Post photos of wild herps feeding

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Antonsrkn
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Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Antonsrkn »

With the success of the recent rattlesnake photo post, makes me think we need some more photo heavy theme threads on here.

How about photos of herps eating in the wild? I have to admit I have started this thread before, twice actually, once during the pre-crash days and once a few years ago. It's a rare surprise to come across and get to witness in nature and the nice thing about our hobby is that we all come across new things constantly so i'm sure there's tons of new photos since those threads. However to the members that participated in the old thread, I'd love to see some of the old shots as well!

So lets see everyones shots of herps feeding out in nature!

I'll start with mine, a few oldies but goodies and then some new ones from more recently.

Those of you who have been around a while may have seen these shots already but its tough to beat, years later and its still one of the highlights of herping for me.
ImageCrocodile and Fish, Part 4 by Anton, on Flickr

ImageCrocodile and Fish, part 5 by Anton, on Flickr

ImageRavenous by Anton, on Flickr

ImageAlligator with turtle by Anton, on Flickr

And now some I haven't ever posted on here before.
Not really feeding, but believe me it wasn't for lack of trying.
ImageSnack Attack by Anton, on Flickr

ImageFrogday Friday by Anton, on Flickr

ImageFrog Dinner by Anton, on Flickr

ImageA Mouthful by Anton, on Flickr

Now lets see some of your pics!
Matt Arnold
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Matt Arnold »

This past May, a friend and I got to observe this Ribbon Snake feeding on a Leopard frog. I was able to capture some video as well as get a shot or two. We heard the frog crying and immediately knew it had been caught:



ImageRibbon Snake feeding on a Leopard Frog. by Matt Arnold, on Flickr
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chrish
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by chrish »

One of my most memorable snake feeding observations -

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Noah M
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Noah M »

Some ribbons eating squirrel tree frogs.

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simus343
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by simus343 »

Those shots of the croc with fish are awesome. If I had to pick my favorite picture on this thread so far, it'd be the first picture of the croc with the fish just sitting in its mouth.

I've posted this one before, but for those that didn't get to see it. It took this black racer about 40 minutes to eat the skink, it got loose and had to spend a while chasing it down all over again.

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Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor priapus) tackling male Five-Lined Skink (Eumeces [Plestiodon] fasciatus).
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Imagemoc and nerodia2 by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
This is from our little backyard creek.

Imagegopher2 by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Granted, eating grass is not very exciting. But it still counts as eating, right?

Imagehenhouse visitor by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Back when we kept chickens, my hens had their own ratsnake that would visit and enjoy an occasional egg.
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Chaitanya
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Chaitanya »

Here is a shieldtail(Melanophidium sp.) feeding on earthworm:

ImageIMG_7039 by Chaitanya Shukla, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7043 by Chaitanya Shukla, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7046 by Chaitanya Shukla, on Flickr

And another one of Hemidactylus flaviviridis feeding on an Oleander hawk moth(Daphnis nerii):

ImageHemidactylus flaviviridis by Chaitanya Shukla, on Flickr

I have lots more of pics of lizards and snakes feeding, but I don't think I will get time to upload those anytime soon.
Kfen
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Kfen »

Chrish, are those texas indigos and is it common to find them in trees?


not uncommon to find wood turtles with some schmutz all over their faces
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Northern water snake having trouble swallowing a catfish the "wrong way"
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Scavenger garter snake, notice the flies on the partially decomposed frog

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Kfen
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Kfen »

PS, if its not too much to ask, labeling the photos with species names would be appreciated.
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Steve Bledsoe
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Steve Bledsoe »

California Kingsnake & mouse, L. g. californiae
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Juvenile Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, C. o. helleri & adult Western Fence Lizard, S. o. longipes
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Carl Brune
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Carl Brune »

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Eastern Gartersnake eating a Fowler's Toad. North Carolina.
Mattsnake
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Mattsnake »

Marbled Velvet Gecko (Oedura marmorata) with a Desert Cave Gecko (Heteronotia spelea)

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Carlia sp. tackling a cricket

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robbielab
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by robbielab »

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Green parrot snake (Leptophis ahaetulla) with an unlucky red-eyed treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas),
Costa Rica

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Tim Borski
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Tim Borski »

Ringer with Narrow mouth.


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Coral with Yellow rat snake.


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Ribbon with Narrow mouth.

Tim


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Fundad
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Fundad »

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Zach_Lim
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Zach_Lim »

CA Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus) with Banana Slug (Ariolimax californicus)

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Soopaman
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Soopaman »

Found this after a long day of hiking, right as we were sitting down to eat back at the truck.

ImagePantherophis obsoletus lindheimeri (Texas Rat Snake) by Kyle, on Flickr

ImagePantherophis obsoletus lindheimeri (Texas Rat Snake) by Kyle, on Flickr

ImagePantherophis obsoletus lindheimeri (Texas Rat Snake) by Kyle, on Flickr
tacticalveterinarian
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by tacticalveterinarian »

Here's a water snake eating roadkill from this summer!

