Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I don't know if I posted these here earlier or not from our Panama trip this summer.

Here is my first ever wild rainbow boa. Unfortunately it was DOR, but I was excited as heck to see one in the wild -

A few nights later, I roadhunted a road near Gamboa and found this little treasure crossing the road -

Pardon the picture title (a joke) but it turned out to be the most common snake we found on the roads (all DOR except that baby).

We found them on roads in rainforests and in pasturelands. It seems they aren't that particular about their environs?

I don't keep RBs anymore but they hold a very special place in my heart from the one I kept for about 12 years from about 1981 on. I never did figure out what ssp it was. It was maurus-like, but it never lost its pattern and never got more than about 3.5 feet long.
I may post a pic later and see if you guys can figure it out.
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Chris,
...Most of the maurus I saw in Panama were DOR. The snakes do seem to like edge environs around pastures and fields and along drainage ditches. They seem to be like many US colubrids that do well in areas that have been disturbed by man. The one live one I caught was along a trail in moderatly thick jungle over a mile away from any roads or fields. She was crawling across the trail at night. Night hunting in the jungle is pretty interesting. Anyone who is afraid of bats should not try it. The bats swarmed around me as I hunted along trails in the jungle at night. The monkeys and birds were more active during the day but most other animals were more active at night.
...When were you in Panama? Did you happen to see a twin 50 caliber anti-aircraft gun on the small hill between "downtown" Gamboa and the launching ramp? One brave Panamanian tried to kill me with it during the first night of Just Cause.
Jeff

>>I don't know if I posted these here earlier or not from our Panama trip this summer.
>>
>>Here is my first ever wild rainbow boa. Unfortunately it was DOR, but I was excited as heck to see one in the wild -
>>
>>
>>
>>A few nights later, I roadhunted a road near Gamboa and found this little treasure crossing the road -
>>
>>
>>
>>Pardon the picture title (a joke) but it turned out to be the most common snake we found on the roads (all DOR except that baby).
>>
>>We found them on roads in rainforests and in pasturelands. It seems they aren't that particular about their environs?
>>
>>I don't keep RBs anymore but they hold a very special place in my heart from the one I kept for about 12 years from about 1981 on. I never did figure out what ssp it was. It was maurus-like, but it never lost its pattern and never got more than about 3.5 feet long.
>>I may post a pic later and see if you guys can figure it out.
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison
>>San Antonio, Texas

>When were you in Panama?

July/Aug of this year (2005).

>Did you happen to see a twin 50 caliber anti-aircraft gun on >the small hill between "downtown" Gamboa and the launching >ramp? One brave Panamanian tried to kill me with it during the >first night of Just Cause.

I actually think I know the hill you are talking about. I didn't notice a AA gun, but I wondered about the concrete bunker looking thing!

No one shot at me, but I was there under different circumstances! LOL.
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Chris,
...I liked Panama. Great weather, friendly people, good food, low cost of living, beautiful scenery, exotic animals, great fishing, fantastic snorkeling. I have not been back since 1990. I really need to go see the country again.
Jeff

>>>When were you in Panama?
>>
>>July/Aug of this year (2005).
>>
>>>Did you happen to see a twin 50 caliber anti-aircraft gun on >the small hill between "downtown" Gamboa and the launching >ramp? One brave Panamanian tried to kill me with it during the >first night of Just Cause.
>>
>>I actually think I know the hill you are talking about. I didn't notice a AA gun, but I wondered about the concrete bunker looking thing!
>>
>>No one shot at me, but I was there under different circumstances! LOL.
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison
>>San Antonio, Texas

Dead on road....