Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Blonde, Butterscotch, Typical, Other? YOU Decide. Flash captures his colors more accurately...

Without flash makes him appear more ghost-like...

Thanks for looking!
-----
______________________________________________________________
"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."

I would call it beautiful!!!

Any local info?

Thanks for sharing

Jason

Thanks Jason!

No locality info for this GB as it was found prowling about base housing at Camp Pendleton MCB as a recent hatchling in 2008. A colleague of mine recovered it from base security and asked if I wanted it. I assumed at the time that it was an SDG based on location, so I said yes, I'll take it. You can imagine my surprise when I first saw this guy and said to myself - that ain't no SDG. Here he is as a junior, right after I adopted him in fall, 2008. Definitely my gain!

-----
______________________________________________________________
"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."

I like it. It reminds me of my first Vegas-area GBG that I found a few years ago:

Third Eye

Is the "leopard" look typical of Vegas animals Tim?
-----
See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com

It seems to be prevelant within a certain area. Once you get outside "the zone" they get more "standard looking."

GBG from The Great Basin (about two hours north of Vegas):

GBG from Mount Zion National Park (about three hours northeast of Vegas - 20-30 people walked right by this snake which was sitting alongside a trail):

Tim
Third Eye

Hahaha, most people just look at their feet while hiking ...I'm good with that

Thanks for the info, pics and locales.
-----
See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com

I'll go with text book deserticola. Very nice!

One thing about the lighting, flash vs. ambient, is that the flash is "on axis" with the lens and so the light is bouncinng straight back at you. Where as in your ambient light images the light is coming in at an angle so it produces as sort of "sheen" on the snake. For description, the "on axis" flash is generally best but a more artsy effect can be acheieved with natural light or a combination, which I prefer. ...just tough to get it right.
-----
See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com

This look is typical of a certain area of the eastern Mojave. Note the mix of strobe and ambient light.

This one is from the extreme western Mojave and very close to an apparent intergrade zone with Pacific Gopher Snake (P. c. catenifer)

Not sure if this would be an P. c. catenifer X P. c. deserticola intergrade or just Pacific. It was just over the hill (about 10 miles by crow) to the west. Any opinions?

-----
See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com

That is a sweet looking, but typical to several CA locales, deserticola. The thing I've noticed w/ Great Basins that is different from other snakes, is that beauty is the norm not the exception. You're almost surprised in the wild when you see a not-so-attractive GB.

reako45

Wow, those are beyond gorgeous!
-----
Genesis 1:1

I agree, exceptional "Basin's". Looks like you achieved the right light balance. That top photo is book or magazine caliber (my opinion).
-----
______________________________________________________________
"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."

Thanks man! I'm very happy with the first pic. Love the snake too. I'm thinking I might take some breeders from the locale and work toward a super clean, colorful snake. Some of those have really "peachy" tails.
-----
See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com

Thanks Brad!

You're right about the camera/lighting balance. Getting it just right is why the exceptional photographers get paid "the big bucks". Now for us in the point and shoot community...
-----
______________________________________________________________
"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."