Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Over the past two seasons I've done a lot of trial and error, and learned a lot about when where and how to find rosy boas in my area (just east of San Diego) What I don't know much about is the where when and how for finding neonate rosys. I suspect that right now is the right time of year to look, and since this is "final call" for rosys until spring, I'd love some advice to avoid wasting the opportunity.

How does the behavior of neonate rosys at this time of year, differ from that of adult rosys in the spring? My best guesses (please tell me if this is wrong) are that:
1) Neonate rosys would love to do some eating before they settle down for brumation.
2) Since they are so small they can only eat baby mice.
3) They are a bit clueless and may spend more time crawling around in the open sniffing for food then an adult rosy would.
4) They need to conserve the moisture in their bodies
5) They are less tolerant of excessive heat or cold than adults

What am I missing? Where am I inaccurate?

So I’ve reasoned that they would spend most of their time in holes and deep in rock piles where the rodent nests are, and not be found on the roads or on the surface where only the adult mice are. Also, I’m guessing that they would be more likely to come out in the morning when the humidity is 70%, than at sundown or a few hours after when the humidity is only 35%.

So I’ve been hiking around in my rosy spots in the early morning as things are starting to warm up, and finding lots of nothing. I don’t know what the bag limit on “nothing” is, but I must be getting close to the max. Either there’s a flaw in my assumptions or my reasoning, or maybe finding neonate rosys is simply unlikely no matter what I do. What the story? What are prime conditions for finding neonate rosys, or even adult rosys at this time of year?

Daytime? Nighttime?
Before/After sundown?
Before/After Sunrise?
>65 degrees? >70 degrees? < 85 degrees?
Humidity?
On the road? On the desert floor?
Two weeks ago? Two weeks from now?

The Rosy boa mojo that I’ve developed, which works well for adults in the spring, is simply not working now. What am I missing?

Thanks for any enlightenment that you can give.

Dear freediver, you are well thought out and already ahead of most. I usually find young of the year and little else in the Fall. I think lots of them go into hibernation without feeding, but have no proof.
Are you a breathhold diver? (hence the handle "Freediver" Vic