Reptiles Magazine Community / Reptile Forums / Into The Wild

Turtling in northern Florida

Bill Love — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:41:23 GMT

I've been away the last 5 days helping a researcher friend, Chris Lechowicz (and 17-year-old protege helper Alan Rivero) on a project studying map turtles (genus Graptemys) in a little-studied river system in the Florida panhandle. Chris has to collect, measure, and mark as many map turtles each visit, usually twice per year, as he can catch. This time, we also squeezed in a 1-day visit to a second river up there too. Turtles were out in moderate abundance, including some 2008 hatchlings. Here are some of the highlights.....

Alan (left) and Chris (background) snorkeling in a clear spring-fed creek. We found 2 herp species here under water.

Alan spotted this brown water snake (Nerodia taxispilota) crawling on the bottom while looking for turtles. It's probably a sub-adult at about 2 feet in length. Normally we find these basking on cypress knees and roots along shore. Further below is a close-up of the snake the way we usually see them.

Loggerhead musk turtles (Sternotherus minor minor) are by far the most numerous herp residents in the creek. This is a typically pugnacious juvenile posed on a cypress knee.

You have to watch out handling them because they're constantly stretching their necks out to try and bite while being held.

Here are some more loggerhead musks that were basking along the Chipola River. It was amazing how steep of branches they could climb up.

Barbour's map turtles (Graptemys barbouri) were very wary on the Chipola. It wasn't uncommon for them to dive off their basking logs when we were still hundreds of feet away in our motorboat.

There are 'other' turtles mixed here basking - probably yellow-bellied sliders (Trachemys scripta scripta) and cooters (Pseudemys concinna) besides the adult female Barbour's map to the right off by herself.

I had hoped to find an alligator snapper like last time I visited this river two years ago, but no such luck this time.

Werid looking lizard

GreenAnole09 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 05:32:23 GMT

I saw a lizard on my padio sunning and he was a weird looking one.He looked like a brown anole but,had a red tail.He had normal sized eyes but,the pupils were like those of a house gecko.I tried to catch it to get a picture of it but,he ran away and I don't know where he is.Any ideas on what kind of lizard this is?

American Toad

toadygirl — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:37:58 GMT

I found this beauty last weekend. My parents were visiting and as they were leaving I found her at the end of the driveway, possibly saving her from getting smushed.
I pulled out the ruler and measured her at 4 inches, the largest toad I've found in my yard to date.

-toadygirl-

Arizona - herps from 2 short nights of road-running

Bill Love — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:11:54 GMT

On the way back from the recent Anahein NARBC herp show to my 'vacation base' in Phoenix, AZ, I had the chance to go road-running two different nights. First, about 100 miles west of Phoenix, there were only rattlesnakes and tarantulas on the roads after 2:00am, which is what time I got to the road I wanted to cruise after driving back from LA. The first find was a western diamondback (Crotalus atrox) that, although somewhat perturbed at me in this shot, should have been grateful that I moved it off a semi-busy highway before it became road pizza.

The next three snakes were all Mojave rattlers (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus), of which I only took a quick road shot of one.

On my last night, I went about 50 miles north of Phoenix with my bro-in-law and a friend. A monsoonal rain doused us for 10 minutes, but brought the amphibians out in force. Here are the three species of herps I found that night....

Canyon treefrog (Hyla arenicolor)

Lowland leopard frog (Rana yavapaiensis)

Western black-necked garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis)

It was great to get out, but also a bummer to have so little time in Arizona. Maybe next year will allow more free time???

Up from the depths.....

Bill Love — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:54:00 GMT

My peninsula cooters and Florida softshells in the backyard pond have competition for the food pellets I give them several times per week. Here's one of the monstrosities swiping a pellet practically out of the mouth of a big female cooter that comes to be fed every time. Recognize the beast? It's an alien.

Does anyone else on the forum have wild herps that can be counted on appearing at certain places or times on their property?

This is a wild-caught snake. Anyone know what it is?

Bill Love — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:29:29 GMT

This was found just a few weeks ago in the wild. Any guesses on the ID? It's not a hybrid, but it's definitely abnormal in coloration. The owner will, of course, be trying to breed more like it.

