Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my first molossus! Unfortunately, some jerk ran it over while I watched, helpless. I tried to wave the guy over to avoid it, but he hit it anyway. I have never seen an animal get run over, and it was pretty upsetting. Anyway, it is a beauty:

But then, maybe 100 yards down the road, there was a second one! Alive, but not happy to see me. After I snapped a few pictures, I moved this one off the road.

I didn't see anything else, but it was enough. I am glad I saw the second one, after what happened to the first. Thanks for looking!

Steph

Hey, Nice Rattlers

Are those what are also called Black-Tails?
sorry about the misfortune of you and the first individual......still though, cool snakes. I once found
a Patch-Nose on the road in the middle of AZ, and as I went to catch it, not one but three guys swerved to run right over it. The Patch-Nose didn't survive. Some people...... Oh well.

-Phil

Yeah, they are Blacktails. I saw a patch-nose a while back on this same road, and it was ANGRY. I couldn't even get a decent picture of it because it kept striking at me or my camera when I tried to get near it. Big attitude for a little snake!

I had the same misfortune/fortune happen to me while looking for splendida. I was on a long stretch of road where not a single car passed me (either way) for 30 miles. Then, a truck comes through the opposite lane. Not 2 miles from where we passed, a still live, but dying, splendida lay in the road. The only vehicle that passed had to have run it over. On our way back out, we came across a huge (~4') AOR splendida that was calm and didn't musk or bite. It turned out to be a good night the rest of the way home...

Splendida - another snake I would love to see. But, I am moving back to Wisconsin in a few weeks, so I doubt it will happen this year. I'll just have to come back and look in the spring.

BTW, Where in NM are you?

I am in the southeast part of NM. Splendida haven't been common to me this year. I've only found one DOR. There's still a little time before it gets too cold!

I don't know how close this is to you, but I have made quite a few trips up to the Carlsbad area this summer. I usually see a lot of snakes and other critters when I'm up there, it's great. Hopefully I'll squeeze in one more trip up there this summer.

If you make it down here one last time, send me an e-mail:

nmherper(AT)hotmail(DOT).com

replace AT and DOT with the appropraite symbols. What all have you found down here?

I will let you know if I head up that way. What I have seen around there are hognose, ringnecks, subocs, a bull/gopher(?)snake, banded geckos, atrox (of course), vinegaroons, centipedes, millipedes, sun spiders and lots of toads. It's all novel to me since I've only been in this area a year, and I'm leaving again in a month. I'm trying to cram in as much as I can before then

Stephanie

let me know if you get it.

Cool snakes. Is that a road you frequent? If so, interesting that you found your first molossus and then your second in the same night. Be sure to find more and give us photos!