Search found 135 matches

by DavidG
June 21st, 2013, 10:47 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: June Holidays
Replies: 17
Views: 5578

Re: June Holidays

Hi Rupert, How I used to establish my opinion on the rarity of some bronzebacks is to observe their habitat preferences and judge how much suitable habitat there is in my area for the species. I agree completely! This is kind of the point I tried to make (but forgot to state explicitly). I tend to c...
by DavidG
June 20th, 2013, 11:31 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: June Holidays
Replies: 17
Views: 5578

Re: June Holidays

One more note.... Some bronzeback species may be more secretive than others. Some occur only in good primary or mature forests. These habitats are by themselves 'rare' in Singapore. However, upon entering such an area one may encounter a number of specimens of a 'rare' bronzeback in a year - of cour...
by DavidG
June 20th, 2013, 11:26 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: June Holidays
Replies: 17
Views: 5578

Re: June Holidays

How common a species is a very subjective statement. Some bronzebacks may dwell higher up in trees, others lower on the ground. Some people may generally focus just on one of these areas whilst herping. Some species of bronzebacks tend to prefer forest streams, others prefer open habitats. All these...
by DavidG
May 6th, 2013, 10:35 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo and West Malaysia - The Snakes! (Now Frogs!)
Replies: 34
Views: 15476

Re: Borneo and West Malaysia - The Snakes!

Just wanted to confirm another sighting of a barred kukri snake (roadkill) in Singapore by a friend. :thumb:
by DavidG
May 3rd, 2013, 10:44 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo and West Malaysia - The Snakes! (Now Frogs!)
Replies: 34
Views: 15476

Re: Borneo and West Malaysia - The Snakes!

Wow, really awesome post - wish I could have been there :thumb: ! Just one correction. The barred kukri snake is certainly a 'rare' snake. However, in recent years (I believe since 2008 or so) there have been 3 or 4 sightings (and photographical records) of this species in Singapore. This is more th...
by DavidG
March 17th, 2013, 7:05 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Singapore herps 2013
Replies: 21
Views: 5276

Re: Singapore herps 2013

They are not common over here too. I am going to disagree :P ! This is definitely one of the more common snake species in Singapore. I see it more frequently (5 to 8 times a year) then an oriental whip snake (2 or 3 times a year) or a painted bronzeback (also around twice a year), if that means any...
by DavidG
January 24th, 2013, 6:33 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Cat Dog SNAKE (off season gems)
Replies: 15
Views: 5217

Re: Cat Dog SNAKE (off season gems)

Great post! Seems like we/people have mixed feelings over boiga. I feel that cat snakes are some of the sweetest and nicest animals around! They're definitely a lot nicer than any other colubrids I've encountered! They're also really interesting animals to observe, considering the curious attitude t...
by DavidG
January 14th, 2013, 7:31 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #64: Roadcruising Study (HELP REQUEST!)
Replies: 16
Views: 5010

Re: Borneo Dispatches #64: Roadcruising Study (HELP REQUEST!

As Jeff rightly said: There are hundreds of potential combinations of ecological/non-ecological variables that will affect snake observations and activity, and (not to be discouraging) it would take hundreds of survey nights to begin to obtain parametric, or statistically testable data. As you know,...
by DavidG
January 7th, 2013, 9:39 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #63: Scraping The Barrel
Replies: 13
Views: 6256

Re: Borneo Dispatches #63: Scraping The Barrel

OMG, slug-eating snakes must be some of the coolest snakes alive... King cobras, pythons, kraits and bisons - cool - BUT NOTHING compares to finding a slug-eating snake.
by DavidG
January 7th, 2013, 9:35 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Now that...REALLY SUCKS!!!!
Replies: 19
Views: 4081

Re: Now that...REALLY SUCKS!!!!

If herping was easy, it wouldn't be as much fun! Yes, a finding a malayan whip snake is cool, but I could effectively promise anyone we'd find one if they asked me to show them! The points, ots those rare or secretive species that make you shout out "F... YEA!" See this as an oppurtunity ...
by DavidG
January 4th, 2013, 7:44 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Lizard ID please!
Replies: 5
Views: 1663

Re: Borneo Lizard ID please!

