1 Night Combo

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
CR3SS
Posts: 50
Joined: July 1st, 2012, 3:24 pm
Location: Moreno Valley, CA
Contact:

1 Night Combo

Post by CR3SS »

I'm not sure if it's that it rained earlier, or just the particular night, but I just came across a night snake (Hypsiglena torquata) and a banded gecko (Coleonyx variegatus) in an area I haven't been seen anything interesting in the past year. I've decided to keep one of them, but would like your opinion on which to keep based on the ease of care or anything else that crosses your minds (: thank you for helping
User avatar
Ross Padilla
Posts: 2666
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 6:29 pm
Location: I love L.A.
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by Ross Padilla »

I don't know about night snakes, but my friend kept a bunch of Geckos and they thrived or seemed to have thrived off a diet of crickets. One thing is he would only see them in the night.
User avatar
klawnskale
Posts: 1211
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:09 pm

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by klawnskale »

In terms of ease of husbandry, hands down the banded gecko. They make very good captives, don't need UV light (since they're nocturnal) and it will be easy to find food for them . You can feed them small crickerts, mealworms and waxworms. Also, any bug small enough to fit in their mouth that is not killed by poison is readily accepted. Mine used to go crazy over the mealmoths I took out of bird seed. They can live for over 20 years in captivity and will learn to become active during the day if you wish to offer to feed them during that time. Just throw the bugs in their enclosure, they will come out and eat them. Night snakes are primarily lizard eaters, so you will have to find banded geckos or side blotched lizards for them to eat. More work. You could try to convert them to small mice but again, more work.
jared68nova
Posts: 151
Joined: June 4th, 2012, 9:42 pm

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by jared68nova »

I can say from experience that Night snakes make very rewarding captives, they are cool to watch behavior wise and some can be handled without too much fuss...but I must say, the constant search for appropriate sized lizards for feeding gets old.....fast. I have kept a Nightsnake now since March, it is one of my favorite snakes and has already grown a few inches and it will eat from my hand. I have tried converting it to pinkies numerous times to no avail, tried scenting, with blood,urea,even lizard skin. These snakes, atleast from this area will not eat rodents at all, just a constant supply of 2-3" Scelops. I find mine is reluctant to even take Elgaria or Gilberti babies. The snakes from my area are very picky it seems, I think the geckos would be a much easier choice in terms of husbandry, I wouldn't call Night Snakes from any locale a "beginner" snake, that's for sure. :beer:
hellihooks
Posts: 8025
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:12 am
Location: Hesperia, California.
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by hellihooks »

What kind of Gecko is it? Cause if it's a SD banded...
Protected from take with a sport fishing license in 2013 by a special closure that restricts the take of San Diego banded geckos - Coleonyx variegatus abbotti from San Diego County south and west of Highway 79 to its junction with County Road S-2, and south and west of County Road S-2 to the eastern San Diego County border.
i've kept night snakes for years, but then again have an abundant supply of night lizards to feed them. Geckos are very cool pets too... jim

BTW... SD Banded's have been recorded as far north as San Bernardino Co.
User avatar
gopher
Posts: 173
Joined: April 9th, 2013, 9:45 pm
Location: California, San Gabriel Valley

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by gopher »

Both those animals have eluded me but I assume the gecko would make the better pet.
User avatar
CR3SS
Posts: 50
Joined: July 1st, 2012, 3:24 pm
Location: Moreno Valley, CA
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by CR3SS »

Alright here's an update, and btw thanks for helping me (: I decided to keep the gecko instead, and it's a desert banded found near some hills by lake perris. BTW can anyone tell me where to find the rules and regulations for capturing herps in california?
User avatar
klawnskale
Posts: 1211
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:09 pm

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by klawnskale »

You can get the Cal Fish and Wildlife Regulations pamphlet as a free handout in the hunting/fishing section of any Big5 or Walmart . They are also available online on the California Dept of Fish and Wildlife website under regulations. You need to possess a freshwater fishing license to collect native herps.
User avatar
CR3SS
Posts: 50
Joined: July 1st, 2012, 3:24 pm
Location: Moreno Valley, CA
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by CR3SS »

