Search found 521 matches

by VanAR
September 6th, 2012, 12:40 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Question about holding hot snakes.
Replies: 61
Views: 31499

Re: Question about holding hot snakes.

It's making my wonder how everyone on here gets such nice photos without handling the snakes. I can understand that species like rattlesnakes just get defensive and can be photographed in situ or hooked a short distance to open ground for photos, but do you have any species in the US that just cont...
by VanAR
September 5th, 2012, 9:19 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Question about holding hot snakes.
Replies: 61
Views: 31499

Re: Question about holding hot snakes.

I knew a guy who would pin and handle most venomous snakes that he encountered. We would get out of the car to shoo a cottonmouth off the road, and he would pin it and pick it up, look it over, then toss it off the road. He wasn't trying to impress anyone, just felt the need to put his hands on the...
by VanAR
September 2nd, 2012, 4:44 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake bite first aid clarification ?
Replies: 11
Views: 2722

Re: Snake bite first aid clarification ?

I wouldn't rely on corals needing to "chew" their venom in. Their fangs may be short, but they can definitely inject venom on a regular bite like any other snake. They also can bite with considerable vigor once harassed- one a friend of mine had for a snake education seminar bit a hook tha...
by VanAR
August 28th, 2012, 7:06 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Garter Species ID Assist...
Replies: 5
Views: 1928

Re: Garter Species ID Assist...

I don't know the exact key to Thamnophis, but that looks exactly like almost every sirtalis I worked with in Arkansas.
by VanAR
August 24th, 2012, 12:04 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Elaphe carinata feeding on some birds in Henan, China
Replies: 5
Views: 2052

Re: Elaphe carinata feeding on some birds in Henan, China

nest site selection fail
by VanAR
August 22nd, 2012, 4:37 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Timber Rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania
Replies: 26
Views: 7893

Re: Timber Rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania

Timbers are some of the easiest snakes in the world to probe, as long as you aren't holding the snake in the tube and probing it without assistance. Have one person hold the snake firmly in a tube (if you think timbers are difficult to restrain, try something with real muscle, like a boa or large Pi...
by VanAR
August 2nd, 2012, 10:18 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Sorry! A TX herp law question
Replies: 22
Views: 8173

Re: Sorry! A TX herp law question

It's been a few years since I've been there, but I agree with the points above. Getting a stamp isn't the worst idea, if for no other reason than if you do get pulled over/questioned it's one less thing to worry about. I'd be cautious in any state or national park. Just like any other state, those a...
by VanAR
July 28th, 2012, 6:45 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Is this a folktale or is this true?
Replies: 15
Views: 3501

Re: Is this a folktale or is this true?

So far I haven't experienced any allergies besides anti venom, but isnt a large percentage of people have some sort of allergy to it? But wow snake musk? That really has to suck. So are your reactions becoming worse with each exposure? The musk allergy I think is due to getting sprayed by a copperh...
by VanAR
July 27th, 2012, 5:00 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Is this a folktale or is this true?
Replies: 15
Views: 3501

Re: Is this a folktale or is this true?

In addition to Chris's statement, always keep in mind that you might become allergic to the animals you work with/catch. I've never been allergic to dogs, cats, or pollen, but since I started working with reptiles (and rodents), I've become allergic to rodents, snake musk, and snake saliva. Even rat...
by VanAR
July 24th, 2012, 11:41 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Knoxville TN
Replies: 6
Views: 1372

Re: Knoxville TN

How about turtles? literature states maps and softshells have ranges in the area ... ? There are spiny softshells throughout the Tennessee river system. Fairly abundant in some areas, but you'll be hard-pressed to actually catch one in a large river without trapping, and trapping might not be effec...
by VanAR
July 16th, 2012, 5:32 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: I want to see anyones Copperhead pictures.
Replies: 46
Views: 16890

Re: I want to see anyones Copperhead pictures.

Saratoga- kickass on the Austrelaps! I hoped they'd turn up when I opened this post.

