Reptile & Amphibian Forums

this year my main goal is to find some eastern milks around my neck of the woods . there very uncommon but theres supposevly a few scattered colonies near were i live that im going to give a shot .i live near philadelphia ,PA, the area im searching is a big state park with a creek in the middle, multiple ponds and marshes all sourounding it with brooks and smaller creeks leading to the main creek, all the brooks are permanent run off streams from the hilly mountains sourounding the main creek and its ponds in the valley, would i be better off in the ponds that are loaded with frogs, newts and garters/water snakes , or am i better off higher up in elevation ? i know these are "secretive" little guys but i know theyre there i spotted what i belived was a milksnake near the ponds some 10 odd years ago but i havnt realy herped around there since ,people tell me to they sometiems mass hibernate under foundations of old spring houses, wells and mill foundations, i have not found any in this park though. Now i read that the milks are there but secretive and thats my motive to get out and see whats popin. i do not keep my catch's ,all of this is for imformational and personel curiosity purposes only , i keep a log of evrything and send it into Pennsylvania state fish and game for population info.
any information would be appreciated .
thanx
ryan
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0.0.1 Dusky pygmy rattlesnake
1.0 Amelanistic greatplains ratsnake
0.1 Greatplains ratsnake
0.1 Amelanistic Cornsnake
1.1 Everglades Ratsnake
0.1 Greenish ratsnake
1.1 Speckled kingsnake
1.1 stripeless gartersnake
1.0 onestriped northwestern garter
0.1 Oregon Red sided gartersnake
1.1 anoles
0.0.1 tokay gecko
0.1 graceful chamelion
1.0 green iguana
and a bangin @ss drumset

My best guess would be open habitat such as an old field. Look for a fairly dry habitat, then find spots where moisture can be found within the dry habitat...under large flat stones or boards are a good start. Sometimes, you can find A/C within a state park. Look around dumpsters or areas where they store their mulch, rr ties, etc. I have found these spots to be bountiful in the past. Not sure about the rules in PA, but collecting (or even picking up a snake- considered harassing them) is prohibited in the NC state parks and should be avoided. I believe that eastern milks are diurnal, so looking for them at dusk under A/C may be successful. That is how I find mole kings in NC.

Good luck and post when you find what you are looking for.

Michael

I have found quite a bit of baby Eastern Milks under rocks along the creek and in the creek beds. Mostly what I found were Northern Water Snakes but the Eastern Milks were there. But I never found any adults there.

Dan

are you talking about ridley creek state park ?
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0.0.1 Dusky pygmy rattlesnake
1.0 Amelanistic greatplains ratsnake
0.1 Greatplains ratsnake
0.1 Amelanistic Cornsnake
1.1 Everglades Ratsnake
0.1 Greenish ratsnake
1.1 Speckled kingsnake
1.1 stripeless gartersnake
1.0 onestriped northwestern garter
0.1 Oregon Red sided gartersnake
1.1 anoles
0.0.1 tokay gecko
0.1 graceful chamelion
1.0 green iguana
and a bangin @ss drumset

No. That was growing up in SE Indiana.

Dan

Are you sure they weren't just young water snakes?

I go hiking a lot along the Wissahickon and never saw a milk snake. I went out last night and saw my first garter and first water snake of the year.
Good luck finding them and let us know how you do.
Joe

i think he was pertainging to somewere else , but there is milks in the whisahickon ,check it out . i have yet to go down there this year but ill let you know how it goes .
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0.0.1 Dusky pygmy rattlesnake
1.0 Amelanistic greatplains ratsnake
0.1 Greatplains ratsnake
0.1 Amelanistic Cornsnake
1.1 Everglades Ratsnake
0.1 Greenish ratsnake
1.1 Speckled kingsnake
1.1 stripeless gartersnake
1.0 onestriped northwestern garter
0.1 Oregon Red sided gartersnake
1.1 anoles
0.0.1 tokay gecko
0.1 graceful chamelion
1.0 green iguana
and a bangin @ss drumset