Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last year some of us received cameras as gifts, myself being one. Prior to moving I reconfigured my computer to suit the new digital. Somehow, the camera walked away between my old house and the storage the movers had put it in. So, once I get the old camera on-line, I will post pics of the growing mangroves, etc!
Sorry Peirson, I'd have done this sooner but I've torn the place apart a dozen times finding nothing but the empty camera case and will finally accept my wife's words, "IT'S GONE!" Which says something 'cause she hardly ever uses upper case letters.
Michael

She broke out the capital letters huh? Ouch.

I'm about due to post some updated pics of my captives here myself. I tell you what, let's see who can get some new pics up first. The winner gets an anchovie pizza.
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Pierson Hill

Herpetology and Herpetoculture

..not the dreaded CAPS! Did you also get the "well, MICHAEL (insert middle name here)" bit? Like your mom would do?
I had a jillion pics stored on my comp. and the hard drive bit the dust. Some of my favorites were of mangroves. Fortunately, I'll get more pics and some I did store on various web sites like the one here on kingsnake. If I ever get smart and just try and keep a few snakes,(ha!) it just might be a pair of those.
:Mark

My wife is tough, but she would'nt DARE use my middle name! At least not over ground guts and hamburger in the kitchen or even a pinched camera. I admit it, CAPS are enough, I'm a coward.
Besides, this is the lady who keeps asking "when are you starting the solarium (off the living room) for the snakes?" Be still my beating heart, I love that woman.
Fact is, design questions. The room will be about 24ft x 20ft. Should I release them into the room or build individual housing? I'm considering protected areas for the smaller snakes ... free space for the others. Actually I'm considering everything, my brain is stew. In all likelyhood, the smallest would be fine with the largest, in a big room. It's the intermediates (the ones that could challenge the larger for food) that worry me. Oh, to have such problems ... she even asked if the snakes would tolerate a lizard or two?!!!

So let me get this straight: you're thinking of building a room-sized communual enclosure for all your Nerodia? That's incredible and sounds like a lot of fun to build.

I can't imagine trying to feed them though. You'd have all sorts of wrestling matches going on.

Also keep in mind that a lot of the reproductive barriers between species in the wild fall away under captive conditions. It might be a good way to find out what a sipedon X clarkii X fasciata X erythrogaster looks like though.
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Pierson Hill

Herpetology and Herpetoculture

A) Just the idea is fun, let alone believing that it may come to fruition.
B) True, the logistics appear daunting! This is a hurdle to be overcome (if it even can be). I'm looking at a multi-level/terrain with barrier walls separating streams and pools. These walls will be more like curtains, not preventing access but view only. I've noticed that the large nerodia ignore very small fish which will allow me to stock the pools and pond with a great number of fry that will not be consumed overnight. The big snakes can then be "hand" fed. I'm dreaming? Maybe, but I love the thought.
C) Reproductive barrier, now that's a hard pill to swallow!
In fact, I choke on this one a lot even to the point of trying to disregard it (banging head on desk).

So, picture this great big solarium, sunny and bright, filled with living plants and running water. Around the perimeter are quarters, separate from but a part of the whole. (This is rather poetic) Trees, standing up to 8 feet tall over crystal water, a mangrove coiled in it's branches [safe from gangs of marauding yellow bellies] ... I could make this rhyme if you wish ...
This is actually making more sense, considering your observations and an ounce of prevention.