Yes, 100% Bronchocela cristatella. It either fell out of a small tree or got attacked by a snake like dendrelaphis... Stress makes them brown.
by DavidG
December 5th, 2012, 1:23 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Singapore Herping site (in the making)
Replies: 3
Views: 1549

Singapore Herping site (in the making)

Hi everyone, I decided to begin a website for Singaporean herps. So far the text I have written is all pretty lame and general. I aim to include a lot of detail about herping in the tropics of SE Asia, and hope to develop a comprehensive photographic-database of the local herps. So far I have pretty...
by DavidG
November 30th, 2012, 7:28 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Mystery Snake ID - Help Needed - Singapore South East Asia
Replies: 8
Views: 2430

Re: Mystery Snake ID - Help Needed - Singapore South East As

Sorry for the late reply. I stay in Singapore. Whilst I am not very sure of the id of the snake, it would probably help if we were given some more information - particularly just about how long the snake was? I also agree that it superficially resembles Gongylosoma baliodeira. However, I have found ...
by DavidG
November 21st, 2012, 9:04 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: How do snakes act in the subtropics? (2 year old post)
Replies: 17
Views: 6190

Re: How do snakes act in the subtropics?

Sorta like Hans, I can only speak for Singapore... I do not have a driving license, so cannot really confirm anything about roadcruising! What I do know is that certain roads are occasionally pretty 'good' for roadkill. This goes to show that snakes of course do cross the roads here, possibly even s...
by DavidG
November 19th, 2012, 6:39 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #57: Paradise Flying Snake
Replies: 24
Views: 61244

Re: Borneo Dispatches #57: Paradise Flying Snake

Nice Hans, this is one of the nicer colour variations of paradisi! I usually encounter the green-black patterned one, although recently I found one with a beautiful golden head (still paradise tree snake - not golden tree snake). Goodluck on your herping adventures. May the king cobras be with you!
by DavidG
November 11th, 2012, 6:01 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #58: The things you roadcruise in Borneo
Replies: 20
Views: 6465

Re: Borneo Dispatches #58: The things you roadcruise in Born

I hate long-tailed macaques.... they don't have to have been fed by people to be a pain in the ass... they can suddenly just flip out on you for no good reason at all (e.g. you walk past them and suddenly the whole group charges you - personal experience)
by DavidG
November 4th, 2012, 8:14 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #56: Eight Snakes, Plus Bonus Borneo Bits!
Replies: 23
Views: 12392

Re: Borneo Dispatches #56: Eight Snakes, Plus Bonus Borneo B

Haha, no worries hans. One final thing that helps you identify a striped bronzeback is the large size of its head - almost like a rat snake!
by DavidG
November 4th, 2012, 1:34 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #56: Eight Snakes, Plus Bonus Borneo Bits!
Replies: 23
Views: 12392

Re: Borneo Dispatches #56: Eight Snakes, Plus Bonus Borneo B

Exactly what schmike said about the ids Some points: Oriental whip vs. big eye: This snake was a smaller eye RELATIVE to the size of its own head than the big eyed whip snake. The eye of the oriental whip-snake is more whitish-brown, whereas that of our big-eyed beast is yellow. The big eyed whip sn...
by DavidG
November 4th, 2012, 1:14 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #55: Peter's Bent-Toed Gecko
Replies: 11
Views: 5188

Re: Borneo Dispatches #55: Peter's Bent-Toed Gecko

Try and work with the angle of the soft-box or the flash to be precise! Maybe reduce the power of your external flash slightly so as to reduce the intensity of the spot. I generally try and hold one flash very much in a way that it flashes perpendicular to the camera. This helps light up the face of...
by DavidG
November 1st, 2012, 7:35 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herps of Singapore
Replies: 39
Views: 12994

Re: Herps of Singapore

Update: This is not in any way intended to steal the posting from the author. Just wanted to confirm a sighting of a black spitter (n sumatrana) today near my house. The sneaky shoelace like snake slithered swiftly down a dark drain - after which, it dissapeared. Grrr, cobras
by DavidG
November 1st, 2012, 7:32 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #54: Sunda Slow Loris
Replies: 12
Views: 7186

