<< How do they collect these? Do they have to dig them out?>>
I had also heard something along the lines that the animals were extricated
from their hides during hibernation - one problem with that - Somalia is
basically on the equator. Don't know of too many animals on the equator
that go through hibernation (perhaps montane forms are subjected to cool
temps). Don's suggestion makes a lot of sense. I have had international
shipments of animals go from Eastern to Western Hemisphere locations and
the animals somewhere along the line were subjected to conditions too cold.
The animals do undergo a situation to where they just slowly wither away.
I've seen it in several "hardy" species, and there is NOTHING you can do.
Most recently, I had some Asaccus (normally indestructible) go through
this. The animals actually lived for nearly 4 months, but NEVER fed. I
have several groups of these kept in identical conditions, and all animals
(even though which perished) were CB. Nothing would revitalize them. It
was like something internally was frozen-up and they had no interest in
life, food, or anything. They live off of their reserves and slowly
perish. I have seen this with a number of animals I have shipped
internationally over the years. It is always related to overly cold
shipping conditions.
Don is probably right. Somewhere along the line the H. taylori were
subjected to cold conditions. The interesting little Xenagama which did,
in fact, survive, are perhaps just more tolerant of short exposure to cold
temps. The H. taylori (being known from quite warm climates....just like
the Asaccus), do not tolerate it.
Possibly, I might also be able to believe oxygen deprivation in transit
could have played a role in their deaths. But to believe that animals were
dug up during hibernation is impossible to believe. I think that several
of the Xenagama (which are basically sympatric with the H. taylori) were
gravid - I doubt that they breed during the "frosty months" on the
equator!!!!!
Jon
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