Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been bitin ump-teen times by coaches in the wild. Generally while moving them off dirt roads. I never would have thought the coaches would make good captive snakes. Am I wrong?

i think it just depends on the person.....i have a racer that i think is very cool but does not tolerate being held, but i kinda just have the same approach with him as i do my rattlesnakes...just look..dont touch...

I think it has more to do with thesnake. I hav kept dozens of eastern Coachwhips and a few westerns and some are nippy-some are not. they really aren't a handling snake though.

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

There are some racers and coachwhips that never calm down. However I find that most do. My western coachwhips are as tame as kingsnakes and eat like them too! I think they make great pets but it just depends on person and how he works with the snake. Lots of holding can work wonders. I find that the older the snake is the better he does. I wish you best of luck as I have had with racers and coachwhips. William H.

GPM(Misc Reptiles Source)
Website: http://hometown.aol.com/greenpine17/gpm.html
Email: wchuntsman@msn.com AOL emails to>>> greenpinemuseum@yahoo.com.
Phone: (719) 994-4699
AIM: GPM109
MSN Messenger: wchuntsman@msn.com
Yahoo Messenger: greenpinemuseum

Last spring I caught a large Coachwhip in Laughlin Nevada. The snake was living in the Tamarisk (Saltcedar) along the water at Harrah's Casino. He was hunting lizards at the time I found him. It was interesting watching him. He would poke in and out of the crevices of a rock retaining wall where a colony of Desert Spiny Lizards is well established. I am not sure if he was just used to human activity or what but the snake made no attempt to bite. I let him crawl along my arm unrestrained. Though docile he was sure happy when I released him and he made a fast exit. The Spiny Lizards also tolerate human approach a lot more than is typical of the species. I have heard that snakes are not uncommon on the hotel property. They do have plenty of cover and I imagine a good rodent population within the Tamarisk to tap into. Also of interest is a small colony of Beavers that live there. They are shy but nearly as shy as the ones I have seen in remote mountain areas. They come out in the evening and cruise the shore along the casino. They are wild and indigenous and many people would never see one otherwise, outside of a zoo.

Conclusion: At least some individuals will get used to human presence and tame down. Or maybe I am just the snake whisperer. No, I collect garters and some of them like to chew the heck out of me LOL.

Randy
-----
Firehouse Herps