Re: Borneo Dispatches #54: Sunda Slow Loris

And although it was heartbreaking to see these little baby primates, I knew that if I bought them I couldn't free them (they were too young), I couldn't find them a home, and the guy would just go out and catch another. Yep, well said, especially that last part. Sometimes you just don't know what t...
by DavidG
October 31st, 2012, 7:15 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herps of Singapore
Replies: 39
Views: 12994

Re: Herps of Singapore

I agree, finding n. sumatrana in Singapore is like looking for an easy way to understand the schrodinger equation. The two things just don't go together, they are oxymorons.
by DavidG
October 31st, 2012, 7:10 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #54: Sunda Slow Loris
Replies: 12
Views: 7186

Re: Borneo Dispatches #54: Sunda Slow Loris

Hi Hans, I'm just going to say it, good job setting the cute fellow free :thumb: ! I know what people are trying to say. For this scenario I feel that setting the loris free was the right thing to do, but hey, ethics is relativist, otherwise we wouldn't even be here discussing it! I've had my own ca...
by DavidG
October 4th, 2012, 7:21 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Thoughts about this Virus?
Replies: 10
Views: 3901

Re: Thoughts about this Virus?

Whatever the case, I am sure people working with venmous snakes have got bigger concerns to deal with :thumb: ! Reminds me of a joke: We always see these tv commercials nowadays where people can use a cleaning chemical to remove blood stains from the clothes and carpets. Pretty gory image there! I'm...
by DavidG
September 30th, 2012, 7:00 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #50: Boiga-Bitten
Replies: 15
Views: 6128

Re: Borneo Dispatches #50: Boiga-Bitten

So was I....I guess too much happened - no time to write it all down. Just take this weekend, another crazy romp warranting at least four journal pages. Keywords: rare viper; bright orange huntsmen; common rat snakes; tire change in the boonies; turquoise jumping spiders, two stitches on deep shin ...
by DavidG
September 28th, 2012, 9:17 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #50: Boiga-Bitten
Replies: 15
Views: 6128

Re: Borneo Dispatches #50: Boiga-Bitten

Awesome snapper!
PS: Hey, it's the fiftieth issue already, and only after 14 months in-country!
Really? What happened Hans - did the herping gods let you down? I was expecting it to be over 100 by now :thumb: !
by DavidG
September 28th, 2012, 9:13 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: (Re)Discovered - a real live Lanthanotus!!
Replies: 18
Views: 5510

Re: (Re)Discovered - a real live Lanthanotus!!

What a beast - looks unlike any other herp - almost like a reptilian version of a huge flat worm!

You now know what YOU have to do Hans. NO PREEEASSSUREEEEEE :!: :!:

:thumb:
by DavidG
September 16th, 2012, 6:54 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #49: Wolf Snakes & Trans-Borneo Highway
Replies: 18
Views: 9936

Re: Borneo Dispatches #49: Wolf Snakes & Trans-Borneo Highwa

Haha, who knows - Hopefully we dont end up on the bottom of their foodchain lol
by DavidG
September 16th, 2012, 6:48 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Oriental and Big Eyed Whip Snake
Replies: 20
Views: 6104

Re: Oriental and Big Eyed Whip Snake

First off all, awesome snakes. More importantly, Fickle-minder, holy cr@p, that brown one sure does look a lot like a fasciolata (all the distinct markings, seems to be more like a fasciolata but who knows)?!?!?! Where did you find it? Maybe that can help determine in a way its id???? I know there i...
by DavidG
September 12th, 2012, 8:40 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #49: Wolf Snakes & Trans-Borneo Highway
Replies: 18
Views: 9936

Re: Borneo Dispatches #49: Wolf Snakes & Trans-Borneo Highwa

Not a clue Hans.... Though - It is clearly similar to behaviour such as volume expansion of certain frogs by gulping in air. The interesting thing is that the lizard here is actually using an external tool to do this, rather than its own body!
by DavidG
September 12th, 2012, 7:13 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #49: Wolf Snakes & Trans-Borneo Highway
Replies: 18
Views: 9936

