Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got this email from a guy today who lives in NJ. He isnt into snakes and took a couple of pics of the snakes he has been seeing near his Townhouse in Northern NJ. Here is the email and links to the pics. Its obvious what the snakes are and whats disturbing is he has seen more than one !!!! Keep your takes secure people its crap like this that ruins it for all.

Said email....
I live in Northern NJ in a townhouse and have seen dozens of these snakes roaming around the parking lot after a heavy rain...is this normal? It kind of looks like a king snake, but I am not sure they are in NORTH JERSEY where I live. Is this type of snake harmful if it gets into the house? i don't know if I should call anyone about this.

Here are the pics

fototime.com/11BD208A3820AEA/orig.jpg
fototime.com/6DC3EA93964BA64/orig.jpg
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n/m
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Mark

It might be an interesting side note for the Cal King chapter. lol

Brian Hubbs

Kidding aside are you planning to do a Common Kingsnake book ?

Keith
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well dozens seems odd, even so i highly doubt cali's could establish themselves in nj even if released in the dozens, climate just to tough for'um IMHO first temps,second predation, i suppose it is possible , but ive been told that its also possible for me to win the lotto, and im sure you agree keith if a wild l.g.getula came upon a cali in the wild regardless of size the l.g.getula would would just see food, though it is sad if there are calis by the dozens in nj loose but i sure wouldnt consider them any threat to a l.g.getula population, wild l.g.g's would just chowdown but for sure keepers need to be responsible,,,,,,,,thomas

if a wild l.g.getula came upon a cali in the wild regardless of size the l.g.getula would would just see food

I would be concerned about them interbreeding with local getula. I suspect it is a clutch of calkings that was released or escaped.

Hopefully someone will capture or kill them so they don't get established.
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Chris Harrison

Well actually the guy is north of getula range so maybe it will be okay... I hope. The point of the post wasnt just Easterns but to all those who lose snakes that can introduce disease to wild populations. I have lost a snake or 2 myself but my snakes have no real good way to get outside plus I live in a city where a snake wouldnt do well etc... But there are those who live in rural areas or near them where this could be a problem.

Keith
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Disturbing would be an understatement, IMHO.

kk

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I am in PA and would be willing to go up to North Jersey and confirm this BUT the weather is getting cool here in PA and I assume the same goes for North Jersey. Day time temps are rarely reaching 70's and night time temps are in the low 60's. Being that Cali's are primary nocturnal it could be hard to locate them with the cool weather looming.

If these guy's get a major foot hold it'll be hard to get rid of them. I personally think they will be able to survive in the Pine Barren's or another other wooded area in NJ. There are some ideal places for them to hybernate but we do have some harsh winters around here sometimes so maybe they would be killed off during the winter but there is a good chance they will do well. They COULD cover the whole state and interbreed with the eastern king and could also wind up slaughtering any local species. Snakes in NJ are getting rare and to think that the cali king has establisted itself and could be killing off

If he is seeing more then one it COULD BE that these guys are 2nd or even 3rd gen cali's that were released into the wild. Someone could have been a nickle/dime breeder and let them go which is what I would assume. If they are 2nd gen that means they already survived last winter.

What bothers me the most is cali king's are known to be huge snake eatters.A little more so then the eastern king from what I understand. This could spell doom for some of native locals in NJ such as the copperhead which it's status is unknown,the rare timber rattler,the endangered corn snake(but these two snakes have been KNOWN to mate but I think the king would assume food first) and other snakes like ringnecks,racers,eastern milks..list goes on..while a lot are stable collecters have depleted a lot of herps in the pine barrens over the years and with the cali king roaming around the balance could change serverly over the next 10 years. The cali certainly wouldn't stay up north and would travel south into southern NJ,Del and further down south...They could even wind up in area's of PA.
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Reptiles
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