Herp de Derp

I got to play with so many herps (bio nerd speak for reptiles and amphibians) today! It was the best day and I learned so much! I'm sharing with you both so that I remember and in the hopes that I can spread the herp love far and wide. ...Hang on, that didn't sound right.

Southern Toad
Bufo terrestris

Sounds like this. Will not give you warts, I promise.

Six-lined Racerunner
Aspidoselis sexlineata

LOOK AT THOSE AMAZING TOES! They have huge feet, super long tails, and racing stripes: no wonder they are nearly impossible to catch by hand! (Luckily, this one stumbled into our trap, muahahaha).

Fence Lizard
Sceloporous undulatus

LOOK AT THIS TINY DRAGON! Look at how bright blue his beautiful belly is! Look at those spiny keeled scales down their back which makes them feel like Velcro! My new favorite lizard, partially because of how beautiful he is, partially because this guy got out of my hands and climbed all over my back and down my leg and was generally adorable, and partially because they are big predators for bot flies and chiggers, the latter having recently become the bane of my existence. As my Magic Field Guide says: "Does no damage. Entirely worthy of protection, which it does not often get."

Black Racer
Coluber constrictor

Little, light, speedy, agile. Despite the Latin moniker, does not constrict prey. Also, this was the first snake I actually got to pit tag (basically like micro-chipping your dog but underneath their scales). He was really very sweet about it.

Gray Rat Snake
Pantherophis spiloides

Locals call this an Oak Snake, probably because they are especially good climbers and are often found up trees. This one is a baby, probably less than a year old! Isn't he gorgeous?

Corn Snake/Red Rat Snake
Pantherophis guttatus

Absolutely stunning. Look at that color! The black and white checkered underbelly! In love. Definitely the most active and squirmy of the snakes I held today, but in the exact same exploring, non-bitey way the captive corn/red rat snake we have at the office was.

Coachwhip Snake
Masticophis flagellum

Coachwhip snakes: beautiful bullwhips with eyes! I adore these guys. We caught five today! They are ENORMOUS. Just massive. All of the ones we caught today were somewhere between 5-6+ feet! Also they are fun because they are extremely menacing in the trap, wiggling all over and striking and biting the glove, but as soon as you get them in hand they go completely limp, as seen above.

Also, even though they are enormous, coachwhip snakes are super fast! Maybe even faster than black racers! From my Magic Field Guide: "Speed is phenomenal, and to catch it, one must almost reach ahead of it."

Also from my Magic Field Guide: apparently slaves were told that coachwhip snakes would whip them with their tails to scare them and keep them from running away into "unsettled country" where the snakes lived. They do not do that, incidentally.

Another fun fact I learned today: technically all snakes are venomous - they all have the venom gland - they just don't all have fangs to deliver the venom. Coachwhips do not. But! All snakes have anti-coagulant in their saliva so if you do get bitten by any snake it will bleed. A lot. Luckily, I did not learn this the hard way. Also luckily, most snakes, venomous or not, really don't want to bite you.

Reptiles and amphibians are fantastic! The vast majority are not scary, and even the scary ones pretty much just want to get away from you. Not a single one of these guys tried to bite me once they were in my hands or once I released them. Reptiles are friends!

SNAKE HUG! ...For real he just wrapped around me and rested like that. <3