Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Our first night out. After searching in the uplands of the Santa Ritas and finding two tiger rattlers, we headed down to the flats and the Santa Cruz River. It was about 10 pm. On one of the roads we cruised we found two of our target species. One was the Western coral snake.

Here's Eddie getting a pic...

Another of the same snake...

Closer image. The snake had an injury and some tissue was hanging out...

A real close pic...

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Just looking, clicking, curious, studying, laughing, having fun, meeting cool folks, sharing. Live your dream, relax, smile, don't worry so much, love life. See ya there...TC.

Great looking Coral man, it is alot smaller than I had pictured it when I read your report a few weeks ago, but then again Micruroides don't attain the the length of the other American Corals. Are they that common out there or just an occassional find ?
......Scott Wahlberg

Ha...I probably remembered it as being larger than it was in my first report.

I think corals are probably pretty common, just hardly ever seen. In some years they are seen more than in others. I think they like moisture, so may crawl on top when it rains.

But I'm just a visitor in AZ at this time, and don't know near as much as some of the residents. Then again most of the residents in Green Valley don't even know the corals exist there. They know the gila, but not the coral. I guess that says something.

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Just looking, clicking, curious, studying, laughing, having fun, meeting cool folks, sharing. Live your dream, relax, smile, don't worry so much, love life. See ya there...TC.

because of their fossorial habits. It's all really a matter of luck. They are my nemesis, LOL! Some people I know find eight or nine a year. I have herped Az. for some forty years and never found one. I have found all the rarities, several vine snakes, several milks in Az. BUT NO #@#^#%*)$ CORALSNAKE! I have even dedicated whole years to searching for them night and day wit no luck. Nice find Terry! too bad it had to be injured.

meet up with you. I'm sure are paths will cross some day.

Someday I'll be there fulltime, except when I'm in CA, N.M., TX, and Mexico, of course, and then I'll probably have to put on an addition so all my visitors will have a place to stay, haha. Looking forward to the day.

Missing AZ already....

TC