Australian Reptile Research & Breeding Centre

Just arrived

[Your Name Here] — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 01:58:08 +0000

Just arrived! - Nutribac

After a year of ground work, we finally have Nutribac available for sale. Nutribac is the only reptile-specific probiotic, or combination of healthy digestive organisms especially for reptiles and amphibians. We have used it with our reptiles for the last few years with excellent results. It helps digestion, recovery after antibiotic therapy, and clinical trials have shown that salmonella shedding reduces or ceases after long-term use. Salmonella is typically present in more than more than half captive reptiles. Although salmonella is a common commensual gut flora in reptiles, certain strains or salmonella can be dangerous to humans, especially children or individuals that are immune compromised. There is no suggestion that salmonella is a required gut flora in reptiles, it is simply something they pick up from prey they eat. Although reptile-specific probiotics have not been in use for a very long time, probiotics are safely used long-term in many other species, from people eating natural yoghurt after antibiotic therapy, to the farming industry using probiotics to help health and growth rates. You may read of the research by going to the US patent and looking up the following number and title: # 5,879,719 Process for control, elimination or inhibition of salmonellae in reptiles and/or amphibians. Learn more on the Nutribac website $18.50 per bottle, which will last a snake about 1 -2 years. http://www.mzrproducts.com/

Darwin Mulgas (King Browns) Mating

[Your Name Here] — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 04:51:40 +0000

Although the St George mulgas have produced stunning offspring for the last 3 seasons, a clutch of Darwin mulgas has remained elusive. We havent been alone though, and have only heard of one clutch being bred a few years ago in a captive environment. The males just dont seem interested. Unfortunately there are very few left around Darwin now, thanks to the cane toads, so it is important to be able to get them established in captivity. Today, after several seasons trying, we finally had a mating between our two Darwin locality mulgas. It looked rather awkward, with Charlie turned around the wrong way, but they were well hooked up for a couple of hours, so it was a start. Hopefully some eggs will be laid and little Darwin mulgas follow. Charlie is about 2.5 metres and weighs nearly five kilos, and the female is only 1.9 metres, so we have also been concerned that she doesn't become a large meal for Charlie.

Tassie Devils!

[Your Name Here] — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 00:12:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

as you may know already, John Wiegel is working on an awesome project to help protect the future gene pool of tassie devils. Have a look on the site and lets all get behind this important project. Some more information on Devilark follows.

The Tasmanian devil is suffering a dramatic population decline due to devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). The first sightings of disfigured victims of this contagious cancer occurred in 1996. The seriousness of the disease later became apparent as devil numbers crashed.

To ensure against extinction of this iconic species and to provide a source of disease-free animals for eventual return to the wild, the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program (STTDP) has called for the establishment of a large and genetically diverse captive insurance population of devils, held in large part away from the disease on the Australian mainland.

Devil Ark is an important component of the STTDP insurance population strategy and is an initiative of the Australian Reptile Park in partnership with the Zoos and Aquaria of Australasia (ZAA) and the Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species (FAME). By breeding healthy ‘wild-type’ devils within high standards of animal welfare in a wild-type environment, Devil Ark will provide the most significant component of the mainland insurance population intended for eventual return to the Tasmanian landscape.

Recognised as one of the most ambitious breeding programs for any predator species worldwide, the mission for Devil Ark is to establish and maintain a genetically representative population of 1,000 or more Tasmanian devils in environmentally appropriate, 'Tasmania-like' conditions while the disease runs its devastating course through the wild population. Through the provision of hundreds of large enclosures encompassing natural bushland conditions on the high-elevation Barrington Tops NSW property, the breeding program will be conducted in accordance with overarching STTDP and ZAA directions.

By establishing and maintaining a population of healthy, genetically diverse Tasmanian devils, Devil Ark, along with the other components of the STTDP insurance population, will be able to provide a sustainable source of devils for reintroduction to the Tasmanian landscape when directed to do so. Read more about Devil Ark by clicking on the above link.

Check out the site on www.devilark.com.au

Chris and Bella

[Your Name Here] — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:47:47 +0000

We love it when our reptiles find themselves a wonderful home, and Bella looks really happy with Chris. When Chris bought Bella a few weeks ago, he let her settle into her new enclosure, and listened to Sonia about how to win a goanna's trust. It looks like it paid off, and what a cool picture! When reptiles leave here, Sonia tends to be a bit like an old mother hen until she knows they have settled happily and are doing well. Thank you for letting us post this Chris, its just awesome!

Venomous Snake Catching Course!

[Your Name Here] — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Are you interested in becoming a snake catcher? Or perhaps would just love to work with elapids for two fascinating days? Your chance has arrived.... We have been asked to run another venomous snake relocation course. It will be held on the 15th and 16th of May, and numbers are strictly limited to only 6 people per instructor for practical sessions. Please pass the word around, and check out the training section of our webpage for further details. Our special price as we dont have to travel, more snakes or cover accommodation is only $450 per person. Our courses are recognised in South Australia, Queensland and Victoria. Please email now for further details!

Anaphylaxis and the Venomous Keeper - What you need to know.

[Your Name Here] — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:08:53 +0000

Essential reading for all keepers of australian venomous snakes, kindly allowed to be posted by author Chris Harper.

http://reptileresearch.squarespace.com/articles/Anaphylaxis%20%20the%20Venomous%20Keeper.pdf

An early easter egg suprise

[Your Name Here] — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:47:27 +0000

Having come back late last night from the airport with two taipans and a darwin carpet we discovered one of our Mertens was finally starting to lay. And this morning a lovely clutch of ten eggs was squirreled away in to the incubator for the long wait. Will post some pics of the mum and eggs on the weekend and let you all know in 200 - 300+ days when they start to hatch (hopefully!).
Our other mertens should not be far off laying and I have my fingers crossed for these as both parents are from the Pine Creek and area, where local populations were hit hard by cane toads.

Last of the summer days

[Your Name Here] — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:37:11 +0000

One of our special Bells Phase Lace monitors suggested we take a walk while the weather was still nice. We posted the excursion on Youtube for you all. We are NOT suggesting that you should take your monitor outside unless it is secure. Be aware that most could scurry up a tree faster than you could....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMnXjT-mSoA

Are you my dinner?

[Your Name Here] — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:40:01 +0000

We thought this fellow was really cute, and that a cricket would be the ideal way for you to see how tiny he is. The dragon is a central earless dragon (Tympanocryptis centralis). They originate from the West McDonnell Ranges area. Although they enjoy crickets, they are so small that they eat pin heads and very small crickets only, not the larger ones pictured.

Congratulations course participants

[Your Name Here] — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:12:15 +0000

Congratulations to all the personnel from Thiess Degrémont on the Victorian Desalination Project and NACAP.

We really enjoyed working with you and seeing your skills and confidence develop. It is always good to see people and companies taking a proactive interest in seeking out sound solutions and enthusiastic to make improvemnets to environmental management and personnel safety procedures.