Catching Venomous Snakes

Crested Man — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:16:09 GMT

I've never done it. The equipment I have
30" hook
ID of Southern California Reptiles
Portable Weather station
Sunscreen
Anything else.

Searck for the Reticulatd Python

proud_2_be_filipino_herper — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:16:50 GMT

Just today I came from Laguna,Philippines in a farm of my mom's friend who is an indian monk. In search for a reticulated python.When i was walking around my friend spotted a snake......It was a Philippine Cobra. It was scary.So I called the monk to help me see it. I took some photos but when I left it he suddenly hit it with a metal pipe so it died.
END OF STORY

Missouri Bug Hunt III

BrianS — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:52:47 GMT

For the past three years we have put on a little "wingding" here in Southern MO. This year we had it in the first weekend in June. Here are the results.

Talk about a motley crew!
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

It may not show up good in this pic but there is a Latrodectus mactans attacking a grasshopper that I threw into its web
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

Look closely here. There was 2 Aphonopelma hentzi living under the same rock!
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

Since Collard Lizards usually wont sit still for pics you usually have to catch them lol
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

The coneflowers were in full glory
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

This year Josh found a Pygmy Rattlesnake! What a find!!!
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

There were some crazy dogs running around there! Yeah my dogs are a little crazy at times LOL
Medina
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

Ruger
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

Huacho
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

Habitat pics
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

Centruroides vittatus

See this stone?

Underneath is an Aphonopelma hentzi preparing to molt

Note the shallow bowl shaped scrape that the spider has prepared

This is a typical tarantula burrow underneath the rocks....

This would be the Aphonopelma hentzi that lives there

At night we had this visitor

Beautiful Lizard

Podunk — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:00:54 GMT

My brother snapped this picture while in Vietnam. This guy was roughly 16" - 18" long, snout to tail tip, 6" - 8" snout to vent length. He was found basking on a rock wall at the top of a small foothill with no water in the vicinity. He was extremely quick, very agile and when he felt threatened easily disappeared up a tree.

Anyone have an idea what this beauty is?

Thank you,

Jeremiah "Podunk"

SOUTH FLORIDA SUMMER HERPING

Bill Love — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:32:57 GMT

July and early August have kept me busy tending to our '08 crop of baby snakes, but I've also found several occasions to slip away and get some fieldherping in. I've made a link to my full account below, so have included only three pics here in this post as teasers about the three parts covered in the full account.

FULL ACCOUNT = http://www.bluechameleon.org/Travelogue%20-%20South%20Florida%20July%20-%20August%202008.htm

Part 1 - Herping in the Florida Everglades

Big game on the prowl after dark....

Part 2 - Southwest Florida

Is there really a herp in that picture below?

Part 3 - Sanibel Island, Florida

Primitive 'native' art hints at the local herp life....

Just back from Africa

mfezi — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:46:27 GMT

Spent the last three months in africa, will write it up soon, here is a photo of a black mamba, 2 rhinos and I

Im planning on going to the San Bernadino Valley, California for herping I have a few questions.

Crested Man — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:58:03 GMT

Is there any equipment I should bring besides a snake hook and water? Does any body know where there is dencer populations of Chuckwallas? Anything would help.

Hook Help Please!!!

gecko boy — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:30:48 GMT

What hook should I use???

Poor lizard

GreenAnole09 — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:12:05 GMT

I was outside,catching lizards,observing them and letting them go like I always do when I caught a Brown Anole female and-keep in mind I was not holding her by the tail-she dropped her tail and that tail was bleeding alot.She was getting blood all over my hand and then started producing urine,feces,and something that I would presume was dihereah rapidly non stop.I was about to put her in a cage to stop the tail from bleeding so heavly(She looked like if she didn't stop the bleeding,she would die from blood-loss)but,then,she wiggled free and hid really well.I went inside and washed her blood off my hands as well as whatever other germs she was carrying but,I can't stop thinking about her and that she may die or something.Has this,or something simalar,ever happened to you people?

Green Anole in my house

GreenAnole09 — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:27:38 GMT

Ok so I am about to go outside to check on my lizards and frogs.My dad and uncle are watching tv.My brother is eatting.My mom is about to go to the store and my grandma is in her room.All is peaceful.Then my mom,who is walking out the door to go to the store says to come over."Get it!Get that lizard!" she says.My family-besides my brother-hates reptiles.I look and see a Green Anole.I catch it and now it's in the tank with RainScale.I call her Lynn.I've heard of a House Gecko and I've heard of a Green Anole but not a House Anole

Please leave a comment.

