Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Many of you have heard of the growing burmese python population in the everglades. I have known about this for some time and Lloyd Heilbrum(did I spell that right?) just reminded me of it with an email. Most of the snakes found are killed. I have been wanting to take a trip down south for some time and was thinking to myself. Why not head south for our beautiful natives and the burmese. I think it would be incredible to hunt giant constrictors, it isn't an opportunity everyone has. Then my idea got a flat tire. I have no one to hunt with that is experienced with anything of this nature, only friends that occasionally tag-along. I was wondering if anyone in the area was interested in taking a trip to see if we couldn't turn up a some of those bad boys. It probably wouldn't be the best idea to try it on my own, I"ve kept many large constictors and I can only imagine what a wild one would be like.

Well I have the experience as I use to maintain molurus bivittatus. Unfortunately time and research funds would not allow a trip that way an time to soon. I am planning an expedition to
Arizona some time this summer. When do you plan to go?
My reptile collection and research

I've read that they ca quite frequently be found basking on the edges of levees during cooler weather. The articles I have read said they mainly search for them during cold snaps. Because of this, there really aren't any constraints as to when you can go. I was thining something along the lines of a 3 or 4 day trip, maybe more, maybe less. I'm quite flexible. Any snakes found would be removed ofcourse, I'd rather take them out of the wild before the rangers kill them. I have room for several large individuals but not any want to keep them, so what to do with them would be my mine question, possible put them up for adoption?

Yes that is a big question, especially if a 20 foot individual is obtained. I would strongly urge a game plan for the distribution of any such individuals long before a trip plan. 3-4 days sounds great. I of course would fly from N. California. I most likely would not be able to make such a trip until late summer at best. Just let me know what your plans are. I will have to see if the wify will let me spend such cash on tickets as I can say right now my research donations do not pay for my travels. It may not be that bad. My tickets to phoenix ran 199.99 rounds trip and my mother tells me I can fly to the UK for $288 so it may not be that bad to fly to Florida.
My reptile collection and research

also keep in mind theres a whole lot of area to cover in the glades, and 3 or 4 days might not be enough to get what you're going after. i was just down in florida last month when it was unusually cold, and we still didnt catch any glimpses of any giant constrictors, even with 8 people on the trip. granted, we didnt stay in the glades for long, the main point of the trip was to find diamondbacks in the keys. we were down there for a week, spent every single day herping, and still couldnt find a single diamondback, even with particular sites we checked daily. so i wouldnt recommend going there with the sole hopes of finding a burm, cuz you could miss out on a whole lotta other stuff down there trying to come up with one.

I didn't really intend try and search the entire everglades. I intended on searching the levees where they have been known to frequent for the majority of the time. Going south for me isn't really something that can prove to be a total loss. I've made a weekend trip to Miami on fifty bucks including gas and food. Left friday and stayed until sunday and slept int my car. If Jason wanted to fly in I would probably be thinking to head down there once before, to test the waters so to say.

As far as hunting for diamondbacks in the keys, I'd of never thunk it! It's not a place I associate with edb's but maybe I'm missing out. Where did you come from to look for them?

it might not be THE place to find edb's, but it was a trip with the herp club so it definitely wasnt the focus of the trip, just a goal. we came from raleigh, and unfortunately with all the road cruizing and everything i cant say we survived on $50. gas for my car alone was more like $160. but yes, there are certain parts of the keys that are known to have diamondbacks.

Just wanted you to know that I caught a 10'foot female 4 years ago in dec. that was abosolutely vicous!!!!!!!!! And I know of another 12' footer caught while eating a roadkill armadillo on the shoulder off alligator alley! I live in California and I was just telling my girlfriend i'd like to goto south florida again!!! I have been told of burmese sighting in Everglades National Park up to 18'!!! And I was told breeding is active in the park! jd

I just saw a 4 ft DOR on u.s.1 5 days ago down by homestead...My friends see DORs fairly regularly down there....