Oxymoron rattlesnake

[SCReptiles]

This is Barry’s newest snake. It is a Sistrurus, but it’s an oxymoron to call this thing a pigmy.
http://secw.bravepages.com/Chuck/pics/chuck_pigmy.JPG

[cobraman]

Chuck, either that is a very short door, or you have grown about three feet since I last saw you at the Columbia show. oh yeah, very nice snake also.
Blessings
Ray

[cobraman]

that would give Scott's pigmy a run for the money in terms of size

[fatboy]

Yeah, I haven't got a tape to him either. I am looking for a large female to pair him with. Me and Chuck both have to duck through the door. Think it might be a 6ft door.

[BWSmith]

Is that a Dusky?

[Mustangrde1]

Outstanding pigmy Barry if you were closer i would deffinately put my girl in with that monster they would make an excellant pair.

[SCReptiles]

BW: Yep!

[fatboy]

Dusky het for EDB Hehe.

[BWSmith]

No doubt! I was tickled to death when I picked up a 29 inch Dusky at Hamburg a few years ago (too bad she exploded :( ). It will be interesting to put a spine tape on it and get a true length. From the size of the hook, I will guess 25-29".

[fatboy]

Gonna try to do that sometime next week.

[BWSmith]

The most accurate way that I have found to get a good measurement is a spine line. basically it is squeezing them between glass or plexi and a soft foam. Drawing a line on the glass following their spine line and then using a string to measure it. Whit Gibbins uses a squeeze box with a glass lid. Someone suggested to me a while back taking a sofa cushion out of the upolstery and placing the snake on that and placing a piece of plexi over it. Just have to be very careful with hots using that method. Maybe some handles ont he plexi to hold on to. Basically just put the snake on there and when it starts to crawl, press gently with the plexi. This allows it to get some kinks out of it's body. My understanding is that it is about the most accurate method. Oh, and a crayon works pretty good for marking it. There is some pencil that works well too but the name slips my mind. It is like a crayon material and you peel off paper to expose more. Someone has got to know what I am talking about ;)

[fatboy]

Grease pencil is what I always heard them called. I usually tube them then use a string to trace the spine.....cut the string then put it to the tape.

[BWSmith]

Grease Pencil! That's it! It was driving me nuts.

The only problem with the tube method is that when they kink, even running the spine, it get a little innaccurate. But it is a quick way to get a rough estimate. Witht he squeeze emthod, you wait til it starts crawling and then press down, this gets out most kinks and makes it a bit more accurate. I still have to try it on that Cornsnake to see if he broke the record. For him, I want it as accurate as possible. :)

[fatboy]

Corn?? Isn't that illegal in GA?

[BWSmith]

I have permits for native nonvenomous.

[fatboy]

Have you got the permits for exotic vens?

[BWSmith]

Nope, can't afford the insurance. Native nonven permit only runs me $65 per year. It would be nice if it was native US hots rather than native GA hots. Quite a few other species of rattlers i would really like.

[SCReptiles]

Nope, can't afford the insurance.
Do you know who Knight had his insurance thru? We are having trouble finding a company that will even underwrite.

[BWSmith]

I can't remember. I talked to him today and am supposed to call him back tonight, I will try to find out. I know it was in FL. Then there is Loyd's of London or whatever and another one out west.