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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/02/sydney-royal-easter-show-snakes-frogs-reptiles-competition>
"Sixteen-year-old Lara Ristic is one of Australia’s best reptile owners – and
she has the ribbons to prove it.
Three of her snakes won first place at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on Monday,
besting a seemingly impossible judging standard. Winning animals must be both
“typical” of their species, while also “really standing out”, vet and former
judge Robert Johnson says.
Ristic began keeping reptiles as pets five years ago and has been showing them
at the Easter show for three. This year she entered 10 of her 14 reptiles in
the frog and reptile competition, which features frogs, geckos, snakes and
lizards.
“They’re my babies,” she says. “I love them so much.”
Ristic, who was named overall runner-up champion, says the judging standards
are “intense” but necessary because they promote proper animal maintenance.
It’s especially important because “reptiles don’t show when they’re in pain or
sick”, she says.
The reptilian and amphibian competitors are judged on their health and must be
cleared by a vet to compete.
While the indicators of health vary from animal to animal, the judges look for
a healthy BMI, good posture, signs of worms and bumps in the spine.
Judges also assess an animal’s mental health, marking down animals that show
signs of stress."
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*** Xanni ***
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mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
