Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A couple of weeks ago I found a 4' Florida pine crossing the road. I jumped out of my vehicle and grabbed it to take home and from the moment of capture to this day the snake rears-up, hisses and strikes with no let up. Yesterday I found another one which is completely docile though the same size. I've dubbed the 1st 'The Pine from hell'. Just thought I'd share that. It's got to be the most endearing snake I've come across yet.

Good to hear the wild animal is striking back. I would probably do the same if I was going along in my natural habitat, the only home I know, then abducted and kept in a small enclosure. It's the snake's way of telling its capturer he want to go back to the wild and be free again.

Or maybe it's just an inherently evil worm of Satan. Perhaps it's possessed by the evil keeper of the abyss himself. Chill bro. I'm pretty sure that your snakes feel no less imprisoned than anyone elses.

Sorry man but agree with that statement above. There is absolutely no reason to take wild pines and it should be illegal imho!!! As is well known, pines of all races are extreamly habitat specific snakes and dont generaly occur outside of said habitat. Being that man also likes this habitat much of there range is windleing down to zero. Although southern pines are probally the most stable of the ssp, they are still pines and are still under the same preasures of the other populations. It wont be long untill they will need protection also. Just look at the trend with the other ssp!! All are protected in some or most of their range!!!

Now one could argue the whole new blood for the hobby rebuttle but hell, id bet my bottom dollar this guy isnt breding them for the masses. There are enough lines in the hobby and for Joe shmo pine keeper, theres no reason not to pay the measly 50 bucks for a reg, cb baby. Hell, if you ever travled up here id give you one just so you leave the wild population alone!!

This is simply a greedy snakenapping and I personaly frown upon it.

Leave the wild ones alone for those of us who would rather see them were they belong. Captive animals are dead to the enviroment and there for make much more suitable pets.

My 2 pennies,
J

Snakenapping? lol. If I thought the snake's parents would pay a ransom, I'd take it too.

Usually I wouldn't reply to a statement made from someone like youself but in this case I will. you have no right to personally insult anyone because for one you don't know me, second you don't know what I intend to do with the snake, and third I'm sure you are no little angel and because your one sided opinion about removing snakes from the wild is just that-one sided-you should have the intelligence to know better, but not everyone knows what's going on so I'll take that into consideration and know that you're statement was made by someone that probably doesn't get along too well with people as it is and needs a break.

Don't let it get you down greedy snakenapper, lol. Good luck with your pines. It's kind of nice having locality specific snakes that you know first hand are just that. Have you recieved a ransom note yet?

You say yourself pinesnake habitat is dwindling away. Yet you say there is no reason to collect pines out of the wild. Well guess what. When the environment is no longer suitable for a certain species, the species disappears. I see no harm in pulling them out of harms way, especially when it's something like a pinesnake that does very well in captivity. What about commercial development? Is it better to leave the snakes to be buried under concrete. A good friend of mine watched many of his collecting spots succumb to development. Do you think the snakes from those areas are enjoying their freedom? Maybe they are in that big tin field in the sky. My .02 cents

cause yesterday I saw some dozers and other equipment being moved to the patch of thick pine woods around the corner from me where I have found Box turtles, Pigmy rattlers, Black racers and Gray rats. Coming home from work today I was both amazed and angry plus flustered that the entire area has been changed into nothing but graded dirt. Not a tree, stump or branch to be seen. What are we doing?

Two weeks ago I went to my milksnake spot along L. Huron in n. Michigan, and found it bulldozed under by the County. They needed fill dirt and rocks for some road construction. I'd been watching milksnakes emerge from their den there for years. Actually they left a small area of about 20 ft. square, and made several acres look like a parking lot. I found a little piece of tin at the untouched spot, and would you believe there was a milksnake under it. I left it so that it would have a chance of populating whatever new habitat might arise from the changes.

Bottom line is that most land is privately owned or owned by the government and is subject to the whims and developments of man. Question is, "How much of nature can survive the onslaught of civilization?" As more and more disappears, more animals will survive in captivity, because society needs contact with nature somehow

Cheers....TC. (my 2 pennies worth..haha.)

PS: If people are going to bitch, they should get off their high horse and do something about habitat destruction

Sorry to hear about that. That spot definately turned up some cool finds for you.

You gotta love FL pines. You're extremely fortunate to come across two in a few weeks. I go herping on a regular basis in Central FL's pine scrub / sandhill habitat and never seem to be lucky enough to see them.
Post some pics if you're able to. I really enjoy seeing the variation in these guys.
Thanks,
Chris

Excellent! It is my dream to find a pinesnake out in the wild someday. Congradulations.
Alan,

nz and Jeremy need to chill. Bravo to aunteye for having a sense of humor...