Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here's a pic of a very fortunate Nastycophis that made a thirty something mile trip wrapped around the undercarriage of a co-worker's truck. I get this call from Aaron at work saying, "Todd, I have a snake for you, it's in my truck"! I tell him, I'm on my way, thinking he scooped it into something and has a ribbon or checkered garter or some small animal. I ask him how big it is and he says 4 feet at least! I am now interested and moving faster back to the shop. I get there and everyone is gathered around the truck, I have no idea it is "in the truck", they point,I ask what color, they say tan, I say coachwhip, I say where were you when you found it, they say we were in Port A. at so n so's house and it shot under the car and disappeared! I look under the driver's wheel well and , sure enough, the coach wrapped itself around the tie rod and hung on for dear life. I reached in and got it out, it came willingly, and they say is it poisonous?, I say no but it is gonna go for my face, everyone pulls out cameras and as I am reaching for mine I am explaining how smart they are and they actually go for the eyes/face of their antagonizer. As if on cue this snake goes around my side and tries for an ear shot! I snapped the pic on his recoil. He was about 4-4 1/2 feet but did real well with only the one attempt on my life. But they all learned of the second secret weapon, for as they gathered closer for more pics, the snake let 'em all have it with a generous spray of musk! I was rolling as they were all screaming and gagging and running around! It put on a great show, hosed 'em all and deserved the trip all the way back home! I released it exactly where they described their truck being parked and watched it jet back into the dunes/brush. My eyes are still crispy from the blast of its' afterburners kickin' in! Everyone at the shop learned something today!
Todd Hughes

Haha!

That's great, Todd!

Would've loved to be down there with ya for that one!

//Todd

I.ve had a few get loose in the truck but never one that went willingly, albeit unknowingly! I just can't imagine it hangin' on for so long.
Todd Hughes

That is an awesome story about that guy. Lucky snake is right! I had my first experience w/ one of those guys a few weeks ago. It was a baby we found under some tins in the reservoir w/ some guys from the herp society that we belong to. The little snake had apparently cleaned out a voles nest, and was none too happy when we picked it up (as if they ever are). It bit everyone that handled it except my daughter. Cool pic. It almost looks like it's chilled out on your arm. Thanx for sharing.

reako45

Awesome rescue! Godd job.
-----
Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
1.2.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Hypo Everglades Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Salt and Pepper Bull Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
1.0.0 Hypermelanistic California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Albino High White California Kingsnake
0.1.0 California Kingsnake
1.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
4.2.0 Rosy Boas (Harquahala, Mexican, Temecula, & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Western Hognoses
1.1.0 Red Sided Garter Snakes

LIZARDS
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
1.0.0 African Fat-Tail Gecko
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
0.1.0 Banded Gecko
0.0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko

AMPHIBIANS
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog
0.0.2 Gold Frogs
1.0.0 Fire Salamander