Reptile & Amphibian Forums

who gets tired of cleaning snake cages? I mean really, wouldn't my time be better spent making field observations?
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

I've been reducing my collection for the same reason, and hope to have it a bit more manageable over the next couple years. I enjoy hunting for snakes a lot more than keeping them.

Nick, does Pinellas host the Gulf Coast Box Turtle or the Florida? I came across a box turtle a while ago and initially thought it was a young gopher tortoise because it was so dark, but then realized it was a box. I figured it was a Gulf Coast, but I just looked at the range map in Peterson's guide, and it shows only Florida Box Turtles in the peninsula. Thanks!

Only FL box turtles are native to Pinellas... but...

I've found 3-toed, eastern, gulf coast, and Florida box turtles in Clearwater. More Floridas than anything else. I'm pretty sure all the non-native box turtles are just former pets living out their lives. This past March I found the same Gulf Coast Box Turtle I had seen in the same spot 12 years prior.

no. it's a balancing act.
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We wouldn't have 6 and a half billion people if you had to be beautiful to get laid.
6.6 African House snakes
3.2 reticulated pythons
.1 corn snake
4.2 Florida Kings
1.2 speckled kings
1.2 ball pythons
0.0.1 Argentine boa

I only WISH that I got out in the field much more often. But I sure as hell get "into" the cages for cleaning way more often than I'd like!..LOL!

Colubrids: one good meal = 2 or 3 good poops!

~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

as youse guys know i moved out a number of nice snakes.....its helped....tony shoot me an email...

I mmuch prefer the feild. BUT only out west where you have the different life zones and species.

Living in the south I actually have dreams about going out collecting. There is no better high.

To live in a place like FR. ..where you have gilas and stuff to see in your backyard must be the ultimate.
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www.Bluerosy.com

Yes, I am lucky, well actually when I was young I moved to fla. to herp, then I chose S.Az. So I came here for that reason.

But I am lucky to have stayed so long. And its nice to see reptiles year a round and lots of species. Thanks

I could NOT agree more, Rainer. As a kid, it was at least every weekend, if not even throughout the week, school and part-time jobs permitting. I even hitch hiked a time or two as a teenager, just to get to where I had to go to "herp". LOL!!! I hitch hiked there...and hitch hiked back.

Nowadays, its an annual trip to the Mojave, or the 2 or 3 camping trips per year I look forward to. And oh yeah, I can't forget the dozen or so road drives my wife and I take during the warmer months.

You'll have to excuse the pics of these non-Lampropeltis snakes I've posted...but you do have to admit, they ARE nice.

Very cool Crotalids!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Thanks. Besides looking pretty nice, they are among the heartiest and well adapted "wilds" I've ever had. And I'm referring to crotalids in general. I've never had one NOT thrive. And on the topic of "in the field", I see more of these than almost anything else around here...except for maybe gopher snakes and kangaroo rats. LOL!!!!

Awesome stuff man, and love the gopher beside the car there too.

I have always really admired crotalids and many other "hots", but have only ever owned a couple of Coral Snakes as far as any venomous are concerned.

Boy, those things were a real challenge to keep at the time too with their feeding preferences. I could have done more scenting with saving frozen snakes and skinks, but I decided to let them go right where they were collected. It was best for both parties at the time..LOL!

I can see those little Crotalids being very interesting to keep.

Good luck with any you have!..

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

BTW, that GINORMOUS gopher was road kill - D.O.A.

How could someone NOT see that thing on the road and avoid it?!!!!!! That's a whole other topic. Don't get me started.

"How could someone NOT see that thing on the road and avoid it?!!!!!! That's a whole other topic. Don't get me started'

Wow!!,..that is always sooo sad to see.

And I agree, many idiots aim their vehicles directly at them on purpose for so-called "fun" enterntainment. It burns me up big-time too!

~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Yeah tell me about it. All the stuff I see, if I acted on my initial impulses I'd probably go to jail every day. It would live my very own version of "Ground Hog Day". haha!

I hear ya man!...LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I see myself moving towards just keeping 4 to 6 crots and getting out of the breeding thing completely.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

I've tried to talk Sandy into letting me keep some crots and shield nose cobras and have had 0 luck

But OTOH, C. atrox is my most common find hands down so it isn't like I don't see them regularly. I'd assume captive care is fairly standard for N. American snakes just with the added safety issues on our end...
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We wouldn't have 6 and a half billion people if you had to be beautiful to get laid.
6.6 African House snakes
3.2 reticulated pythons
.1 corn snake
4.2 Florida Kings
1.2 speckled kings
1.2 ball pythons
0.0.1 Argentine boa

I agree, they are. I've kept them in my collection at different times, for many years. In many cases, they actually seem to acclimate to captivity better than a lot of colubrids and even some pythons I've had. It's just a matter of conditioning I suppose. They begin eating almost immediately - straight to FT in a lot of cases. I also housed some of them communally without a single problem, ever. I've had males, do their "combat" too, where they wrestle each other, raising up and intertwining, and trying to knock each other over...pretty cool I might add. Once they tire out, the crawl off to separate corners until the next time they meet. LOL! PLACE UR BETS!!!!!! Hahahha!!!

