Search found 184 matches
- August 19th, 2015, 8:57 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Spot Recognition software
- Replies: 8
- Views: 3356
Spot Recognition software
Hey All. Does anyone have experience or suggestions for spot recognition software for cave salamanders? I know nothing about it, and thought some good person might be willing to give some advice before I dig in. Thank you!
- February 12th, 2015, 8:34 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Disparity of Sheds to Snake size
- Replies: 9
- Views: 5651
- January 29th, 2015, 8:24 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Notes on Rough Green Snakes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 4213
Re: Notes on Rough Green Snakes
Thank you for your kind words everyone. It's good to get a pat on the back after so much work. :) Walk-about...in late may and early june, the snakes just disappeared. poof. nowhere to be found. except for juveniles. I had another location approx 20 miles away that I or one of the folks helping me c...
- January 27th, 2015, 7:22 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Notes on Rough Green Snakes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 4213
Notes on Rough Green Snakes
In 2014 I did an 'unofficial' study of Rough Green snakes. The purpose was simply to increase my own understanding of the natural history of this species, but I decided to share my notes here on the forum because 1) There are some great herpers and biologists here, and I would love to get your comme...
- November 20th, 2014, 3:08 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Question about snake locomotion
- Replies: 5
- Views: 3660
Re: Question about snake locomotion
I think the answer to your question is probably closer to yes than no. Most snakes can use all types of locomotion in a pinch, they just normally use the type that is the most energy efficient...or in some cases, like colubrids moving rectilinearly, the type that is most ninja-like. The upcoming &qu...
- November 12th, 2014, 9:44 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: 2014 in review: The Midwest
- Replies: 14
- Views: 8226
Re: 2014 in review: The Midwest
Beautiful longtail salamander!
- October 30th, 2014, 9:40 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Looking for advice on setting up a pit-trap array
- Replies: 33
- Views: 12058
Re: Looking for advice on setting up a pit-trap array
Another option to avoid the flooding problem is box traps. Basically a plastic tote with a hole cut in the sides near the top (with a trap door). Then a ramp or screen funnel from the ground to the trap doors. They don't work as well as pitfalls I don't think, but it will solve the flood problem.
- October 1st, 2014, 7:38 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Rough greens and tail wrapping
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2334
Re: Rough greens and tail wrapping
wow! now that's what I'm talking about. sent you a pm.
- September 30th, 2014, 7:22 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Rough greens and tail wrapping
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2334
Rough greens and tail wrapping
I'm looking for green snake stories (either species) for possible publication. I should say, experiences with cool green snake behaviors...predation, nest encounters, swimming, etc. Have anything to share? or cool pics? Also, here is a link to a video of a rough green tail wrapping. If you've ever t...
- August 24th, 2014, 7:14 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: interesting field observation
- Replies: 8
- Views: 3556
Re: interesting field observation
mfb...cool group. i assume a person must sign up for flickr to join?
- August 15th, 2014, 9:46 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Red-bellied Snake Lip-Curling Behavior
- Replies: 14
- Views: 5793
Re: Red-bellied Snake Lip-Curling Behavior
The lip curling behavior might be analogous to gaping in green snakes. They open their mouth to expose the black interior...and that's it. No attempt to bite.
- May 31st, 2014, 4:01 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Rough Green capturing a spider...link to my youtube video.
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2559
Re: Rough Green capturing a spider...link to my youtube vide
Thanks guys! If you watch the slow motion version, you'll see that the snake 'loses' the spider...the snake's head is oriented downward and it resumes head bobbing behavior (which they always do while foraging...most of the literature opines that this is a visual aid, although I think it has somethi...
- May 27th, 2014, 9:40 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Rough Green capturing a spider...link to my youtube video.
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2559
Rough Green capturing a spider...link to my youtube video.
A video of a Rough Green Snake capturing a spider. There is also a slow motion version on my channel...in which you can see the spider attack the snake twice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF6KRTrh0xM
- May 8th, 2014, 9:04 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Snake I.D. help? Ecuador
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1019
Snake I.D. help? Ecuador
Hey All... I know this is a long shot, but a friend of mine is hoping to I.D. a snake she saw in Ecuador several years ago. Her description is this... "About a foot long, tan with dark markings." Location was rainforest "across the Napo River from Misahualli." Can anyone give an ...
- February 3rd, 2014, 9:32 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Field experience with Rough Greens? (No pics)
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1783
Re: Field experience with Rough Greens? (No pics)
Thanks guys. Yep, I have all of Plummer's papers, plus combed the literature for everything else I could find. Just wondering, among other things, if anyone had experience getting the 'high' ones down. I got one last season that was 25-30 feet up. Guess I'll just let those guys sleep. Never thought ...
- February 2nd, 2014, 10:59 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Field experience with Rough Greens? (No pics)
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1783
Field experience with Rough Greens? (No pics)
I'll be doing a rough green snake habitat comparison study next season that will involve mark/recapture, and thought I would seek out the advice of experience. I'll be searching for the snakes on their roosts at night. Anyone have experience with retrieving snakes roosting out of arms reach? cauteri...
