Reptile & Amphibian Forums

These snakes are simply awesome!! I found this one last night in southeast OK:

This one was easily the prettiest I have seen (upon capture), but they do have a pesky habit of darkening up when stressed, and at other times as well. It's not an immediate change, but certainly noticeable. A good photographer, with controlled lighting, could easily give a demonstration of their ability to change shades. It's impressive!

I also found a nice looking "syspila."

Too bad it wasn't alive

And, the first hatchling box turtle I've ever found:

Shane
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Lifelist

Real nice photos of the rattler. How far away are those from where you saw the timber rattler you posted before?

Regards
John

Thanks John. That pyg was about 100 mi. east of any horridus I've seen in OK. I live nearly as south and as central as it gets in OK. The last horridus I posted was from this general area.

Shane
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Lifelist

I guess the range maps in Conant are very simplified. There must be a much less uniform distribution than they show.

Thanks
John

I'm not following you? I find pygs and horridus in this area as well??

Shane
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Lifelist

John, the last post I made on this forum was from the extreme western periphery of both horridus and streckeri. I had to question why you brought it up If you ever get the chance to herp down here, you will understand the massiveness of agriculture. I tend to sort out the chances of good habitat in any area. Does that make it look easy?

Shane
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Lifelist

Shane:
My question was motivated by curiosity. I am familiar with the habitat of timbers in the northeast. Around here I associate them with wooded areas (often a rocky hillside that affords the possibility for winter denning). I was curious whether pygmies and timbers would frequent the same area. And without first looking at range maps I wasn't aware of what the range of the pygmy rattlesnake looked like in your area. From a cursory inspection of Conant it looks like horridus and streckeri have about the same range in your state. I was trying to determine if they would be found in close proximity to each other. Sorry if I was vague. I tend to be.
Regards
John

>>John, the last post I made on this forum was from the extreme western periphery of both horridus and streckeri. I had to question why you brought it up If you ever get the chance to herp down here, you will understand the massiveness of agriculture. I tend to sort out the chances of good habitat in any area. Does that make it look easy?
>>
>>Shane
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>>Lifelist

Kudos on being vague The herp diversity in this area, just above the TX/OK dividing line, is visually obvious. Fragmented, in my favor of finds. Needless to say, south of the border, there is some considerable sterility. Not too much Etheostoma diversity down that way either. However, the big rodent-eaters fare well, on this side of the border. I'm sure they appreciate the federal economic boundary? One way or the other, there is still some healthy diversity here......

Shane
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Lifelist

Shane,
Those are some clean pics of a spectacular snake.
Congrats of the finds!
Jason Mc

Thanks Jason,
I think streckeri are just as cool as any of the little montanes. Can't say the same for barbouri.

Shane
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Lifelist