I recently acquired a young, malnurished female alb Atrox from a friend. After doing a little research, I was told to try a white (white only) hopper. And a hopper because of the activity level they have. All the hopping and running around immediately sparks a feeding response. Well, I tried it after several other failed attempts....and BAM. She wasted no time at all. As for the others (adults) that I keep communally, I toss in several FT mice to different spots in their enclosers, and they "come alive" and start searching around for their meal. Every snake finds its own mouse, every time, with never a problem. Of course I still monitor them till the last mouse is gone.

As far as safety issue goes, plexi glass, lab style enclosers or THICK glass. I NEVER use tubs or screen topped enclosers. And I never have had a reason to ever handle them after the first time for sexing. And they are in a locked room, and with locks on their enclosers whenever possible. They're NO different than a loaded gun. Perfectly safe in responsible hands.

They are VERY cool animals to keep, providing you respect them and ALWAYS keep in mind the potential hazards and risks. I would NEVER suggest anyone keep them, or recommend it. It comes down to the experience and maturity level of the keeper. Not to mention, my wife and I don't have kids. If we did it would be a competely different story - I doubt I'd keep them at all.

The display unit was framed out of angle iron, and 3/8" glass.

The 3rd pic is an NPI "lab style" cage - PVC housing with plexi glass sliding front door...GRRRRREAT for anything hot!

And for good measure....

What is that yellow one? It is not a panamint speck, is it?

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www.Bluerosy.com

It's a female Atrox...and she makes me more nervous than ANY adult I've ever had. INSANELY AGGRESSIVE! LOL!

Here she is right after I got her home...striking a pose. She was in bad shape then; really malnurished and dehydrated. You could say she was a rescue.

That is great stuff!. She has apparently been doing fantastic in your care since then........congrats!!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Yeah man it's crazy! I still can't wrap my head around it. Food and water does wonders for, it seems, ALL living things! One of the mysteries of life I suppose. HAHA!

HAHAHAA!!, that was funny as all heck!,.......and quite true!..

It's amazing how "good in" equals "good out"..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Aptly named "atrox".....for the "ATROCIOUS" wicked one!..LOL!

I think Shannon has some hypo atrox among many others at his place.

Those newborns pics are awesome man!!.........thanks for posting those!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I enjoy everytime I open an enclosier, no matter what I find there, lol. It's a sickness!
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

I just finished cleaning out cages. I don't mind it because when I clean, I hold each snake for a few minutes before I put them in their holding cage. This lets me check each one out to see how they are doing. Also it gets them used to me picking them up.
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Tom S
1.1 Flame Lampropeltis getla Floridana
1.0 Hypomelanistic Lampropeltis getula Floridana
0.1 Axanthic Lampropeltis getula Floridana
0.1 Hypomelanistic Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis
1.0 Anerythristic Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis

Since I have only 21 snakes and none are very big, snake cage cleaning does not wear upon me as an onerous chore. On the other hand I washed all my mouse tubs today...now that is one onerous chore but fortunately only has to happen once a week or so.
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Bob/Chris
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire

Forgot to add, as spring comes on all sorts of little critters will be appearing on my rural property. Although being as we seem to be having a dry spring, maybe I wont see so man salamanders and toads as last year.



Some of the more common critters on my land.
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Bob/Chris
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire

You need to find a balance in your life Tony. That's why I only wash my bowls in local creek, and drag my boxes and cages out to a local cypress depression during heavy rains. I just bring a sponge, and ear plugs. I've observed that the barking tree frogs practically enjoy when I scream back at them in Italian opera.

LOL!!! Funny @&%#. We as humans need to try to be more "one with nature", as much as we can, while nature tries to be more like us...I see it all around me. Sometimes however, nature can take it too far as you can see by the pic of Sam, below.

I'm actually really concerned for him. He's not doing too good as you can see. He stays out late, hangs with all the wrong stray alley cats, and sleeps all day, and is addicted to the "nip". He's circling the drain I fear. My wife and I don't know what to do anymore. But he's all grown up now...we have to just hope he gets through it.