This is kinda weird

GreenAnole09 — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:48:30 GMT

I was on my friend's patio and we saw this spider that was black with red legs.Anyone know what this is and if it's poisonous?I live in florida if it narrows it down.

Cool Lizards found at Myrtle Beach

TheAnole95 — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:56:37 GMT

Ok so me and my brother were sitting by the pool at our myrtle beach resort. just then, my brother spotted some lizards basking on a palm tree. We tried to catch them, but they were too fast and hid under the deck. I went back up to our condo and searched on the internet "north carolina lizards". I couldn't find anything.

The lizard was 4-6 inches long. Its main color was brown and I belive there was a white strip running down its side.

This was kinda disturbing....

Cflaguy — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 12:51:48 GMT

I'm hoping Bill finds this thread I welcome his opinion as well was anybody else but....

This morning I was driving to a remote area (work related) when I spotted a DOR snake. I planned to stop on the way out. And I did.

This snake had me worried. I looked at it and quickly went through features to identify. I live in C. Florida, have my entire life and been an amateur herper for 30 years. I know what is around here.

O.K.- Snakes was stretched out and measured about 6 and a half maybe 7 (last quarter or so was coiled) I measured. The tail was still in good shape and turned to see the underside. The next quarter was the side of the snake. An olive/yellow color. Then turned back to the belly, a beautiful pure white. The upper quarter was unrecognizable till you got to he head, where the back of that head was smashed but also in good shape.

At first I thought I had a giant Yellow Rat. But the belly was pure white, the scales were smooth. I thought I had missed a Florida Pine. But wait; the scales were not keeled. As a matter of fact, those scales were huge. Very BIG scales. So I went back to the head. The scales on the head were even bigger. An Indigo? If so we missed a true new color morph. Possibly a Coachwhip. But the snake was much to heavy and the scales were really large. As I stared for about 10 minutes the shape and size of the scales I had seen on one other snake.

As much as I don't want to believe it, I call myself crazy( you can call me crazy as well), it has happened before. People have lost cobras in to the wild before.

I was telling the wife last night I need to get a second camera for such occasions. I wish I had pics. I've gone through the inventory of Florida snakes and can't come up with a match.

Oh ya, the scales on the underside of the tail were split. I believe the Coachwhip's are as well. But the girth of the snake again was to much for an Coachwhip.

Snake Road in Southern Illinois

MDC_Ophiuchus — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:14:33 GMT

PLEASE READ! I will be posting many pictures in a series of a few posts and may take a little while. PLEASE refrain from posting comments until I definitively say I'm finished. Thank you for your cooperation.
-------------------

This past weekend my girlfriend and I joined with other members from another herp forum on our annual field herping trip. We arrived at around noon Friday evening (4-18-2008) and camped at the Giant City campground.

It rained a lot Friday, well into the night, but that afternoon, we investigated a small creek and turned up a slimy salamander.

...and a rock that looked like a skull. Do you see it?

name all the top places in the USA to find reptiles in the wild

UROFAN — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:12:53 GMT

I was just curious what are the best places in the USA to find reptiles in the wild.

Studio vs. 'In The Wild' photos -- can you distinguish?

Bill Love — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:06:53 GMT

Here's a little test to see if viewers can tell the difference between herps photographed truly in the field, or in my studio where I tried to create a naturalistic microhabitat for them. Some (at least one, but not all 4) of the following snakes were photographed in nature where I found them, and the others were photographed indoors in my studio. Can you pick them apart?