Re: Borneo Dispatches #49: Wolf Snakes & Trans-Borneo Highwa

Nice :thumb: ! Thanks Hans for taking us inside Borneo with another great post! Keep going man. No pressure :D BTW: Bronchocela cristatella is actually a darn smart animal. Not only I, but also some of the people I have worked with have recorded leaf-biting behaviour in this species. Snake bites liz...
by DavidG
September 8th, 2012, 10:14 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Question about holding hot snakes.
Replies: 61
Views: 31494

Re: Question about holding hot snakes.

Warning: Long response :thumb: - but it shouldn't be too boring to read, hopefully... Everyone who handles snakes will one day get bitten. I have picked up 'non-venomous' snakes. So far I have not yet been bitten (knock on wood) and I DO NOT plan to get bitten - not even by a non-venomous species. W...
by DavidG
August 9th, 2012, 8:43 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: China 2012 photo teaser
Replies: 34
Views: 11437

Re: China 2012 photo teaser

Wow Maarten, Gefeliciteerd!!!!! Now you have a new addition to the family to help you in your herping adventures sometime in the future :thumb: !
by DavidG
July 31st, 2012, 9:11 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Two rather common bronzebacks!
Replies: 8
Views: 2476

Re: Two rather common bronzebacks!

Fickle minder, you do realize that your first bronzeback is Singapore's second rarest bronzeback?!?! Yes, that is the blue bronzeback (I am certain, trust me). The bottom one is the painted bronzeback. Other bronzebacks in singapore are: Red-necked bronzeback Elegant bronzeback Haas' Bronzeback (rar...
by DavidG
July 31st, 2012, 9:07 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Some recent sundalanders (some dors)
Replies: 27
Views: 6738

Re: Some recent sundalanders (some dors)

Hi everyone, Thanks for all the comments! There are too many for me to comment on individually haha :thumb: (at least, not now, its late and gotta get up early tmrow)! I am sorry that I do not post very frequently, nor comment on other people's posts very often! If it is any compensation, I do read ...
by DavidG
July 18th, 2012, 9:07 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Malaysia 2012; now with pics. (THe snakes)
Replies: 23
Views: 12213

Re: Malaysia 2012; now with pics. (THe snakes)

Also, a comment on x. unicolor. I've seen this snake 2 times I think.... 1 was alive, the other a recent DOR. On both occasions they were found in a field (one in the field, the other on the road next to a field). Although both areas were in proximity to water, the areas where they were found were n...
by DavidG
July 18th, 2012, 8:57 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Malaysia 2012; now with pics. (THe snakes)
Replies: 23
Views: 12213

Re: Malaysia 2012; now with pics. (THe snakes)

Wow, as others have said, a very inspiring post!!!! So many snakes for 20 days. I ain't sure how you did it, but I know that I'm gonna hit it. Today I'll begin the most extreme herping I've ever done.
by DavidG
July 11th, 2012, 5:23 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Queensland herping trip (Australia) - fixed
Replies: 3
Views: 3288

Queensland herping trip (Australia) - fixed

It was cold. The weather also sucked. But, this did not stop me from herping. We drove from Brisbane to St George to Injune to Blackwater to Eungella to Bowen to Cardwell to Mission Beach to Atherton and then finally to Cooktown. Essentially we drove from Southern QLD all the way up north to where t...
by DavidG
July 10th, 2012, 8:30 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: An anyone identify this pit viper?
Replies: 7
Views: 2392

Re: An anyone identify this pit viper?

