Ivan Alfonso, DVM

It is so easy to get carried away with the exotic reptiles we see at shows and zoos that I tend to forget how much variety we have right here in FL. Thankfully, all it takes is one canoe trip down one of the many little creeks and streams we have around us and I am quickly reminded of the beauty and variety of herpeto-fauna we have in FL. Of course, before I was a reptile guy I was a fish guy so fishes are my first passion and we have plenty of those too here. I am very fond of any ancient or prehistoric fishes such as Gar, Bowfin, Paddlefish, etc and we have managed to see several species of Gar and we have spotted a few Bowfin as well.

Here are some pics of a few species we spotted in just 1 trip. It was by far our most productive trip to date but I am hoping to improve on it. I should also mention that all the species we captured were for photos only and were released immediately after.

Female Yellow Belly Slider

This was our first catch of the day and it was a beast. Divy caught her, as she did most other animals, and couldn’t believe how big the turtle was once out of the water. I think it is a Yellow Belly slider but I am not very up to date with my sliders and cooters (shame on me!) She was heavy and very healthy, and also quite eager to bite. It was amazing to see how “skinny” these guys really are versus the big, obese ones in captivity. It shows why they live so long in the wild and why so short in captivity when you think it should be the other way around.

Male Yellow Belly Slider

This was our 3rd catch (Divy’s 3rd catch) of the day and it was a male of the same species as the big female. His nails were really long, which is the norm for males as they use them for courtship.  Very healthy and lean and a very fast swimmer. Divy had to use some tactics to get him on board. He was happy when we released him but somehow came back for air right by the canoe a few meters ahead. I think he was as surprised to see us as we were to see him.

Male Loggerhead Musk Turtle

My favorite catch of the day, and this one was my only one. Turns out I see this bulky turtle walking on the bottom of the creek at about 6 feet deep. It was walking fast and then dissappeared in the muck. By the time I turned the canoe around to look for it, I couldn’t see it but then his head betrayed him. I thought for a minute it was an Alligator Snapping Turtle but they are not supposed to live this south in FL so when I netted him and brought him in the canoe I was quite surprised to see it was an adult male Loggerhead Musk Turtle. Not sure how common or uncommon they are but they are fantastic animals and resemble snapping turtles a lot. It wasn’t easy letting him go.

Florida Gar

This one was an incredible catch. We have been trying to catch Gar forever with just hand nets and it had proven to be basically impossible. Thanks to this photo we now know we can and we will keep trying for sure. It was almost as if this fish wanted to get caught because Divy spotted him, dipped the net and the fish immediately turned and swam in the net’s direction allowing Divy to scoop him up and bring him into the canoe. As you can see by my face, I was extremely happy and delighted. I was bummed we couldn’t take him home with us because of its size (we didn’t have a big enough container to put him in while we finished our trip) but it was nice to see him swimming happily in his natural environment.

That’s it! We saw a ton more species of animals but couldn’t take good pics as they are always on the move. Otters, Mud Turtles, Red Belly Sliders, Alligators of all sizes. etc. were all spotted but not photographed unfortunately. Goes to show that I don’t need to go to a reptile show or zoo to get my “exotic” reptile fix.

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This isn’t the kind of post I normally make but after years of being dealing with similar issues I think it is time for me to speak up a little. I am certain that I am speaking up for Veterinarians that work with reptiles all over the country but this is my own experience that I am posting about here. There are many instances when I get emailed by people that met me at a Repticon show and expect me to solve a health issue via email or by simply sending them medications and not doing the proper diagnositcs. Needless to say my answer is always “no” but I also go out of my way to try and provide as much help as possible. This particular case however has me thinking and pondering as to how bad has the issue gotten with people that expect too much out of someone that is simply at a show trying to help and educate.

Below you will see the email exchanges that took place and some info is erased from the email to help with privacy.

-Repticon Attendee’s email on 1/31/12:

We are a breeder in ——–.  met you at the repticon show.  have a snake with resportory problem, slightly open mouth, slight mucus bubble.  Have him at  92 degrees, high humidity weighs 745 grams.  please advice on treatment and if you want to see snake, we would meet up with you.  thank you

-My response on 1/31/12:

Good evening —–. It sounds you are already doing your part on trying to get the respiratory issue under control. If it isn’t helping, the snake needs to be seen to be properly diagnosed and treated. I unfortunately only do house calls and do not meet up with people in any place other than their homes, furthermore —– is not in my area of coverage. Your best bet is to find a clinic where you can take the snake to be seen. Our good friend Dr. Diaz owns Lake Howell Animal Clinic and he is very good with reptiles as well so you might want to check availability at his place if you can make the drive to him in Casselberry.

