Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I guess I could have posted this in the "Field Observation" area BUT I think it applies just as much here.

I'm only 32 and not one of the "old timers" BUT I still read the Ditmar and Kauffeld books. I have many "old timer" friends and often dream of being in the fiel herping about the time that i was actually in diapers-lol.

Our hobby has changed so much the last 30-40 years. It's went from fun/adventure to genetics/profit-margins (at least in part).

This is both good and bad! It's great because now information can be shared between people much more freely than before (no more snail mail letters to zoos or herpetologists asking questions), animals are captive produced in numbers unheard of in the past- offering higher selectively bred-healthier-more colorful captives, species once rare in the wild are now common in the trade, etc...

The downside is that alot of the excitement/thrill/challenge of seeing/finding these animals in the field has faded. Why would someone spend hundreds of dollars in gas... many many many sleepless nights roadcruising or (god forbid) hiking in the Florida Panhandle's Apalachicola region to find a single Blotched King when he could buy a beautiful captive for $35 online.????.. or weeks in west Texas walking rock cuts all night for a Grey Banded King that he could pick up for $55????

The older I get the more time I'm spending in the field- yeah I might be able to buy a screaming trio for $95 BUT I wanna get the chance to see a real one in the wild- at least while they still exist in the wild! This past year I've herped from Arizona to Florida and plan on doing it again this year.

My racks are already full of animals...some cool designer morphs...and some reagular everyday stuff that I LIKE no matter how hard offspring can be to sale. I don't need to collect anything really- I just want to be able to really appreciate what I have. I can still recall the day when I first flipped a piece of plywood and saw a baby cal king coiled up- yeah, it may be a $15 snake in the hobby BUT no amount of money could buy the feeling that rushed through my body. More recently I finally got to see Ridgenose Rattlesnakes in the wild- that had been a very long dream of mine- I can't tell you how many times over the years that I read through that part in Kauffeld's "Snakes and Snake Hunting" about them.

Maybe I'm rambling- I know alot of y'all get out in the field- What makes you do it when you could just tuen on your computer..log onto the classifieds... click and buy almost any species imaginable? Just food for thought!

I've set my goals for species I wanna see thsi year while field herping- maybe I'll see them...maybe I won't...BUT I can guarantee you I'll have a great time trying... enjoying the beauty of mother nature!

Graham

like you said no amount of money could buy that feeling of going out there and finding one yourself. and who knows, you might find something nobody has ever seen. even if you don't, its worth every penny.

Nice shots! Glad to see that I'm not the only one that feels that way!
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Good post Graham
It's the hunt not the capture. When you find your favorite snake after days of failure,it's means more and has a story to go with it.Learning how snakes live and breed in the wild helps us know how to care for them in capitivity.
Like going fishing, we don't do it to catch fish,if thats what we wanted we would go to the fish market.

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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

Its all worth it when you get one to kiss ya like that Doug! If we only had a dollar for every kiss!

I'm ashamed to say that I've stooped low enough to smell L. alterna musk on fingers for motivation to drive/hunt a few more hours in west Texas-lol.

And my favorite saying: "If it's biting me I must've caught it!" (or maybe it has me..)
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Beautiful black rat!

Thats been my idea on captive breeding for years. If hobbyists aren't having success with a species then they MUST BE MISSING a small piece of the puzzle. Most people don't think to research their natural habitat... feel free to venture outside of herpetological information...look at the weather service for monthly temps, moisture levels, etc... see what the climate in the microhabitat they come from is.

Just because a snake is found in Arizona doesn't mean that it likes desert temps. Look at the "Sky Islands"...

Animals successfully breed in the wild...if they aren't breeding in captivity there is a reason. Sometimes the stuff we learn while camping, hiking or herping will answer those burning questions!
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Is an Indigo on the menu next. It'll put you back on the right path.

Mike

np

The pic explain your handle? LOL
Love the ol' blacksnakes, just keep the iodine nearby..

Matthew

lol, I didnt think of that
Black rats are a cool looking snake
Here is one from St Marys co MD

This big one from my home state NY

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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

Hey Granham,

Great Post. You are not rambling. I have hunted and caught Goini in the panhandle. However, I never caught one as nice as the one I purchased from other breeders. I own several of Ditmars books and every once and awhile I'll crack one open even though I own newer publications with more current info. I spent a week in west Texas and was amazed how many Rattle snakes I found or found me ...I'm still not sure.

