E. Massasauga Pics

[ont_herper]

Found this summer, it kept trying to get away and wouldnt pose for pictures.

<img src =http://photos.herphost.com/albums/userpics/rattler1.jpg>

<img src =http://photos.herphost.com/albums/userpics/rattler%20%232.jpg>

Dan

[TheRedDragon]

Nice pics. :) That's a really nice looking snake too. Thanks for sharing. :)

[Reticsrule]

ya nice pics now ill know what one looks like if i ever see one(which i doubt i will because i have horrible luck when looking for snakes lol)

[Cookie]

Nice ... Where was that snake located?... I have only seen 1 in the wild here in quebec... It was along time ago i was at summer camp. It did'nt try get away and i got close enough to know it was not tail vibration in the leafs but a rattle... Kept rattlin and hissing slight strikes and did'nt back off.. Wish i seen one again sometime as now i am older and always cary a camera.. The one i seen was a baby about 2 feet long and was suning on a path in the woods.. Also seen a monster garter snake that summer about 5 feet long largest part must have been 2 inch easy it was eating a chipmonk at the time in a ditch . I need to get out there herping more often, congrats on that find!..

[Removed_2815]

Originally posted by Cookie
Where was that snake located?
You'll find that all responsible herpers will not divulge location information for Species at Risk, and rightly so.

Originally posted by Cookie
I have only seen 1 in the wild here in quebec
Hmmm, don't think so :rolleyes:
There are four separate populations in Canada, all are in Ontario and nowhere near Quebec.

Best regards,
Ryan

[Removed_2815]

Cookie,
You likely misidentified the "rattle snake" as I see from the last part of your post another unlikely account. According to Conant and Collins, 1991, the largest E. Garter snakes rarely exceed 48 inches, I also have a hard time believing the chipmunk part too (not to say it didn't happen), pictures are vital for such fantastic stories.
Cheers,
Ryan

[snakehunter]

Sweet rattler! I cant wait for my first wild hot experience HOPING for next spring/summer.

As for the debate dont you hate it when something happens you know no one will believe andyou didnt get it on film!?!?! ARG, but I think thats one of the things that drives us as a community.

[Removed_2815]

The chipmunk thing is possible I suppose, a little hard to swallow though (pun intended) - and I truly believe that the snake was misidentified in this case too; no Garter snake is taking down a chipmunk - they're specialized amphibian and fish eaters, and 5 feet is way too big to be a Garter.
However, the Massasauga in Quebec is not possible. Canada's most Easterly population is just short of 600km away from Quebec's border... try submitting that to the NHIC and see if they take you seriously, it's simply a misidentification.
Ryan

[Cake]

I hate it when something totatly unbelievable happens and then i dont get it on film. Like that Timber Rattlesnake I saw up at Georgian Bay on top of the snow eating a penguin last weekend. (insert sarcasm here)

[mrcanada21]

I have heard 2 accounts of massasaugas eating chipmunks. One was a large adult snake consuming an adult chipmunk on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, the other I don't remember the details of. It is quite remarkable what snakes can swallow...

Russ

Here is a pic of an Essex Co. massasauga.....quite a rare find ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v156/britishcanuk/massasauga2.jpg

[mrcanada21]

Nice pics Dan. Drop me a line sometime.....

Russ

[Removed_2815]

Originally posted by mrcanada21
I have heard 2 accounts of massasaugas eating chipmunks.
Yes, it wouldn't be a problem for a Massasauga; however, the claim was that a garter was eating the chipmunk.
Ryan

[MathieuO]

Originally posted by Cookie
Nice ... Where was that snake located?... I have only seen 1 in the wild here in quebec... It was along time ago i was at summer camp. It did'nt try get away and i got close enough to know it was not tail vibration in the leafs but a rattle... Kept rattlin and hissing slight strikes and did'nt back off.. Wish i seen one again sometime as now i am older and always cary a camera.. The one i seen was a baby about 2 feet long and was suning on a path in the woods.. Also seen a monster garter snake that summer about 5 feet long largest part must have been 2 inch easy it was eating a chipmonk at the time in a ditch . I need to get out there herping more often, congrats on that find!..

Hi Cookie! I'm from Montreal area too! The "Massassauga" you saw was probably an Eastern milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum). When afraid, this snake can move his tail into dead leaves and that was probably what make you think it was a Massassauga. You can see pics of E. milksnake from Montreal area on my webpage (http://www.herpetofaune.org). The only Rattlesnake that may have been found in Quebec is the Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) but the last credible report (and the only one that describes a rattle) was made in the 50s.

That reminds me a sad case that was report a couple of years ago in the press: a guy from Eastern townships claims that he found a Rattlesnake but the picture clearly showed it was an Eastern milk. He said he would kill the snake. A biologist tried to convince him by phone that it was not a Rattler but the guy was 100% sur of his ID. His source was some Encyclopedia. I don't remember if the snake was killed or released thought.

Now about the 5 feet long Garter snake, it's probably a surevaluation of its lenght. The longest Garter snake in Quebec that was properly measured was 104,4 cm (St-Amour, 1988).

There is a new field guide called Amphibiens et Reptiles du Québec et des Maritimes by Jean-François Desroches & David Rodrigue (Michel Quintin press). It's a must!

Mathieu Ouellette
info@herpetofaune.org
http://www.herpetofaune.org

[JAdkins2451]

Whan I was younger I cought a garter snake at my trailer in Haliburton area Wonder full place to look for snake amphibians etc, I think it had just ate It was on the beach right near the lake had 3 big lumps (frog sized) :) And it had to be 2 1/2 to 3 feet. Mind you my judgement could be wrong. LOL

[dudsky]

oh beautiful man! nice pics. i just love massasaguas. never actaulyl seen them in real life, and this looks very nice. i raelly wana find one when i go camping/herping in the summer and take a couple of pictures.

chao

[GulfCoastherper]

Fantastic pictures, bro. Catenatus are high on my list to find this year. There are several sporadic locales for Tergeminus and Edwardsi down here around Houston and the gulf coast. We've checked several known locales with no luck. Finding Catenatus in Canada thats easily find of the year material imo.
-scott