I FINIALY COUGHT SOME HERPS!!!

the herptile master — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:17:19 GMT

Before i tell you this imfo, i wont you all to know that i cought them, took pics, then let them go. I was at this large pond yesterday and i had just bought a butterfly net. I was going to use the net that day. I had been to this pond before, and i knew that there were large bullfrogs there. But when ever i tryed to catch them with my bare hands, i could never get a grasp on them. So, this net would let me get them out of the water so i could get my hands around them. And it worked! I cought two large male bullys. But i couldent catch any younger ones, they were too fast. My first male was about 4-5in long. And i knew that this wasent the giant that i had seen on my earlyer visit. So i still looked for bigger ones. And guess what! I i had found my large male. The size and coloration was the same. So, i cought him draged him out on land near the waters edge. But he escaped the net and got away. Then, later, i saw him agin. I cought him, agin. But this time, i draged him farther away from the water and tryed to juggle him out of the net. But once agin, he escaped my grasp. While he was hopeing for the water i was chasing after him. Then a close call happend. I got a grasp on him just after he hit the water. Then like the other one, i took pics of him then let him go. But not before nameing him, big mona. I had seen this bull frog before but i though that he was 2ft before. He was really 8in long. The maximum size for a bull frog. Then, i had the suprise of my life. I was coming the pond looking for more frongs. Then when i looked down in the shallows, i saw something that would make me freeze for a couple of seconds. I saw my first reptile in wisconson. I saw a midland painted turtle. But this one was just a baby. I netted it. I would have cought it with my bare hands but these thoughts were runing through my head.

would it bite?

was it slipery like the frogs?

So, i got it in the net. With the turtle, i picked up all kinds of slim and alge. So, i looked back in the water to see it it was still in there, i did not see it. So i looked in the net and saw the shell. At the time, i knew that it was apainted turtle of some kind but i did not know what sub-spiches it was. So, i took some pics and let it go. The turtle was a baby, only had a 3-4 maybe evena 5in shell. I had a great time. And, i have pics to show my freands at school that i am not lieing!

A few herps from Connecticut

Mike Future — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:27:51 GMT

Hey all. I am a 30 year old field herper from Southwestern Connecticut. I thought I'd stop in and show some of my recent finds.

Northern Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii)

Northern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen)

Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)

Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta)

Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum)

Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)

Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta)

Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)

Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)

Four-Toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)

Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)

Red Eft (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)

Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus)

Redback Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) "Coral Phase"

Diamondback ! , plus other herps too....

Bill Love — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:43:21 GMT

I made a run down to Everglades National Park on June 15th with two friends. En route down a five-foot (estimated) Nile monitor walked out onto highway 27 about 5 miles south of the town of South Bay at the southern end of Lake Okeechobee. It looked exactly lke an alligator in its gait and general shape at first, and I'll bet the drivers who whizzed past it thought that's what it was (if they even noticed at all). We drove past it too because we only saw it at the last moment. We quickly returned via the next turn-around in time to get a clear look at it before another vehicle scared it back into the grass. We pursued it on foot, but it ran down an overgrown bank and dove into a canal. That was probably a good thing because I'm not sure what I would have done if we'd actually caught up to it and cornered it, besides take photos, of which I regretfully didn't get a single shot.

Anyway, things perked up once inside Everglades Nat'l Park. About half way down to Flamingo at the end of the 38-mile long park road, a four-foot (again, estimated) eastern diamondback rattlesnake was crossing -- the 5th one I've seen there in the last half-dozen visits. This first shot is in-situ, exactly as encountered.

I and friend Alan got down to shoot some pics while other pal Peter warned traffic around us and our subject. Fortunately, few vehicles were out and about that afternoon. Very few tourists brave the Everglades during the summer 'cause the skeeters will fly off with you if you stop moving and let them land on you in mass. Here's Alan getting down and personal with the snake....

And a close-up. I hate these dull road surface 'habitats', but in the park, you don't get another chance at any pic once the critter gets off the pavement and disappears in the thick grass.

At Flamingo, I finally got a look at one of the American crocodiles that regularly hangs out there -- a first for me in all my visits. They have a favorite basking site across the main canal from the tiny marina and store, which you can see is worn clear and smooth from their frequent basking sessions....

Just leaving Flamingo, we spotted a newborn pigmy rattler at the edge of the road and stopped to snap some pics. Immediately a park ranger drove up and sternly warned us to get away from it because it was venomous. I could've done a 'Duh, I know', but he was just trying to be helpful assuming we were the typical clueless tourists. I politely said I'd prefer to continue do what I was doing, and he left probably thinking he'd read about the bite in the morning paper. This crappy shot is the only one I got because while I was distracted by the ranger, it slid away into the swamp.

Further down the road and into the night, we thought we saw a young corn snake, but it turned out to be an exceptionally colored mangrove water snake that had just been knicked by a car in the head. It was very thin too, but rated a picture just to show its color....