Van
by VanAR
July 10th, 2012, 2:28 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Hello from the Shenandoah valley
Replies: 6
Views: 3206

Re: Hello from the Shenandoah valley

Right on, I know that part of the country pretty well since we used to play Stonewall Jackson in HS sports occasionally (I went to Wilson, way back when). The snake attitude isn't the best, but keep trying and hopefully you can get some of them to come around! If I get back there during herping seas...
by VanAR
July 7th, 2012, 2:59 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Just for Fun: Life Lists
Replies: 43
Views: 23226

Re: Just for Fun: Life Lists

my humble list (to 2011). As of last month, I've also added Lampropholis delicata from my postdoc advisor's front yard- a 2 square meter area had about 40 of them! Caudata Ambystomatidae Ambystoma maculatum Ambystoma annulatum Ambystoma jeffersonianum Ambystoma opacum (larval) Ambystoma talpoideum (...
by VanAR
July 6th, 2012, 5:23 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Hello from the Shenandoah valley
Replies: 6
Views: 3206

Re: Hello from the Shenandoah valley

Hi Copperhead- where do you teach in the valley? I grew up in Augusta county and occasionally travel back there to see family and friends (and herp). It's a beautiful place to live!

Van
by VanAR
June 27th, 2012, 8:53 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: OT: Herp Professors
Replies: 33
Views: 7409

Re: OT: Herp Professors

It's probably a good idea to keep your conversations with potential professors focused on a couple of things: 1) Your mutual research interests- what would you do in their lab? What have you done in the past that give you experience doing research? 2) Funding opportunities- can you support yourself ...
by VanAR
June 24th, 2012, 10:20 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: OT: Herp Professors
Replies: 33
Views: 7409

Re: OT: Herp Professors

I understand the warm weather and "not interested in spending 4 years of my life working on an organism that bores me to answer a question that interests me" seem immature. In contrast, I think those things are two strong considerations for putting me in a situation that will make seeing ...
by VanAR
June 24th, 2012, 4:47 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: OT: Herp Professors
Replies: 33
Views: 7409

Re: OT: Herp Professors

Jimi's post is on the mark. Think about what kind of work you want to do and then find people who do that kind of work. Biology is a huge field with many subdisciplines within disciplines- broadly, think about systematics/evolution, ecology, physiology, conservation as general fields of work. As oth...
by VanAR
June 11th, 2012, 3:59 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: How do heat-sensing snakes interpret heat?
Replies: 4
Views: 1449

Re: How do heat-sensing snakes interpret heat?

The optic and trigeminal nerves, which run from the eyes and pits, respectively, both join into the optic tectum in the brains of the snakes. There have been several neurophys studies that have implanted electrodes into the optic tectum and found that visual and thermal stimulation from similar poin...
by VanAR
June 3rd, 2012, 7:32 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: The Adventures of D Wayne and Ratboy
Replies: 24
Views: 5781

Re: The Adventures of D Wayne and Ratboy

Ah, the good ol' days.
by VanAR
June 3rd, 2012, 10:28 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: The Adventures of D Wayne and Ratboy
Replies: 24
Views: 5781

Re: The Adventures of D Wayne and Ratboy

The Lovely Cyndi has a tail for gods sake? Anybody want to talk about that?
LOL I'd love to hear/see her response to that.

Great pics, as always B. Wonder what ol' Albert Pike would think of a park in his name being "closed".
by VanAR
May 30th, 2012, 6:21 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: How we protect wildlife in Australia
Replies: 1
Views: 910

Re: How we protect wildlife in Australia

I don't know what the laws are in the States regarding things like this. Some states have them, but they typically only apply (or are applied) to species listed as threatened/endangered. The guy makes a good point though- check the laws of where you go, and don't advertise yourself breaking them on...
by VanAR
May 27th, 2012, 5:22 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Python "haters"Article in post from April 29
Replies: 8
Views: 1961

Re: Python "haters"Article in post from April 29

I don't think collection usually has much of an impact. There may be such circumstances where a population is restricted to specific habitats during certain periods, as in northeastern timbers, etc., especially if those areas are easily accessible. Other circumstances could be where a population is ...
by VanAR
May 26th, 2012, 6:41 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Python "haters"Article in post from April 29
Replies: 8
Views: 1961

Re: Python "haters"Article in post from April 29

Couple of generalized answers/opinions: 1) Exterminating random pythons as captured is likely going to do nothing to control them. The range is too large and too remote for single capture-exterminations to likely have much effect. 2) Placing transmitters, etc. in the snakes allows us to get a handle...
by VanAR
May 25th, 2012, 7:41 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Are you freaking kidding me?
Replies: 11
Views: 2242

Re: Are you freaking kidding me?

This was posted on Fark.com a few days ago, and it was amazing how many idiots claimed to be "experts" yet identified it as a python at least 9 feet in length.

People are stupid.
by VanAR
April 18th, 2012, 7:34 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Proper way to hold a snapper?
Replies: 15
Views: 4634

Re: Proper way to hold a snapper?

