Reptile zoo

[calissa]

Last week, my sister took me to the local reptile zoo. She goes there so often that the guy at the front desk half recognised me (my sister and I look very similar). The staff were so lovely, friendly and full of stories.

One of the primary reasons my sister goes there is to take photos, so I brought my camera with me. I was fortunate she had a spare short lens, since I'd accidentally left mine at home (since I've mostly been photographing birds, I never need it).

I'm still struggling to get the hang of the settings, but managed to get some decent photos anyway.



Green and Golden Bell Frog.



Green Tree Frog.



The Green Tree Frog above is sandwiched between two bits of glass. Alarmed, my sister and I notified one of the keepers. However, it turns out the frog just really likes to sit there. Whenever the keepers shift it out, it's always back within half an hour. The keepers don't know whether the frog thinks it's a game, likes the pressure, or just doesn't want to be bothered by the other frogs.



Gippsland Water Dragon (I think).





I love the way this looks like something out of a horror movie. Again, I didn't do a good job of making a note of what this was, but from memory it was a kind of monitor lizard. Although the zoo was well heated, it was a cold and rainy day. Many of the reptiles were worshipping their heat lamps.



The lizard riding the turtle up the back makes me laugh.



Above is an example of the most venomous snake in the world: the inland taipan. This one is definitely not interested in anything other than staying warm.



This is Shoelace, a Common Tree Snake. He was probably my favourite, but I had some difficulty getting good photos.





The head of the boa constrictor above was about the size of my hand. Definitely the biggest snake at the zoo.



A smaller boa constrictor.



Carpet python. The branches it's sitting on are in the open, allowing the public to touch the snake. My sister and I discovered it was rather ticklish, to our amusement.



Tiger snake. Fourth most venomous snake in the world, and one that lives in the area.





The two above are the Collett's Snake, which I found very photogenic.



Green tree python.



Chappell Island Tiger Snake.

The zoo also had some Tawny Frogmouths outside, but my photos sadly didn't turn out. I definitely intend to go back and try again.

Comments

[nanila]

The frogs are adorable. Agreed on the lizard silhouette with limbs draped over the sides. And how is that green tree python comfortable?!

[calissa]

Not sure about the green tree python, but it seems a pretty typical pose for them.

[bunny_m]

Yeah, it's a pose you see in a lot of pictures of tree snakes, so it must be at least somewhat common/comfortable.

Terrapin!

[onewhitecrow]

That top frog looks like it's hosting either sports commentary or an old horror anthology show. I love the bluer shot of the water dragon and the beautifully copper-corrosion-coloured taipan, but these are all very handsome scaly friends.

Also, according to the discussion on internet herpetology between myself and one of the students over the summer, you definitely have a Maximum Danger Noodle and a Major Nope Rope in this set. [nod]

[umadoshi]

Snakes snakes snakes! *^^* Thank you for sharing the pics! (All the pics, I mean.)

Re: Terrapin!

[calissa]

Internet herpetology has some excellent names! I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. I'm hoping to go back for another visit sometime (although perhaps not soon *waves fist at calendar*)

[calissa]

My pleasure! I'm glad you enjoyed them.

[pantha]

They are all so beautiful. Thank you for sharing the photos!

It's interesting to see how the really big/long snakes hang out. My friend has a royal python (aka ball python) but when I last saw him he wasn't big enough to get into those sort of poses.

[calissa]

My pleasure! Hopefully, I'll have some more further down the track.

You're right about the snakes. The boa constrictor was all sprawled out, in contrast to some of the pythons.

[winterbird]

That green tree python looks incredible. I love their coiled rest poses, they look so incredible looped around like that.

So interesting re: the Tiger Snake. Ours was a really glossy black and yellow, which makes me wonder if yours was close to moulting, or alternatively if there are like subspecies patterning differences. Or maybe both? But either way, that subtle patterning is still so striking and gorgeous.

The Gippsland water dragon looks really amazing. Ahhh I love all of these :D

[calissa]

It was pretty awesome to see the green tree python. And it's such a vivid colour!

My sister did tell me there was a knack to telling if they were close to moulting, but I'm afraid I've clean forgotten it. I hope to go back sometime and will look to see if the colours are different.

I'm glad you enjoyed the photos when I've also been enjoying yours so much!