CONDOS for wildlife in South Texas.

[RioBravoReptiles]

.. rodent stick-nests are primary habitat and resources for many herps and other animals in the opuntia and mesquite scrub and desert in deep south Texas.. example:
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.. tortoises especially use the nests as shelter, here's one emerging from the nest in the first photo.
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... a frequent sight is an active rodent nest constructed on top of (and underneath) a stand of Opuntia cactus.. The cactus is food and water for the rodents plus some protection from predators..
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.. tortoises use these nests year-round.. the relatively smooth entrance at the lower leftt of the pile in that image was obviously maintained by a tortoise..
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.. here's the critter.. (smart guys will tell what sex it is just from that image)..
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Here's an overview of this area..
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The area is home to a large number of species though it may take several visits and some extensive walking to meet many of them..
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Thanks for visiting.. Adios!
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[morti]

Very nice habitat shots.

[BWSmith]

Originally Posted by RioBravoReptiles

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How common are erebennus in that area? It seems like you find at least a couple a year.

[RioBravoReptiles]

Originally Posted by BWSmith

How common are erebennus in that area? .....

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How frequently the Indigo snakes can be encountered in this area (and others in my experience) is a factor of how much knowledge and how much effort is put into searching for them. Not how many there are.
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BTW: You asked me the exact same question in another recent thread on south Texas herping here's my answer again..
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"On the subject of the prevalence of Indigo snakes in our area.. south Texas is a big place. There's going to be a place in it for these big snakes for the foreseeable future.. somewhere down at the end of a road that hasn't been developed or out on a private game ranch or a wildlife preserve. But the days of seeing these animals day-to-day, living with us or near us and where we work.. those good times are Going-going--- and very soon GONE. Everything is being bulldozed down, paved over and developed.. plus people increasingly have no appreciation for these animals and spare nothing for them and directly kill them whenever and wherever they are encountered"
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I can't come up with a better answer, but I'll work on it! .. and note also.... the area I photographed above in those photos from yesterday has survey stakes all over it and a phalanx of giant machines is working about 1000' away!
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[BWSmith]

Originally Posted by RioBravoReptiles

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BTW: You asked me the exact same question in another recent thread on south Texas herping here's my answer again..
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Sometimes I am repetitive.

[BWSmith]

Sometimes I am repetitive.

[RioBravoReptiles]

.. here's another 'condo' resident..
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Maybe 'Timeshare' would be a better term? .. since many times the rodents scramble out of one side of these nests when something like this moves in another.
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