Murray River Turtles - Emydura macquarrii    

House names : Sydney, Brody, and Petunia     

Description : Murray river turtles have an olive or brown carapace (upper shell). Adult shell length may reach 12 inches.

Range : Southeastern Australia from south-central Queensland to northern Victoria and southeastern South Australia

Habitat : Murray river turtles are found in large rivers and lagoons.

Diet:  Wild: Fish, aquatic worms, crustaceans, insects, and aquatic plants  Zoo: turtle pellets, earthworms, crickets, minnows

Reproduction: Following breeding females lay a clutch of 6-24 eggs in a riverbank during the months of Oct. to Dec.These eggs hatch in about  66-85 days.

References:
Ernst, Carl H. and Roger W. Barbour. 1989. Turtles of the World.Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.               
Cogger, Harold G. 1994. Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia Fifth Edition.Reed Books, Chatswood.                                  
Wilson, Steve and Gerry Swan. 2003. A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia. Reed New Holland, Sydney.

Alligator Snapping Turtle - Macrochelys temminckii   (Macroclemys temminckii) 

House name : Kraken

Description : Alligator snapping turtles have a rough, brown or gray carapace (upper shell) with three high keels. An adult shell length may reach 31 inches, with a record weight of 251 lbs.

Range : Mississippi River valley from Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois to the Gulf and from southeastern Georgia and northern Forida to east Texas

Habitat : Alligator snapping turtles are mostly found in the deep water of rivers, lakes, and canals but are sometimes found in ponds or brackish water.

Diet:  Wild: Fish, worms, crustaceans, insects, frogs, snakes, turtles, and aquatic plants  Zoo: turtle pellets, earthworms, crickets, minnows

Reproduction: Alligator snapping turtles breed from Feb. to May. Nesting takes place from Apr. to July  with females laying a single clutch of 8-52 eggs up to 50 meters from the water. These eggs hatch in about 100-140days.

Fun Fact : This turtle ambushes its prey by lying on the river bottom with its mouth open wiggling a pink, wormlike appendage on its tongue.  As fish enter the mouth to prey on the apparent worm, the turtle snaps its jaw shut with incredible force.

References:
Ernst, Carl H. and Roger W. Barbour. 1989. Turtles of the World.Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.                                 
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1998. A field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of the Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.                                        
Collins, Joseph T. and Travis Taggart. 2002.  Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Crocodilians  (Fifth Edition 2002).

Eastern Box Turtle - Terrapene carolina carolina  

House name: Xaviera                                                                                     

Description : Eastern box turtles have a keeled, elongated, high-domed carapace   that may reach lengths of up to 8 inches. The carapace is brown with variable patterns or yellow or orange. Most males have red eyes while most females have yellow or brown eyes.

Range : Southern Maine south through Georgia and west to Michigan, Illinois, and Mississippi.

Habitat : Eastern box turtles are found mostly in open woodlands, but can also be found in pastures and marshy meadows.

Diet:  Wild: Slugs, snails, worms, crustaceans, insects, frogs, salamanders, lizards, snakes, carrion, and plant matter  Zoo: chopped vegetable/fruit diet, earthworms, crickets, minnows, and an occassional rodent

Reproduction: Eastern box turtles breed from spring through autumn. Nesting takes place from May to July  with females laying multiple clutches of  3-8 eggs in sandy or loamy soil.These eggs hatch in about 75-90days. Female box turtles have been known to lay fertile eggs up to four years after breeding.

Fun Fact : The box turtle derives its name from its ability to close its shell up tightly like a box. This is due to hinged plates on its plastron (lower shell) that allow the turtle to close its limbs and head inside its shell. This gives it excellent protection from predators.

References:
Ernst, Carl H. and Roger W. Barbour. 1989. Turtles of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.  
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1998. A field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of the Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
Collins, Joseph T. and Travis Taggart. 2002.  Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Crocodilians  (Fifth Edition 2002).

Wood Turtle - Glyptemys insculpta (Clemmys insculpta)  

House name : Woody     

Description : Wood turtles have a gray or brown carapace (upper shell)  which rmay reach up to 9 inches in length. The plastron (lower shell) is yellow with dark spots on each scute. The skin is dark brown usually with red or orange pigmentation on the back of the neck and front legs.

Range : Nova Scotia south to northern Virginia and west to southern Ontario and from New York to northeastern Ohio, Michigan, eastern Minnesota, and northern Iowa.

Habitat : Wood turtles are mostly terrestrial. They can be found is deciduous forests, woodland bogs, and marshy fields.