- January 13th, 2014, 5:45 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Red Salamander Eggs
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1373
Re: Red Salamander Eggs
wow. just...wow. would love to know more about the habitat/microhabitat.
- January 13th, 2014, 5:44 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Southeast Ohio, 2013
- Replies: 29
- Views: 11627
Re: Southeast Ohio, 2013
Great post! Love the habitat pics! Thanks!
- January 13th, 2014, 5:23 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Peeper help in OH, WV, VA and KY
- Replies: 8
- Views: 3311
Re: Peeper help in OH, WV, VA and KY
Chillicothe, Ohio...typically march 15th I hear the first peepers...give or take a week.
- December 28th, 2013, 8:52 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Deadpool Seining (WAS: Electrofishing for Herps)
- Replies: 16
- Views: 5566
Re: Electrofishing for Herps
I have some experience with lake drainage in winter and turtles at least. Turtles will do two things in response to falling water levels...One...they'll simply dig out of the mud and move downslope to the receding water pools. Or two...(especially as the pools get very shallow)...they'll move 'downs...
- July 11th, 2013, 8:32 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Trip Completed (Part II - AZ, NM, UT)
- Replies: 10
- Views: 3757
- March 27th, 2013, 5:04 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: diurnal amphib. migration?
- Replies: 3
- Views: 1163
diurnal amphib. migration?
A friend of mine reported that she sat today watching a cooper's hawk picking off spotted salamanders at the edge of her pond. (Not in the water, but at the very edge.) This leads me to believe that the salamanders were attempting to leave the pond. I've seen several instances of amphibians migratin...
- March 10th, 2013, 7:52 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Distinguishing between A. maculatum and A. texanum eggs?
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1271
Re: Distinguishing between A. maculatum and A. texanum eggs?
maculatum have a double cell membrane that is visible. as far as I know, it's the only ambystomatid that does. I'm sure you can google for photos.
- March 5th, 2013, 4:29 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: January Spadefoots/Tigers & more in Tennessee
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1687
Re: January Spadefoots/Tigers & more in Tennessee
Interesting on the spades. Have you ever seen them out mid-winter before? May I ask what the temps were when they were out? Thanks!
- March 1st, 2013, 4:00 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Herps & Habitat: Forest Pond Life
- Replies: 13
- Views: 4032
Re: Herps & Habitat: Forest Pond Life
I was wondering about how the egg masses survived the fish. A cougar at work...ridiculous! Love the reports...thanks!
- February 24th, 2013, 8:00 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Herps & Habitat: Forest Pond Life
- Replies: 13
- Views: 4032
Re: Herps & Habitat: Forest Pond Life
awesome. So, is paedomorphic the same as neotenic? If so, do the NW sallies only use fishless ponds?
- February 16th, 2013, 6:10 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Something for Fil
- Replies: 9
- Views: 4155
Re: Something for Fil
Great video! Notice how it went for the "hole" in the substrate? I've found that I can often get a salamander to walk straight across a tracking tray by putting a piece of black construction paper or something similar on the other side. Otherwise they just kind of wander around, not laying...
- February 15th, 2013, 5:07 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Something for Fil
- Replies: 9
- Views: 4155
Re: Something for Fil
Wow! Wow on the tracks. Best sallie track i've seen.
- February 12th, 2013, 3:58 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding
- Replies: 7
- Views: 2355
Re: Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding
Awesome. Temperature does affect the color, although I'm not sure if it applies to all species. I've found wood frogs in winter that were nearly black.
- January 2nd, 2013, 11:34 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Snakes on the hunt- a question.
- Replies: 31
- Views: 6283
Re: Snakes on the hunt- a question.
I’ve discovered that snakes can be followed when they are hunting, which isn’t as difficult as one might think because the snake can apparently be so intent on its objective that it doesn’t notice a person approaching if they are walking slowly and softly. One night I discovered that there were man...
- January 2nd, 2013, 11:33 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Snakes on the hunt- a question.
- Replies: 31
- Views: 6283
Re: Snakes on the hunt- a question.
Wow! Thanks for your responses and awesome photos. mfb...awesome that you witnessed a rectilinear gait. As a herp tracker, it's something I rarely see evidence of...and great blog btw! Owen, I wonder if your tandem garters were actually a male that wouldn't let the female out its sight. That was int...
- December 31st, 2012, 9:43 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Snakes on the hunt- a question.
- Replies: 31
- Views: 6283
Snakes on the hunt- a question.
Has anyone had the opportunity to observe a snake on the hunt? Personally, I've observed several colubrids actively hunting (not waiting in ambush), but I've never seen a pit viper do this. I would love to hear about your experiences. Thanks!
- December 7th, 2012, 8:43 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: You know you're a herper if...
- Replies: 15
- Views: 5752
Re: You know you're a herper if...
:lol: :lol: :lol: Great stuff guys. You know you're a herper if you go to meet your new girlfriends parents for the first time...and you've flipped everything in their yard before you even get to the door. ....if you know roughly how many fan belts and banana peels are on a given stretch of road at ...
- December 6th, 2012, 5:39 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: You know you're a herper if...
