Field Herp Forum

I was out and about in the upper desert last night. It stayed 87 degrees from 7:30 until we left about 10 pm. Lots of rodents and banded geckos were out. We saw one tarantula and one desert iguana out soaking up the road heat. Not a terrible night, but very warm and very windy. Next month may be bet...

I will be out and about Palm Springs to Twenty-nine Palms, October 3,4, or 5th. I am unsure where and when now (depends on the temps).
I will pm (private message) you the details a week or so away. Maybe we can meet up to photograph some Crotalids

Craig Barnes

Very cool Richard, your reports are so concise and factual they are a pleasure to read.
I look forward to your future reports.

craigb

I'm sorry folks but twenty years ago I worked for Riverside Co. Animal Control. This was a chance to make friends with the community. As a husband I also think the story is pretty funny. https://ktla.com/2019/08/12/threat-level-to-zero-toy-snake-prompts-animal-control-response-in-riverside/ Enjoy! c...

pm sent....

Hi folks I just got a copy of this sent to me. I enjoyed the read.

file:///C:/Users/bbbba/Desktop/BIAWAK%20Journal%20of%20Varanid%20Biology%20and%20Husbandry%20Vol.13%20%231.pdf

You will need to copy the link and paste with your search engine.

I hope it works.....


craigb

I remember seeing this a long time ago....
It is playing here in Southern California today ...

Watch the trailer it is really "scary" !!!!

https://www.tvpassport.com/movie/the-gi ... ter/208695




craigb

Richard, I am with you 100%. I realize the sheer number of herpers, could solve this problem of identifying their range. But, wouldn't this appear to be a great opportunity for the academic community to resolve and publish their academic research. This sounds almost like a pre written thesis stateme...

Just to confuse things a little more what about the Lampropeltis zonata group? Having caught most of the California "subspecies" starting in the 1970's, I am unsure if they would breed with each other. I never tried it. Also, would Baja California subspecies breed with their northern "cousins"? I wo...

Thanks for the input...
I thought I knew a lot, but basically I know about the "hots" from places I have been, or seen in the pet trade.

The herps and birds were nice, but the smiles from your family were the best.
Now I want to go to Kansas....

Carpe diem !

Sorry folks nothing Crotalid wise to add today. I was out and about last night and saw a few snakes. Sunday nights are so pleasant, no traffic on the roads getting there. Nobody on my favorite roads. Last night no moon until midnight. What could go wrong.... CHP was out citing stupid folks for speed...

Let's see if I can follow directions:

Just an update: Another Crotalus mitchelli from the Highway 62 area, last night.

No, I don't think it is the same animal. I think that the ones right there have that color pattern. Not mentioned is that I think the mortality rate is high there. In the last ten years I have seen three others DOA (hit by car). Three is not a low number for deaths, because in the last ten years I h...

Thanks Mark, more to come. All under 30 seconds.
Less talk more herps.

Craig

Sunday in one of the most beautiful state parks in CA.

Just 22 seconds. But it is plenty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APSMQhaOC8M

https://play.howstuffworks.com/quiz/identify-these-venomous-snakes-can-you?utm_medium=paid&utm_source=gemini&utm_campaign=370516017&utm_term=AOL_MAIL&utm_content=34661827277&asid=9722092053&device=c&adid=34661827277&mkcpgn=1e8d3c52f6bc4c1fbc7f06bce6badadd&sg_uid=1e8d3c52f6bc4c1fbc7f06bce6badadd I ev...

I found this today... the topic broken down by one person.
A brief 5 minute testimony...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GujLcfdovE8

Jimi: Thank you nuff' said. Unfortunately my sons are busy trying to put food on the table, getting married and just trying to get someplace they want to be. I do spend a week or so each year with each of them in the field when our schedules work out. They are 31 year old twins. I learn about their ...

Jimi: I am not like that guy, or any other guy. I am me. All people have opinions. I think more can be gained by listening rather that ridiculing. By the way I have two research Biologists as my sons. One Ph.D, the other soon to be Ph.d. I listen to them and others ... I go back to my original thoug...

Wow ..... good thread. My only thoughts are that much of the research out there is done for publicity. Many of those in academia must publish research to justify their positions. There is the "hitch". Some is good honest research and some is not. Some of it may be true until another researcher dispr...

That sounds kind of "tacky" Kelly....he he he..... One tip that is pretty basic, but isn't obvious about feeding very young snakes is to keep them cramped in the deli tub when trying to get the first meal eaten. I have had folks buy rosies from me that immediately put them in a 10 gallon enclosure. ...

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the rack not a serpent was stirring, they'd all hit the sack. A snake bag was hung by my bedside with care In case an escapee I happened to snare. The pinkies were frozen all snug in the chest Since most think that freezing kills cooties the best. An...

I also agree Kelly....
I think many reptiles and amphibians have a much higher sensitivity to humidity levels in the wild as well.
As humans we barely acknowledge anything other than major changes in humidity.

