Education Animal Profiles | ||
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Lampropeltis getula californiae
Description: California kingsnakes normally are 2.5 to 3.5 feet in length, and rarely exceed 4 feet. They are horizontally striped with a deep brown to black - white to cream color patterning. This color patterning is thought to break up the image of the snake when it is being chased. |
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General Information: California Kingsnakes are generally non-aggressive in the field. When threatened, they will coil, strike, and wave their tail like a rattlesnake, but this is merely a bluff. They can, however, inflict quite a painful bite. They are powerful constrictors, and seem largely immune to venom produced by the venomous species they live with. Habitat: Desert, semi-desert, brush, grasslands, pastures, meadows, canyons, swamps. Range: Most of California, southern Nevada, western Arizona, Baja California. Reproduction: California Kingsnakes are egg layers. They lay between 2 and 24 eggs; however, the normal clutch size is from 5 to 12. Hatching occurs after 45 to 60 days of incubation. Life Span: Up to 15 years in the wild and captivity. Diet: In the Wild: Turtle eggs, hatchling turtles, other snakes (including venomous ones), lizards, frogs, salamanders, bird's eggs, small mammals. At the Zoo: Mice, rats. Interesting Facts: The California Kingsnake's name is Oreo (because of the black and white color patterning). It was donated to the zoo in 1998. Oreo sometimes waves his tail much like a rattlesnake, as a bluff. Kingsnakes in the wild perform this behavior which allows them to survive by mimicing venomous snake species. [back to top] |
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Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Cynomys ludovicianus
Description: The Black-tailed Prairie Dog is one of the larger prairie dog species. They are brownish on their backs, and lighter brown on their bellies. They have a slim, sparsely haired tail with a black tip, unique among prairie dogs. They are from 14 to 16-3/8 inches long, and weigh from 2 to 3 pounds. |
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General Information: During the hot summers in most of its range, the Black-tailed Prairie Dog is most active aboveground during mornings and evenings, often sleeping underground to escape the midday heat. It retreats to its burrow during periods of severe cold or snowstorms, or when it is alarmed. It does not hibernate, but often undergoes a time of mild torpor (similar to hibernation), staying in its burrow for a couple of days. In the fall, Black-tailed Prairie Dogs put on a layer of fat that helps them through the winter months, when food is scarce. Prairie Dogs live in large “Dog Towns”, which may contain several thousand individuals covering 100 acres or more. Prairie Dogs are social animals, and when alarmed, let out a shrill “barking” sound, alerting others of its kind of impending danger. One interesting fact about prairie dogs is that they are actually ground squirrels. Habitat: Black-tailed Prairie Dogs inhabit short grass prairies. Range: Eastern Montana and SW North Dakota south to extreme SE Arizona, New Mexico, and NW Texas. Reproduction: Black-tailed Prairie Dogs mate from February to March. They have 1 litter per year of 4-5 young, born after a gestation period of about 30 days. Life Span: Black-tailed Prairie Dogs live 5-6 years in the wild, and up to 9 years in captivity. Diet: In the Wild: Different grasses, including grama grass, bluegrass, bromegrass, burro grass, and purple needlegrass. They occasionally eat insects, and rarely may eat meat. At the Zoo: Coastal hay, alfalfa hay, carrots. Interesting Facts: Our Black Tailed Prairie Dog is named Kiowa, and is quite a unique animal, as she has different vocalizations for different moods. [back to top] |
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Chinchilla lanigera
Description: This is the one species of chinchilla still found in the wild. They have soft, dense fur, which protects the animal from losing water, not to protect them from the heat of the day, or the cold of the night. Chinchillas weigh from 1 to 1.5 pounds. |
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General Information: Chinchillas cannot tolerate temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They must bathe in lava dust, in order to clean their fur. In the wild, they sleep in caves at night. The areas they inhabit usually are very low in humidity. They get most of the water they require food that they eat, or off of dew on the morning leaves. They are nocturnal in nature, and are therefore most active at night. Habitat: Mountains at altitudes of above 16,500 ft. Range: South American Andes. Reproduction: Live birth. Life Span: 9 years, although some live as much as 22 years. Diet: In the Wild: Grasses, seeds. At the Zoo: Chinchilla food. Interesting Facts: Our chinchilla is the common grey variety. [back to top] |
