Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Everyone,

I don't post often but I was wondering if anyone is from my area could you post some examples of non venomous snakes found local to here? I've spent about 8 hours in the field this last week and haven't found anything but a few common day geckos. Getting a little discouraged...

Thanks,
Kerry

Where in Dallas do you live? Last August down in Cedar Creek I found; Rat Snake (Great Plain maybe), Ribbon Snakes (red stripe mostly), Pine Snake (i think...), And some water snakes.

-My own advice is to check out creeks that spawn off and do it in the morning, I found most large snakes swimming in the water at 6am to 8am, as for on land, try forests around water in Dallas I was in one of them on the NW or West part of Dallas and it had some pine snakes in it, but im not sure if they are Pine Snakes or not.

Good luck, i'll email a girl i know down in Dallas that might help, i'll forward it to ya.

-Anthony.

I grew up in Arlington and used to find all kinds of stuff. All you have to do is go to any rural area and start flipping trash, rocks, board, etc. and you'll find things. All it takes is persistence.
If you're in Dallas, the trinity river bottoms towards Grand Prarie off of 35 is full of Texas Rat Snakes, water snakes, garter snakes, etc. Unfortunately, you might also find a body or two down there
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Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas

Kerry, a good place to check and flip some trash would be at Central Expressway {hwy 75} and Royal Ln.Go to the north east section of that intersection. Behind Albertsons. I have found Southern Copperheads, Speckled Kingsnakes, Tx rats, Broad Headed Skinks, Rough Earth Snakes, Rough Green snakes and a few other things. This time of year the grass/ weeds are very high ,but there is plenty of debris to look under.There are definately copperheads there so watch your step!! There is a creek that meanders through that area. You might see a common snapper, softshell, or some red ear sliders in the creek.
good luck!

p.s bring some insect repellant

I sure wish I knew about that when I was down there! I love Snapping Turtles and Skinks.

Alligator Snappers mostly.

Hey Tony, I never saw any Alligator snappers over there. The broad headed skinks were pretty common under some tins that I knew of. The males in the spring would have very orange heads.
There are also plenty of diamond back water snakes there.I also found two three toed box turtles there.With the urban sprawl all these herps are congregrated in small patches of what's left of their original range.
take care
Barry

I checked out that area today, I did see a couple of softshell turtles in the creek and there is some junk to flip over, however I didn't see any snakes this trip. To be honest I didn't go that far back into the wooded area. I found almost immediately a large fresh hobo (homeless) camp and that kind of creeped me out a little bit since I was alone, so I stayed in sort of the area closer to the creek where it's paved down to the water (spillway or whatever). I wouldn't mind going back there sometime but definitely not alone and so close to dark in the evening. I also saw a couple of lizards with some bright blue on them, I think they were skinks of some kind.

Kerry

Nearly got a southern copperhead. I also caught one of those skinks. Also saw 3.0 hobos. That really is a great area to search. Found the copper coiled just in front of a pallet. Slipped off my hook and got under the pallet and by the time I lifted it up he did his little vanishing act.

We should meet out there sometime and you can show me some tips because I'm having a hell of a time finding snakes this time of year.

I'm off next Weds.

Kerry

Ya that would be cool. I'm only off on weekends though. Oh and if woodsrider reads this the copper I found was actually a juvi broad-banded. The skink was a hatchling Ground skink (Scincella lateralis)

Oh ya that was only my second snake this year. I've only gotten to go herping a few times this year.