Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It was still daylight and very windy when I passed this 24 in. desert king in the oncoming roadway. I ran back with my camera, but was unable to take a photo on account of the white Ford truck coming my way. So I grabbed the snake and walked to my vehicle. Lil' beauty never once tried to bite me! But it did expel a copious amount of cloacal musk as to thwart any capture thus expediting it's immediate release (or so Mr. Dixon would have said). lol! It blended in very well with the speckled black top and I thought it was a DOR T.marcianus (checkered garter), especially the way it was flattened and jagged patterned on the asphalt. I'm glad it wasn't! A very calm snake...
~Lance

Great lookin' splendida! Glad he didn't end up a pancake!
Todd

I noticed today that he has what looks like red sand between many of his scales. Are these mites? What is the best remedy? I think vasoline should smother them, right?

can be found at

http://www.geocities.com/thearkfiles/Mites.html

Google pulled this up

Any corale news.....

Yes, they are mites, but not a problem like the black mites that snakes get in captivity. I have never had a problem with red mites on fresh captives, nor have I spoken to anyone who has. You can certainly treat the snake in the same manner you would with snake mites, but it is unnecessary. When the snake sheds it will rid itself of the "chiggers" and you will be done with the problem.
Of course, the black mites that snakes get in captivity are a whole 'nother ballgame.
Shane

>>I noticed today that he has what looks like red sand between many of his scales. Are these mites? What is the best remedy? I think vasoline should smother them, right?

Thanks for the info! Are they the same chiggers that bite humans? Because as a matter of fact I got several "chigger" bites on the same day I caught that snake and I was really only walking through grass for maybe 3 minutes as I chased another snake that crawled off the road. Man I hate them redbugs...

>>Are they the same chiggers that bite humans?

That's a good question; I'm not sure. All I know is that they are often found on wild herps, and that they don't last long in a captive environment.
Shane