Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I spent last friday thru monday herping in San Diego county. Saw alot of snakes mostly Southern Pacific Rattlers, including two pairs that appeared to be copulating or courting. Many of the C. helleri were basking out in the open or on top of sheets of tin. I also saw helleri in Malibu on the way home.
Here is the totals for the trip:
20 Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes
1 Red Diamond Rattlesnake
1 unidentified Garter Snake
2 California Kingsnakes
1 Nightsnake
Also seen but not counted were several Slender Salamanders, Alligator Lizards, Sideblotch and Fence Lizards.

These 2 were photoed as they were found, coiled together on a grassy hillside.

This one was found like this sticking out of the edge of a rock I was about to lift. In situ photo.

I carefully lifted the rock and hooked it so I could photo the whole snake. Afterwards the rock was replaced exactly and the snake was returned to it's place.

After lunch in Tecate I noticed some trash on the side of the road just outside of town a found this small black and cream Cal King underneath.

This small helleri was found basking on a broken plastic flower pot.

These four are photoed as they were found basking atop a sheet of tin. Two of them appear to be breeding.

Hi,
I like that pic.Thanks for posting all of them.I think your tecate cal.king was really neat looking.A lower band count-(cream bands) than usual,or do most from that area look that way..?,thanks again for the pics,
Jeff Teel

Thanks, I have never caught any there so I don't know what is typical for that area. But if you go one block down make a left and then go to second place on the right you will find the best tacos ever.

This is a second group of 4 helleri found just a few feet from the first group of 4. Two of these also appear to be breeding. try to spot the 4th one as it is a little hard to see. There was also 2 little helleri basking in the tall weeds beside this tin but they are not visible in the photo.

This adult Cal King was found under a tin with an adult helleri next to it.

A Nightsnake.

These two were coiled together in a ball nestled a few inches off the ground.

Nice post. You were in my neck of the woods. Were the helleri and kings near Carlsbad?
If you need a partner the next time you're in town, look me up.
Nathan

Yes they were in Carlsbad where there will eventually be only one 10 foot square patch of natural habitat left being patroled by 50 helicopters.

I know what you mean. Those guys fly pretty low, checking out what sinister deeds are being done in a one acre lot of mustard grass. And the area around Carlsbad (and all the cities in SoCal) are being developed at an alarming rate. In the last year two board spots have been shared with me there. Now only one remains. That is the site formerly called the valley of the bricks and that site has survey flags along one ridge with tins. I hear that there are a few more sites around Carlsbad, but they are tucked away and well hidden.

Happy Herping
Nathan

David Hasslhoff told me that downed billboards were good places to find snakes so I stopped and checked this real estate sign in Malibu on my way home and found this little helleri. Even the Rattlesnakes in Malibu thinks they're moviestars.

sweet aaron, did you get its autograph?? what no z's yet??/jon

was your garter a 2 stripe or something else? Have a pic?

I don't have a pic. My brother spotted it basking and it went down a crack in some granite boulders. I barely had time to tell it was a garter. I do think it had a stripe down the back though. It was at Lake Morena if that tells you anything. There's a pretty cool campground there and at the ranger station they have a live Rosy Boa and a Gophersnake on display. The ranger said they are from the lake, he also said no collecting around the lake.

Sounds more like a striped Whipsnake, than a garter.

I know but it wasn't a Striped Whipsnake. It had the slightly keeled scales of a Garter and the more rounded nose. I just don't know the subspecies of Garters very well and to identify them at that level I need to catch the snake and have a field guide.

"Amphibians and Reptiles of the San Diego Region" by yours truly will be out this summer by UC press! Cheers,
Jeff

I bought Brain's book and I bought Mitch's book and now I have to buy yours? This is getting rediculous.

.
-----
- Happy herping!

KE

porkroll, eggs, cheese & bacon