Reptilandia - Reptile Lagoon News and notes

SwampDonkey

SwampDonkey

In the Swamp
Premium Member
5+ year member
This is a new reptile specific facility located in Johnson City Texas, about 30 minutes west of Austin. Their grand opening is scheduled for December 16th 2022.

It looks like a really cool place, obviously it focuses on herps. Their goal is to provide large naturalistic enclosures for the animals, and from the pictures I have seen they are meeting that goal.

Reptilandia Reptile Lagoon
1859 N US HWY 281
Johnson City TX 78636

https://www.reptilandiazootexas.com/
 
It would be nice if a zoo nerd dropped by for a visit. :) With 21 exhibits in the 'Temperate Building', there are certainly some nice looking terrariums there. The cost of $20 per adult is currently a bit steep considering that an average visit would not likely be very long, but perhaps the facility has quality over quantity right now. The Tropical Building hasn't opened yet as the zoo has only had a 'soft opening'. When that is ready to go, then this place looks like a must-see attraction for herp fans.
 
Texas Monthly magazine just posted a story and mini-review of Reptilandia, including a preview of species that will in the new two-story tropical building that is expected to open later this year.

The story mentions sea kraits as one of the upcoming species that will be on exhibit, but I suspect the reporter just misunderstood -- and they are actually planning to house banded krait. However, with the primary staffs' connections in New Guinea, I wouldn't be surprised if they were able to source sea kraits.

Link to the story: Move Over, Snake Farm: Reptilandia Is the Hill Country’s Classy New Reptile Zoo
 
If you check their Facebook page, they've got some great updates posted! Croc monitors, anacondas, and dwarf crocs are all on exhibit, and a ton of other species in the tropical building are out on display. Ari and Ryu are great people that take fantastic care of their animals.

Here's my humble open request for someone to post a species list of that building as soon as it's open :)
 
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PercideRolo said:
i never seen crocodyle exhibit so much hight to climb.
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If my memory serves me right, that exhibit is 60 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 20 feet high. Set to house a few croc monitors, some large turtles including giant softshells, flying lizards/Draco, and potentially a freshwater crocodile.

If they can pull that species list off, along with fish in the water feature - then this may genuinely be the single nicest reptile exhibit in the country.
 
They've got a Perentie! Ryu posts some videos on her business page as well (Blackstone Exotics), they've moved some anoles over as well. Not sure what species entirely but I believe I saw luteogularis
 
Here's a rough list of exhibits for the tropical building. Certainly not comprehensive (I would guess around half of the total exhibits), but an idea of what to expect ;)
  • Fly River Turtles (these guys have a two-story tank at the entrance, which also features a shallow waterway that goes from the top back of the tank all the way towards the back of the building, passing through several exhibits. This is all in hopes of replicating their natural breeding behaviors - as far as I know, the number of times this species has been bred in captivity can be counted on a single hand)
  • Indonesian Exhibit (giant softshells and sailfin lizards in a two-story exhibit)
  • Philippines Exhibit (yellow-headed water monitors and sailfin lizards in a two-story exhibit)
  • Cave Exhibit (small display set behind the FRT tank with axolotl and cave anoles)
  • (7) Smaller Exhibits (used for small rattlesnakes)
  • (3) Medium Exhibits (one to be used for angolan pythons, the other two for West Indian boas)
  • Anaconda Exhibit (large enclosure for two green anacondas, along with Plica plica, Plica umbra, and Uranoscodon superciliosus)
  • Emerald Tree Boa Exhibit (large vertical enclosure for a group of Corallus batesii)
  • Medium Exhibit (set up for Australian monitors - was supposed to house kimberley rock monitors, but I suspect this is where the perentie is being housed)
  • Congo Exhibit (large exhibit visible from two sides for dwarf crocodile(s? - at least one is on exhibit) and congo softshell turtles)
  • Smaller Exhibit (used for crocodile tegus alongside smaller turtles)
  • Medium Exhibit (another species of West Indian boa)
  • Medium Exhibit (temple vipers?)
  • (6-7) Smaller Exhibits (arboreal vipers, including Atheris and Bothriechis sp.)
  • Tree Monitor Exhibit (yellow tree monitors in a two-story exhibit)
  • Medium Exhibit (used for a group of green tree pythons)
  • (3?) Smaller Exhibits (Solomon Islands species - including Candoia and Eugongylus sp.)
  • Caribbean Exhibit (two-story exhibit for Cyclura iguanas, caribbean sliders, and small lizards)
  • Medium Exhibit (used for olive pythons)
  • Medium Exhibit (used for african rock pythons and green mambas)
  • Lace Monitor Exhibit (large two-story exhibit for Varanus varius)
  • South American Exhibit (large exhibit for caiman lizards, Podocnemis, and other turtles)
  • Medium Exhibit (mangrove-style exhibit for Corallus ruschenbergerii)
  • Croc Monitor Exhibit (the creme de la creme - crocodile monitors, giant softshells, Draco sp., and potentially a freshwater crocodile)
  • (2) Medium Exhibits (one for mertens' water monitors with turtles (Roti sideneck?), the other potentially for rough-scaled pythons with turtles)
  • Indonesian Exhibit (two-story exhibit for tree monitors, tortoises, and smaller lizards)
  • (2) Medium Exhibits (bushmasters - Lachesis muta and possibly acrochorda)
 
King of Komodo Dragons said:
In the last few years it seems komodos have been popping up at more non AZA facilities I wonder what changed
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Because breeding success has improved considerably in European and US zoos (also thanks to parthenogensis) up to the point that fertilized eggs have to be destroyed due to the lack of suitable institutions. And apparently, unlike with EAZA, you don't have to be an AZA member to get some.
 
Batto said:
Because breeding success has improved considerably in European and US zoos (also thanks to parthenogensis) up to the point that fertilized eggs have to be destroyed due to the lack of suitable institutions. And apparently, unlike with EAZA, you don't have to be an AZA member to get some.
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It feels odd because I remember hearing that AZA zoos also destroyed surplus eggs on Sybil’s Den (exotic pet forum) just a few years ago. Things must have changed since then.
 
Does anyone know if this facility still keeps/ever kept any dragon snakes (Xenodermus javanicus)? I remember seeing a picture posted of an individual on the facilities instagram, it would be interesting to see how it is exhibited if it ever goes on display/ is kept.
 
Lucas Lang said:
How long will it cost to see all exhibit in this facility?
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I don't think anyone here has visited yet, but I would personally budget a 1-2 hours, unless you really want to study the terrariums. It is not that big of a place, but it does have a lot. I like herps, but they are not really my "thing". Nice to note that it is indoors, so inclement weather is not a concern.
 
SwampDonkey said:
I don't think anyone here has visited yet, but I would personally budget a 1-2 hours, unless you really want to study the terrariums. It is not that big of a place, but it does have a lot. I like herps, but they are not really my "thing". Nice to note that it is indoors, so inclement weather is not a concern.
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Thanks!
 
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