I had fun...

CaptainHowdy · #1 (**permalink**) 04-02-2002, 07:01 AM

In texas over spring break!
I stayed with my aunt and uncle in suncity, and did herp related stuff the whole time!
their backyard was crawling with little skinks and geckos...it was fun!
While i was there, I got to meet and hang out with an awesome gal, Kathryn Vaughn.
Kathryn is the Herpetologist for Texas A&M, and is also the curator of over 5,000 different herps. unfortunatley, they're all preserved in jars, but hey, it was a blast!
Kathryn showed me around her huge facilities, and gave me a really great hands on experience...lots of pics, so be patient for the load!

This is Kathryn:

Here's some rattlers for ya!

Me with a big Rattler

Me and Kathryn holding some preserved bull snakes:

Me and Kathryn pulling some boas out of a barrel:

Kathryn posing with a beautiful Indigo:

Me and Kathryn holding some baby gators:

more pics tomorrow!
[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
[addsig]

longhorn698 · #2 (**permalink**) 04-02-2002, 07:14 AM

long loading but worth the wait. great looking pictures. looks like you had tons of fun. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]
[addsig]

Bry · #3 (**permalink**) 04-02-2002, 07:25 AM

What's more fun than a barrel o' monkeys? A barrel o' boas! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]

That looks pretty cool. That indigo looks huge. I was wondering, how in the bleep do you expect to not get envenomated if the rattler bites with just gloves on? Then I realized, oh yeah you said they were preserved, doh. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] But that would be a pretty cool thing to do sometime. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Bry

_________________
"Silly kids, rabbits are for snakes!"

"I got a pet cactus in the bathroom. But we don't got nothing to say to each other." - Walter Matthau

LdyDrgn · #4 (**permalink**) 04-02-2002, 07:28 AM

Very cool, David! Looking forward to seeing the rest. Thanks for sharing with us. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
[addsig]

najaboy · #5 (**permalink**) 04-02-2002, 07:35 AM

That cascabel that you're holding is probably what impresssed me most. There's just something that I find intriguing about neotropical rattlesnakes.
[addsig]

Dr.Oviparous · #6 (**permalink**) 04-02-2002, 09:51 AM

wow!, it's not everyday somone get to expierience somthing like that. I'm so jelous! -Juggalo
[addsig]

CaptainHowdy · #7 (**permalink**) 04-04-2002, 04:32 AM

well, I said there would be more pics...and here they are. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
there aren't too many more with me and kathryn..but i have some of somce various wildlife i encountered while I was in Texas..

Me holding a preserved brown basilisk:

An awesome Gator skeleton:

Me with Kathryn's awesome speckled King, Spot:

Me in front of one of the many shelves containing jars of various preserved herps:

Here are a few pics of a gravid fence lizard I caught..don't worry, I was gentle. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Here are some scorpions I caught...I was stung by the big one in the middle..pain! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img]

Well those are all the herp related pics I have...although I did see two wild hog nosed snakes, and one wild indigo snake...i was able to get really close to the indigo too, and right as my finger brushed it's tail (as i was reaching for it) it sped off. but before it hid completley, it turned and gave me an open mouthed hiss...very intimidating!
but a wonderful experience none the less.
heh I guess it's a good thing I didn't catch it though..from what LdyDrgn says, there's a pretty hefty fine for doing that..[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]
[addsig]

StopStaringAtMe · #8 (**permalink**) 04-04-2002, 05:33 AM

Great pics! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] I love indigos.... My mom works for Turtle Bay, they have a bunch of great snakes... her fav is the big ol' indigo they have there, it's a sweetie. I like the rattlers they have..... and the kings. But scorpions i can do without. They are all over in AZ, i got tired of them lol. OH YEAH!! Off topic, but, I don't know if you guys remember me telling you something about how I was supposed to get an arizona mountain king, but anyway, I am probably going to get one from Lee then next time he breeds them for the center! I am soooo stoked, they are awesome... anyway, great pics again!
[addsig]

LdyDrgn · #9 (**permalink**) 04-04-2002, 09:53 AM

Ya, David, I don't know about the laws in TX, but I do know the Indigo is protected in some of it's home states, like FL. There is a mighty hefty fine for catching one there. Maybe someone who lives in TX can give us information regarding laws and Indigos....

Again, great pics! I liked the little gravid lizard..hehe [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
[addsig]

#10 (**permalink**) 04-04-2002, 04:02 PM

There are actually 2 subspecies of the indigo. The eastern Indigo of Florida and maybe still southern Gerogia, is federally protected. I believe there is a $50,000 fine for messing with one.

Dunno about the one in Texas, have to check.
[addsig]

txgirl266 · #11 (**permalink**) 04-04-2002, 05:40 PM

Well I have been checking into various TX laws concerning reptiles, and so far all I have found out is that you can not keep hots or alligators, no one really knows much and so if anyone could tell me anything I would appreciate it. Please know what you are talking about before you reply since Some guy online told my friend that you could not keep reptiles within a 100 miles of Corpus Christi, so I called Corpus and they said it was not true, that even if you could not house reptiles within the CC city limits ( which you can as lond as they aren't hots) that CC can not dictate outside its city limits. Man was she all freaked out since they are transferring there also! We have lots of reptiles between us!
[addsig]

Advertisement