Here you go Rep.

Jerry Feldner
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Re: Here you go Rep.

Post by Jerry Feldner »

"I have been hoping Jerry Feldner would answer it. I will say that the supposed "cross breeding" comment..."
I did. I've been away and just got a chance to reply today. The unfortunate thing is that there are people willing to believe what they want.

Like this: "The ground squirrles (sic) around here are voracious and nothing gets em better than those big ol Pacific Diamondbacks. Snakes seem to avoid humans for the most part and tend to hang around places where there is food like woodpiles. I've read that their Pacific Diamondback venom is evolving and increasing in strength to counteract the resistance that is building in the ground squirrles (sic). Interesting indeed. Has anyone else heard about this? I've encountered some of these guys that are 4-5 feet long with a long stack of rattles."

There is no snake called a Pacific Diamondback. There are two separate snakes - one called the Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus helleri) (SP) and one called the Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (C. atrox) (WDB). Again, your reading about "venom evolution" is nothing more than speculation on the part of the writer. Both Dr. Bill Hayes and Dr. Sean Bush say they have been misquoted in articles on this subject. In over 30 years of chasing Southern Pacifics around Southern CA, I have seen only one (female) over 4-ft in length. A long rattle string only means that the snake has not recently broken the string. The number of rattles does NOT indicate the age of the snake, only the number of times it has shed (if it has a full and complete rattle - no breaks).

Oh yes, WDBs and SPs really do not make contact. See below:

http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/p ... atrox.html

http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/p ... lleri.html
Sandman
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Re: Here you go Rep.

Post by Sandman »

Thanks for the info Jerry. The Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes around here are quite fat as there is an abundance of rodents. Some locals still kill them and hang their skins up but I prefer to leave em be. They seem to like to hang around the large boulderplies that are predominant in this area which is between 3500-5000' on the North Slope of the San Bernardino Mountains. The Mojave Greens tend to be found more in the washes. We also find those rosey boas (probably the wrong name). Last year i came across two that were intwined, probably mating. As "herpers" you guys would find this area interesting. I also see the San Diego Horned Lizards here sometimes, they like the ants down on the flat places.
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Apache Devil
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Re: Here you go Rep.

Post by Apache Devil »

So why did you kill that gopher snake and hang it on that garage door? I can see killing a problem rattler that will not stop hanging around your house, but why kill a gopher snake?
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reptilist
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Re: Here you go Rep.

Post by reptilist »

I was thinking the same thing. The snake hanging off the garage door looks like a headless and tailless Gopher Snake to me too...Gopher Snakes are allys of mankind, not foes.
Kevin
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Re: Here you go Rep.

Post by Kevin »

I have been living basically on the edge of wilderness for three years now. I moved there the 1st of June so it was "snake season" so to speak.

A few weeks go by and I see a rattle snake. I scared it away from the house a bit and went on about my business. I told a friend about it and he said that if they are by the house then I was foolish if I didn't kill them. The very next day I saw one that was much much larger in the same spot, very close to the house. I got a shovel and cornered in against the house and the trash can. I pulled back on the shovel and it cowered there looking at me as if to say "please don't" and I slowly cut its head off. It didn't even budge at any time. It put up no defense. I buried it out back and planted a tree over it the next year to mark its spot.

I reflected on it, and knew afterward that I'd never kill another one again. There simply isn't any good reason too. Like rep says, they are all over, especially where I live. There is literally over a million uninhabited acres right in front of my house! I moved in to their neighborhood, not the other way around, so I have to adapt to them!

Since then, when I see them I say hello and move along. I have a healthy respect for them and I do not attempt to fool around with them in any way. When I encounter non venomous snakes I lay down on the ground to get a good look, if I can get close, and let them roll on by.

Snakes are frikken bitchen!

Peace,

Kevin
Kevin
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Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:23 am

Re: Here you go Rep.

Post by Kevin »

P.S. there are a gazillion of those little black caterpillars running around the last week or so. Yesterday on the road in to town I made a game out of zig zagging my Harley so as not to kill any of them crossing the road.

rep and I share a common policy in that I do my best not to kill anything for any reason. Those living way out in the boonies like me know that it is easier said than done while driving in our cars. I've had to get used to hitting lots of stuff like rabbits, snakes, birds etc. I take some solace knowing that its an easy dinner for something else, but I still try not to if I can avoid it. I do draw the line at crashing my vehicle to miss something. If it is a choice between the death of something and crashing then its just that critters time as sad as it makes me feel.

Peace,

Kevin
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reptilist
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Re: Here you go Rep.

Post by reptilist »

Well said, Kevin!
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