Does everybody on the forum actually have a license?
User avatar
CR3SS
Posts: 50
Joined: July 1st, 2012, 3:24 pm
Location: Moreno Valley, CA
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by CR3SS »

Obviously there's no way to know but what do you think in general?
User avatar
gopher
Posts: 173
Joined: April 9th, 2013, 9:45 pm
Location: California, San Gabriel Valley

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by gopher »

CR3SS wrote:Does everybody on the forum actually have a license?
I do and hopefully everyone who goes out herping has one themselves.
User avatar
Fundad
Posts: 5721
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:11 am
Location: Los Angeles County
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by Fundad »

Obviously there's no way to know but what do you think in general?

Yes they do..

Fundad
hellihooks
Posts: 8025
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:12 am
Location: Hesperia, California.
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by hellihooks »

I do, and typically only herp with other members who do. that said... I also go fishing, once in a while. better safe than sorry... ;) jim
BTW...You get caught with herps in your possession, without a license...it can cost you up to $300 a herp. :shock: do the math... license is $42.. :|
User avatar
chris_mcmartin
Posts: 2447
Joined: June 9th, 2010, 12:13 am
Location: Greater Houston TX Area
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Image
jared68nova
Posts: 151
Joined: June 4th, 2012, 9:42 pm

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by jared68nova »

I'm speaking from past experience...trust me, you do NOT want to get in any trouble with F&G...been down that road before a year and and a half goin to court, 3k in lawyer and court fees....woof. They press hard to make charges stick, follow the rules as much as you can and always carry a valid fishing liscence, read the regs and know your species well. You have a better chance getting off on theft or drug charges than you do with charges pertaining to WC animals :beer:
User avatar
klawnskale
Posts: 1211
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:09 pm

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by klawnskale »

chris_mcmartin wrote:Image
Love it, Chris :lol: :lol: :lol: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
User avatar
SurfinHerp
Posts: 653
Joined: October 18th, 2010, 8:55 pm
Location: San Diego, CA
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by SurfinHerp »

Hey "CR3SS" - your gecko from Lake Perris is the protected San Diego subspecies. You can get in trouble for possessing one, especially after posting it on a public forum. I suggest returning it to its home ASAP.

If you want to have a banded gecko as a captive, just buy a license and road-cruise around Palm Springs for the desert subspecies. They're very common. You should be able to find a number of them in a few hours, and pick the nicest-looking one or two to bring home.
Otherwise, you might consider asking on the Herpetoculture Forum if anyone is willing to share some captive bred desert banded geckos. I know there's at least one very kind gecko breeder who may help you out.

Please spend some time studying the list of protected species in CA and their range maps. It's all found on the terrific website Californiaherps.com. I bet you'll really enjoy it.


Jeff
hellihooks
Posts: 8025
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:12 am
Location: Hesperia, California.
Contact:

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by hellihooks »

I agree with Jeff that it is a SD Banded Gecko...HOWEVER... as i posted before, they are only protected in SD Co. Trick is... proving it DIDN'T come from SD. :roll:
hellihooks wrote:What kind of Gecko is it? Cause if it's a SD banded...
Protected from take with a sport fishing license in 2013 by a special closure that restricts the take of San Diego banded geckos - Coleonyx variegatus abbotti from San Diego County south and west of Highway 79 to its junction with County Road S-2, and south and west of County Road S-2 to the eastern San Diego County border.

BTW... SD Banded's have been recorded as far north as San Bernardino Co.
http://www.naherp.com/viewrecord.php?r_id=66182
reako45
Posts: 542
Joined: June 12th, 2010, 9:38 am

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by reako45 »

I've kept a pair of Desert bandeds going on 3yrs now. They're pretty easy to keep and care for. really cool to watch them go after crickets.

reako45
User avatar
gopher
Posts: 173
Joined: April 9th, 2013, 9:45 pm
Location: California, San Gabriel Valley

Re: 1 Night Combo

Post by gopher »

whoops suppose to be pm
Post Reply