prepared foods. Other reptiles such as blue-tongued skinks are frequently fed cooked prepared foods with no ill effect.
Snakes were fed cooked food in a 2007 study on the energy expended during digestion, and it was determined that consumption of cooked meat does offer an energetic benefit over raw meat. This study was looking specifically at metabolism of a single meal over a short time frame, however, and was not focused on long-term growth. Additionally, the snakes in question were Burmese pythons and they were being fed beef. :/
Offering a cooked diet reduces the concern of spoilage. Prepared food could be refrigerated rather than frozen and kept safely for days rather than hours.
Prey could potentially be cooked and sealed in convenient packaging (similar to fish fillet kitty treat packets) which could even be shelf-stable, reducing the need for keeping dead mice in the freezer and making the task of feeding snakes more palatable for a wide range of potential keepers.
Neonate corn snakes who initially resist eating may be enticed to eat a pinky mouse that has been dipped, whole or just the head, in boiling water. This is an established method of encouraging eating, and used by many snake breeders. It is possible that snakes may find cooked mice more palatable than raw or live.
Cooking meals opens the door to providing a wider range of prey in the form of sausages or ground homogenized meat. These sausages already exist in raw form (Reptilinks!), but they do not currently incorporate rodent prey species and are, as with frodents, subject to the hazards of shipping frozen raw meats. It may be worth noting that grinding meat has an additional reduction of digestion cost (higher net energy) versus intact whole prey.
The hypothesis:
I hypothesize that cooked prey will be more readily accepted by baby corn snakes as well as easier and faster to digest, resulting in higher growth rates and more robust young snakes than those fed raw prey.
The concerns:
Since we have already established that digesting cooked food results in increased net energy, I am a little worried that feeding the same prey sizes on the same cadence as raw diets will actually cause a weight gain trend towards obesity. This is something I will be watching for when I take monthly comparison photos.
I am also a bit curious about how trace vitamins and enzymes will be affected by a cooked diet. I already offer probiotic, calcium, and vitamin supplements to all of my snakes, though, so these differences will likely be mitigated and not explored in this particular study.
I am slightly concerned about what happens when the study concludes, if it is successful. Will I be able to transition these snakes back to raw food? Maybe I could offer two smaller prey items, one cooked and one raw, during the transition period. Will I even want to switch them back if the cooked food results in better growth? How practical is it to continue offering cooked food through adulthood? It's something I am considering, depending on growth trajectories. Can I offer occasional cooked prey but maybe not always? Does cooked food have reproductive implications? This experiment is likely to invite more questions.
Thinking forward:
Depending on the outcome of this experiment, I may begin to explore grinding meat as well as cooking it and incorporating other prey types in a Reptilinks-style sausage with a rodent meat base.
Don’t know why I didn’t post this sooner, but whatever.
So maybe about two mouths or so ago, I got a Ball Python. His name is Ouraboros taken from Greek as a serpent eating its own tail.
Look at this idiot, the mouse is right there yet he’s paying it no mind.
And yes I know it would be best to feed him a rat instead of mice, however the people that owned him prior had fed him three live mice, I got him onto frozen/thawed and gave him some time to get used to it. The next meal will consist of a rat.
I love Messmer the Impale you from Elden Ring shadow of erdtree. He's so sad and angry at the same time he reminds me of myself. Mostly in that he speaks in old English even more than most characters and I do that when I'm bored but yknow a little of the sopping wet boohoo sadness and anger resonates