Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone - I'm heading up to Big Bear, CA for a camping trip with about 60 high school kids in early November. I know that is not really ideal herp time, but the weather report is showing highs in the mid 70s and lows in the mid 40s.

It would be pretty cool if I could find something for the kids to see - Let me know if anyone out there has any tips or thories.

Thanks,

Jake

Jake,
If low temperatures pretty much remain above freezing and daytime highs are in the 60s or above with some sunshine, the Southern Rubber Boa should be under cover objects at the surface. I wouldn't be surprised if you could also find T. elegans under such condition and perhaps other species as well.
The S. Pac. Rattlesnake should be at their dens but outside to soak up the sunshine.

In 2001 I travel to the area in late October but daytime highs were in the high 40's or low 50's with some sun. I was with Kent Beaman formerly the curator of the LA County Mus. looking for a Mt. Garter for a researcher in Oregon. Didn't find the garter snake but did come across a S. Rubber Boa.

Richard F. Hoyer

That is actually much more promising than I was expecting. The place we are going is a YMCA type camp, so it seems like there would be some cover around.

Thanks for the help - Now I'll just hope for good weather.

Jake

I've read your posts about the boas before - it seems like you were suggesting that people should look when the temps are cooler than you would expect for herps. Let me know if I am wrong about that.

Jake,
Many species of snakes and lizards can sometimes be found under conditions that are contrary to conventional thinking about what is required for reptiles to be active or available. As a general rule here in northwestern Oregon, any time temperatures reach the mid 50's for about three days with some sunshine, I can almost guaranty finding C. bottae even in Nov., Dec., Jan. and Feb. I have not failed to find at least one boa during the month of February since 1971. The S. Alligator Lizard and Sharp-tailed Snake are also usually under surface cover under the above environmental conditions during winter months.

Information from others on this forum indicate the same scenario applies elsewhere in the U.S. and not just the west coast or the southern tier of states where winter conditions are generally much more mild. During 1980 and 1981 I visited my children at Christmas time where they were living in Lucerne on the NW shore of Clear Lake in northern Calif. about half way between I - 5 at Williams, Calif. and Hwy 101 to the west. Between Dec. 23 and 30 those two years, even with frost that remained throughout much of the day in shaded areas, I came across 6 species of reptiles that included the S. All. Lizard. W. Fence Lizard, W. Skink, Ringneck Snake, Sharp-tailed Snake and Common Kingsnake.

Richard F. Hoyer
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I've read your posts about the boas before - it seems like you were suggesting that people should look when the temps are cooler than you would expect for herps. Let me know if I am wrong about that.