Diet:  Wild: Mollusks, worms,  insects, carrion, and plant matter  Zoo: chopped vegetable/fruit diet, earthworms, crickets, minnows, and an occassional rodent

Reproduction: Wood turtles breed from March to OCt. Nesting takes place from May to June with females laying a clutch of  4-18 eggs in sandbars, riverbanks, or hillsides,  which hatch in about 58-80 days.

Fun Fact : Wood turtles have a unique method of hunting worms. They have been known to stomp their front feet on the ground to imitate the sound of rain. This causes the worms to surface where they are quickly eaten.

References:
Oldfield, Barney and John J. Moriarty. 1994. Amphibians & Reptiles Native to Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.  
Ernst, Carl H. and Roger W. Barbour. 1989. Turtles of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.  
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1998. A field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of the Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
Collins, Joseph T. and Travis Taggart. 2002.  Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Crocodilians  (Fifth Edition 2002).

Red-footed Tortoise - Geochelone carbonaria        

House name : Tantor       

Description : Red-footed tortoises have a highly domed, black carapace with the center of each scute being orange.  Adults have a carapace that may reach lengths of up to 20 inches.  The head scales are yellow, orange, or red with dark jaws. The front scales of the forelimbs have large red scales present.

Range : Panama, Columbia, Venezuela, the Guianas to Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina

Habitat : Red-footed tortoises are found in moist savannahs and humid forests.

Diet:  Wild: grasses, succulents, fallen fruits, and carrion  Zoo: chopped vegetable/fruit diet, and an occassional earthworm or rodent

Reproduction: Red-footed tortoises  breed and nest throughout the year with females laying multiple clutches of  2-15 eggs.

References:
Ernst, Carl H. and Roger W. Barbour. 1989. Turtles of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.  

Yellow-footed Tortoise - Geochelone denticulata

House Names: Dora and Diego

Description: The largest tortoise on the mainland of South America with a carapace up to 32 inches.  The head scales are are yellow or orange with dark jaws.  The limbs have large yellow scales present.

Range: Venezuela, Guiana to Brazil and throughout the Amazon Basin

Habitat: Found in the tropical rainforest

Diet:  Wild: grasses, succulents, fallen fruits, and carrion  Zoo: chopped vegetable/fruit diet, and an occassional earthworm or rodent.

References:
Ernst, Carl H. and Roger W. Barbour. 1989. Turtles of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. 

Savannah Monitor - Varanus exanthematicus   

House name : Hunter        

Description : Savannah monitors have more of a box shaped head compared to most other monitors. They are dark brownish gray with lighter spots on their back and sides.

Range :Sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia 

Habitat : Savannah monitors occur in a variety of habitats including open woodland, savannah, and semi-desert regions.

Diet:  Wild: worms, insects, frogs, lizards, snakes, birds, rodents, and carrion  Zoo: earthworms, crickets, minnows, rodents, and a meat diet

Reproduction: Savannah monitor nesting takes place approximately 50-70 days after breeding. Females lay a clutch of  15-46 eggs in a burrow dug into the ground or the side of a termite mound. These eggs hatch in about 140-180days.

References:
Coborn, John. 1994. Savannah Monitors. T.F.H. Publications Inc., Neptune City.

Frilled Dragon - Chlamydosaurus kingii

    

House Name : Darwin

Description : Frilled dragons are a gray to reddish  in color with a darker pattern on the body.  The frill can have red or orange coloration.

Range : Northern regions of Western Austrailia and the Northern Territory, and northern and eastern regions of Queensland.

Habitat : Woodland and dry sclerphyll forest.

Diet :  Wild:  insects   Zoo:  crickets, mealworms, earthworms

Fun Fact : When threatened by predators, frilled dragons make themselves appear larger and more ferocious by expanding a large frill of skin up to a foot across around their head, and open-mouth gaping.

References:
Cogger, Harold G. 1994. Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia Fifth Edition.Reed Books, Chatswood.                                       
Wilson, Steve and Gerry Swan. 2003. A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia. Reed New Holland, Sydney.

Inland Bearded Dragon - Pogona vitticeps

House Name: Shela

Range:  Inland Bearded Dragons are widely distributed throughout the interior of the eastern states to the eastern half of South Australia and southeastern Northern Territory.

Habitat: Their habitats include subtropical woodlands, scrublands, savannas, and into the great interior deserts.

Diet:  Wild: Insects and plants  Zoo: Crickets, earthworms, chopped fruits and lettuce

Banded Basilisk - Basiliscus vittatus

House Names: Rosita

Range: They are native to Central America but have also been introduced into Florida.

Diet:   Wild:Basilisks prey on insects, small invertebrates, flowers, and small vertebrates.  Zoo: Crickets

Fun Fact: Basilisks are also nicknamed the "Jesus Lizard" because when fleeing from a predator they can run so fast and have such long toes that they can run on top of the water.

