Mississippi Green Water Snake

Posted on September 30, 2017 by tspuckler

Here at Snake Road in southern Illinois, I am enjoying searching for a reptile that I have found on several occasions previously; it is only found in Union County and is listed as State Threatened.

A medium-sized, dark-colored, heavy-bodied snake, the Mississippi Green Water Snake is greenish brown with numerous small, obscure olive-brown or dark brown markings. One might describe it as “drab”. The belly is dark gray with yellow half-moon-shaped markings.

Although not venomous, like other water snakes, it may bite viciously to defend itself as well as secrete a strong-smelling musk from glands at the base of the tail.

A unique characteristic that differentiates Mississippi Green Water Snakes from other types of water snakes in the United States is the presence of a row of scales between the eye and upper lip scales.

These snakes prefer large, permanent bodies of water, especially in open country and around open cypress lakes and marshes. Compared to other water snakes, they are more abundant where there’s heavy vegetation and water currents are slow.

It’s diet is a variety of fish, frogs, toads and salamanders. Mississippi Green Water Snakes are primarily nocturnal, searching for prey along banks of ponds or slow moving bodies of water at night.

Like other North American water snakes, they give birth to live yong, usually numbering from 8-34, though as many as as many as 101 offspring were recorded in a single litter.

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

California Kingsnake

Posted on April 29, 2017 by tspuckler

This reptile is a subspecies of Common Kingsnake, which have an extensive range that stretches from coast to coast.

The California Kingsnake lives in a wide variety of habitats, including woodland chaparral, grassland, deserts, marshes, along rivers or farms and even in bushy suburban areas.

Their food items include rodents, other reptiles, birds and amphibians.They are powerful constrictors. The “king” in their name refers to their ability to hunt and consume other snakes, including venomous rattlesnakes.

This reptile is more active during the daytime in the colder regions of its range, but with higher temperatures, the California Kingsnake becomes night, dawn and dusk.

Adults tend to be about three feet long. Although the distinctive banded pattern is common throughout its range a striped version occurs naturally as well in coastal southern California.

I enjoy coming across this snake on my travels to California, Arizona and Nevada.

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

Pacific Gopher Snake

Posted on April 1, 2017 by tspuckler

This large constrictor is native to the western coast of the United States. It is just one of the several subspecies of Gopher Snakes that we have living in the United States. I look forward to seeing more of them on my current visit to California.

Although they can grow seven feet in length, most adults that I find are about half that size. I tend to find them in habitats such as meadows, fields and agricultural farmland; they are seldom found in dense forests.

Pacific Gopher Snakes range from cream to light brown and have dark blotches on their backs and smaller dark spots along their sides. Young examples tend to be more boldly patterned than adults.

Their keeled scales caused their skin to have a bit of a rough texture. Thier pointed head and enlarged scale in the tip of the nose are adaptations for burrowing.

The Pacific Gopher Snake can produce a loud hiss when agitated or fearful. This species will also inflate its body, flatten its head, and vigorously shake its tail, when threatened.

These snakes are primarily active during the day, though are sometimes seen moving and hunting at night – especially during warm weather. They are good climbers and burrowers.

Harmless to humans, these reptiles are important to keeping the rodent population in check and maintaining their local ecosystems.

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

Midland Water Snake

Posted on November 26, 2016 by tspuckler

One my annual October visit to southern Illinois, I always look forward to getting reacquainted with this fine serpent. The Midland Water Snake is one of the most common aquatic snakes found in the Southeast.

Average adult size is 2-4 feet, with a record length of nearly 5 feet. It is very similar to the Northern Water Snake that lives in my home state of Ohio, but it retains its pattern into adulthood, while the Northerns tend to turn a solid dark gray. This species is generally a light brown or tan with darker brown or even reddish bands.

The Midland Water Snake can be found in and around lakes, ponds, creeks, rivers, and even in drainage ditches. It prefers areas with wood debris, rocks or other hiding spots. It adapts well to humans and sometimes even resides in decorative ponds at apartment buildings.

This snake gives birth to live offspring typically from August through October. It generally has 1 to 2 dozen babies. The babies are self-sufficient and able to hunt small fish and amphibians.

Like its cousin to the north, this reptile eats fish, frogs, toads and salamanders.

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

Eastern Hognose Snake

Posted on October 15, 2016 by tspuckler

While driving down a country road in southern Illinois this month, I came across one of the most unusual serpents in North America. This snake is found in woodlands with sandy soil, fields, farmland and coastal areas. It is active during the day.

This Eastern Hognose Snake gets its name from its upturned snout, which it uses to dig up its favorite food – toads. It is medium-sized, usually 2 to 3 feet in length and stocky. This reptile can be yellow, brown, gray, black, olive or even orange. It often has large rectangle-shaped spots and blotches down its back and sides, but it can also be solid black or gray.

The “claim to fame” of this creature is its remarkable defensive behavior. It will first hiss loudly and inflate its neck in a cobra-like fashion. This has led to local names like “puff adder” or “hissing viper.” It is only bluffing, however, and rarely bites. Its bite is harmless to humans.

Then, if the bluff fails to ward off the potential predator, the Eastern Hognose Snake will begin writhing about before flipping over on its back and playing dead. At this point the it will appear to be completely lifeless, unless turned over on its belly, upon which it will promptly flip over on its back again.

Female Hognose Snakes lay their eggs in early summer and the young snakes hatch out about 60 days later; they are able to spread their necks and hiss immediately upon hatching.

I was thrilled to come across this extraordinary creature that I have not seen in the wild in several years.