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Elaphe guttata
Description: Corn Snakes reach 4 to 6 feet in length. They are variable in color, although most have dark red blotches outlined in black on a deep orange background. They have lightly keeled scales. |
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General Information: Corn snakes are generally docile snakes, and rarely bite. They are beneficial to farmers and ranchers, since they effectively control mice and rat populations. Habitat: Rocky wooded hillsides, prairies, bluffs, fields. Range: Eastern United States. Reproduction: Lay 3 to 30 eggs, eggs hatch in 45-60 days. Life Span: Up to 30 years in captivity. Diet: In the Wild: Rodents, birds. At the Zoo: Mice, rats. Interesting Facts: Our corn snake is a red albino corn snake. His name is Sunkist. Sunkist is very docile when used in education programs, and most of the children love seeing and touching him. [back to top] |
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Heterodon platyrhinos
Description: Eastern Hognose Snakes are usually 20 to 30 inches long. They have a heavy body with an upturned snout, which they use to burrow into the ground. Color variations include tan, yellow, brown, red, olive, black, etc. |
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General Information: Eastern Hognose Snakes are a unique species of snake. When frightened, they will spread their head out, hiss, and sometimes even repeatedly strike at their assailant (always with their mouth closed). This display is simply a bluff, as the snake never bites, even when threatened. If this display does not work, they will sometimes turn upside down, as if they are dead. If they are turned over, they will simply turn themselves back over, into the “dead” position. Habitat: Various habitats, although usually near water, and always near sandy soil. Range: Central United States. Reproduction: Eastern Hognoses are egg laying snakes. Their eggs are hatched between August and September. Approximately 4 to 23 eggs are laid. They hatch after a 52-64 day incubation period. They are approximately 6 to 7-1/2 inches long at birth. Life Span: 10-15 years in captivity and in the wild. Diet: In the Wild: Amphibians, lizards, smaller snakes, reptile eggs, rodents, small birds. At the Zoo: Mice, rats. Interesting Facts: This particular Eastern Hognose still exhibits the behavior of spreading its head out. It still also hisses, which allows it to evade predation in the wild. [back to top] |
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Eublepharis macularis
Description: Leopard Geckos reach a size of 8 to 10 inches. Most adults are yellow with dark brown spots. Juveniles are generally banded yellow and dark brown. Leopard Geckos lack the adhesive pads which other geckos have, and thus, cannot climb up vertical smooth surfaces. |
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General Information: Leopard Geckos are a fairly docile species. They tame easily, and rarely bite. They can lose their tail if threatened, which acts as a defense mechanism. Habitat: Deserts, arid grasslands. Range: Iran, Afghanistan, Western India, and Pakistan. Reproduction: Leopard Geckos are eggs layers. Life Span: 15 to 20 years. Diet: In the Wild: Insects, small invertebrates. At the Zoo: Crickets, meal worms. Interesting Facts: Our Leopard Gecko was given to the zoo as a donation. It was born in 1987, making it a very old specimen! It is, however, a very docile, although vigorous lizard. [back to top] |
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Ambystoma tigrinum
Description: Tiger Salamanders have a robust body, with 6-36 bright yellow bars on the back and sides between the limbs. Their background color is usually black, and they average 6 to 8 inches in length. |
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General Information: Tiger salamanders spend much of their time below ground, where it is moist. They usually emerge at night to forage for food. Habitat: Moist areas in prairies, forests, etc. Range: Central United States. Reproduction: Tiger salamanders are egg layers. They breed from December through March (after a sufficient rain), and the eggs hatch a couple of weeks later, as gilled larvae. Life Span: 5 to 10 years. Diet: In the Wild: Insects, worms, fish, tadpoles, other salamanders, mice. At the Zoo: Crickets, pinkies. Interesting Facts: We have two tiger salamanders here in the Education Department. [back to top] [back to Zoo Education page] |
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