Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I figured it was about time I learned how to post pics. I found this snake on a collecting trip through the southwest last spring. Catching him was an adventure, involving tarantula collecting tricks and tree climbing. I knew coachwhips were fast, but I was shocked by just HOW fast: the snake was unaware of my presence, and my hands were no more than 18" away from its midbody. When I made the grab, I didn't come close to getting a hand on him.

Now I just need to get him a girlfriend (well, I need to probe him first, but he's got a very manly tail). These are really fascinating snakes; it's perplexing to me that there isn't more interest in them.

Now I have to go say the 'upload prayer'.

Steve

Very cool looking whip! Here's his cousin from east of Del Rio. M. taeniatus girardi
Todd Hughes

Very cool! I saw one DOR M.t.taeniatus in Utah, but no live ones. All in all, not much success on the trip, snakewise; lots of DOR examples of species I've never seen in person, but only two live ones, the coachwhip and a C.o.concolor. Even still, those two totally made up for it, and the scorpions were plentiful. I also discovered that roadrunners are about the coolest bird ever. Took me back 60 million years or so.

Steve