OkcPets Magazine July 2023

July / August 2023 • OKC Pets 23 hatch? How long does it take? How big do they grow? How old do they get?” Answer : “I have three clutches of eggs cooking, roughly 20 eggs. If it’s a species that lays eggs, we say ‘clutch.’ If they give live birth, we say ‘litter.’ Most incubate for around 60 days. Once snakes hatch or are born, they’re placed in a holding contain- er/cage styled specifically for the babies’ needs, then offered water and food. “Snakes and reptiles have an indetermi- nate growth gene, meaning they grow their entire lives. When young, their growth rate is really fast; as they age, it slows down. My oldest snake is about 25 years old. He is an old man! He’s mostly blind, with visi- ble cataracts in both eyes. Luckily, his keen sense of smell still guides him to his water and food. He was a gift from an AZA zoo I work with.” Question: “What’s your favorite snake?” Answer: That’s tough; I love them all! I have favorites in every category, I think. I could list so many, but I’ll just hit the highlights. My favorite nonvenomous snakes are bullsnakes and North American black rat snakes, as well as Chinese beauty snakes. My favorite venomous snakes (and the stuff I’m known for producing) are most certainly the arboreal vipers that This variable bush viper (atheris squamigera) sports subtle colors. The term“squam” refers to baby vipers.