Eastern Corn Snake - Elaphe guttatta  

House name : Tammy - Sue         

Description : The belly scales of the corn snake are checkered with black on whitish,  while the back of the snake is orange with black bordered brown or reddish blotches. The record length is 72 inches.

Range : S. New Jersey to southern Florida and southern Louisiana

Habitat : Corn snakes are found in a variety of woodland habitats.

Diet:  Wild: rodents, frogs, and bird eggs    Zoo: rodents, meat diet

Fun Fact : This snake derives the name corn snake from the harvest corn pattern found on its belly scales.

References:
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1998. A field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of the Eastern and Central NorthAmerica.  HoughtonMifflinCompany, NewYork.
Collins, Joseph T. and Travis Taggart. 2002.  Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Crocodilians  (Fifth Edition 2002).

Dumeril's Boa - Acrantophis dumerili

House name : Mady

Description :  A heavy-bodied snake with a reddish- brown back fading to a gray color on the sides. Dark blotches are present on the sides conncting wtih a narrow band over the back. Large adults may reach seven feet in length.

Range : Primarily southern and south-western Madagascar and the Mascarene islands.

Habitat : arid regions to humid rain forests

Diet:  Wild: rodents and birds  Zoo: rodents, meat diet

Reproduction: Dumeril's boas  breed from Oct. to Apr. giving birth to 2-21 young between May and Oct. .

References:
Glaw, Frank and Miguel Vences A Fieldguide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar Second Edition. 1994. Moos Druck, Leverkusen, and Farbo. Koln.
Mehrtens, John M. Living Snakes of the World. 1987. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York
Ross, Richard A. and Gerald Marzec. 1990. The Reproductive Husbandry of Pythons and Boas. Institute for Herpetological Research. Stanford.

Boa Constrictor - Boa constrictor

House Names: Larry and Louie

Range: Boas are found from northern Mexico to Argentina.

Diet:   Wild:This boa feeds on large lizards and small or moderate-sized birds and mammals.   Zoo:  Rats and mice.

Nelson's Milksnake - Lampropeltis  triangulum nelsoni

House name : Eduardo

Description :  A red, black, and  white banded snake reaching up to 42 inches in length. They can be distinguished from other milksnakes and kingsnakes by their white snout scattered with black pigment forward of their prefrontal scales, the remainder of the head scales are black. Generally the first black ring is more than one scale length behind the angle of the jaw and is either incomplete or narrowly connected around the throat.Their red and white scales lack black tips.These snakes possess 13-18 red rings.

Range : The Mexican states of Colima, Jalisco, Guanajuato,andMichoacan

Habitat : Tropical deciduous forests to more arid habitat, generally at lower elevations.

Diet:  Wild: rodents, lizards, and snakes   Zoo:  rodents, meat diet

Reproduction: They are oviparous (egg-laying) snakes.

Fun Fact : Like other milksnakes and kingsnakes they mimic the red, yellow, and black coloration of the venomous coral snake to deter predators

References:
Markel, Ronald G. 1990. Kingsnakes and Milksnakes. T.F.H. Publications Inc., Neptune City.

House Name: Pedro

Range: These frogs are found in Central and South America

White's Treefrog - Litoria caerulea

House Names: Rayne and Rheya

Description:  A large treefrog with a broad body.  They are green with white spots and have enlarged parotoid glands.

Range: Northern Territory of Australia and southern New Guinea.

Diet:  Wild: insects    Zoo:  earthworms and crickets

Reference:
Tyler, Michael J. and Margaret Davies.1986. Frogs of the Northern Territory. G.L. Duffield, Government Printer.

Cuban Treefrog - Osteopilus septentrionalis

House name : Carmelita         

Description :  Cuban treefrogs range from gray to tan in color, with breeding males taking on a bright yellow cloration, and have areas of darker mottling on the back and sides. Females may reach lengths of 5 1/2 inches while males are about half this size.

Range : They are native to Cuba and other Caribbean islands, but have been introduced into FL where they have been spreading northward, often as stow-aways on greenhouse plants.

Habitat : Cuban treefrogs occur in a variety of habitats including pinewoods, mesic-tropical hammocks, and urban areas to which they have rapidly adapted.

Diet:  Wild: insects, smaller frogs    Zoo:  earthworms and crickets

Reproduction: They breed in the winter, spring, and summer with females laying up to 130 eggs which hatch out into tadpoles in two days.

Not So Fun Fact : Cuban treefrogs create real problems for the native treefrogs of FL often outcompeting them or even feeding on the smaller ones.

