Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Per advice of some members here, my friend and I decided to try our luck elsewhere this past weekend. We headed to western NM where it wasn't as wet and cool. Found some cool things:

3 pyros
1 klauberi
few gopher snakes
1 splendida
1 glossy
1 whipsnake
alligator lizards
skinks
Sceloporus
Urosaurus
canyon tree frogs
etc

the aligator lizards?
Thanks Shannon

I only have some of one specimen and they aren't that good. This particular one had a very reduced pattern. All the others which I failed to photograph had very nice, distinct patterns. My friend Max who went with me also came across one protecting eggs. I will post the picture shortly.

This one had a reduced pattern. Ended up seeing about 7-9 between the two of us.

Like that 1st pyro with the 3 consecutive white mismarked bands and of course being a lep lover I absolutely luv the klaub. That was a great "alterna"tive choice of places to go hunt. You guys earned them too by field collecting and camping out. Congrats!! BA

Not knowing anything about herping and collecting in NM, how does it compare to Texas? Can you keep what you find? Are there many protected species? ect?
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South Texas Herps

I love it here. Residents do not need collecting permits (unless for commercial purposes). There are protected species here. Of the top of my head, the snakes are:

C.l.lepidus (but klauberi is OK...annual limit is 2 I believe)
blotched water snake
alterna
arid land ribbon snake
NM ridgenose rattlesnake
narrowhead garter snake
green rat snake

That's all i can think of now. 2/3 of our salamanders are protected also. Some turtles and some lizards as well. However, I've never been stopped or hassled ever. It's a pretty laid back state to herp in.

What about non residents, say if you took me to a place to find pyros would I be able to collect them? What would I need. I think it would be awesome to collect a couple of those guys.
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South Texas Herps

I thinik a non resident license is around $50. Not sure if that's per year or what. I think it is, but would research to make sure. NM is cool in that we have a lot of the famous snakes from AZ in the southwest. And a lot of the Trans-Pecos critters that people hunt TX for.

Erik,

Looks as if you guys probably made the right choice by going west. Outstanding pyros (especially the first one) and klauberi.
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Gerald Keown
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research
www.southwesternherp.com