It's emaciated appearance probably explains it's calm nature? Nevertheless, I do not know anything about the behaviour of these snake - maybe i'm wong
by DavidG
July 10th, 2012, 8:27 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: The Laura Sandstone, Australia
Replies: 12
Views: 3433

Re: The Laura Sandstone, Australia

Wow Stewart, great find! I just returned from a trip to Queensland myself - It was rather herp boring (but nevertheless with some cool finds like morelia spilota cheynei, and a kind of sand swimmer skink that I cannot I.D. yet), but I did come across some fantastic sights like cassowaries (3 individ...
by DavidG
July 10th, 2012, 8:19 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Costa Rica, 19 April to 28 April 2012
Replies: 23
Views: 10319

Re: Costa Rica, 19 April to 28 April 2012

Wow Kevin, a very nice post, but as others have mentioned, there are mixed feelings about the trip. Fortunately your mother was okay!!! That must have been one hell of a shock to not just her, but also you and your father!! Again, I'm very glad for you all that everything turned out okay. The theft ...
by DavidG
June 12th, 2012, 10:05 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #42: The Reluctant Naja Nemesis
Replies: 27
Views: 8616

Re: Borneo Dispatches #42: The Reluctant Naja Nemesis

N. sumatrana is pretty cool. A few months back I nearly stood on one who decided it would be nice to slither right by my feet. Pretty dodgy. However, as you mentioned, despite the fact that this is a common snake, it is difficult to find when you're looking for it. Then again - isn't that the case ...
by DavidG
June 10th, 2012, 2:14 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Three Bornean Short Pythons in two hours
Replies: 17
Views: 2749

Re: Three Bornean Short Pythons in two hours

Hi Hans, That sounds awesome! Good going! I agree that retics often occur around water (canals, drains, puddles). They have insane camo in the rainforest, so this makes them difficult to find in a dark primary forest. One thing I shall say is that you do not find retics, retics find you. They tend t...
by DavidG
June 10th, 2012, 2:09 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #41: Dulce et decorum est...
Replies: 16
Views: 8335

Re: Borneo Dispatches #41: Dulce et decorum est...

Hi Hans,

Yep, these snakes are even cool when they're dead. Your boiga is Boiga cynodon, a.k.a. the dog toothed cat snake. Here are some pictures of a juvenile found by some dude in Singapore: http://sgmacro.blogspot.sg/2012/02/no-a ... eaten.html
by DavidG
May 24th, 2012, 1:33 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Amelanism
Replies: 1
Views: 1075

Re: Amelanism

Melanism and albinism result probably from genetic mutations. You qouted sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia results from a single base mutation in DNA. What seem like insignificant (one of the many thousands of bases in DNA is 'different' than the norm), has a huge impact on an organisms's pheno...
by DavidG
May 21st, 2012, 9:50 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Birthday boy
Replies: 5
Views: 1937

Re: Birthday boy

Lol?
by DavidG
May 14th, 2012, 7:52 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #38: Bornean Leaf-nosed Pitviper
Replies: 11
Views: 5993

Re: Borneo Dispatches #38: Bornean Leaf-nosed Pitviper

Dear Hans,

May I kindly request that you stop posting on fieldherpforum? Your posts are making me so envious; sometimes I don't even know whether I want to view them or not.

Kind regards,

- David




:shock: AWESOME
by DavidG
May 10th, 2012, 4:08 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Equatorial Guinea Snake ID
Replies: 8
Views: 2907

Re: Equatorial Guinea Snake ID

Really wish they'd cropped that first shot a little more closely.
That depends on which part they would have focussed on - the snake or the....
Well, i think you mean the snake
by DavidG
May 1st, 2012, 9:34 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #36: The Hologram Snakes of MJC Forest
Replies: 17
Views: 8985

Re: Borneo Dispatches #36: The Hologram Snakes of MJC Forest

Let me be the first to say this is your most awesome (in terms of the snakes) Borneo post so far.... I've always loved sunbeam snakes and red-tailed pipe snakes. I've seen sunbeam snakes as roadkill, and I once found part of one sticking out of the ground like a tree root. They move through the grou...
by DavidG
April 28th, 2012, 11:53 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Malaysian roadkill ... I mean snakes
Replies: 4
Views: 2091

Re: Malaysian roadkill ... I mean snakes

Hi Jackson,

Yep, you hit the nail on the head - a puff-faced water snake. I know that these snakes are supposedly considered to be pests in some fishfarms? Maybe there are indeed some (old fish) ponds nearby?