First Field Herping Experience... and it was in my livingroom!

[Labinnah]

Honestly, I'm not sure if it could be considered field herping or not :) We live outside Plano (half an hour from Dallas), specifically in Lucas, which is still very rural. I spent a good part of the summer trying to find some wild cornsnakes around the area, but didn't have any luck at all. Well, until this morning.

I was woken up at around 9 am by my mom shreiking "IS THAT ONE OF YOURS?!", and groggily I followed her to the livingroom and looked at the top of the window blinds. Draped across the top, sunning himself, was a foot and a half long cornsnake. It wasn't mine, they were all accounted for, so I decided to try and catch the little bugger. Two bites later, I had him in a large critter keeper.

Now that I caught him though... I'm not entirely sure that it's a cornsnake at all. I'm certain it's nonvenomous, however. Without pictures though, this may be a bit difficult.

His main colour is a deep brown, going along his back is a motely pattern, light tannish yellow in colour. His belly is white, and he lacks the 'reddish' colour of normal wild cornsnakes. It's that motley patten plus the shape of the head that made me think 'Cornsnake!', but now I'm wondering if maybe it's a ratsnake of some sort (which I'm not very familiar with), or some kinda cross between the two?

Any idea what this little guy may be?

[Jicin]

*Snickers*. The snake is lucky to be found it your room. Most people would kill on sight :/

I do hope you plan to release it back into the wild eventually?

[Labinnah]

Hehe, yeah, I'm going to let him go here in a bit, just wanted to see if I could get an ID on him first :D

[CAV]

You've more than likely have found a Elaphe obsoleta lindheimerii or a Texas Rat Snake. They are quite abundant in and around DFW.

Does it look like this:

[Labinnah]

Oohh, kinda. He's much darker, but that could just be because he's older. His pattern is a little different from the one in the pic, but that could also be becuse he's older. Either way, he's going into the garden now :) I know there's some mice in there that're dying to meet him...

[CAV]

Here's an adult. Texas Rats do get much darker with age. Babies are almost a silvery white base color when they are born. BTW, these photos were taken by friends of mine here in the Austin area, so they get the credit. :)

[Labinnah]

Yup! That looks like him :D Thanks a bunch, CAV!

[CAV]

Be thankful he only tagged you twice, they can be nasty little buggers! :D

[Labinnah]

o_O They're non-venomous, right? I'm not too familiar with the Texas ratsnakes... He didn't get me real good either time, though.

[CAV]

They are closely related to corns and are therefore non-venomous. No guest appearance on "Venom ER" for you! :)

[pcar]

my father-in-law caught one of these out in the front yard because he thought that it was a corn snake too. He kept it for me in case I would want to keep it. Well, I have had him/her for about a year now, and trying to tame it down a little, but to no avail. I still have to wear leather gloves when I handle him. The first time that I picked him/her up with out gloves, I got tagged about 10 times and every time drew blood. was kinda interesting. The one that I have is probably about a foot and a half long. I have plans to release it back into the garden shortly as he is just eating my money and not playing very nice. When I first got this one, he/she was very grey to sliver, but now it is starting to turn a brownish color.

[CAV]

Paul,

You might want to consider waiting until next spring before releasing it. The colder weather is just around the corner and he isn't exactly acclimated anymore. Just a thought...

[pcar]

yea, that would probably be best. I don't know how un-acclimated he is though. I live in a 100 year old house, with no heat or air conditioning. And, it isn't insulated...So the inside of the house is pretty much the same as outside. So in the winter time, I have heat lamps and space heaters running in the living room (snake room) to keep the temps up. The wild caught rat I have on our back pourch which isn't heated and pretty much fully open to outside.

But, I will take your advise. Thanks Cav

[CAV]

If you think it is close enough to Texas seasonal temps then it is probably fine.

Dude you have my utmost admiration for sticking it out in this part of Texas in an antique home. I have a hard enough time just walking from a building to the car! :bowdown:

At least this summer has been nice......

[pcar]

That is true. it isn't so bad. got some ceiling fans installed, and a window air condition in the bed room. because of my drive to work, I am only home after the sun has started going down, so it starts to cool off quite a bit.

[Labinnah]

x_x I already released the rat awhile ago... but he seemed to be heading back towards the house, so who knows... we may find him in the house again or he may spend the winter somewhere in the garage.

[Vinman]

CAV you are right with your Id. Labinnah you can search all you want for corns you won't find a thing, there no corns inTx. just the subspecies ( Elaphe Emoryi ).You might consider buying a field guide so you don't wast your time looking for something that is not there I know been there done that got the T shirt ,trophy and the crown. Here are three books that can help you.
SNAKES of North America ( Eastren and Central Regions) Alan Tennant and R.D.Bartlett

Reptiles and Amphibians ( Eastern/Central North America) Roger Conant/Joseph T. Collins

The Audubon Society/ Field Guide to North American Reptiles & Amphibians . - John L. Behler and F. Wayne King

Good Luck
Vinman

[jlanucha]

In the future, you should think about leaving wild snakes in the wild where they belong. Keep captive bred animals for your pets.

[Vinman]

How do you think we got captive breed animals ? where do you think we get fresh unrelated blood lines and new gene mutations come from? answer from wild caught animals The key is don't be greedy and put back from where you take from so long as you use animals from the same genetic population.

The Vincent A Ritchie
Conservationist, Reptile and African Cichlid breeder

[jlanucha]

Many states even have laws against the capturing and keeping of native species as pets. This is to prevent them from being taken out of the wild.

[Vinman]

Read what I wrote and follow the wild life laws where you hunt. The biggest problem is habitat destruction so do your home work before you say something Realize that all pets and food animals came from animals that were sacrified from the wild. Don't be greedy follow the law and give back to nature. Answer - NO PROBLEM.Thank you vinman

[jlanucha]

Your edited message says it all. I agree with you completely. Stay within legalities and give back to nature. Well put Vinman. Nice chating with you.

[Vinman]

nice chating with you to, hope to here from you soon the, vinman

[CAV]

In the future, you should think about leaving wild snakes in the wild where they belong. Keep captive bred animals for your pets.

What are you talking about? She already stated that the snake was released. :rolleyes:

FWIW, I personally have a couple of species that are known to no longer exist in the wild. What would have become of those guys if a collector wouldn't have snagged a pair and proceeded to breed them? It works both ways. :)

[pcar]

I think that Jlanucha if refering to me because I sill have the Texas Rat Snake that I caught a year ago.

On another note, my wife saw another one the last couple of days. once beside her tuck tire, and the second time it was running accross our Sidewalk. Trying to locate it so that I can make sure that my dogs don't try to get a hold of it, or one of us runs over it.

[CAV]

the second time it was running accross our Sidewalk.


Paul, if it was "running" across the sidewalk, then it was probably a lizard and not a snake. :dunce:

[pcar]

funny.........change running to slithering.

thanks for pointing that out to me though. :rolleyes: :cheers: