Herping Central TX, - Apr 20th (pics warning)

[Ravnos]

Was a very productive day. I actually found some stuff for a change, redeemed after getting wholey skunked last week. Well, this week we were literally skunked, flipped a big board and underneath was a somewhat woozy skunk bedding down for the day. He was more gracious about it though, and let us get away un-scented.

Anyway, the finds this week were:
4 Texas Patchnose snakes (Salvadora grahamiae lineata) - one particular big one that actually bit me, they're normally quite docile snakes. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]



1 Texas Blind snake (Leptotyphlops dulcis) - we all thought it was a big earthworm at first, until one of our group pointed out that it was a blind snake. Not something we look for intentionally much. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] Weird species.


1 Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster) - very nice animal.


1 Texas Garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis annectans) - a good find, these are actually more rare than you would think.



1 Western Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum testaceus) - speedy gonzales. Took three of us crashing through the bush to grab him. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]



1 Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) - the calmest snake all day. He just laid under the tin flicking his tongue, so we let him be.


4 Blotched Watersnakes (Nerodia erythrogaster transversa) - one we found was a big female, looked like she had gotten in a fight with a weed wacker. We were finding dozens of shed skins from watersnakes all day.

Narrowmouth Toad - cute little guy, another unexpected find buried in the mulch layer.


Several Gulf Coast Toads - these guys are almost everywhere in TX.
A Leopard Frog - pretty common too, but this one was in an area we don't normally see them. No complaint. Catching these guys is difficult at best. I don't normally carry a net.
A Cliff Frog - literally on a cliffside, I climbed up to a ledge about 15 feet to see what was there. Neat little frogs. I'm told they are incredibly easy to breed... just throw a bunch of them into a moist mulchy substrate and wait. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

A Green Anole
A Texas Spiny Lizard
Several Ground Skinks


A couple of large centipedes, a riot to catch with their nasty bite.


Ah well, it was a good day. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[BWSmith]

Good Job Rav! had much better luck than me!
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[JonnyB]

Nice pics rav sounds like you had a good time no pics of skunk lol [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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[telefrag]

man.. what I would give to find a few patchnose snakes, I think im a tad too far NE for those, although they have susposedly been found in my area.


Nice trip!
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[Ravnos]

No pics of the skunk because we were all backpedalling away. There was 5 of us there at that time, and all of us were within spray-shot of that skunk should he have been startled. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

The TX patchnose ranges all the way up to Wise county in the NE, Robertson county in the E, Throckmorton county in the NW, Crockett county in the W, and all the way south to the border. So it is most of TX including the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. You won't find them in and about the town or city parks though, you'll have to go out to quiet ranchland. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Its a shame patchnose are not good in captivity, they're so cool.

Rav

[schatzie001]

You did have a some good catches that day - thanks for sharing...Love that blood pattern on your hand [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]
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[LdyDrgn]

Nice, Rav. We're hoping our herping trips around here will improve a bit as the weather gets warmer....and drier. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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[Constrictor_BO]

Nice pics. Which one is the culprit and left you with the battle wound?
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[Ravnos]

That patchnose I have in my hand where I'm holding the hook too. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Rav
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[herp_chick]

Awesome. I have never seen a patchnose snake before, it's gorgeous. Why not good in captivity? Special diet? Too stressful? Won't eat? Anyway, looks like you guys had a great time. Thanks for letting us all see what a successful herping trip looks like [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]
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[Ravnos]

The patchnose here are ophiophagous and once established feeding rarely ever switch over to anything else. I have heard of some people getting babies to eat mice, but very few. I've never heard of anyone getting an adult to switch over to eating mice. While it wouldn't be a real problem finding, say, earth snakes, ground snakes and the like for babies - even I don't have the time or inclination to try and find enough to feed a large adult. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Rav
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