Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I need to know what im doing wrong..Im was just in FLA for a week...great weather..mid 70's and no rain during the day..for 5 straight days I went herping in tampa,St.pete at a few parks(sawgrass,lake maggiore and weeden island)and only found a few racers,ribbons,and waters.Im not seeing any rats,kings,milks,rattlers,nothing more interesting than some common waters,ribbons and racers...and im walkin on and off trails.i know yellow and red rats are some of the most common snakes in florida...but nothing..please lemme know what im doin wrong...

mike

Mike, I doubt you did anything "wrong". I go to all those parks you mention quite often and sometimes find very little. I almost never see a red rat at any of them= probably because I do not leave the trails or flip any natural cover since they ARE parks and you are not supposed to. Anyway, I do see yellow rats out in the open occasionally. Mostly waters of various ssp., some moccassins, rarely an edb. Diurnal snakes like racers, garters, ribbons, etc. are the mainstay.
I am surprised you didn't see a cottonmouth at Lake Maggiore. They are very common there.
Next time you're down give me a holler.
Here's a L.Maggiore cotton.
:Mark

mark,
you may not remember this,but i believe we ran into eachother about 2 years ago at sawgrass on the boardwalk.we talked a bit about herps and you gave me your card,i was with a buddy,and if i recall we were all looking at a ribbon off the edge of the boardwalk...i believe it was you because the card said crimson king,,correct me if i am wrong though...

mike

...I've seen a few yellow rats over at Sawgrass during the daytime over the years. It's almost better to stop and check out an area well when your on the boardwalks. It's easy to pass by a hiding snake. Many times when I see a herp I want to get a photo of, I have to act like there's nothing there until others pass by (never noticing the herp in question) so as not to make a big fuss and scare it off.
You had to see gators and the huge FL softshell turtles there.
:Mark

ahh yes...the HUGE,old softshells at the overlook towers(and you know they are old because their pattern is almost COMPLETELY gone and they are pure tan) along with those gators...mainly at the lake thought...really nice park...not so much luck with the snakes though..possibly too much water in the park..but even in the trail in the back..nothing but a few yellows during the years...also..if you've been to weeden island,i heard is not too bad for EDB's...i saw nothing when i went tho..

mike

Well, you're not doing anything "wrong", but if you want to see yellow rats and corns, the best time is at night. Cruise some dirt roads and you are bound to find some of those. I have also heard of the abundance of kingsnakes in Florida, but I go field herping constantly in my area, Orlando, and rarely come across them.