Reptile & Amphibian Forums

3,000 acres? That's a chunk o' real estate. Any chance the Drys aren't settling into a given range, but just moving along? I knew someone studying Mountain Spiny lizards, and she thought the males had huge ranges until she figured out they didn't exactly form ranges like other lizards--they just moved around. Are the Dry ranges confirmed home territories used consistently by one animal? Also, how many Drys inhabit the same 3,000 acre tract?

Firstly, let me make it clear that I am not the one doing the research. I have participated in the surveying, and am in close communication with those who are doing the research.

Occasionally they give me bits of information that are ok to share, but a lot of the data...well...I don't feel I have the right to share it. These are professionals who are going to have published papers and it's not my place to leak too much info before the papers are in print.

That said, here's what I know I can share about your questions:

The absolutley show a prefered home range in the late fall and winter. In the Northern part of the range, this is what I like to call "tortoise town". the sandy, dry inland longleaf pine -type habitats where tortoise burrows abound. The deep tortoise burrows are the only real protection from the sometimes below freezing drops in this part of the country. The snakes tend to show an preverence for certain burrows and will return to them again and again. rarely to they share burrows with other indigos (probably only single breeding pairs)but they WILL share with tortoises (and eat the babies like popcorn...shame)

When they are in this habitat, they don't stray a lot at all (sorry no hard numbers). The females hang around into early spring (presumably to lay eggs in March- April), but the males "hit the road" in early spring. Females follow suit later after the eggs are deposited (another assumption)

The spring / summer / early fall is when all the moving about comes. They move into the wetlands...will return to tortoise town and leave again...basically use almost any habitat. They simply GO. They are like little Looney toons taz. devils spinning around looking for anything they can eat, as all the forest animals run to get out of their way!

(ok, the last peice was a small exaggeration)

Dean Alessandrini