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Southern Scales

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South Africa
Cape Town
Southern Scales

We offer PAPA Licensed educational reptile shows, birthday parties, event entertainment & film shoots

11/06/2025

Looking to add something wild to your next creative project? 🎥

Bring your creative vision to life and elevate your shoot with a showstopping visual feature.

📞 074 277 6415

09/06/2025

Mango snuggled up for a nap in his favourite spot 🦎

06/06/2025

Unlike mammals, snakes don’t have a diaphragm. 🐍

Instead, they use the muscles between their ribs to move air in and out of their lungs. But when those ribs are immobilized—like during the slow process of swallowing large prey—they need another way to breathe.

That’s where the glottis comes in. The glottis is a small opening at the front of a snake’s windpipe, and it can extend outward like a snorkel. This allows the snake to continue breathing even when most of its mouth and throat are occupied.

04/06/2025

While we often think of earthworms and insects as the primary contributors to soil health, snakes 🐍 play an important, though often overlooked, role in maintaining soil integrity. Many snakes, especially those that prey on rodents, help control burrowing animals that could otherwise disrupt soil structure and contribute to erosion. 🌱

By keeping rodent populations in check, snakes help maintain the stability of the soil, allowing for healthier plant growth and preventing the loss of topsoil. This contributes to better water retention and overall ecosystem balance. 🌳

Just as we protect plants and pollinators, protecting snakes ensures the health of our soils, promoting sustainable habitats and thriving ecosystems.

02/06/2025

Incy looking super bright! 😍

30/05/2025

The Myth of Identifying Venomous Snakes by Color or Eyes 🐍

There’s a common belief that you can easily identify a venomous snake just by looking at its eyes, color, or patterns. Phrases like "Red on black, friend of Jack" or "Red on yellow, kill a fellow" are often passed around, but the truth is—there’s no foolproof way to tell if a snake is venomous based solely on its physical appearance.

While certain color patterns and eye shapes can sometimes offer clues, they are not reliable indicators. Many non-venomous snakes, like king snakes and milk snakes, can mimic the appearance of venomous species like coral snakes, which makes color patterns misleading. 🐍🌈 Additionally, eye shape is often misunderstood—vertical pupils are not exclusive to venomous snakes.

In fact, pupil shape is more about lifestyle than venom. 🌌☀️

Vertical pupils are common in nocturnal or ambush predators, helping them see in low light and accurately judge distance in dim environments. 👀

Round pupils are typically found in diurnal (day-active) snakes that actively hunt, including many non-venomous and venomous species alike.

Bottom line? You can't safely identify a venomous snake based on looks alone. The safest approach is to respect all snakes, keep your distance, and never try to handle one unless you're trained to do so.🐍

26/05/2025

Raspberry🍓

23/05/2025

🦎 Fun Fact Friday – Why Crested Geckos Get Their Names 🦎

Crested geckos, also known as Eyelash Geckos (Correlophus ciliatus), are named for the unique crest of spiky scales that run along their heads, necks, and backs. These distinctive features resemble eyelashes or a "crest," which helps them blend in with their natural environment, especially in the rainforests of New Caledonia. 🌴

The crests are not only for camouflage—they also serve a protective function. They help these geckos appear larger and more intimidating to potential predators, and they aid in maintaining a streamlined appearance while climbing.

These geckos are arboreal and spend most of their time in the trees, where their crests and coloration help them stay out of sight. 👀

19/05/2025

Twirly enjoying some sunshine in his favorite ficus tree.

16/05/2025

Fun Fact Friday – Snakes That Snack on Insects 🐍

While many people associate snakes with larger prey like rodents, some snakes prefer a diet of insects! Species like the Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus) and the Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis) are insect specialists, feeding primarily on insects such as crickets, beetles, and caterpillars.

These snakes use their small size and speed to hunt down their smaller prey, and they help keep insect populations in check.

14/05/2025

🩺 Reptiles & Medicine: How Snake Venom Saves Lives

Venomous snakes may seem dangerous, but their venom has led to life-saving medical advancements. Through extensive research, scientists have discovered how compounds in snake venom can be used to develop medications for serious conditions like high blood pressure, heart attacks, and blood clotting disorders. For example, venom from the Bothrops asper viper has contributed to medications like Captopril, which helps treat high blood pressure.

In addition, certain components of snake venom, such as disintegrins and phospholipases, have shown potential in cancer research, targeting tumor cells and inhibiting blood vessel growth in tumors. While cancer treatments are still in experimental stages, these findings hold promise for future medical breakthroughs.

By studying reptiles and their unique biological traits, researchers continue to unlock new possibilities for treatments and therapies, proving that these misunderstood creatures play an essential role in advancing human health.

12/05/2025

Litchi 🦎

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