I've been working with snappers quite a bit over the past year or so. I grab them by the plastron, similarly to what Kevin described. Even big ones are easy to control that way, and smaller individuals can be easily held with one hand once you get the hang of it. Sure, they scratch some but it doesn...
by VanAR
March 23rd, 2012, 2:47 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Atrox and horridus overlap?
Replies: 17
Views: 2733

Re: Atrox and horridus overlap?

I've seen photos of a copperhead-timber hybrid- it's in a live collection somewhere, if I recall correctly, but I don't remember where.
by VanAR
March 22nd, 2012, 5:28 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Atrox and horridus overlap?
Replies: 17
Views: 2733

Re: Atrox and horridus overlap?

I saw a poster that described one from Oklahoma at a JMIH meeting, say 2005 or 2006. That's the only wild hybrid I know of.
by VanAR
March 21st, 2012, 6:14 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: A bit of early season Arklahoma color (now with more color!)
Replies: 20
Views: 5336

Re: A little bit of early season Arklahoma color.

Good stuff, Mike! I miss those big uglies.

Van
by VanAR
March 21st, 2012, 6:12 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Atrox and horridus overlap?
Replies: 17
Views: 2733

Re: Atrox and horridus overlap?

Mike's right- there's quite a bit of overlap in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, across all kinds of habitats, from forested mountains to open grassy prairie. Diamondbacks in the forested areas seem to do best in very open, grass-dominated patches, but they will forage in leaf litter occasionally too,...
by VanAR
March 20th, 2012, 8:44 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Help with snake ID - Ohio
Replies: 9
Views: 2277

Re: Help with snake ID - Ohio

milksnake
by VanAR
March 15th, 2012, 6:36 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: can someone dumb down how we use DNA analysis to distinguish
Replies: 20
Views: 4306

Re: can someone dumb down how we use DNA analysis to disting

- This part was a major question of mine... so that basically tells me that it's a judgement call on the part of the observer to determine at what point enough mutations warrants species distinction. So doesn't that get messy and lead to disagreements? Lets say a group is researching these markers ...
by VanAR
March 15th, 2012, 1:00 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: can someone dumb down how we use DNA analysis to distinguish
Replies: 20
Views: 4306

Re: can someone dumb down how we use DNA analysis to disting

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable on the subject will chime in, but this: Do they look for some random gene mutations and say, "this population has the mutation but this one doesn't so they're distinct"... i doubt it. Seems as arbitrary and meaningless as looking at something morphologic...
by VanAR
March 13th, 2012, 6:39 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-up
Replies: 84
Views: 34153

Re: World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-up

I suspect, though, that the animal welfare/cruelty issue could really have some legs. Outrageous activities with enduring popularity among rednecks have been banned before for this reason, e.g. dog fights and cock fights. Granted rattlesnakes have less appeal to the average person than do most othe...
by VanAR
March 10th, 2012, 10:50 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Doing Alice - Australia
Replies: 14
Views: 5462

Re: Doing Alice - Australia

Great pics, as usual!

Q for you- what's the best method to wrangle/post the large elapids for photos? I'm going to be living in Sydney for 2 years starting in June, and I'd like to see/photo as many species as possible, hopefully without getting tagged in the process.

Van
by VanAR
March 1st, 2012, 9:51 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Mas Panama
Replies: 14
Views: 5330

Re: Mas Panama

Cool stuff Jon. Shame about the Bushmaster- I remember Mario having another dead individual when we stopped by in 2010. Seems like they turn up there on an occasional basis.

Van
by VanAR
February 29th, 2012, 10:17 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Questions on where to go in Costa Rica
Replies: 6
Views: 1372

Re: Questions on where to go in Costa Rica

It's been some time since I was there, but I stayed at a lodge near Tortuguero and another on the Pacific side, near the Tarcoles River bridge, that had their own nature trails running into the forest. There were guided tours you could take, but I spent most of my nights poking around those trails o...
by VanAR
February 27th, 2012, 7:01 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Snake bites British tourist on testicle
Replies: 3
Views: 2151

Re: Snake bites British tourist on testicle

I knew tiger snakes could get a little testy, but still...
by VanAR
February 22nd, 2012, 1:24 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake ID help.
Replies: 12
Views: 1984

Re: Snake ID help.

It definitely looks like a Liasis, but I'd lean towards Macklot's over Olive.
by VanAR
February 22nd, 2012, 12:54 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Fang to Body Size Ratio?
Replies: 8
Views: 3180

Re: Fang to Body Size Ratio?

