Using herp bands is an acquired skill.

Unfortunately, I used to kill lizards with them with some frequency. One summer (1986) as an undergraduate student I had a job working for Jack Sites catching Sceloporus grammicus (and related lizards) in areas around Mexico city. Over 6 weeks we caught over 1500 lizards and I would say 95% of those lizards survived the experience of capture. Since that time, I am sure I have banded many hundreds of lizards. Have I killed a few by mistake....sure. But I have also managed to catch lizards that I couldn't have captured otherwise. There is a risk involved and I only use the technique when I have to capture a particular lizard for a good reason.

You have to be careful with really small lizards as it is easy to hit them too hard but with a little practice, you can stun a lizard for just a few seconds - long enough to grab it.
Noosing is better and a heck of a lot more fun!

For reference, I prefer 2 number 105 rubber bands tied together.
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, TX

[ Hide Replies ]

• Tools for field herping... - goini04, Wed Sep 21 13:32:30 2005
• RE: Tools for field herping... - chrish, Wed Sep 21 13:58:39 2005
• You forgot the "Freer Burgers" - LBenton, Wed Sep 21 16:49:06 2005
• I'm thinking I may have to have that thing surgically removed! /np - chrish, Wed Sep 21 23:26:06 2005
• RE: rubberbands,........stump ripper? - snake_bit, Wed Sep 21 19:03:19 2005
• RE: rubberbands,........stump ripper? - swwit, Wed Sep 21 19:17:29 2005
• sounds so enviroment/habitat friendly!..lol - justinian2120, Sat Sep 24 20:15:17 2005
• RE: Tools for field herping... - angusblack, Wed Sep 21 19:10:59 2005
• RE: Rubber bands... - aliceinwl, Wed Sep 21 19:49:40 2005
• RE: Rubber bands... - chrish, Wed Sep 21 23:33:29 2005
• RE: Rubber Band Sharp Shooting - snake_bit, Thu Sep 22 12:10:24 2005
• RE: Rubber Band Sharp Shooting - chrish, Thu Sep 22 14:05:13 2005
• RE: Rubber Band Sharp Shooting - snake_bit, Thu Sep 22 21:04:28 2005
• RE: Tools for field herping... - regalringneck, Fri Sep 23 18:21:45 2005
• RE: You forgot hand granades,,,,,,,,np - snake_bit, Fri Sep 23 18:32:56 2005
• LOL ya forgot the kitchen sink,,,,,,,,,,,,,,n/p - thomas davis, Wed Sep 28 15:58:57 2005
• so YOU'RE the guy herping in that 18-wheeler.... - justinian2120, Sat Oct 22 01:02:38 2005
• RE: Tools for field herping... - sunturtle, Wed Sep 21 21:21:36 2005
• Wouldn't the flashlight work for that... - LBenton, Thu Sep 22 09:34:12 2005
• RE: Wouldn't the flashlight work for that... - chrish, Thu Sep 22 14:02:53 2005
• Best tools: My eyes and dog-dumb persistence... - erik loza, Wed Sep 21 21:28:55 2005
• RE: Tools for field herping... - lateralis, Thu Sep 22 10:09:05 2005
• Good point... - chrish, Thu Sep 22 13:58:22 2005
• RE: Good point... - lateralis, Thu Sep 22 16:05:51 2005
• Knife & mirror - tvandeventer, Thu Sep 22 12:57:51 2005
• I carry a couple of these - bluerosy, Thu Sep 22 23:59:37 2005
• RE: Tools for field herping... - Joe R., Thu Sep 22 19:34:04 2005
• And also.... - LBenton, Fri Sep 23 09:14:21 2005
• RE: Tools for field herping... - donalds4, Sun Sep 25 01:33:16 2005