I wanna observe some snakes!

[Anel & Dirk]

Hi, I live near a nature reserve that basically allows anybody to walk through it and take a look at the fauna and flora and whatnot, but what about the snakes.

What do I need to do my own field observing? How do I find snakes, where, and how should I go about compiling information. I don't think anybody's done this before in this reserve becuase it only recently became protected.

I'm an architect so have no herping background. Could some-one direct me to some info?

B.T.W. Corn-info won't help coz we don't have 'em!!

I won't be allowed to trap either...

[Chip]

I'd have a lot of homework to do before I could do that myself, let alone advise someone. The only advice I can give you is turn things (logs, rocks etc.) over and be sure put them back just like you found them. Road cruising at night seems to work pretty well here in the states, especially after really hot days. After breeding season, you may notice the females lay low, most colubrids I catch in the heat of summer seem to be males. Good luck!

[dayne]

hey there.

I live in south africa,well turn up logs rocks etc,u might also want to dig up old ant hills that have been ruined,and look by water too,i find alot of my heralds by water and my brown houses and mole snakes by digging up ant hills and turning over rock and stuff.

Have fun cause i always do and becareful too.

cheers:D

[louis]

your more brave than me-- herping in africa could turn out to be very dangerous, I think there are actually more venomous species in Africa than non-venomous. I read somewhere that in austailia its easy to find certain harmless snakes in leaf-litter piles by raking them up and just looking in them. Case might be the same in south africa, just be careful

You could also try snake traps, I would actually recommend these for you over going herping (which I admit is really fun) because then you can see what you are getting before you go down and grap the snake rather than turning over log and getting bit by a mamba. Some work different ways; some attract with scent and some attract with prey items.

[Anel & Dirk]

I live in SA and it's really not that rough and tough, or that could be coz I'm used to it.

Yes, we do have a lot of venoumous species, but not that much. If I'm not mistaken more than half are non-tox. And if you think corns are beautiful you should see SA snakes! Yeah!

:D

But say I come across a snake, how should I go about identifying it etc.

What should I carry with me to keep the snake in to be observed for the time being - That's now without actually holding it in your hand like some crazy National Geographic bloke!;)

Oh yes, and where would a snake be most likely to hide in the field? As in: Close the paths or in rock cracks...?

[13mur 6]

If you're going to go running around turning things over, I recommend taking a sturdy stick with you, preferrably something made out of metal, like a professional snake hook, or even a golf iron works well. Use that to turn things over, saves your back and your life incase a venomous snake decided to hide under the rock you were lifting.

Snakes are normally out when the weather is not too cool, not to hot, dawn and dusk seem to fit this requirement well. This would be the time to do driving, and not stalking, since they'll run for cover at the first sign you're there.

Late mornings would be the time to do some walking and rock flipping. Look for stone, many snakes seem to be fairly lithophillic, and a body of water near by. Loose piles of large stone, places with a lot of crevices, cool damp areas near rock formations and don't start flipping things, but look into the holes and cracks, sometimes you find a snake curled up between to rocks.

Also, look for areas of dense snake population, or you'll have a fairly boring snake watching session. Usually if you find one snake, there are bound to be more around.

Watch out for constrictors, some of them larger South African varieties can eat you.

Hope that helps, have fun.

-Lemur 6