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

Southern Black Racer

Posted on October 1, 2016 by tspuckler

On my current visit to southern Illinois, I’ve encountered a snake that I more-often-than-not see when I visit the Land of Lincoln.

Adult Southern Black Racers are relatively large – to 5 feet – fairly slender, solid black snakes. They have smooth scales, large eyes, and often have some white under their chin.

Young racers do not resemble adults and are generally tan or grayish with a series of brown or reddish blotches running down the center of the back.

A large part of the reason for this widespread reptile’s success is it eats a wide variety of food items and are habitat generalists, occupying rocky ledges, pastures, overgrown fields, woodlands and the edges of wetlands.

Southern Black Racers are active during the daytime and are most often seen in warm weather. These snakes hunt by sight and actively forage during the day. They eat a wide range of prey including insects, lizards, snakes, birds, rodents and amphibians. These snakes are not constrictors and simply overpower their prey.

Racers are faster than most other snakes, very agile, and generally flee when approached, often climbing into small trees or shrubs.

These reptiles mate in the spring, and females lay up to 36 eggs in early summer. Their eggs hatch in late summer or early fall. Over time the blotched babies gradually turn solid in color.

It’s always cool to come across one of these sleek, speedy snakes when out hiking!

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

Rosy Boa

Posted on July 30, 2016 by tspuckler

The highlight of my visit to the Mojave Desert was finding a snake I’ve been in search of for quite some time. One evening while hiking at the base of a mountain, I saw this creature crawling across the dirt trail.

Rosy Boas are one of the two “true” boas residing in the United States, like it’s counterpart, the Rubber Boa, it is relatively small, usually under 3 feet in length. These snakes tend to have at least some trace of three longitudinal stripes, one down the center of the back, and two on the lower sides.

In the United States, it is only found in California and Arizona. The common name is derived from the rosy or salmon coloration that often adorns some populations of these snakes. Like other boas, they produce live offspring (usually about 6).

Rosy Boas spend most of their lives hidden beneath rocks and in crevices to escape the elements and natural predators. In the cool of the evening they are often out and about, foraging for small mammals, which they subdue by constriction.

It was awesome to come across this creature and a fine way to conclude my Mojave Desert herping adventure.

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

Great Basin Gopher Snake

Posted on July 16, 2016 by tspuckler

On my last visit to the Mojave Desert, I found several examples of this fine serpent. It resides in a wide range of habitats: dry sandy areas, pine woodlands, plains, abandoned fields, deserts, grasslands and mountain scrub.

Like other Gopher Snakes, it is straw or pale brown colored with a row of large square blotches, reddish brown and black on the back and similar smaller blotches on the sides. The head is quite pointed, an adaptation for burrowing.

A unique feature that Gopher, Pine and Bull Snakes have is a filament of cartilaginous flesh in the mouth is situated immediately in front of the breathing passage. When the snake is angry and the mouth is partially opened, the filament is raised and breath is violently expelled against it – creating a very loud hissing noise.

As the name implies, this constrictor eats gophers and other rodents. It is mainly active in the daytime in Spring and Fall, though in the heat of Summer it changes its activity pattern to become nocturnal during the intense desert heat.

The individuals I have come across are usually 3-4 feet, but this snake can get over 6 feet in length. It is a harmless snakes and actually quite beneficial to man, due to the large number of rodents it consumes.

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

Desert Night Snake

Posted on June 18, 2016 by tspuckler

While driving on a remote, Las Vegas Area road one night last month, I noticed a tiny serpent on the pavement, crossing the street.

The Desert Night Snake is unusual among colubrids (the family it belongs to) in that it has elliptical pupils and is rear-fanged (mildly venomous, though harmless to humans).

They tend to be small snakes, between one and two feet long, featuring pale gray or light brown ground color with brown blotches on its back and sides. Its head is flattened and triangular and it usually has a pair of dark brown blotches on the neck.

These snakes can occupy a variety of habitats other than deserts, like grasslands, chaparral, woodlands and sagebrush flats. Their primary food item is lizards, which they use their venom to subdue.

I haven’t seen one of these snakes in a few years, so it was really neat to encounter this one on my visit to the Mojave Desert.

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

California Striped Racer

Posted on May 14, 2016 by tspuckler

One morning last month while hiking near Santa Cruz, California I encountered this fine reptile. It has a distinctive “look” with a bold pattern, thin body, large eyes, elongated head and smooth scales.

These serpents are also known as Whipsnakes and are long, slender and fast-moving (a yellow-orange “racing stripe” runs down each side of their body). They are active in the daytime and inhabit chaparral, scrubland, open woodlands and rocky hillsides.

California Striped Racers can reach 5 feet, but are usually 3 to 4 feet long. They are whitish, cream, pale yellow, or orange below, becoming coral pink on the underside of the tail.

These reptiles are known to eat a variety of prey including insects, lizards, snakes, birds and small mammals. They show a strong preference for lizards, which are captured by a grasp of the mouth and swallowed alive.

California Striped Racers hold their heads high to look over grass or rocks. They are good climbers that can escape into shrubs or trees. It was awesome to see this snake on my visit to the Golden State.

Third Eye Herp
E-mail

Tim Spuckler's Blog

Reptile Ramblings and More

Category Archives: Snakes (Wild)

Mississippi Green Water Snake

California Kingsnake

Pacific Gopher Snake

Midland Water Snake

Eastern Hognose Snake

Southern Black Racer

Rosy Boa

Great Basin Gopher Snake

Desert Night Snake

California Striped Racer