Sciensational Sssnakes

Try not to get lost in those dreamy eyes... Davis is a leucistic Texas Rat Snake and he’s one handsome fella! Leucism and albinism both cause a loss of pigment, but the difference can be seen in the eyes. Albino animals have red eyes while the pigment cells in the eyes of leucistic animals are not affected, leaving them with normal coloured eyes. Just check out Davis’s pretty peepers!

The sun is shining and Aspen the Wood Turtle is ready to take on the week! You can take advantage of the week, too, by learning more and spreading the word about this endangered species. Wood Turtles are threatened by things such as habitat loss, illegal collection for the pet trade, and road mortality. Advocate for reptiles and help to protect our native Ontario wildlife - that's what we're all about here at Scisnakes!

Salazar is definitely a beautiful snake, but that doesn’t always mean they would make a great pet... He was actually taken in by Sciensational Sssnakes as a rescue because this species is very difficult to keep happy and healthy in captivity, and is not a suitable pet. Now, he spends his days as an educational ambassador for his species, teaching people to research before they get a pet and helping others get over their fear of snakes! Do you know what type of snake Salazar is?

Pumpkin the Massassauga Rattlesnake has a few words to say! These little guys often get a bad rep being the only venomous snake here in Ontario, but they play an important role in our ecosystems and deserve our respect. One of the biggest threats to this endangered species is human persecution, and they've now disappeared from most of their historic range here in Ontario. Today, they are found only on the eastern side of Georgian Bay and on the Bruce Peninsula with two small populations also in Wainfleet Bog and near Windsor. This means that most people won't encounter these guys outside but if you do live where they live, it's easy to cohabit with them: simply leave them alone and they'll leave you alone too! Plus, how could you not love a snake like Pumpkin?

#DYK The Eastern Fox Snake is named for their main defense, a fox-like odour emitted from musk glands at the base of their tail when they’re threatened. We can do our part to help this endangered species by teaching people to protect our native snakes and conserve their habitat!

Happy Halloween! Bantu the Kenyan Sand Boa is all dressed up and ready! Unfortunately, scary is something that snakes pull off easily anytime of the year (something we think is undeserved!). Did you know that human persecution is still a big threat against many snake species? The next time you meet someone that is scared of snakes, take a moment and tell them how wonderful these animals can be! They are perfectly happy to leave humans alone and any wild ones people encounter are more scared of humans that we should be of it! Bantu and all his coworkers at Scisnakes thank you for spreading this important message!

Is there a better time than snack time? If there is, these Stinkpot Turtles certainly don’t know it!