2nd Herp Trip of the season...

[Pruddock]

Well the second herp trip of the season proved even better than the first. Saw a ton of common skinks, a pretty little anole, a turtle or tortoise (not sure gonna need some help identifying it, and a beautiful southern copperhead (found one on the second trip SkyChimp I'm pumped for this season now!!!)

Anyways enjoy the pics and anybody who knows turtles and tortoises please give it a shot cause I'm clueless and if it is a species of box turtle im supposed to report it to the state department.

 

[Pruddock]

more pics

 

[Pruddock]

and a few more...and this was my first handling of a copperhead and I love the texture of you're experienced enough and confident enough to handle one its really an amazing experience.

 

[Chase13]

Amazing bro, wish I were down there with ya.

 

[kentuckycorns]

I had two WC copperheads a few years ago, and they are by far one of my favorite species in my area, they are beautiful and your right the texture is awesome! i absolutely love the patterns. beautiful snake! :cheers:

 

[El Jefe]

Gotta love copperheads. They are one of my favorite venomous snakes...almost more so than my rattlers.

 

[SkyChimp]

AAAAAHHHH!!! Beeyooteeful! Fantastic photos! The anole is nice, but Copperheads have a special place for me. I love them. And that it a gorgeous specimen.

Anyways enjoy the pics and anybody who knows turtles and tortoises please give it a shot cause I'm clueless and if it is a species of box turtle im supposed to report it to the state department.

I don't know what that turtle is, but it looks like a species of box turtle based on the carapace. I SUSPECT it may be a Three-Toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri) which apprarently ranges through the eastern half of Texas. I've never seen one and I'm relying solely on my Peterson Field Guide - Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern/Central North America which states its a box turtle that has a reduced, or even lacks, a pattern on the shell. the picture int he book looks similar.

 

[SkyChimp]

and a few more...and this was my first handling of a copperhead and I love the texture of you're experienced enough and confident enough to handle one its really an amazing experience.

Just be careful.

The place I herp most, in a park near where I live, has a large and healthy population of Cottonmouths. I've caught a few there and handled them. But I'll tell you, if you are used to handling non-venomous, it's incredibly easy to make a mistake with a pit-viper. I posted a pic here some months ago of a baby cottonmouth I caught, and I remember trying to get it to cooperate for pictures and catching myself coralling the snake with my bare hand as if it were harmless. In a split second I forgot what my subject was and put my hand in strike range. I learned a lesson that when handling a pit-viper, that's all you do - 100%. If you have to fiddle with a camera, put the snake down and get out of strike range. Trying to operate a camera and handle a pit-viper at the same time is a recipe for getting bit.

 

[Pruddock]

Don't worry, I'm always careful and try to stay ontop of things. Always put my camera down when I'm working with the snake, and pickin it back up when I'm sure everything is safe again. You stay careful to workin with those cottonmouths, those suckers are mean.

Glad ya'll enjoyed the pictures I'll try to keep postin some good ones and if anyone has anymore ideas on the type of turtle or tortoise I encountered I'd be happy to hear them. Thanks for the stab Skychimp, that was my first impression too was a three toed, but I'm still not sure just because I really don't know much about turtles. My brother also said that he thinks it looks more like a tortoise shell structure, so if that helps anyone or if anyone thinks that too then just gimme a holler. :cheers:

 

[snakemom1961]

I would definately say that is a tortoise judging from the shell. Tortoises usually have much more rounded shells then turtles. Thanks for sharing the pics they were great. Can't wait till it warms up here in Michigan to go out and see what I can find here.

 

[SkyChimp]

You stay careful to workin with those cottonmouths, those suckers are mean.

I hardly ever touch them. Only very occassionally would I have a reason. Funny thing is, most I've found weren't mean, but deceptively calm - almost like you could reach down and pick them up (with a few exceptions). That's what's disconcerting about them. I've even nearly stepped on them without knowing it - looked down and there they were. Once I hooked them, they all bit my hook. I'm sure they'd do that to my hand, too.

The few coppers I've found were all nasty, though. Attitude problems. That seems to go against most people's observations that they are pretty easy going. How did that one act? And how big was that copper? Photos are deceiving. Was it small?

 

[Pruddock]

He was the calmest snake i've worked with to be quite honest lol. He (or she i just say he because its natural) was a subadult and about 17 inches long. Never bit at me even when I was hookin him. Honestly, if all venomous were as calm as this guy I would never have any problems handling them at all. Unfortunatly, thats not true but I try and take all the precautions necessary. Snakeproof 16in boots are a good start, and a 40in hook to handle with the snake at a distance. I also use either a 90, 135, or 210mm lens on my SLR to take pretty good pictures from a safe distance. I usually go out alone, so safety is my number one thing for sure. It'd actually be nice to find somebody in the area willing to go out with me so I could actually get a picture with the snake lol. You're from Virginia right SkyChimp?

 

[SkyChimp]

I am in Virginia.

I have a pair of 16" snake boots from cabelas, but I hardly ever wear them. I usually just wear my hiking boots. And when I'm in venomous snake habitat, I wear a pair of snake-proof gaiters along with them. That way when I'm wearing shorts i don't hav to look silly with tall boots on.