• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
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Undergraduate Research

tandy4000

tandy4000

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Im going to begin some undergraduate research in the spring and im looking for ideas on topics for research pertaining to snakes. Ive been looking at the properties of various venoms but Im not sure i will have access to venomous snakes. Any ideas are appreciated.
 
Well, what are your limits/capabilities in terms of time, funding, access to animals, etc? Is this some form of senior project? Are you going to be working under a professor? You're going to be severely limited if not, as the rules and regulations for animal care and use in universities are complex and bureaucratic in the extreme. If you do work under a prof, they more than likely already have ideas you can work on, and can make things much better via their advice and experience.

Another important thing to consider is what you're interested in regardless of the species involved. If you like genetics, do snake genetics, if you like ecology, do snake ecology, etc. That'll make things much more enjoyable as a whole.

Henry
 
I will be under a professor and I believe that the project can take the entire duration of my college career, and since im a freshman now thats almost 4 years. I will be writing the grant proposal so i will have funding for most activities. My prof told me to come up with the ideas because shes working on a project with birds now.

I read about the finding of venom glands in many species of colubrids on the web (im not sure how reliable the source was), the problem is that most colubrids do not have an effective means of delivering the venom. Do you know of any colubrid species that have venom glands? Perhaps I could test the affects of these lesser known venoms.
 
I read about the finding of venom glands in many species of colubrids on the web (im not sure how reliable the source was), the problem is that most colubrids do not have an effective means of delivering the venom.
Click to expand...

Venom glands are essentially just modified salivary glands that produce much more potent chemicals. If I recall correctly, the new term for these glands in snakes, including colubrids, is Duvernoy's glands.

Do you know of any colubrid species that have venom glands?
Click to expand...

A lot of them do, actually, with varying strengths. Hognose snakes (Heterodon) have very weak venom, members of genus Boiga have somewhat nastier venom, and two species, the African Twig snake (Theletornis) and the boomslang (Dispholidus typhus), have actually killed healthy adult humans with their bites.

Look up 'rear fanged snakes' (or, more technically, 'opisthoglyphous' snakes) and you should find plenty of information.

I'd also heartily recommend Google Scholar (a sub-search of Google). A quick search can turn up whether or not the species you're interested in has already been worked on or not.

Henry
 
Leeway Corucia Research Center (LCRC)

Greetings,

If your considering hot on your research, you might want to decide what branch you wish to pursue ( ie. Neurotoxin or Hemotoxin).

There are species of snakes and the gila monster and mexican beaded lizard where antitoxins are not available. if you wish to go and achieve where others haven't, this is one possibility.

You might want to hook up with someone that is dealing with hot snakes to get a 'feel' of what species you wish to work with.

Best of luck.

Sincerely,
Brian
LCRC
 
There are also False Water Cobras, hydrodynastes gigas readily available and easily worked with. They are rear fanged coloubrids with a bit of the unknown associated with their venom and its capabilities.

I breed them and know of several other sources that could set you up with goodly numbers with some diversity in the genepool.
 
Leeway Corucia Research Center (LCRC)

Greetings,


You might want to narrow your search perimeters to whether you wish to research nerotoxuins or hemotoxins. You might want to hook up with someone whom has hot reptiles to see what species you are bonded to. There are several snake species as well as the two lizard species that are venomous - the mexican beaded lizard and the gila monster of which no proper antitoxin is available. this would be one possible avenue to pursue to achieve something new.

Best of luck.
Sincerely,
Brian
LCRC
 
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