Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Went on a trip to look at some property in my favorite state of Arizona. While I didnt get much opportunity to hunt here is what I saw on the side:
C.atrox-2DOR, 1AOR
C.mollusus-1.1 mating in a wash in Saguaro NP
C.cerastes-6DOR towards Salome, 1AOR, in Tucson Mtn Park. First recorded in a longtime according to some folks at the ASDM.
C.tigris Saguaro NP
Black Coachwhip
Glossy snake
along with the numerous lizards, scorps, spiders and geckos that live there.
and a cougar on Kitt Peak! Got a picture of a pawprint that it left in the wash after leaping across the road in front of me.
I will post pics when they get uploaded.
Cheers
Lateralis

Good luck finding some property. I'll probably be moving to the area in about three yrs. I just got home from a Spring Break visit last week. Found several atrox and other things. Here's a couple small snakes...

I was hiking in the Santa Cruz Valley...

Here's a variable sandsnake, likely an '04 juve...

This is a Southwestern black-headed snake...

TC

Hi Terry:
nice pics! I went to the Santa Ritas for a day and then to kitt peak as well, man I love that place!!!!
Found lots of nice parcels, and its good that I started early, they are developing out there like crazy and it is the time to buy land there while it is still affordable.
I saw some nice 5 acre parcels in Sauhaurita near to the Santa Ritas Mts, its probably where we will go.
Cheers!
Brett

Hey Brett, that would be great. Suahaurita is just north of G.V., where we have invested. I love the Ritas too, and am just starting to get to know some of the other ranges and mtns, like Kitt's Peak. I would like to pick up a nice sized piece of ranchland along the Santa Cruz, but my wife doesn't want to go that route. I think the ranchers will eventually sell out because the cattle industry is slowly dying around the valley and they can get really good money for land there. We're thinking about selling our 2 bdm house and getting a three bedroom, so I can convert one to a herp room, but that remains to be seen. I'm not sure we can afford to move up any more.

Here's one of the d-backs we saw coming out of hibernation...

Good luck...TC

This is a Southwestern black-headed snake.

Terry,

Are you sure that is a hobartsmithi? That doesn't really look like one to me (the cap extends too far and isn't bordered by white enough). I could be wrong, but I bet that is another species (doesn nigriceps get there? What about yaqui?).
Cute little sandsnake, BTW. I love those little things.
-----
Chris Harrison

>>This is a Southwestern black-headed snake.
>>
>>Terry,
>>
>>Are you sure that is a hobartsmithi? That doesn't really look like one to me (the cap extends too far and isn't bordered by white enough). I could be wrong, but I bet that is another species (doesn nigriceps get there? What about yaqui?).
>>Cute little sandsnake, BTW. I love those little things.
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison

Chris, I raised the same question last summer. This is one I found in the same location...

Because it's outside the range of nigriceps and the rear of the black cap is pretty straight across, we decided it must be hobartsmithi. I was hoping it was nigriceps, however, because I believe at one time in the recent past, the valley supported more of a grassland flora and fauna. I should have kept it to key it out better, but I wasn't carrying any containers at the time and didn't want to kill it. This summer I'll probably get another chance.

PS: I'll look into the possibility of yaqui too!?

Thanks for the comments....TC