Well ... Kelly as you know, my herp room is really rather boring. A small orderly room with identical plastic boxes on uniformed shelves on one side of the room, and a neat row of mice breeder cages on the other side. It's clear to see my obsessive-compulsive side as you see the neat descriptive lab...

Just remembered another tactic...
Using the goo from the brained pinky on the nose of a thawed fuzzy will get stubborn ones to start taking thawed.

Getting young rosys to eat consistently with some "localities/morphs" is difficult. Not surprisingly a simple change of venue sometimes works. There is a group of 6 of us old guys in Long Beach that keep rosys. When we have difficulties we will give them to a buddy for a month. It works consistently...

One controversy that I have discussed at length is whether or not rosy boas need available water during brumation. Some of folks with lots of experience have told me that in the wild they don't drink water during brumation. But, I offer mine a small amount of water throughout brumation. One thing I ...

Holy Crap !!! Excellent, informative response. My thoughts are along the same lines. During down time (brumation) I clean some of the less accessed places like floors and shelves. This is done as needed throughout the year, but also at least once annually. I am finding white vinegar to be less destr...

Kelly what do you know about using white vinegar for cleaning? I use it in laundry, and used it on about 25 plastic small dog sized water bowls yesterday. I used a weak dilution with water, but it melted the dried snake poop and urine overnight. Some look brand new. It is cheap and does not ruin thi...

Kelly I do like your spelling (Rosey) better than the standard Rosy boa.
I usually call my BTS's ... Blueys like the Aussies and the Kiwis call them.

I am going to the dark side this year also. I am going to try my hand at Ball Pythons (of all things).
Norm and Norma...hehe!

There ya go thinkin again Kelly..... And I agree. It's good to see ya back here. Being winter time it might be a while to get going strong.... I am going to try to start a thread this year in the "Herpetoculture section" and document my breeding activities. I would like input and also see and hear w...

Believe it or not Mike, there was a time when a video of this quality would have had over 500 hits in 3 hours.
Life here is a bit slower now....

Things change, but thanks again for the GREAT video....

The best video I have seen in a number of years..... Very cool..... Now I also have another reason to visit my brother in law in Phillips WI. This is nowhere near the quality of yours. But, it is just about 2 miles from my house. And it is just an article with some pics taken by birders. There is al...

Daytime temps in the low 80s, and they got rain last week....

Good time to "'Take a Hike".....

pm sent too.... two? also?

This looks to be a reasonably healthy wild caught 2 headed copperhead.
Interesting find and information...

https://abc7.com/pets-animals/two-heade ... d/4305513/

Great stuff....
You get around !
Outstanding scenery and animal shots....

Craig

Well, thank you FHF.... I got my 1000 views. To quote "Fringe"; "Seriously though, if you could convince a few of the old timers/seasoned herpers to post a few trip reports in here, then announce they did that on their personal FB's and IG's, you might get some folks interested again. Plus, there's ...

Excellent pics !!!
That nose does have a story. Looks healthy though.

I saw my first DOA timber in Oklahoma this past May. There isn't anything in California or Arizona that remotely resembles C. horridus. I want to see more !

Keep posting please !
Craig

Kelly I have disagreed with you a few times.
But the threat of losing a pet is devastating. They are family.

My thoughts are with you and your cat.

One of the odd things on this trip was the frequency of reptile activity. Days 1 & 3 were good. Day two was just slightly cooler and we saw nothing at all. This was even in the same areas. The last 4 hours of day three were outstanding. It was warmer and wetter. We saw more in this period than the t...

Outstanding stuff !!!
That Willamette Garter is gorgeous.
Herping with family is the best...
It was a great story told well.

craigb

Thanks Daniel for the identifications. I will start with your information and confirm with others as well. Jimi, My son is working at a research station about 90 minutes outside of Bangkok in the sticks/jungle. He is at The Suranaree University of Technology. He is working with Cryptelytrops macrops...

Yep my notes are kinda boring. But I document all of my sightings and locations. Both my sons do the same, but they are young and much more full of description and opinion. My other son is starting his Ph.D in Thailand working with Green tree vipers and Big eyed vipers (Trimeresurus). They both keep...

Thank you folks for the kind words. We really tried to fill every minute of our three day trip with the quest for knowledge and facts. We did an observatory tour, stopped and talked to bird researchers and insect researchers. We also covered a great deal of ground (freeway) and habitat (hiking and r...

FYI ....
This is me a few weeks ago.
My 30 year old son took the picture...

I think if you Google "old fart" you might get this pic also.

Yeah but 30 years ago I still had bought my fishing license to herp in Ca. It was considerably cheaper, but I still bought it. I turned 18 in 1975, I have not missed a year. I also used to use a film camera (35mm) that was a lot more expensive to use. But like a dumb butt I didn't buy the lifelong l...