Not exactly.... but there are several studies that examine the relationship of head size/shape to foraging ecology and preferred prey. Head/mouth/fang size is pretty variable with body size in snakes, and there are both evolutionary constraints (ie snakes evolved from ancestors with large heads are ...
by VanAR
February 21st, 2012, 12:37 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Use of small streams by spiny softshells
Replies: 46
Views: 5147

Re: Use of small streams by spiny softshells

In the Ozarks, spiny softshells are fairly abundant in all types of waterways. I've seen them on all substrate habitats (including cobble, rocky, rock slab, etc.) on 3rd and 4th-order streams (or larger). I've also seen them on some 2nd-order streams in slower sections with mud/sand bottoms, but I h...
by VanAR
February 20th, 2012, 9:07 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: RFI: Australia, Bali, Hong Kong, Costa Rica
Replies: 19
Views: 4416

Re: RFI: Australia, Bali, Hong Kong, Costa Rica

As others have said, don't screw around near croc waters, and talk to the locals about them. I snorkeled in a couple of waters in Kakadu (Jim Jim Falls, Twin Falls gorges) back in 2001, when it was allowed. It was pretty amazing, but then a few years later I heard Twin Falls (and possibly Jim Jim?) ...
by VanAR
February 3rd, 2012, 8:55 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Rain Gear
Replies: 3
Views: 764

Re: Rain Gear

I second Frogg Toggs. I got a set last year and love it. A full jacket/pants set is inexpensive- about $40 or so. They are fairly breathable and will keep you dry in all but the wettest conditions. If you pair them with a polyester/wool/wicking layer and an underarmor-type layer, they'll keep you dr...
by VanAR
February 2nd, 2012, 1:18 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Summer in Central Texas - 2010
Replies: 7
Views: 3295

Re: Summer in Central Texas - 2010

Very cool, I really like the transmitter harness- do you know how long the batteries last on transmitters that size?
by VanAR
February 2nd, 2012, 12:48 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Mammal populations dropping dramatically in the Everglades
Replies: 95
Views: 16630

Re: Mammal populations dropping dramatically in the Everglad

I don't have an advanced degree in biology, or statistics. So I'm asking as honestly as I can. Is this good science? Can we trust conclusions based off of evidence collected this way? Sure. Basically what we're describing is a system where you can only control the amount of effort you put into the ...
by VanAR
February 1st, 2012, 8:08 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Mammal populations dropping dramatically in the Everglades
Replies: 95
Views: 16630

Re: Mammal populations dropping dramatically in the Everglad

One point I haven't seen mentioned in this discussion yet (and I haven't yet taken the time to read any linked papers, though I will soon): Pythons could also do a much better job than any mammalian predator of completely wiping out this or that prey species due to the fact that pythons can fast fo...
by VanAR
January 31st, 2012, 7:07 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Mammal populations dropping dramatically in the Everglades
Replies: 95
Views: 16630

Re: Mammal populations dropping dramatically in the Everglad

however, this does not explain the decrease in deer. I could see larger pythons going after fawns pretty easily. All they have to do is scent-trail to the fawn's hiding spot and there's an easy meal just sitting there. Not that I'm aware of: but the nesting success/predation rates for sea turtles i...
by VanAR
January 31st, 2012, 2:04 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Question about python ban.
Replies: 5
Views: 1120

Re: Question about python ban.

I don't know about state, but several cities/townships I've lived in had local laws/ordinances that prohibited the "ownership of wild animals", which technically (to my knowledge) included not just pythons, but ALL herps, even down to cornsnakes. I can think of a few cases where that type ...
by VanAR
January 18th, 2012, 2:40 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Western Queensland - December 2011
Replies: 11
Views: 2903

Re: Western Queensland - December 2011

Cool stuff!

What's a defect label?

Van
by VanAR
January 18th, 2012, 7:04 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: A little bit of Panama
Replies: 15
Views: 4544

Re: A little bit of Panama

As usual, pretty awesome stuff. That Cerrophidion alone would be amazing to see.

Someday I'll get back down there with yall!

Van
by VanAR
January 14th, 2012, 7:55 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Virginia's canebrakes - innocent I promise!
Replies: 38
Views: 7072

Re: Virginia's canebrakes - innocent I promise!

Maybe when you're research gets going you won't sound ignorant and keep calling them "canebrakes" as if that is a valid subspecies or description... Relax, its just a common name.... I often call southern timbers canebrakes, regardless of the scientific validity. But then, I'm a huge fan ...