Snakes are what you get out of them. You can read books ..past & present to get a feel how things have evolved in terms of our knowledge base and the many characters started our culture in reptiles. You can travel the country to see were some of your snakes actually originated from..... ( my Favorite).Some folks want to become rich..... Ha Ha....breeding snakes. In time they sell off their stock because is not enough of a money motivator or they bit off more than they could chew.

I am fortunate to live close to a guy that hunted snakes back in the 70's and the story's of the old days would amaze you. I enjoy my snakes on many levels (reading, travel, and maintaining a small collection) like it appears that you do.

Congrats.....you get it and you are right.

Best Wishes
Scott Sweeney

Awesome post Scott! Wow- goini in the wild... it must be a heart stopper when you come across one.

The "old timers" grew up with stories from Ditmars books & Kauffeld (hence even today people making the pilgrimage to the Okeetee Hunt Club). Children these days don’t have “adventure” herp books like those- but the new generation of herpers can explain genetics to their parents-lol. At least their gaining knowledge from the hobby.

We all learn that one valuable lesson with time- the main thing I try to pass on to the new guys: “Keep the species you enjoy- not the ones you think will make you money.” I chased the buck for many years and was never successful. I’m much happier now that I’m keeping the stuff I enjoy working with and spending time in the field appreciating what’s in my breeding racks at home.
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in my opinion no beautiful online morph could ever replace the honor of seeing snakes in the wild. if i were to attach a numerical value to all of my snakes trips i have taken, it would come to over $ 10,000 easily. that is considering that i take two, one week trips a year, and have done so for the last 18 years. (between flying to fl. and az. and driving all over texas). i usually save my vacation time and overtime money just to see snakes in the wild. also, just as i dont want my 2 and 4 year old to always believe that santa claus drops christmas gifts from the chimney, i dont want them to think snakes land on your front door in a box from fed-x.

It's a shame how many young people think the "natural habitat" of a snake is an 8 oz. deli cup at a reptile show. I think the cheap prices for colubrids make for a lack of appreciation as to how hard some of them are to find in the wild.

On the other hand, places like California have either "No Tresspassing" signs in just about every good herping area or your option is in a National Park, which can be challenging with the "do not disturb wildlife" philosophy parks have.

And for those who do field herp, I've seen a disturbing amount of rocks and logs in fairly remote areas that were flipped and never put back - in a number of different states.

Times have changed, and not necessarily for the better.

Tim

Agree. Things are not what they were back when. Cost of gas, permits, interference from some locals, and FW officials. Even photography is considered disturbance. You have to remember most of our open lands are now being handed over for development and or oil, gas exploration. If the gov't wants more land, they'll take it.

Mike

Be glad the world is into candy flavored deli cup snakes. Can you imagine the 14 year old kids out with mom road cruising or out in th field flipping tin or rocks?
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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

this past sept. while i was at work one day i called my wife who informed me that she was one her way to south texas with my 2 and 4 year old. they were bored and spontenutiy took over. they saw quit a few snakes that evening

that pic is fantastic don't Make sure you save that one
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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

The feeling of opening an incubator & seeing a bunch of little snake heads poking out of thier eggs, or walking in the snake room & seeing a bunch of baby boas crawling all over thier mom is awesome, but to me nothing beats field herping. I'm 27 years old & have been out looking almost every single day (when the weather is good) since I was 10 years old. The best times I've had have been out herping, finding piles of baby rattlesnakes, gartersnake breeding balls, snakes eating, finding interesting color morphs, & so on. I'll never stop

Dan Eby

Dan your pics are great to see as always. I like that old car and the open mouth shots,and even that bug.If i didnt see a snake all day I would be happy to hike in habitat like that.
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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

Thanks Doug!
Some days I dont see snakes, but you're right, its still alot of fun.

Dan

Dan,

I just shot you an e-mnail. Always love the field pics, buddy!

-Cole

Cole,
Just replied.

Thanks! Whould you like some more?

Dan

great pics! I guess your out of milk snake range
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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

Thanks!
Unfortunetly no milks arround me, I'm in central MT. Maby this spring I'll get to find one.

Dan

I know you have a copy of "The Keeper and The Kept.

Thanx again for the thought provocking post.

Scott Sweeney
Sweeney's Serpents
www.sweeneysserpents.com