Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello Everyone!!

I am in the infancy of my thesis research here at Marshall University. I will be doing my research on Eastern Hognose snakes, Heterodon platyrhinos, and was wondering if you all could give me some pointers on finding these animals. While this snake is common in many regions of its range, here in West Virginia it has experienced a drastic decline. I plan on using a multitude of capture techniques (ie. hand capture, drift fence arrays, cover objects) during the duration of my study. If any of you have experience with any of these methods and know of one that is more productive than the rest please inform me! Any specific habitat parameters besides the classic parameters (sandy substrate, old fields, etc.) will also be highly appreciated. Basically tell me what know about these animals. I am currently writing my grant proposal for the project, so I need to know how many traps and any kind of special capture equipment I might need.

Thanks for any info!

Zac

I have found that edges(where two types of habitat occur)like a wooded area that butts up to a sandy field is where I find most of mine.
in fact i found most of ours in backyards around our neighborhood, all of which were surrounded by woods and sand.
I have often thought of burying a five gallon bucket and putting a few toads in it then making a wood cover with a small hole in the top for the snake to go down into, when the snake droped into the bucket it would probably not be able to escape.
well its a theory and i have yet to test it.
I am sure you allready know they are crepseculer (might not be spelled right)and so early mornings are best.
Best of luck
Chris
Hoosier Reptiles