Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just though id share...

Very nice ! Thats not sand is it ?

Keith
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Yes it is (Desert blend) I know sand is bad for snakes but i dont feed him on it.. I put him in a different container to feed him....

sorry its Repti-Sand

Problem with sand is it still gets in their mouths when they flick their tounges and can get lodged between teeth and cause an infection. It also get in and under their belly scales as they move and can cause problems that way. Its just not a natural substrate for them. Nor is newspaper or pine shavings but they are less abbrassive and harmful.

Keith
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oh man...I just put the sand in there to. Before i was using aspen shavings but found i found sand easier to spot clean than shavings.....oh well, i guess ill go back to aspen...Thanks for the info..

Keith,

I don't want to start an argument or anything, but what do you think the soil makeup is of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, the native habitat of your Burlington and Monmouth county Eastern kings? It's white, fine grain sand known as sugar sand. I have found kings under boards,rugs and trash piles many times, with the soil underneath being sugar sand. I am not saying that I would keep my snakes on sand, because I would'nt, I am just saying that in nature sand is a natural substrate for many speices of snakes, Corns, Kings, Milks, Hognoses, Pines, Northern Scarlets ect.

J.D.

>>Keith,
>>
>>I don't want to start an argument or anything, but what do you think the soil makeup is of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, the native habitat of your Burlington and Monmouth county Eastern kings? It's white, fine grain sand known as sugar sand. I have found kings under boards,rugs and trash piles many times, with the soil underneath being sugar sand. I am not saying that I would keep my snakes on sand, because I would'nt, I am just saying that in nature sand is a natural substrate for many speices of snakes, Corns, Kings, Milks, Hognoses, Pines, Northern Scarlets ect.
>>
>>J.D.
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Is all the substrate in the Barrens sand ? Ive never been to the Barrens but I would like to someday. Im not saying sand is totally bad but if a snake can never get off it thats totally different.

Keith

>>>>Keith,
>>>>
>>>>I don't want to start an argument or anything, but what do you think the soil makeup is of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, the native habitat of your Burlington and Monmouth county Eastern kings? It's white, fine grain sand known as sugar sand. I have found kings under boards,rugs and trash piles many times, with the soil underneath being sugar sand. I am not saying that I would keep my snakes on sand, because I would'nt, I am just saying that in nature sand is a natural substrate for many speices of snakes, Corns, Kings, Milks, Hognoses, Pines, Northern Scarlets ect.
>>>>
>>>>J.D.
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>>
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Keith,

Some areas have a sand and gravel type mix and the wet areas have a soil consisting of decayed sphagnum moss and other decayed plants, but the majority of the pine barrens is sugar sand.

By the way, you have my # so if you are ever in N.J. give me a call and I will have to show you around the pines.

J.D.

That would be awesome ! I for sure will do that. Have you seen any Easterns lately ? I know you mentioned before that they seemed to be few and far between.

Keith
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Keith,

I know of a few good spots for kings in pines. A few areas in Burlington,Ocean and Atlantic Counties. In my area,Cumberland county, they seem to be getting harder and harder to find. Haven't seen any living or road killed animals this year and one or maybe two road kills last year. For a few year they were very common in the area and I could find a hatchling/yearling or an adult just about every time I went out, but now that I am really looking, not a one.

I've noticed that the chain colors of the animals from the center of the pine barreens are more of a white color than the animals from surounding areas, I think it may have something to do with adaptation to the color of the soil it is on? Just an observation I've made. By the way did I ever tell you about the time I found a very large Eastern here about 8? years ago that had an all black back with kind of half chains on the sides of the body? Very weird looking, wish I had a camera at the time.

J.D.

Whats the largest one you have seen in NJ ? Also do the adults tend to be clean and bright ? In regards to their crossbars is what Im referring to.

Keith

>>Keith,
>>
>>I know of a few good spots for kings in pines. A few areas in Burlington,Ocean and Atlantic Counties. In my area,Cumberland county, they seem to be getting harder and harder to find. Haven't seen any living or road killed animals this year and one or maybe two road kills last year. For a few year they were very common in the area and I could find a hatchling/yearling or an adult just about every time I went out, but now that I am really looking, not a one.
>>
>>I've noticed that the chain colors of the animals from the center of the pine barreens are more of a white color than the animals from surounding areas, I think it may have something to do with adaptation to the color of the soil it is on? Just an observation I've made. By the way did I ever tell you about the time I found a very large Eastern here about 8? years ago that had an all black back with kind of half chains on the sides of the body? Very weird looking, wish I had a camera at the time.
>>
>>J.D.
>>
>>
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Keith,

I would have to say that the one with the weird pattern would have to be the largest one that I have seen in the wild, but it was a long time ago and would have to guess at around 5 1/2 feet or so. Not super huge but still good sized and very big around.
The color really varies from animal to animal. I have seen some that were super clean and other that were very dirty.

J.D.

Would you say that they are mostly either dirty or clean ? Also how about crossbar width ? Thick or thin ? Thick being over 2 scales wide or more.

Keith

>Keith,
>>
>>I would have to say that the one with the weird pattern would have to be the largest one that I have seen in the wild, but it was a long time ago and would have to guess at around 5 1/2 feet or so. Not super huge but still good sized and very big around.
>>The color really varies from animal to animal. I have seen some that were super clean and other that were very dirty.
>>
>>J.D.
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keith,
I would probably have to say that most of the ones that I have seen have been fairly clean, infact they look very similar to your Burlington County female.

J.D.

Similar to my female in cleanliness or pattern ? Or both ?

Keith
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Similar in chain width, color and cleanliness.
J.D.