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After reading a bit about this storm in the paper, and seeing all the devestation it has wrought on CNN, I wondered if it hit any areas with Eastern Indigo populations. Dean ? Doug? Can anyone answer this one for me?

Thanks,

Fred Albury
Aztec Reptiles

>>After reading a bit about this storm in the paper, and seeing all the devestation it has wrought on CNN, I wondered if it hit any areas with Eastern Indigo populations. Dean ? Doug? Can anyone answer this one for me?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Fred Albury
>>Aztec Reptiles

Oh, yeah. It ripped right through the middle of quite a bit of Eastern territory. I don't know how much actual habitat damage it did, though. Quite a few trees are down, but that may actually help. You never know.

I know that Gila7150 and I sat through it at the Adams Mark Hotel in the lobby. It was quite a show, even though at that point (by the time it reached Daytona) it was "only" a Category 1. I don't think a Hurricane is going to do near the damage to Eastern Indigos that good 'ole people do. They've been surviving through Hurricanes for thousands of years.

An interesting note about people. We were sitting in the lobby at the Adam's Mark waiting it out, after the talk we were watching (an excellent presentation by Alan Kardon on Crotalus polystictus) was interrupted by the hotel people (who were sort of freaking out) telling us we needed to get out of there because the hurricane was hitting. The winds were sustained at probably 80-90 mph and gusting to probably 110 mph. Metal signs, awnings and other assorted heavy debris was flying around all over the place. There were a bunch of properly intoxicated Expo vendors hanging around in there, and some of them decided to run out into the street and hang out there. Just for the heck of it. Luckily, nobody was injured or killed. Sometimes I just don't know what makes people tick. Then volumous amounts of water started coming in under the back door (which faces the ocean), so they sent these 3 guys with squeegees down there to squeegee the water out the front door. Remember now, the wind is still kicking around 100 mph or so, so they can't open the doors. They are trying to squeegee the water UNDER the door. Not just a little water, mind you...the freakin' Atlantic Ocean is trying to get in and they are trying to squeegee it out through a 1/2 inch crack under the door. Then they bring down a wet vac and try to vacuum it up. The only problem is that the Wet Vac won't hold 100,000 gallons of water. Meanwhile, this little Oriental dude is trying to hold the back doors closed against the power of all of that wind and water and it's just whipping him around like a dishrag. Oh, well..it was entertainment anyway. Sort of took our minds off the fact that we could die any second. It was like watching an old Jerry Lewis movie.

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We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Having never actually been in couperi country, I feel quite unqualified in answering. However I have read that hurricanes do help Eastern Diamondbacks in that they knock down trees which actually creates more hides for them. I would assume it would be just as beneficial to indigos as Eastern Diamondbacks.

Doug T

>>After reading a bit about this storm in the paper, and seeing all the devestation it has wrought on CNN, I wondered if it hit any areas with Eastern Indigo populations. Dean ? Doug? Can anyone answer this one for me?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Fred Albury
>>Aztec Reptiles

I would think that with the exception of flooded areas the Indigos probably benifited from the storm. As they are inclined to hole up in Gopher tortise holes I would say that they likely avoided the nastier aspects....like watching a bunch of partying herpers (lol).

I miss all the fun...

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

There were several well-known herp breeders/dealers in that area, including Glades Herp, Bill and Kathy Love, and Gulf Coast reptiles. Has anyone heard from them?

When I heard Charley had turned towards Ft. Meyers I thought about these people, and also about the fact that Glades, and others, have a fair number of highly venomous snakes. If their facilities were damaged, some of these could have escaped. S. FL would make a decent home to any number of highly lethal species.

My best friend Chris McQuade & his wife Sheila own Gulf Coast. I spoke to them on the Friday 13th (go figure) after the storm had ripped through their area. Most they suffered was all their fencing got flattened plus numerous trees on their property were uprooted. Spoke to them again this past Monday & they were doing OK, never lost any buildings or animals. Chris & Sheila did not go to Daytona this year because they had a HUGE amt. of high end Balls hatching that weekend so really couldn't go.

Not sure about Bill & Kathy I've been to their house & it's a pretty heavily treed piece of wilderness they live in. Will check in & see & report back.

Not sure about the guys from Peace River Herps, they are right in Punta Gorda. You know I've always dremed about retiring in Florida but after this....... I dunno, by the time Charley reached us here in Newfoundland it was just rainshowers & some heavy winds. If I hear from anyone else in Florida I'll post it in here.

Dean

Thanks. I met Chris once at Daytona, outside the convention center. Seems like a nice guy.

In the cornsnake forum Kathy says they were alright, but Peace River Herps was hit bad. Lost his snake room, apparently.