Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is a little male that I shooed off the road one night.
ASDM said its been quite some time since the last sighting.
CHeers
Lat

the saguaro/palo verde association on the west side of the Tucsons. Back in 1969 Clay May and I found two winders about ten feet apart right at the entrance to the Museum. He was positive they had to be escapees from an exhibit at the time (I was only nine so I took his word for it,lol) In 1980 my parents moved to the area just west of Old Tucson and it didn't take me long to learn that winders were actually pretty common at the base of the mountains. I have seen some gorgeous specimens. One day when running in the desert close to Old Tucson I saw one as bright a pink as Barbies corvette (absolutely no exaggeration!) Try as I might I have never found another like it.

Thats about where I found him, on the grade going up to G's Pass. First time I saw one in the area, but heard that they were quite common down 86, where I did see quite a few.
The habitat seems totally wrong for a winder, much too rocky and shrubby, but winders dont read guidebooks so how would they know they shouldnt be there.
Cheers
B

While not common in SWNP, they have been found there, and all along Kinney Road on occasion.

It's ironic that Old Tucson was brought up, because several have been seen around there over the years.

My guess is they travel up the washes from their main homes. If you look at an aerial photo of the region, you will see that the sandy creosote turf they love is not far from any of these locations. There are many washes that extend from higher in the Tucson Mts. right down to the lower sandy regions of the valley.

I have a spot not far from these localities where I have been watching winders for years. It is just below elevation-wise. They are very common here. They cruise both dirt roads and washes covering great distances over very short periods of time.

Lastly, having great loyalty to ASDM, I doubt very much that we had TWO get out!!! LOL!!!

Holy Cow!! That's a real shocker!! I thought you'd have a better chance of seeing Osama Bin Laden and a winder in SNP!!
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Save a Rattlesnake...Skin a Sweetwater Resident!

based on the traffic Ive seen over the past 12 years or so, I wouldnt be surprised if the few that were left are gone now. It certainly is not a common find for that particular area from what Ive been told and hopefully I walked him far enough off the road that he didnt get into anymore trouble that night!LOL.
Cheers
B

Having lived on the western border of Tucson Mtn Park for several years, I would see sidewinder tracks in the sandy microhabitats all the time. Moreso in the fall.I have the impression that they are quite common along the western edges.One place that I found sidewinders that I thought was kind of odd was at the base of the tortolita mtns on the southern side. I found several there in the early 90,s before all the new construction. RichL