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chrish
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by chrish »

Mattsnake wrote:Marbled Velvet Gecko (Oedura marmorata) with a Desert Cave Gecko (Heteronotia spelea)

Image
Looks like the final victor hasn't been determined here yet!
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lateralis
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by lateralis »

Here is one from Belize
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Bothrops asper eating an Osteopilus septentrionalis
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BillMcGighan
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by BillMcGighan »

Speaking of the demise Cuban Tree Frogs.......
(Southern Black Racer hunting under a house trailer skirt.)


Image
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Antonsrkn
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Antonsrkn »

Awesome photos everyone, I for one have really been enjoying the shots.

Here is another one I had forgotten to upload before...
Dipsas gracilis
ImageEscargot by Anton, on Flickr
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mfb
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by mfb »

Anton, Thanks for starting this thread, it is really great!

Thanks to everyone who has contributed. I recognize quite a few of these photos from flickr over the years. I especially like the Dicamptodon eating the banana slug.

Here are a couple photos of mine from years gone by:

ImageRibbon Snake Eating Green Treefrog by Mike Benard, on Flickr

ImageKingsnake eating a garter snake by Mike Benard, on Flickr
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yoloherper
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by yoloherper »

Here's a fairly recent one that I already have uploaded to my flickr
Taricha stopping to pull up a few earthworms on their breeding migration

ImageDSC_0197 by mangoman57, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0198 by mangoman57, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0192 by mangoman57, on Flickr
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ebit123
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by ebit123 »

Eastern garter eating frog, Norfolk county, massachusetts. Did not realize garters eat such huge frogs....so question....if we had stuck around a while, would he h Ave been able to finally eat it, and how long would it take to get all the way into his mouth (not fully dige s t]?

Image
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Noah M
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Noah M »

Frogs may look big, but I bet they squish down to a much smaller size without much effort.
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Gary N
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Gary N »

Image

Along with this picture of Elgaria coerulea eating homo sapiens
I have a few online collections of pictures and videos of herps feeding, most of which were sent to me by other photographers.

Among my favorites is this heavily-edited video of a Pygmy Short-horned Lizard in Washington that let me follow it around as it chased and ate ants:
http://www.californiaherps.com/movies/p ... 612eat.mov

Snakes Eating
http://www.californiaherps.com/behavior ... eding.html

Lizards Eating
http://www.californiaherps.com/behavior ... ardsEating

Frogs Eating
http://www.californiaherps.com/behavior ... rogsEating

Salamanders Eating
http://www.californiaherps.com/behavior ... eding.html
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AndyKraemer
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by AndyKraemer »

Great shots, everyone!

I suppose I have one for this thread too: A Galápagos Racer eating a Pinzon Gecko.

ImagePseudalsophis cf. slevini by Andy Kraemer, on Flickr
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jonathan
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by jonathan »

Some of my favorite ones (juvi copperhead striking at juvi leopard frog, coachwhip holding on to desert spiny lizard in a joshua tree, juvi water monitor eating asian painted frog) were when I was cameraless. Here's a few shots I did get.


Morelet's Croc in Coba, Mexico eating discarded chicken

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Banded Krait in Bangladesh eating Indian Wolf Snake

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Water Monitor eating fish carrion in Bangkok

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Black Mud Turtle in Bangkok eating the Water Monitor's scraps

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Cricket Frog eating massive earthworm in Bangkok

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Flat-tailed House Geckos converging on insect in Laos

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Tadpoles of Nanorana minica in the Himalayas eating a dead fish (ID of tadpoles uncertin - possibly different Nanorana or Rana vicina)

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Northwestern Salamander in Canada eating a very dirty slug

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herpseeker1978
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by herpseeker1978 »

Image
That is an awesome shot!

Josh
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BillMcGighan
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by BillMcGighan »

Gee, Jonathan, those are sensory overload...... :thumb: :thumb:

I was going to say I saw a ducky and a horsey! :lol: :lol:




A little anticlimactic, but if you haven’t watched newts feed on other Spotted Salamander eggs before, here’s a peek.


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MarcLinsalata
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by MarcLinsalata »

New Mexico atrox
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Yearling atrox in AZ with same size mouse
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California winder with an appetizer
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JakeScott
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by JakeScott »

A Eastern Diamondback consuming a marsh rat late at night and deep in the Everglades.

ImageCrotalus adamanteus by Jake Scott, on Flickr

ImageCrotalus adamanteus by Jake Scott, on Flickr

And the western variety eating a kangaroo rat deep in the heart of Big Bend.

