Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This baby was caught in Marion County, South Carolina. Nice red phase eastern.

Very cool looking! Did you catch it? Do you keep other eastern hogs? I sure would like to start seeing more easterns & southerns on this forum. Thanks for showing that baby off!

Dan Eby

WHY did u collect a species thats already hard to find probably rare in some places. i think it would have been much better if that pic was of u realeasing it or catching it or anything other than in a cage. I know there awesome and its hard for me not to colllect sometimes but I still dont. I cought a BRIGHT blue garter that I wanted to keep so bad but i still let it go.

Do you keep snakes?

Remember even cbb started with wc. Also remember that the only way some people ever see snakes is in captivity, & if someone who sees a snake in captivity likes it, & learns about it, odds are they will care about wild snakes too.

I don't know if you are against hunting or fishing too, but if you're not do you feel that taking a fish or deer from the wild to eat is different then taking a snake to keep? Its not, they are gone from the wild either way.

Btw, I keep both cbb & wc snakes, & my favorites in my collection are my plains hogs that I caught myself. Also, I wish I would have caught that awesome looking eastern hog. If I did I would have kept it & hopefully made some more just as nice looking.

Dan Eby

Daneby- I agree with most of what you said except, "I don't know if you are against hunting or fishing too, but if you're not do you feel that taking a fish or deer from the wild to eat is different then taking a snake to keep? Its not, they are gone from the wild either way. "

Taking a deer/fish (game species) is different than taking a herp. Even if a state agency considers herps to be 'game' species, they without a doubt, lack the appropriate information to impose 'scientifically based' bag limits (this is not the case for deer/fish). While I personally avoid collecting wild herp species, I am not completely against it. I am however against commercial collecting...

Godfrey- Great looking snake.

-Chris
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Christopher E. Smith
Contact
Captive Bred Herps
Wildlife Research & Consulting Services, LLC

Chris,

I know what you are saying, but I wasn't meaning to sound like I meant commercial collectors & hunters/fishermen were the same in my book, what I meant was this guy taking home ONE eastern hog he caught(probably on the road) wasn't much different then taking home a game animal or a fish. This guy (nickjones) sounded to me like he was saying snakes should be left in the wild, & I just meant taking an animal from the wild for whatever reason is still taking it.
I also want too add (for those that don't know me), I am not a commercial collector. Out of the I don't know how many hundreds of snakes I found this year in MT I only kept one for myself, & I took two others to give away. I am not 100% against commercial collecting though, but not 100% for it either. I think if states have REASONABLE bag limits, & the collectors are responsible enough to follow the rules there is no harm. It does make me upset when I see dealers repeatedly offering for sale HUGE lots of animals caught in the U.S. for dirt cheep like 100 lots of wc toads/frogs for $100.(makes me wonder how many lots do the have?) or the guy selling $5 adult garter-snakes, & all the horned lizards taken from the wild that are sold for a few bucks only to more then likely die shortly after. I think its only human to feel that way about unnecessary collecting if you love herps like I do. What everyone needs to remember though is that commercial collecting is one of the only reasons many animals even still survive in the wild in certain areas in other countries (U.S. NOT included), its the only reason their habitat is still there.

btw Chris, I really like your wildlife research website. You obviously know way more about this sort of stuff then I do, I'm simply stating my opinions. Later man!

Again, NICE EASTERN HOG!!!

Dan Eby

First, NICE looking snake!

Secondly, I agree with the above sentiments. While a genuine concern for wild populations is definitely important, chastising someone for the collection of a single snake is misplaced. So long as it is legal, and the collector intends to care for the animal correctly, then I don't see anything wrong with the removal of a single animal. Who's to say that the collector doesn't intend to breed this animal?

Here in Az we do have bag limits...These bag limits are appropriate for most recreational herpers. (And legally, there are no commercial collectors in Az, as Az prohibits the commercialization of ALL reptiles, including their offspring.)

I don't collect much at all, but I don't personally have a problem if someone sees an animal and collects it legally provided it is legal to do so and the animal's needs are cared for. The biggest threat is habitat destruction, not collection.

-Kris

Im not completely against collecting. I was just mad the day that I wrote this and im sorry if offended anyone. I collect sometimes but I just got mad because I wish i could find a hognose and i think that people shouldnt collect snakes that are rare.

Hey Nick, they are not "that rare".
They are just harder too find in some areas for some people.
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1.0 Albino American alligator, "Smoke"
1.1 American alligator,"Al Bite Ya & Molly"
1.1 Purple Albino Reticulated Pythons, "Gumbo & Abita"
0.1 Eastern Gaboon Viper, "Gabbie" Recently passed away at 24 years old
Help me find this snake!

I'm just getting back around to the forum. First and foremost I am not a commercial collector of anything. I have a big problem with those who remove reptiles from the wild indiscriminately for financial gain. Some snakes are sold for as little as two or three dollars each. This is an insult to the animals we enjoy and respect. I am fortunate to have a job that allows me to be outdoors every day in some very pristine wetland habitat. I see snakes, turtles, frogs, etc. every day during the warmer months which is most of the year here in coastal South Carolina. It is not uncommon for me to photograph animals in the field, but I also bring some home to get better photos. I would love to see this Eastern thrive in captivity. The problem is it most likely will not eat anything other than toads, and I simply cannot harm a toad. I actually caught one with the intentions of scenting a pinky, and ultimately feeding the hognose if scenting does not work. I have the toad in a terrarium with some hatchling spotted turtles. I caught a few moths last night and fed it. The chances of the toad meeting the hognose went out the window! In over forty years of herping I have taken very few animals from the wild. I have stopped and removed countless animals from the roads and converted many people from thinking "The only good snake is a dead snake." So please, before you call someone out for taking a snake from the wild ask a few questions and find out some facts. I have spent almost a lifetime as an ambassador for reptiles. On the other hand I am glad to see people standing up for the animals.

Try putting the toad in a deli cup with a pinky for a bit so the toad can jump all over it to get the scent on it. That has worked for me. I keep toads, & couldnt hurt one either, I love the things! I do keep road killed ones in my freezer though for scenting.

Dan

How are you sure you have a red phase? While it does seem more red than other neonates I have seen, a lot of the red fades out as these snakes as they mature. Until then, I would be a little cautious dropping the coveted "red phase" description. Your post subject got my hopes up! LOL
PS - a really nice looking little guy and I hope you can get it to eat. I would try frogs instead of toads with it.
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1.0 Albino American alligator, "Smoke"
1.1 American alligator,"Al Bite Ya & Molly"
1.1 Purple Albino Reticulated Pythons, "Gumbo & Abita"
0.1 Eastern Gaboon Viper, "Gabbie" Recently passed away at 24 years old
Help me find this snake!