- Replies: 15
- Views: 5752
You know you're a herper if...
you've referred to a pregnant woman as gravid. you've actually road cruised a rubber snake. you're car has no reverse.... Actually, we had a thread on here on this subject...but I can't find it....was that pre-crash? thanks!
- October 26th, 2012, 7:23 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: A novel way to control cat populations
- Replies: 33
- Views: 8950
Re: A novel way to control cat populations
Check out this trail cam photo... http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =1&theater
- August 29th, 2012, 12:43 am
- Forum: Reading Room
- Topic: Herp Tracking Book Progress Report
- Replies: 78
- Views: 167262
Re: Herp Tracking Book Progress Report
awesome. love the 'gator lizard trail!
Re: Arizona
your coyote track is a feline...difficult to tell what species without a size reference though...cat species don't differ as much as dog species in the track morphology. yes on the bear. and great post! thanks!
- August 28th, 2012, 1:47 am
- Forum: Bird Forum
- Topic: A bit early for owl courtship?
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1890
A bit early for owl courtship?
I heard a great horned owl duet last night. Isn't it a bit early for that? (Ohio)
- July 6th, 2012, 10:33 pm
- Forum: Reading Room
- Topic: Herp Tracking Book Progress Report
- Replies: 78
- Views: 167262
Re: Herp Tracking Book Progress Report
You're mystery insect track is from a mussel. That trail stumped me for many months until I finally saw one making it. It's been quite awhile so I can't remember much about it...other than its from a bi-valve.
- July 2nd, 2012, 6:15 pm
- Forum: Reading Room
- Topic: Herp Tracking Book Progress Report
- Replies: 78
- Views: 167262
Re: Herp Tracking Book Progress Report
Fil, Quote: My first response without studying the photo too much... when one trail is on top of another...the pressure against the substrate can get tricky to read...often hopelessly confused. Parts are destroyed and other parts are modified. So i wouldn't look too much at the section of the trail ...
- July 2nd, 2012, 3:50 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Guess the snake track....Theos?
- Replies: 33
- Views: 9824
Re: Guess the snake track....Theos?
just to be clear... a rattler often leaves a tail drag that is more broad and flat since the tip of it's tail is more broad and flat and doesn't come to a point...like a v-shaped "ditch" as does a colubrid. I downloaded and zoomed in on the photo... and I can't make it out well enough to m...
- July 2nd, 2012, 3:17 pm
- Forum: Herpetoculture Forum
- Topic: jerky rats
- Replies: 13
- Views: 2736
Re: jerky rats
Gerry. I agree with you on most points. I don't mix species, I release at the point of capture and keep them for only 30 days. The problem is that if we keep them longer than 30 days...we have to pit tag them by law. State Parks barely has the money to keep the nature center running...much less to p...
- July 1st, 2012, 4:56 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Guess the snake track....Theos?
- Replies: 33
- Views: 9824
Re: Guess the snake track....Theos?
Have any close up shots? The thick tail drag (the little track within the track) is indicative of rattlers.
- July 1st, 2012, 4:52 pm
- Forum: Herpetoculture Forum
- Topic: jerky rats
- Replies: 13
- Views: 2736
Re: jerky rats
Thanks for the replies! I only keep the snakes in the nature center for 30 days or so and then release. I just replaced one of the black rats with a new individual. There isn't nearly the amount of 'jerking' as their was with the previous occupant. Interesting.
- June 29th, 2012, 8:36 am
- Forum: Herpetoculture Forum
- Topic: jerky rats
- Replies: 13
- Views: 2736
Re: jerky rats
could you elaborate a bit? is this a territorial or dominance thing? do you mean tongue flicking? Thanks!
- June 28th, 2012, 8:03 pm
- Forum: Herpetoculture Forum
- Topic: jerky rats
- Replies: 13
- Views: 2736
jerky rats
I put a black rat snake in the enclosure (nature center) with another black rat. They both started 'jerking'... what is this behavior? Thanks!
- June 21st, 2012, 4:32 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Relocating....
- Replies: 7
- Views: 1978
Re: Relocating....
This is an awesome opportunity to monitor the turtle's response by tracking them. I've found that most adult emydids and softy's migrate quickly downstream (the drainage channels that form in the lake bed when the last bit of water is draining) after a sudden drainage. This can be a problem if they ...
- June 11th, 2012, 1:01 am
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Biting off more than one can chew?
- Replies: 14
- Views: 3172
Re: Biting off more than one can chew?
I captured a sub-adult E. milk the other day for a snake program. It regurged 5 pinky prairie voles...
- June 8th, 2012, 8:18 pm
- Forum: The Forum
- Topic: Spring in Indiana
- Replies: 8
- Views: 2532
Re: Spring in Indiana
unusual looking carapace on that snapper...
- June 7th, 2012, 7:12 pm
- Forum: Reading Room
- Topic: Herp Tracking Book Progress Report
- Replies: 78
- Views: 167262
Re: Herp Tracking Book Progress Report
My first response without studying the photo too much... when one trail is on top of another...the pressure against the substrate can get tricky to read...often hopelessly confused. Parts are destroyed and other parts are modified. So i wouldn't look too much at the section of the trail where one tr...