Reptile & Amphibian Forums

1ST OFF
I need night snakes any size any sub-species. I am trying to conduct an exhaustive research project, more complete than any I have read thus far. So far I have been really let donw by any documentaries on night snakes, a species I think is really fascinating. I breed night lizards, side blotch lizards (uta) and whip tails as feed for the night snakes, so I have no problem getting one that is a picky eater. I have it favorites!
Email me at Mykechat247@aol.com

2ND-LY
ANY and ALL pictures you would let me use, please email me at mykechat247@aol.com ANY and ALL observations, made in captivity or even better in the wild, please email to me. No matter how basic you think it might be, all information helps. I would love to get tons of responses, no matter how basic you think they are, you would be surprised how little is written on these snakes. Please email me ASAP. I will be working on this report until I feel it is of sufficient size, and post a copy here when it is done. Any and All help is greatly appreciated. Thank you again. Myke

Mykechat247@aol.com
mykesgonemad@aol.com

homestead.com/repolhd

Unless I am mistaken, I believe a comprehensive study of the night snakes is being undertaken by a graduate student at Utah State University. You might try contacting that institution with respect to your interest in the species.

Richard F. Hoyer

Myke:
I have observed only a few night snakes in the San Bernardino Mts. of S. Calif. and in E. Oregon (Crooked River Drainage south of Prinville Oregon). The Night Snake and Rubber Boa occur together in the San Benardino Mts. (and probably elsewhere as well). I made one predation trial in which I placed a junenile Rubber Boa from Oregon with an adult Night Snake from the San Bernardino Mts. but there was no interaction.

In Oregon, I offered juvenile Northwestern Garter Snakes to the Night Snake which it cosumed as well as the small lizards I offered as prey.

Since you indicate you breed three species of lizards, I was wondering if you ever produce a 'surplus' number of eggs of any of the three species you mention? I have documented that Charina
bottae (Rubber Boa) consumes the eggs of the W. Skink, W. Fence, Sagebrush, Sideblotched, and S. All. Lizards. I would like to expose the boa to Whiptail and Night Lizard eggs. I am not certain if some species of Whiptails occur in Rubber Boa habitat but one species of Night Lizard occurs with the boas on the Kern Plateau and thus the eggs of those lizards are a potential food source for the boa.

Richard F. Hoyer

Richard, I collected a night snake from the Fossil area, and when I offered him lizards he flat out refused. I tried garter snakes next, but still no avail. Finally I tried Pacific Chorus frogs, and I got a great feeding response! Tree frog scenting newborn mouse pinks made it possible to convert the animal to a mammilian diet. My question is, is it common for night snakes to prefer frogs over lizards? Could it be linked to the local, or just an odd specimen? Thanks

Myke:
After reading your first post, I recalled a 1999 scientific meeting I attended in Ashland, Oregon in which I believe Dr. Charles Peterson of Idaho St. U. mentioned the Night Snake as being an integral part of the field research being done at his institution. You might which to check that out as well.

If my recollection serves me corrently, it was mentioned that they had considered the species to be rather scarce to uncommon until they employed different monitoring techniques. I believe they went to drift fence pit-fall and/or funnel traps. Turned out that the species proved to be the second most abundant snake in their research area.

Again, this needs to come from the original source as my memory may not be all that precise.

Richard F. Hoyer

Myke:
While I am in the 'thinking' mood, how about expanding your field searching to higher elevations and find a population of the Rubber Boa in the nearby San Gabriel Mts. The species is now well documented from the San Benardino Mts., to the east, the Tehachapi Mts. to the north, and the Mt. Pinos, Mt. Abel, etc. region to the west of the San Gabriel Mts. So someone needs to take up the challenge of finding the species in the San Gabriels.