Regards,

Ivan Alfonso, DVM

-Repticon Atendee’s response on 2/2/12:

JUST TO BRING YOU UP-TO-DATE ON THE SNAKE.  IT DIED WEDNESDAY NIGHT BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET ANYONE TO SEE IT UNTIL THURSDAY.   IT’S A SHAME THAT I COULD NOT MEET UP WITH YOU, THE SNAKE DIDN’T SEEM SO BAD EARLY WED., IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAVED.   HIS WAS AN EXPENSIVE SNAKE (2000.00)THAT I RAISD FOR OVER A YEAR AND WAS PLANNING TO BREED THIS YEAR.  I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED , YOU BEING A REPTICON VET, THAT MORE  COULD NOT  HAVE BEEN DONE.

My response on 2/2/12:

I am very sorry to hear about the snake ——. Blaming me for this unfortunate issue isn’t going to solve the problem which is the fact that you had a very sick snake and you didn’t even know. If you have to place blame on others then I am sure you will find plenty of people to blame and point fingers at. Being a Veterinarian that helps out at Repticon doesn’t mean that I will go wherever Repticon attendees want me to, it simply means I am there to help educate. I tried to provide you with as much info and help as I could considering I was not going to be able to see your snake due to you being too far for me. Your frustration is understandable but you must realize that if the snake was that sick, you should have seeked help much earlier and not just expect only me to help you. I am very sorry for your loss and hope everything else in your collection is in good shape and produces for you this year and for years to come.

Ivan Alfonso, DVM

So that leaves me wondering how is it that it is my fault that a very sick snake died because the owner didn’t get her proper medical attention. Is it my fault because I wouldn’t drive all the way to his place? Is it my fault because I didn’t want to meet with him an try to diagnose a snake out of the back of a truck? Is it my fault because apparently being a Vet at Repticon makes me have to go wherever anyone that attends Repticon wants me to go? Is it my fault because I provided a clinic info that was not to the owner’s liking?

Where exactly do we stop placing blame on others and start accepting responsibility for our actions and animals? The snake appeared ok on Wednesday AM but died Wednesday PM so it is my fault it died because I was not able to see it before then. If I went out of my way and saw the snake, treated it, and it still died, then it would have been my fault because I would have apparently not treated it properly. There really isn’t any winning with irresponsible reptile owners.

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Hi everyone. I am super excited to inform that Python Hunters Season 2 is out. Season 2 is even better and quite possibly the best ever as I am in it, hehehe. Make sure to click on the pic to buy your copy. I get no royalties whatsoever but I can only hope that if they keep filming, I get to be on TV more often, hahaha. The season closes with 2 episodes in Puerto Rico (which is where I come in) and they are amazing. So if nothing else, buy this becaquse I am in it and you get to see a new side to the beautiful Island of Puerto Rico.

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Divy and I had the chance to fly to San Diego and stay with the Nozakis (Amazing Blue Reptiles) for a week and attend the Reptile Supershow to help them. It was an amazing show with tons of people and almost everyone was a buying customer. It reminded me of the “good old days” when reptile shows were not just a petting zoo and people were actually attending to buy reptiles. I think it is safe for me to say that this show was full of hobbyists and not just people that wanted to look around. Nothing was extremely rare so to speak but the variety was great. It is also worth noting that it was a show which seemed to show a tilt towards lizards, which is rare in most shows. Snakes were well represented, don’t get me wrong, but there were not 1000 tables with snakes on them. We saw plenty of species and the show had a great energy to it. WOuld we do it again? Of course!!!! Here’s some pics and highlights:

Reptile Supershow Pomona January 2012

Reptile Supershow Pomona January 2012

Reptile Supershow Pomona January 2012

Neurergus strauchi

White Pacman Frog

Amazing Beardies from Kevin Brown

Ron and Donna at their table (stupendous reptiles for sale!)

Amazing Blue Reptiles (best chameleons ever)

Amazing Blue Reptiles' table setup

Amazing Blue Reptiles' table setup

Mari and Divy smiling for the camera

Female Oustalet's Chameleon at Amazing Blue Reptiles' table

Male Veiled Chameleon at Amazing Blue Reptiles' table

Male Ambilobe Panther Chameleon at Amazing Blue Reptiles' table

Here’s a cool video we were able to make while at the show:

http://youtu.be/M-2lpTEwjE8

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It isn’t often I do this considering that in my line of work you come across life and death on a daily basis, but certain pets hold a special place in your heart and mind and this is one of them. Meet Camille:

Camille

Camille is a gorgeous female Veiled Chameleon who passed away on 11/10/11 after a long battle with a debilitating issue. Up until she got affected by the issue, she was one of the healthiest chameleons I have ever come across and extremely colorful for a female Veiled. The photo above speaks for itself.

Camille’s owner was as devoted as they come and spoiled her in every way. She is very dedicated to all her chameleons but Camille was likely her favorite and this is why her passing hurts her so much.

I had the fortune of working with Camille since she was very young and got to know her quite well. Knowing that she is gone makes me sad for her and for her owner. She will always be remembered fondly by those of us that knew her and this thread is my way of making sure her memory lives on.

