As all my old posts are gone, I decided to head out to the low desert and start a new post. My brother Rich and I arrived around 11:30. First up was this huge centipede. I'm guessing 8 inches long. Never seen anything like it before...
Followed shortly after by this shovelnose...
About 30 mins later we found this on the road.....
At first we weren't sure if it was a snake. Looks like a Speckled Rattlesnake....
After it finished it's meal, we helped it off the road. REALLY cool to see. We're guessing the snake struck the mouse off the road and then the mouse died on the road. Then the snake followed the scent and finished it off on the road. Just a theory. Any others? What are the odds on the snake catching a mouse on the road. Would a snake carry it's food to the road to eat?
A few minutes later we found this:
I'm guessing it's a Spotted Leafnose Snake........LIFER for us...
About 15 mins later we found a Glossy Snake. My second one.
I really like the pattern on these snakes....
Next we found a DOR shovelnose followed by a live one. Second for the night....
This one was quite a bit bigger than the other....Are there any tricolor ones in the low desert?
We finished the night off with another Glossy Snake. A pretty big one at that. Guessing at least 3 1/2 feet. A bit dull compared to the other one.....
Well that's it. Nice to have something fresh to post...........Lou and Rich
PS: After the 2 hour drive, 3 hours cruising, 2 hours back-straight to LAX, I flew 11 hours to Tokyo. Yeh, I'm addicted to this!!!!
Snake Eats Mouse
Moderator: Scott Waters
Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Looks like you're getting into the swing of night driving there Lou! Good job. My guess is that the Speck found a DOR k-rat. Congrats on the Leaf too....got my first one (2 actually) in 40 years last Friday night.
- Ross Padilla
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Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Yeah looks like the Speck found a DOR. If thats where I think its at, the Speck is a good find. They're always good finds. I love their colors in that area.
Re: Snake Eats Mouse
I didn't realize a snake would eat a DOR. I'm assuming freshly killed.....not frozen/thawed.
- Natalie McNear
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Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Awesome, Lou! The snake gods are still on your side, I see. Many people who've been herping for years never come across a wild snake feeding (let alone a beautiful Speck), so that's an incredible find. Keep up the good work!
- Natalie McNear
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Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Many snakes will eat DORs as long as they're moderately fresh... In fact, that's how many snakes get run over themselves, by lingering on the road trying to consume some flattened prey.
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Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Hi Lou,
I ran across a Mohave green last year eating a fresh mouse it had just killed (even saw the mouse make it's last leg kick), so my guess would be it tracked it but so hard to tell
I ran across a Mohave green last year eating a fresh mouse it had just killed (even saw the mouse make it's last leg kick), so my guess would be it tracked it but so hard to tell
- dezertwerx
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Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Good finds Lou.
- Brian Hubbs
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Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Good job, Lou!
Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Thanks guys!! Wish me luck in Hong Kong on Sunday. A King Cobra would be cool......maybe a striped one.....LOL
- Ross Padilla
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Re: Snake Eats Mouse
On the subject of snakes eating DOR's off the road, here's a Cal king who met its fate while eating a DOR Long nosed. I came to this conclusion because they were found on a busy road and the Long nosed was flatter than the king. lol
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Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Wow LOU...Thats awesome...
When I saw the title, I figured it would be one of your kings eating a mouse...DOH!!! Rattlesnakes lie in wait along rodent trails and ambus/strike passing rodents... the venom causes a change in the blood which the snakes can smell, and they track the prey to where it dies.. which could be in the road... so. That Roo didn't look like DOR to me... gotta go... jim
When I saw the title, I figured it would be one of your kings eating a mouse...DOH!!! Rattlesnakes lie in wait along rodent trails and ambus/strike passing rodents... the venom causes a change in the blood which the snakes can smell, and they track the prey to where it dies.. which could be in the road... so. That Roo didn't look like DOR to me... gotta go... jim
Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Brilliant deduction HolmesRoss Padilla wrote: came to this conclusion because they were found on a busy road and the Long nosed was flatter than the king
Agreed.hellihooks wrote:That Roo didn't look like DOR to me
Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Nice pics. Great job on finding the Speckled Rattler eating the mouse and that is a beautiful shovel-nosed snake. Thanks!
- Biker Dave
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Re: Snake Eats Mouse
Lou has the luck...... he always seems to find something cool even though he's been at this for only about a year... Its not fair I tell ya! Its just not. Its not its not its not!