Sharp-tailed snakes, boas, and alligator lizard in January

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
Hadar
Posts: 251
Joined: October 12th, 2011, 6:39 pm
Location: Delray Beach, Florida
Contact:

Sharp-tailed snakes, boas, and alligator lizard in January

Post by Hadar »

This week we had a break in the cool weather, the fog disappeared, and the sun came out to play. I was dreaming about snakes and itching to get out into the field. Luckily for me, Richard said that he was available to meet up and look for some rubber boas and sharp-tailed snakes (two species I have only ever seen in captivity). Since I had to work, we weren't able to go out until 3:30 pm.

At our first stop we flipped a piece of tin and found three large male Charina bottae. I was extremely impressed that Richard could feel the boas nearby and "smelled" them in the air.
Image
Image
Image
I have to say, the boas picked a pretty nice place to live.
Image

At our next stop we found a fourth male Charina bottae under the second tin and many Townsend's voles (Microtus townsendii) under the other tins.
Image
Image
Image
Image

Even though the temperature was decreasing we decided to try our luck for sharp-tailed snakes at a third spot. Just as with the boas, upon digging through the first section of gravel at the first place Richard showed me, a juvenile sharp-tailed snake appeared. Richard believes that this snake probably hatched in August or September.
Image
Image
Image

I was so excited about finding two lifers in a day that I continued to admire this little guy while Richard checked the next section of gravel and found a second Contia tenuis as well as a juvenile Elgaria multicarinata. The Southern alligator lizard was yet another lifer for me and Richard found him just as the sun was beginning to set. :D
Image
Image
Image
Image

Now that Richard has shown me what type of habitat these species like to live in, I look forward to seeing if I can find more good spots. Just need another sunny day.
User avatar
TravisK
Posts: 774
Joined: July 8th, 2010, 11:14 am
Location: Eastern Washington

Re: Sharp-tailed snakes, boas, and alligator lizard in Janua

Post by TravisK »

I am happy that you got to go out with Richard. I know that I really enjoyed my time with him last year. LOL, he sure does have a good nose for sniffing out those snakes!
User avatar
jonathan
Posts: 3689
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:39 am
Contact:

Re: Sharp-tailed snakes, boas, and alligator lizard in Janua

Post by jonathan »

That is a ridiculously tiny snake.
User avatar
Hadar
Posts: 251
Joined: October 12th, 2011, 6:39 pm
Location: Delray Beach, Florida
Contact:

Re: Sharp-tailed snakes, boas, and alligator lizard in Janua

Post by Hadar »

jonathan wrote:That is a ridiculously tiny snake.
Right??? I was so excited when Richard found such a little guy.
Richard F. Hoyer
Posts: 639
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:14 pm

Re: Sharp-tailed snakes, boas, and alligator lizard in Janua

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

Here is the data I recorded on the two juvenile Sharp-tailed Snake found on 1/29/15 and four more found on 1/30/15. All of these snakes were last year's hatchlings although there are some indications that growth has occurred in some of the snakes.

1/29/15
female: 0.4 grams, 93 mm total length, 11 mm tail length, 11/93 =11.83%
male: 0.7 grams, 129 mm total length, 18 mm tail length, 18/129 = 13.95%

1/30/15
male: 0.6 grams, 99 mm total length, 13 mm tail length, 13/99 = 13.13%,
female: 0.7 grams, 116 mm total length, 14 mm tail length, 14/116 = 12.07 %
male: 0.9 grams, 135 mm total length, 18 mm tail length, 18/135 = 13.33%
male: 0,6 grams, 103 mm total length, 14 mm tail length, 14/103 = 13.59%

Richard F. Hoyer
Post Reply