• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Road Cruising tutorial?

Drewby07

Drewby07

curiocreatures.com
So this morning I arrived to work to find a gorgeous black rat DOR. It was really a shame. It was off in the grass with just its head and about 3" of it's body in the road and someone ran over it. At least it died quickly I guess. :(

So my question is this....when is the best time to cruise the roads to find snakes? I'd assume it's when it cools off and the roads are still warm....but when? Son after dusk, midnight, early morning?

Also where is best to look? I'd assume roads neighboring good snake habitat like woods? Maybe around mouse infested neighborhoods?
 
I hit any paved road with a lower traffic content. I typically start "cruising" right at dusk. The most productive times for me seem to be between 9:00 and 10:30...I don't find a whole lot before or after...ocasionally a gophersnake, but nothing really interesting...
 
I have a related newbie question. I've done a lot of observation in natural habitat, but never actively gone road cruising. This summer I'm going, and was wondering about picking up snakes from the road. Do I need leather gloves? Are they more aggressive when they're wandering around than when I've sought/found them in fields and marshes?
 
I ALWAYS have a couple of 12-18" snakehooks, a 40" snake hook, a few pillowcases/snakebags, a set of probes, a log book, an up-to-date field guide, and a Leatherman tool. I used to wear gloves, but found they limit my ability to handle the snakes.

Most of my finds are non-venomous and generally quite docile. I ocassionally get a gophersnake that wants to kill me, but they are harmless, and an 18" snakehook keeps me away from the teeth.

Attitudes will run the gammut. I have had longnose and kingsnakes curl up in my hands as though we were long-lost friends getting reaquainted mere seconds after picking them up, and I have had gophersnakes strike at my face repeatedly and crawl up behind me for a "sneak attack".

My best advice...know what you are looking for. You can judge a snake's attitude based on what you can expect from that aprticular species. Gophers are known to be aggressive, so I approach with caution. Kings and longnose are very docile, so I'm less careful. They are also smaller, so a bite does less damage. When I found the sidewinder, I KNEW he was going to keep coming at me, because they are known for that behavior. So I was prepared to deal with him. WHEN I find a lutosus rattler, I will expect a lot of hissing and rattling...but little else.

That's not to say they won't occasionally surprise you...just be prepared...
 
Thanks for the tips. We live in snake country, so there are lots of possibilities. Cotton mouths, diamondback and timber rattlers, kings, rat snakes, and a variety of pine snakes are common - as well as corns! We have even have coral snakes, according to my friend the Audobon Society director, but they're shy and I've never seen one. I'm not interested in handling the venomous ones - but neither do I want them handling me! I don't really worry about rattlers, but cotton mouths have ATTITUDE and definitely demand respect. Thanks again!
 
Went out last night. Found nothing.

I think it's the hot weather we're having. it's been in the 90s all week...I'd assume it has to cool off somewhat to make them seek out the roads for warmth?
 
Yeah, for the most part we're kind of out of the road herping season. Your best bets for this time of the year is probably going to be flipping debris (natural or artificial) until the fall. But I'd try going out later at night after lite rains. I tried to make a couple of field herping "guides" on my website if you want to check them out, here's the link. Ruddock Reptiles - FH Guides
 
WOW that's a great tutorial! My gears are turning about making a snake trap....just to see what REALLY lives around here...
 
Glad I could help man :) A great book to get is Snake Hunting Guide by Will Bird and Phil Peak if you really want a great resource on field herping. ;) Those guys a freakin' pros!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top