South GA Herping, lots of snakes

[BWSmith]

Most of these are from when Morti, LdyDrgn and I went herping from 10 am till about midnight on Sat.

Ran into SwampY while herping. I don't know how we ended up with pics of HIM holding the Cornsnake Morti spotted and I chased down.
http://www.reptileeducation.com/chad.jpg



Nice Gray Ratsnake
http://www.reptileeducation.com/bw_grayrat.jpg



What looks like a melanistic Water Snake to me
http://www.reptileeducation.com/mel_water.jpg



DOR Cottonmouth
http://www.reptileeducation.com/dor_cotton.jpg



Then we rented a boat and headed out into the okeefanokee and saw these nice little gators
http://www.reptileeducation.com/gator1.jpg
http://www.reptileeducation.com/gator_good.jpg



We also got the rare joy to see this HUGE Softshell Turtle just finishing up laying eggs
http://www.reptileeducation.com/softshell.jpg



Found this cute little Garter road Cruising at night
http://www.reptileeducation.com/garter.jpg



Here are two of the Banded Water snakes we found at night
http://www.reptileeducation.com/banded2.jpg
http://www.reptileeducation.com/banded1.jpg



Then Brett and I went out and found the biggest heartbreaker of the trip, a 4 foot DOR Canebrake with the rattle and head chopped off. :cry: :cry: :cry:
http://www.reptileeducation.com/dor_cane.jpg


Here is a complete list:
2 Black Racers caught, 2 black racers DOR
1 DOR Cottonmouth
1 DOR Pygmy Rattlesnake
1 Cornsnake
1 Gray Ratsnake
1 DOR Mudsnake
1 Water Snake (looked melanistic)
3 Broadbanded Water Snakes
1 Garter Snake
7 Gators
1 HUGE Softshell Turtle laying eggs
1 Slider of some kind
1 Legless Lizard
1 Broadhead Skink
Countless Fence Lizards and Skinks

[Mike177]

WOW! i wish i new a spot i could find that many snakes on one trip. when i usaly go we just get like 2 maby 3 snakes at most. well anyways nice snake. i envy you! lol

[Tim and Julie B]

That is one impressive herp list! What a cool trip! Is that soft shellied laying by a road? I hope most of the babies will make it ok. Thanks for sharing some pics.

[stormyva]

Looks like you all had a great time BW, but who in the world is the guy in the first pic?

[RachelS.]

OMG no way. you saw SwampY!!!!!!! Tell him I said "hi!!"

[BWSmith]

LOL, he knew I was herping this weekend and he knows the roads I cruise so I wasn't that hard to find. He ended up heading back to the lodge and hanging out.

I actually tookt he pic of the turtle from the boat in the Okee and teh road is a dead end next to the Wildlife Station, so i think the babies will be fine :)

[LdyDrgn]

We had such an awesome time!! We can't wait to do it again. :)

Thanks again BW!

[Thomas]

Cool trip, do you keep any herps you find?

[BWSmith]

Only those that I need for educational purposes are kept. I would venture to say that out of all the herps I catch each year, less than 5 or so are kept. A couple actually went to the State park for their educational displays. I keep a list of all of the state parks' and nature centers' wish lists. None are collected for the reptile trade.

[Morti]

We did keep the Corn snake since I don't actually have any corns... It's a bit hypocritical for me to suggest corns as a great first snake to everyone that asks me and I don't have any of my own. ;-)

I also sent BWSmith home with the canebrake rattlesnake that I found to use in his educational programs. Here is a pic of that one.
http://photo.reptilehaven.net/albums/albun94/morti.sized.jpg

It was a GREAT time all around!
-Your Sick Uncle Morti.

[BWSmith]

Great little snake.

[LdyDrgn]

You still haven't told me how the lil guy is coming along... other than what others think about him... HAHAHAHAHA

[Beejay]

Wow...it's hard to believe you had such luck! And it's pretty sad to see the chopped up snake...guess it's common? That garter sure looks pretty! I forget what I was gonna ask...

OH YEAH, the softshell turtle...that close to the road, won't people just come along and damage all the eggs? Or when they hatch won't the babies just end up on the road?

Bj

[Morti]

BeeJay, that BIG turtle was close to pavement, but I would hardly call that a road. That was a dead-end service road in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. I have a feeling that any squished turtles or eggs on that little road will be dealt with very harshly.

-Morti.

[BWSmith]

Yup, that was definately a highlight. I can chalk off one more thing that i have seen. I still want to see Sea Turtles lay :)

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

Be brutal if I'm wrong but aren't "normal" cornsnakes illegal to keep in Ga.? I heard it was but since you guys live there, set me straight. Thanks, Zane

[BWSmith]

Actually, ALL Cornsnakes are illegal to keep in GA. We caught him just over the FL line and Morti does not live in GA. But yes, ALL native GA nonvenomous species are protected and you cannot keep them without a permit. Luckily I have one :)

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

Ah, good deal. Thanks

[CyberGhost]

THat sounds like a great trip. I loved looking at the pix, good luck with your new corn.

[sparkon16]

I really do like the pics of the animals in the wild even though they all can be found on the side of the road nowadays!lol wierd

Deuce

[BWSmith]

well, roads are everywhere. To the snakes, they are just really hard dirt ;)