Richard F. Hoyer

Thank you for your help Richard, and to all that have emailed me thus far you guys are a great rescource. I will check all those sources and keep the board posted on any progress. Keep up the good work!-- Myke

Hello Myke. I found a hatchling under some trash here in the outskirts of Sacramento back in May of 1996. They're pretty well know from the coastal hills 30-40 miles to the west and less-so from our Sierras up here to the east, but this guy was found at sea level with nary a mountain in sight. They're easy to catch in the desert and particularly when looking for zonata in southern California but I don't believe Hypsiglena has ever been documented here in the valley before. It's ironic because I had been hitting the spot where he was found pretty routinely for a couple of years before that day and still beat it up every spring since and have seen neither him nor, more significantly, his mom or dad. It's a paradox and like a stooge, I didn't have any camera gear with me that day and wasn't driving right home, so left him there. In any event, how have you been able to breed whiptails in captivity? I tried for years to keep those guys for any length of time and they always ended up wasting away sooner or later. A combination of not enough room, just the stress of being in captivity, plus whatever parasites they would be harboring, I think. How do you do it, if I can ask?

Hello Myke. I found a hatchling under some trash here in the outskirts of Sacramento back in May of 1996. They're pretty well know from the coastal hills 30-40 miles to the west and less-so from our Sierras up here to the east, but this guy was found at sea level with nary a mountain in sight. They're easy to catch in the desert and particularly when looking for zonata in southern California but I don't believe Hypsiglena has ever been documented here in the valley before. It's ironic because I had been hitting the spot where he was found pretty routinely for a couple of years before that day and still beat it up every spring since and have seen neither him nor, more significantly, his mom or dad. It's a paradox and like a stooge, I didn't have any camera gear with me that day and wasn't driving right home, so left him there. In any event, how have you been able to breed whiptails in captivity? I tried for years to keep those guys for any length of time and they always ended up wasting away sooner or later. A combination of not enough room, just the stress of being in captivity, plus whatever parasites they would be harboring, I think. How do you do it, if I can ask?

Hello Myke. I found a hatchling under some trash here in the outskirts of Sacramento back in May of 1996. They're pretty well know from the coastal hills 30-40 miles to the west and less-so from our Sierras up here to the east, but this guy was found at sea level with nary a mountain in sight. They're easy to catch in the desert and particularly when looking for zonata in southern California but I don't believe Hypsiglena has ever been documented here in the valley before. It's ironic because I had been hitting the spot where he was found pretty routinely for a couple of years before that day and still beat it up every spring since and have seen neither him nor, more significantly, his mom or dad. It's a paradox and like a stooge, I didn't have any camera gear with me that day and wasn't driving right home, so left him there. In any event, how have you been able to breed whiptails in captivity? I tried for years to keep those guys for any length of time and they always ended up wasting away sooner or later. A combination of not enough room, just the stress of being in captivity, plus whatever parasites they would be harboring, I think. How do you do it, if I can ask?

In respon to your Question Erik, I have had the most sucess with night snakes in captivity when using an all lizard diet and feeding the animals mid-sized meals frequently. Most frogs tend to carry more ailments than lizards and night snakes don't tend to eat prekilled prey. In the spring I catch my bag limit of Uta's and the snakes all time favorite night lizards. I do not feed those to him until summer, and save many for breeding. The Night lizards breed readily, with no effort, and will 1-4 live offspring sometimes 3 times a year in captivity. I am not sure why they reproduce so well in captivity, but they do and make great feed! Whiptails work as feed for large adults, but becareful to not feed to big a whiptail since the whiptails are aggressive and one bad feed is all it takes to scare a good snake. Spineys and Fence lizards do not make good feed. If you rnight snake is small try baby night lizards with the tail taken off. Though the night snake has been recorded as consuming prey up to one fourth of its body wieght I have found captive night snakes are prone to either not digest there food at all, or regurgitate all they eat. I also noted they eat best at night around 10pm at a temperature of around 75 degrees. Of course this is all aproximate. Giving this species a lot of hide space will fix the stress problems. Typically I use several mid-sized pieces of dead (fallen over and completly dried) Joshua tree bark that has been sun scorched and use parasite spray on it, as well as sand blast it as necessary. I use calci-sand bedding, since this animal CAN NOT be moved to a seperate container for feeding due to the stress factor. An adult can be well housed in a twenty gallon long aquarium. It works for me I hope it will for you as well!