References:
Ashton, Ray E. Jr. and Patricia Sawyer Ashton. 1988.  Handbook to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Florida Part Three The Amphibians. Windward Publishing Inc. Miami
Bartlett, R.D. and Patricia P. Bartlett. 1999.  A Field Guide to Florida Reptiles and Amphibians. Gulf Publishing Co. , Houston
Collins, Joseph T. and Travis Taggart. 2002.  Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Crocodilians  (Fifth Edition 2002).
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1998.  A field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of the Eastern and Central NorthAmerica. HoughtonMifflinCompany,NewYork.  

Rad Zoo Animal List

Amphibians - 18

  Salamanders and Newts

1.   Eastern Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum

2.   Peninsula Newt - Notophthalmus viridescens piaropicola (exhibit only) 

 Frogs and Toads

1.  American Toad - Bufo americanus

2.  Great Plains Toad - Bufo cognatus

3.  Cane  Toad - Bufo marinus

4.   Southern Toad - Bufo terrestris

5.   Blue Poison Frog - Dendrobates azureus

6.   Red-eyed Treefrog - Agalychnis callidryas

7.   Gray Treefrog - Hyla chrysoscelis/versicolor

8.   Green Treefrog - Hyla cinerea

9.    Squirrel Treefrog - Hyla squirella

10.   Cuban Treefrog - Osteopilus septentrionalis

11.   White's Treefrog - Pelodryas caerulea

12.   Cranwell's Horned Frog - Ceratophrys cranwelli

13.  Smoky Jungle Frog - Leptodactylus pentadactylus

14.  African Bullfrog - Pyxicephalus adespersus 

Reptiles  - 48

1.    American Alligator – Alligator mississippiensis

2.  Dwarf Caiman - Paleosuchus palpebrosus

  Turtles and Tortoises

1.   Florida Snapping Turtle - Chelydra serpentina osceola

2.   Alligator Snapping Turtle - Macrochelys temminckii

3.   Spiny softshell Turtle - Apalone spinifera

4.   Painted Turtle - Chrysemys picta

5.   Wood Turtle - Glyptemys insculpta

6.   Eastern Box Turtle - Terrapene carolina

7.   Malayan Box Turtle - Cuora amboinensis

8.   Spot - legged Wood Turtle - Rhinoclemmys punctularia

9.   Red-footed Tortoise - Geochelone carbonaria

10.  Yellow-footed Tortoise - Geochelone denticulata

11.  Common Musk Turtle - Sternotherus odoratus

12.   Siebenrock's Snakeneck Turtle - Clelodina siebenrocki

13.  Murray River Turtle - Emydura macquarrii

 Lizards

1.   Frilled Dragon - Chlamydosaurus kingii

2.  Chinese Water Dragon - Physignathus cocincinus

3.   Bearded Dragon - Pogona vitticeps

4.   Mali Uromastyx - Uromastyx maliensis

5.   Veiled Chameleon - Chamaeleo calyptratus

6.   Brown Banded Basilisk - Basiliscus vittatus

7.   Scrub Lizard - Sceloporus woodi

8.   Green Anole - Anolis carolinensis (exhibit only)

9.   Brown Anole - Norops sagrei

10.   Tropical House Gecko - Hemidactylus mabouia (exhibit only)

11.  Leopard Gecko - Eublepharis macularius

12.   Madagascar Giant Day Gecko - Phelsuma madagascariensis

13.   Sheltopusik - Pseudopus apodus

14.   Savannah Monitor - Varanus exanthematicus

15.  Nile Monitor - Varanus niloticus

16.   Six-lined Racerunner - Aspidoscelis sexlineatus sexlineatus

17.   Black and White Tegu - Tupinambis teguixin

18.  Blue-tongued Skink - Tiliqua scincoides

    Snakes    

1.   Dumeril's Ground Boa - Acrantophis dumerili

2.   Boa Constrictor - Boa constrictor

3.   Amazon Tree Boa - Corallus enydris (exhibit only)

4.   Yellow Anaconda - Eunectes notaeus (exhibit only)

5.   Kenyan Sand Boa - Eryx colubrinus

6.  Carpet Python - Morelia spilota

7.   Spotted Python - Antaresia maculosa

8.   Burmese Python - Python molurus

9.   Ball Python - Python regius

10.   Eastern Corn Snake - Elaphe guttata

11.  Florida Kingsnake - Lampropeltis getula floridana

12.  Mexican Milksnake - Lampropeltis triangulum annulata
        Nelson's Milksnake - Lampropeltis triangulum nelsoni

13.  Eastern Coachwhip - Masticophis flagellum flagellum (exhibit only)

14.  Tiger Ratsnake - Spilotes pullatus (exhibit only)

15.  Florida Banded Watersnake - Nerodia fasciata pictiventris

 More information and pictures of our other animals will be posted soon!