ImageCrotalus atrox by Jake Scott, on Flickr

ImageCrotalus atrox by Jake Scott, on Flickr

-Jake
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chrish
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by chrish »

Here's a few seconds of video from a situation I watched the other night. I drove up on this snake thinking it was a roadkill but saw that it was alive and trying to swallow this giant DOR Lithobates berlandieri. He tried for a good ten minutes while I watched, regurgitating a bit then starting again, moving around to another side, but eventually figures out that it is just too big and wanders of.



I wished I had had a machete so I could cut off the large back leg he had already swallowed so he could benefit from his investment of energy!
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nhherp
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by nhherp »

Went for an afternoon hike on this last Sunday. My sister came across this female while we walked back to the truck at sunset.


Image20151011_182821 by nhherp

Image20151011_182837 by nhherp

-N-
dendrelaphis
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by dendrelaphis »

I love this thread, what an wonderful observations.

Here's two more:

Chrysopelea paradisi
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Ahaetulla prasina
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NACairns
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by NACairns »

Great photos everybody, some many awsome observations I wish I had seen first hand. Here are a few more.
Best,
Nick

Redbelly with slug
ImageStoreria occipitomaculata by N Cairns, on Flickr

Eastern garter eating a American toad which looked to had been stepped on.
ImageThamnophis sirtalis sirtalis and Anaxyrus americanus by N Cairns, on Flickr

Rat snake making a meal of a nest full of barn swallow eggs.
ImagePantherophis spiloides by N Cairns, on Flickr

Callose-palmed fence skink vs. large cricket.
ImageCryptoblepharus plagiocephalus by N Cairns, on Flickr

Mudpuppy battling current and a brown bullhead on a cold (-40C) evening.
ImageNecturus maculosus eating Ameiurus nebulosus by N Cairns, on Flickr

Ornate rock dragon leaping after what I recall being a moth.
ImageCtenophorus ornatus by N Cairns, on Flickr
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jonathan
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by jonathan »

As I was sitting in my room in the slum last night, watching Yellow-green House Geckos pick off bugs all over our wall, I was thinking, "I wonder how many other herpers get to observe literally dozens of 'wild herps feeding' events every night before they go to bed?"

In related news, I just pulled a Common Dotted Supple Skink off the top of my wife's head, where it had crawled while we were in the middle of a meeting in one of the little education centers that I run in another slum. That was really amusing.

Okay, I'm done bragging.
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FastSnake17
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by FastSnake17 »

These are awesome!

Banded water snake attempting to subdue a bullfrog (the frog eventually escaped)

ImageIMG_5154 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Eastern king downing a hognose

ImageMDK by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5055 by Billy Moore, on Flickr
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Noah M
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Noah M »

Kory, I wonder if you could put that together as a flip book or maybe a stop-motion styled video. Totally cool!!!
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JBBoiler
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by JBBoiler »

Tiger Sal vs. Midland Brown Snake:

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Chomp:

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Green Anole:

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daniel
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by daniel »

Red racer (Coluber flagellum piceus) consuming a Great Basin fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis longipes)

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Naja Bungarus
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Naja Bungarus »

Xenopeltis unicolor, Sunbeam snake

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Eimon
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Eimon »

Forgot about this post, glad it resurfaced. Some great shots! Here’s a few more additions from over the years, all found in situ.

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Ruber finishing a ground squirrel.

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Longnose working A K-Rat fuzzie.

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Speck finishing a rabbit. It could barely even move after.

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Whipsnake starting a tree frog.

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Ruber working a K-Rat.

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Do I even need a caption…..Desert King starting a Gophersnake.
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TurtleTim
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by TurtleTim »

Image
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Steve Barten
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by Steve Barten »

To keep this thread going, here are a few more.

An oldie but a goodie, first posted a while ago: Red Milksnake and a woodland vole, Southern IL, Sept 2007. I heard squeaking in the leaf litter, saw a leaf move, and lifted it to find this:
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No, milksnakes have small heads and can’t swallow large prey.
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Juvenile Common (Shawnee) Kingsnake, grossly distended, unfortunately regurgitated an adult Red-bellied Snake when found under tin. Southern IL.
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The prey was longer than the predator and folded back on itself.
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Previously posted, an unsuccessful attack on a Red-bellied Cooter by an alligator. SW FL.
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gbeck
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Re: Post photos of wild herps feeding

Post by gbeck »

A Great Basin Rattlesnake with a kangaroo rat:
ImageKangaroo Rat in a Great Basin Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus lutosus) by Gavin Beck, on Flickr


A young Great Basin Fence Lizard with a fly:
ImageGreat Basin Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis longipes) with prey by Gavin Beck, on Flickr


Not quite "eating", but here's a Great Basin Spadefoot regurgitating a recent meal:
ImageGreat Basin Spadefoot Toad (Spea intermontana) by Gavin Beck, on Flickr
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