(p.s. email me for some great night lizard hunting locations, and I mean great. I have caught my bag limit in one day in some spots. The limit is at 25 I believe. Mykechat247@aol.com)

Hey Myke,
I have acouple of pics of Night snakes I have found in different locales in So. Calif. I find them all the time. I do not have them digital but I can scan them. I just found one a week ago and took pics so I can help you there.
Feel free to e-mail me at Tlanzi@hotmail.com

Tony

Hey Myke,
I have acouple of pics of Night snakes I have found in different locales in So. Calif. I find them all the time. I do not have them digital but I can scan them. I just found one a week ago and took pics so I can help you there.
Feel free to e-mail me at Tlanzi@hotmail.com

Tony

Location: KERN COUNTY, foothills of Greenhorn Mountains, Granite Station, elevation around 610 m (2000 ft.)
Date(s);Time: 30 March 2002
Environment: California Prairie (vicinity of outcrops)
Subspecies: H. t. nuchalata, California Night Snake
Remarks: During hot day, found beneath log on grassy hillside.

Location: LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Angeles National Forest, North Fork San Gabriel Canyon, elevation 833 m (2600 ft.)
Date(s);Time: 6 June 1996 (8:20 p.m.)
Environment: Chaparral Shrub (exposed rocky stream course)
Subspecies: H. t. ochrorhyncha, Spotted Night Snake
Description: Gray, with dark spots on body and three, large blotches behind head; ventral sleek. Measured: SVL 330 mm (13 in.), TL 380 mm (15 in.)
Remarks: At twilight, detected by the sound rustling dead vegetation as it moved. Temperatures around 21C (70F).

Location: LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Angeles National Forest, Big Santa Anita Canyon, summit of Sturtevant Fall
Date(s);Time: 2 June 1997 (5:35 p.m.)
Environment: Mixed Hardwood Forest (vicinity of stream)
Subspecies: H. t. ochrorhyncha, Spotted Night Snake
Remarks: Escaped into hole beneath large boulder on steep slope; air temperature 21C (70F). Exposed in open with plenty of light left, sun had recently faded behind ridge.

Location: RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Hemet, Warren Rd., 1.2 km (¾ mi) south Esplanade Ave., Tres Cerritos
Date(s);Time: 18 March 1990
Environment: Coastal Sagebrush Shrub
Subspecies: H. t. ochrorhyncha, Spotted Night Snake
Description: Measured: SVL 330 mm (13¼ in.), TL 390 mm (15½ in.).
Remarks: Under board near base of rocky ridge.

Location: TULARE COUNTY, Sequoia National Forest, upper Kern River Canyon, Headquarters Campground, elevation 865 m (2700 ft.)
Date(s);Time: 16 July 1995 (9:30 p.m.)
Environment: Chaparral Shrub (vicinity of river)
Subspecies: H. t. nuchalata, California Night Snake
Remarks: Located on road at night, small and difficult to see, appeared like a pale, thin pencil moving across pavement.

Location: KERN COUNTY, foothills of Greenhorn Mountains, Granite Station, elevation around 610 m (2000 ft.)
Date(s);Time: 30 March 2002
Environment: California Prairie (vicinity of outcrops)
Subspecies: H. t. nuchalata, California Night Snake
Remarks: During hot day, found beneath log on grassy hillside. Below image is of snake from Greenhorn Mtns.

Field Observations

Thank you so much for that response. I enjoyed your exhaustive detail. There is so much argument in the community of subspecies and distribution, that was really great. Thank you everybody for helping out so much. Once again if you have any photo's, info, or specimens, it would be a great help. Any specimens I can pay to ship. I will also need to clearance out my collard lizards soon if anyone is intrested, and my captive hatched western long noses will have to leave as well. Once again thank you so much, keep up the good work, you all have been great.