REPTILIAN WONDERS; HERPETOLOGISTS SOCIETY HOSTS A SLITHERY SHOW.Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer Millionaire Robert Applegate made his first million breeding and selling snakes and reptiles out of his home. Veterinarian veterinarian /vet·er·i·nar·i·an/ (vet?er-i-nar´e-an) a person trained and authorized to practice veterinary medicine and surgery; a doctor of veterinary medicine. vet·er·i·nar·i·an n. Chris Cauble makes a lucrative living making house calls to treat rhinoceros iguanas and other exotic reptiles owned by famous movie and rock stars. These and other reptile enthusiasts slithered into the 18th annual Live Reptile and Amphibian amphibian, in zoology amphibian, in zoology, cold-blooded vertebrate animal of the class Amphibia. There are three living orders of amphibians: the frogs and toads (order Anura, or Salientia), the salamanders and newts (order Urodela, or Caudata), and the Exhibit on Saturday at the North Hollywood Recreation Center to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Van Nuys-based Southwest Herpetologists This is a list of herpetologists who have articles, in alphabetical order by surname. A-D
What started as a childhood hobby for Applegate, Cauble and society president Dana Bleitz has become a career and a lifelong obsession. ``The society was started 45 years ago by kids,'' said Bleitz, an archeologist wearing the colors of a brightly colored reptile - a green headband, orange shoes and a frog T-shirt. ``They had a rule you had to be 14 to be treasurer.'' Today, their grown-up grown-up adj. 1. Of, characteristic of, or intended for adults: grown-up movies; a grown-up discussion. 2. treasurer, John Holmes, keeps his childhood fascination alive by living with three cats and 25 snakes in his one-bedroom North Hollywood apartment. The show features about 500 snakes, lizards, turtles, tortoises, frogs, toads and salamanders from around the world. It continues today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the center, 11430 Chandler Blvd. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and $2 for children ages 6 to 13. Children 5 and younger get in for free. The more exotic reptiles - the ones enthusiasts seek out for their novelty - include poison arrow frogs, black and yellow natives of South America that ooze OOZE - Object oriented extension of Z. "Object Orientation in Z", S. Stepney et al eds, Springer 1992. a poison that ancient cultures used in skull surgeries to release evil spirits. Archaeologists have found skulls suggesting people survived three or four of these surgeries using the poison, Bleitz said. Or how about an African bullfrog, whose cage is not a good place to put a hand because of its half-inch fangs. ``He'll bite you, and you'll bleed for hours,'' said Cauble, who makes house calls for pets at the homes of many local celebrities. ``He's a vicious predator. He's not a good pet to own, unless you like to watch him eat. ``There's something in this world for everyone, from the people who like the sweet, gentle green tree frog Green tree frog is a common name for several different tree frog species:
At the snake table, where about $30,000 worth of Arizona Mountain king snakes and others slithered about, snake charmer charm·er n. 1. One that charms, especially a disarmingly attractive person. 2. One who casts spells; an enchanter or magician. Noun 1. and San Diego area resident Applegate tells fellow aficionados about his newest snake cages, ones designed with bottom chambers his scaly scal·y adj. 1. Covered or partially covered with scales. 2. Shedding scales or flakes; flaking. scaly skin condition characterized by scales; scalelike. friends can slip into and hide. ``I'm trying a colony concept,'' he says, as he shows pictures of his 5,100-square-foot Campo mansion and the special room that houses 432 snakes. ``Just the hinges and latches cost over $1,000,'' said Applegate, a retired firefighter. ``It's a very lucrative business,'' he said. ``I make $30,000 to $40,000 a year. I invested it wisely and became a millionaire on a civil servant's salary. When I go to parties and tell people I raise snakes, they say I'm weird. But when I tell them I make $40,000 a year with my hobby, then they start listening.'' Money doesn't mean much to the children at the show, who displayed their own pet reptiles and answered visitor's questions about how to care for them. Topanga Canyon resident Ben Freidus, 10, said he started three years ago with two bully toads and now has about 25. ``If I hadn't given some away, I'd have 175 now,'' he said. He also had on display blotched blotch n. 1. A spot or blot; a splotch. 2. A discoloration on the skin; a blemish. 3. Any of several plant diseases caused by fungi and resulting in brown or black dead areas on leaves or fruit. tr. lizards, a bull python, red-eyed tree frogs, oriental fire-bellied toads, bearded dragons and a Great Basin gopher snake. ``He can get up to 8-1/2 feet long,'' Ben said. Turning the hobby over to a new generation is what the society is all about. ``Those of us who don't have kids spoil them rotten,'' Bleitz said. ``You have a bunch of surrogate aunts and uncles running around here.'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Flora Barba of Sherman Oaks and her son, Tommy, 5, view a frilled frilled a mutation producing a specific form of feathering in different areas of the body of canaries. There may be curled feathers on the shoulders and wings (mantle), on the breast (jabot), or on the flanks (fins). lizard in the 18th annual Live Reptile and Amphibian Exhibit, which continues through today. (2) Emerald basilisks are tropical lizards that can run at high speed on their hind legs. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
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