Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Found these little beauties recently . Weather wasn't optimal and as usual I had to move on just when it was turning for the better. A few ticks and many scrapes later I was thrilled nonetheless. All 3 were juvies, obviously hungry as the one pic shows. Sorry for the crappy pics, I was typically out of breath ascending to the "good rock". Thanks to Dr. Rick for his patience and guidance. As always, Mr. Paul was an invaluable source of insight. Nothing beats the thrill of a tri-band under a rock after moving seemingly tons and tons of granite!

Bill

Excellent! Which type are those?
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Mark

From my super-tiny Blackberry screen it appears to be a pulchra in the middle, multicincta below, and I think a multicincta again up top. That was a HUGE meal for the little pulchra, wow!
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Jerry Kruse
www.zonatas.com

And God said, "Let there be zonata subspecies for all to ponder..."

How right you are Jerry! Good eyes. Now why on earth are you perusing KS via a Blackberry? LOL. I'm amazed hatchling Zonata will even look at a pink mouse what with all the lizards everywhere in their habitat. Literally 2-3 Scelops or 1-2 Skinks under almost every rock.

Bill

Hey Billy,

In my experience over the years, lizard scenting neonate zonata is absolutely key in captive conditions. I will venture to guess this is a Laguna pulchra, and of all the captive bred babies I hatch it's this form that gives me the biggest headache of all. They certainly do love their lizards. Nice finds indeed, and glad you had a great time in z land.
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Jerry Kruse
www.zonatas.com

And God said, "Let there be zonata subspecies for all to ponder..."

The only breeders I have are enormous Greenhorn animals and all their hatchlings took live pinks w/no tricks right from the get-go. Plus they hatch out much bigger than alot of the other ssp. or localities.

Bill

Yes, given the size of most multicincta and their respective intergrades it makes sense that their size carries over. Same holds true for other ssp, respectively. As I'd mentioned with San Diego pulchra, their prey base seems to be a higher percentage of lizards as compared to a lower-elevation/riparian z whereby the prey base is more varied (i.e. Many multicincta, multifasciata, and populations of parvirubra/pulchra fit into this category), therefore translating to c.b. offspring as well in captive conditions. Almost all CB multicinctas take me a fraction of the time to get on unscented pinks versus the higher elevation pulchra. In my overall opinion, natural environment (despite generations removed) strongly translates into what we see under captive conditions. Just my 2 cents....
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Jerry Kruse
www.zonatas.com

And God said, "Let there be zonata subspecies for all to ponder..."

Agreed, even generations removed from the wild will not dilute evolutionary instincts honed over the eons. I'm having the same problems with hatchling Mangrove Snakes I recently produced. I have finally come to the conclusion that they aren't interested in eating for at least 6 weeks out of the egg! I made the mistake of treating them like NA colubrids and was stressing them (and myself) with all the usual tricks and contortions trying to get them to feed....lizards/frog/minnow scenting, split braining pinks, live/thawed, unscented...a familiar picture for most of us. Turns out they ate when they were ready to eat...live regular old pinkies.

I know a few breeders that worked many years with pyros. They all agree that after many generations, a higher percentage of the babies eat pinks right off without any scenting, this being in contrast to earlier days. Perhaps after many generations in captivity the "natural environment" becomes a sweaterbox and the babies are more likely to imprint on pinks as their staple.

Would be interesting for you guys to see if that happens in your collections with the more confirmed lizard eaters.
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Mark

Excellent finds! I am still waiting for when I find my first wild Z....