A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

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Brian Eagar
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 12:59 pm

A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by Brian Eagar »

So the weather has been unseasonably warm which has only made my spring fever worse.
I decided to get out the other day after work and see if I could find a boa in a new spot.
I found this:
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Today after work I felt like finding a valley garter snake.
They have always been one of my favorites and I didn't even get out to look for them last year.
It was pretty late and a storm was brewing but I still managed to find this one.
Image
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Both were found under rocks and returned under their same rocks after said rocks were put back as they were found.
It's always fun to find what you are looking for.

Hopefully I'll see a wandering garter in my yard tomorrow while doing yard work.
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jdustin
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Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by jdustin »

Nice Brian, and just in time for the winter weather to return.
simpleyork
Posts: 513
Joined: March 6th, 2012, 12:45 pm
Location: utah

Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by simpleyork »

can't wait for the weekend with the warm weather rolling in again

in what state are you located Brian?
RobK

Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by RobK »

Nice finds for early in the year. Like the red on your garter. Still waiting on the rain here in CO.
simpleyork
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Joined: March 6th, 2012, 12:45 pm
Location: utah

Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by simpleyork »

wish i could find a boa
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Bryan Hamilton
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Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by Bryan Hamilton »

Keep looking man. They've never been easy for me and I've still never seen a live boa in Utah.

This is the right time of year and you are in the right habitat so I think its just matter of time if you stick with it.

Good luck!
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jdustin
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Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by jdustin »

This is the right time of year and you are in the right habitat so I think its just matter of time if you stick with it.
I know some people find them this early, but I don't think we're quite to "the right time of year" in northern Utah, IMO.
These are all Utah boas in the NAFHA database by month (discountig Hubbs +30 year old entries that don't have a proper date):

March- 0
April- 0
May- 3
June- 16
July- 12
Aug- 2
Sept- 1
Oct- 0

Admittedly, this may be skewed due to the fact that 32 of the 34 records are by me (or someone I took), and my favorite places to go are higher elevation. The areas I look for boas are not even accessible yet.

All I'm saying is, if late May comes around and you still haven't seen a boa, don't give up.... and you might not want to use up all your gas money in March and April.
Brian Eagar
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 12:59 pm

Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by Brian Eagar »

Chris,
If I had time I would be glad to go to the spot you've been looking with you and point some things out for you but I don't right now and that is a bit of a drive for me.

I have spent a lot of time learning the animals and their habitat and seasonal preferences. That isn't information people are just going to give up.
The first boa I ever found was while fishing along a stream in Utah county as a kid.
The next one was found by accident while hikingh in the wasatch. I never found them while looking for them back then and I did spend a fair amount of time trying as a kid.
It wasn't till I got back into herping as an adult and spent many-many hours in their habitat at all times of the year that I figured out how to find them.
Leveraging other peoples find dates and conditions was probably the most important part of success other than learning the habitat.

That first find will mean so much more to you if it is in your spot that you picked at the time you decided to go there.
Based on your habitat pics and description of where you are going there are definitely boas there.
It is early and those spots are getting hit with snow again today. So like I mentioned in my other post you have to be in the right place at the right time.
They aren't migrating from where they are overwintering this time of year. And they aren't on the surface all day near their hibernacula either.
You shouldn't be digging through rock piles to find them either. If they aren't under surface rock you're not going to find them digging deep into piles and that would just destroy microhabitat.
The areas with lots of rodent activity and visible ways to escape below frost line should be where you focus. Remember boa habitat has snow potential into mid-May at least.
It is very likely that you have been going at the wrong time of day or when it is too hot / sunny.
Mark Hazel
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Joined: March 8th, 2011, 2:08 pm
Location: Utah

Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by Mark Hazel »

Yesterday March 25, 2pm, found a basking sagebrush lizard along a trail in a well-visited canyon E of Salt Lake City. SE-facing slope, ~6200 ft elevation. I think I heard two others rustling the dry leaves, but only actually saw one. March 25 is the earliest I've seen that species in the Wasatch Mtns.
That was the 4th in a string of 4 days down in the valley with daytime highs ~70F or above. Spring seems early this year. Next weekend should have some warmth, too.
--Mark
simpleyork
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Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by simpleyork »

Thanks guys,
You answered my questions well Brian and I thank you all for the time that
you have taken to help to answer the many questions I have asked.
I guess the spring fever has really hit me hard this year.
I do enjoy hitting the mountains this early in the year even to just take my
kids out for a walk before they open the roads to vehicles.

Chris york
ohioherpercountryboy
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Joined: December 8th, 2011, 3:27 pm

Re: A couple of springtime snakes from this week.

Post by ohioherpercountryboy »

cool same for ohio its been in the 70s this past week so saturday i went out in the woods and found 5 green frogs,2 large spotted salamanders,1 brown snake and a 28 inch milksnake what a herping expirence. how can i post my reptile pics on this website
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