Thanks for looking!

Eastern Box Turtles

FastFoward5k — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:56:52 GMT

When I was on my Sunday run, I passed by a male Eastern Box Turtle. He seemed very old, like 80-100 years old. He was chasing a female, so I think that they were mating. The male was very brave and didn't retract his head at all into his shell. It was really cool.

smooth grass snake.

Hydrus_V_Riddle — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:22:23 GMT

a few years back, I caught a smooth grass snake (we call them green grass snakes in michigan) when i let it go, it reared up mock attack posture and i snapped some pix, they are not on the computer anymore but they printed off so i will have to scan and post them.

Herping in milwakee wisconson

the herptile master — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:30:45 GMT

I know that there are sevrile herp spiches native to wisconson. Even milwakee. All i have ever found was a bull frog that lives in my freands pond. I have also seen grays tree frong. But another person cought the frog. I really wont to catch a garter snake, snapping turle, and five lined skink. What kind of places can i find these aniamls. I have been herping in this small area that has much vegitaition and a shallow stream at the bottom. What herps can i find in this kind of habitat?. And what are some signs shound i look for to see if this is a herp freandly place? I am very despret to find and catch herps in this area. Please respond.

milk snakes in canada

Brutus — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:31:57 GMT

so I'm always jumping at the chance to catch a turtle, snake, or lizard...

the snakes I have caught in the past include:

garter,
northern water,
fox,
and one small eastern milk snake.

the snake I am after now is, well, a massassauga rattler, but I will only trouble you with my secondary objective: an adult milk snake.

what I need help with is where to look, and how to catch them, without getting bitten. any tips, tricks, or advice?

Lucky discovery in nesting season....

Bill Love — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:20:39 GMT

This huge female Barbour's map turtle was found after she'd just finished laying a clutch of eggs at the edge of the Apalachicola River in northern Florida. She had barely taken a couple steps away when we drove up and found her about 10:30am on June 17, 2008.

life list

MixofLar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 07:15:15 GMT

I’m new to all the field herping stuff and keep seeing the word lifer or life list pop up. What dose it take for a herp to be a lifer, and is it a list that you make? If it is can I get some example of what herps are on your life list.

Pics from Costa Rica.

Crested Man — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:47:32 GMT

We went to La Selva, Monteverde, Corcovodo and and bunch more places.

Basilisk Lizard

FastFoward5k — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:15:29 GMT

I went to Costa Rica last week and when I was there I saw a male and a female basilisk/water dragon/Jesus Christ Lizard. They were beautiful and very big. I'll try to put up a picture later.

sun bathing

leapinlizards — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:05:12 GMT

These are just a few of the frogs that have made themselves at home in my water gardens. Last

year I had about 20 frogs & I'm expecting to have many more this year.

herping in my yard

herpkid123 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:52:02 GMT

Its not that good but its cool to get close to wild herp with out scaring them. this is a green anole (that changed to brown) that I watched and then he just ran iand cought a grub and i got to watch him eat it too. thats the second time I got to see that

Good use for a roadkill......

Bill Love — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:49:54 GMT

Snakes were moving in south-central Florida last week - between two vehicles cruising, we saw 10 live rat snakes ( 4 yellow rats and 6 corns), plus 1 large D.O.R. (= dead on road) male corn over a couple hours of driving a remote area. It was warm and humid that evening, just what they like to move in during the spring mating season. I didn't keep any of them, except the D.O.R. to toss in my backyard pond for the turtles. Unfortunately, the 6'-foot pond gator arrived to grab it first.........

IL species

xenite — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:24:50 GMT

Can anyone tell me what herps live in northern IL. The last five times I tried herping, all I ended up with is 1 or 2 toads.

pathetic.....

xenite — Mon, 26 May 2008 14:31:52 GMT

My pictures got totally omitted. Please find somewhere else to go.

Snake catching in Florida

Crested Man — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:06:40 GMT

I occasionaly go to Florida( ussaly Naples ) if that helps.

photographing hots

SCatheris — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:26:40 GMT

Hey Mr. Love you have any tips for photographing venomous snakes out in the field? I take a ton of pictures at work of the hots that are behind glass but I figured you'd have some tips to get awsome shots all while keeping limbs and digits out of harms way.