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My good friend Frankie Rivera sent me some pics from his diving trip to Cuba. Not only is Frankie a great friend, he is also an amazing scuba diver and photographer. His photos of marine life are incredible from the tiniest goby to whale sharks. I feel extremely lucky to have him share his photos with me because they are simply breathtaking. This time however, he overdid himself as I was expecting more marine pics and instead he knew how to get me when he sends these amazing pics of a wild Cuban Crocodile. All the pics were taken while diving in the mangrove canals in Jardines de la Reina in Cuba. Hope you like them as much as I do.

Cuban Crocodile

Cuban Crocodile

Cuban Crocodile

Cuban Crocodile

Cuban Crocodile fully submerged

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I was approached a few weeks ago by Scott Hardin to see if I could help FWC out at the Amnesty Day that was to be held at Sea World on Nov. 5, 2011 (today). I said yes right away, how could I pass up the opportunity to work with reptiles? However, I did warn Scott that I am not well versed in small mammals or birds and that we needed to have another Veterinarian there who could check on those critters should any appear. He assured me that I would be the reptile Vet and that mammals and birds would be seen by the other fellow Vet who was going to help out as well. Scott Hardin lied to me and it cost me a few pints of blood, but I will go into more details ahead. For now, let me describe and show you how awesome this day was.

Divy and I headed out early to make sure we got there right on time. We arrived at Sea World at 9:30 AM and the event was about to begin. It was very well organized and it showed this was done quite a few times before since most everyone knew where to be and what to do. This was my first time ever attending or helping at this venue but it wasn’t hard for me to know where to go since I was stationed at one of the Vet tables to inspect any surrendered animals (notice how I don’t say reptiles only). The point being for me to check the animals for any obvious issues that could either make then unable to be adopted, or issues that need to be brought to any future owner’s attention.

I am pleased to say that almost every single animal surrendered today was in good shape. Yes, some were a bit skinny, some were fat and some were overcrowded, but overall there was nothing about to die or looking neglected. This was good for many reasons but mainly because this showed me that people are being responsible and surrendering animals that they KNOW they can no longer care for. They are being responsible and surrendering their pets to people who can take care of them instead of releasing them in the wild which can only cause issues for all of us.

Once the animals were surrendered and checked by the Vets, they were placed for adoption right there and available to FWC-approved adopters. Every single aniaml got adopted. Every single one! This was a success in my book and shows that there is hope for all these exotic species to have good lives without being abandoned, neglected or killed. I want to send big thanks to FWC, all the volunteers, all the adopters and all the owners who surrendered their animals for doing such a wonderful job. It was quite an honor for me to help out and can only hope to be invited again to any future functions.

Red-Eared Slider

Red-Eared Slider

Red-Eared Slider

The above series shows our first surrender of the day. A nice Red-Eared Slider which was in good shape and all too eager to bite me as you can see in the last pic.

Green Iguana

Green Iguana

A nice young male Green Iguana being checked out. Despite the cold weather he was still quite active and shredded my exam gloves quite easily.

Leopard Gecko

Leopard Gecko

Leopard Gecko

A very nice Leopard Gecko gets a checkup before being cleared for adoption.

Ball Python

Ball Python

One of several Ball Pythons surrendered getting checked. All were in good shape and good weight.

Red Tail Boa

Red Tail Boa

Red Tail Boa

One of several Boa constrictors checked throughout the day.

Burmese Python

Burmese Python

Microchipping Burmese Python

Our only Burmese Python of the day and it was a really tame and nice one. Not even injecting a microchip made her get mad. Amazing snake and got adopted right away by a qualified and fully licensed adopter.

Being interviewed by InfoMas

Yet another highlight of the day was being interviewed by Ms. Johanna Usma from InfoMas (www.infomas.tv) which is a subsidiary of Channel 13 and provides 24 hour news coverage for Spanish speakers.

But some of you might still be asking yourselves why did I mention at the beginning of this post that Scott Hardin lied to me. Well, turns out that I was in charge of examining 28 Sugar Gliders that were surrendered. I got bitten several times, shed quite a bit of blood and ended up being the ONLY non-reptiles surrndered on the day. So the promise of being there only for reptiles was shattered in a huge way because I got every single sugar glider that came in. Scott will be hearing from me very soon and very frequently. And all joking aside it was still a great experience seeing all the furry guys get adopted to qualified homes.

So if you are reading this and find yourself in need of getting rid of an exotic pet, please contact FWC to see when their next Amnesty day will be help and make sure to swing by and surrender your pet. It will find a good home and you will be helping keep our hobby in good standing.

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The December 2011 Reptiles Magazine is already out, or at least I received it already, and it features Lygodactylus williamsi as the latest cover species. The article was written by Leann Christenson and a few of the pics in the article were taken by me. Woohoo for me! Make sure to pick up a copy of this magazine so you can learn about this great gecko species but also so you can see my photos, hehehe.

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