Desert striped whipsnakles may vary geographically in color intensity but are always busily striped.

Whipsnakes including coachwhips and the closely allied racers are a snake group that is all too often completely ignored by hobbyists. Although as adults many of the racers and coachwhips can be of dark and uniform color, many of the whipsnakes are colorful at hatching and remain so throughout their their lives. For example let’s take a look at the Striped Whipsnakes. The Central Texas subspecies, Masticophis taeniata girardi, ranges southward from Central Texas well into Mexico. In contrast the Desert subspecies, M. t. taeniata, ranges northwestward from western Texas and adjacent New Mexico to central Washington. Both subspecies are snakes of the thornscrub, shrubby western grasslands, rocky and scrubby deserts, and dry open forestlands.

Like all of the racers and whipsnakes, these two are oviparous and produce only a single clutch annually. Hatchlings measure about 15”; adults may attain a length of 5to 6 feet. Their slenderness and the speed with which they disappear between and behind desert shrubs often makes the adults seems smaller.

Of these 2, the Central Texas whipsnake is the darker, usually having only a single light ventrolateral stripe and light, elongate dorsolateral blotches on each side. The latter are most prominent anteriorly. Because it has numerous white stripes on each side the desert subspecies is much the lighter of the 2. Both have whitish chins, cream to yellowish bellies, and coral subcaudal scales. Hatchlings are much like the adults in color and pattern.

It seems probable that lizards are the primary prey of these whipsnakes, but they also eat insects, amphibians, birds, and small rodents.

When taken captive they are often nervous and should e provided with ample secure hiding areas. They soon quiet down but seem to always dislike being physically restrained.

Cannibalism can occur even in axolotls of the same size.

For decades a fully aquatic (neotenic) Mexican relative of the tiger salamander has been laboratory bred for both laboratory and pet purposes. This is a species with the complicated Aztec name of axolotl (axe-o-low-tul). Scientifically it is known as Ambystoma mexicanum. These are permanent and nearly obligate neotenes, never voluntarily metamorphosing into the adult form unless water quality becomes totally untenable. Even then, many simply die, not ever beginning to metamorphose. Most that do metamorphose die a short time later. Although many are full grown at about 7 inches in total length, some attain the impressive length of nearly 10".

In spite of the fact that it comes from a country that we consider tropical, the habitat of the big, bushy-gilled axolotl is cold mountain and plateau lakes. Preferred water temperature is between 65 and 75 F.

Axolotls now occur in many more than the normal olive-brown phase. Among others are the gold, albino (white with pink eyes), leucistic (white with dark eyes), and piebald (olive and white blotched with dark eyes).

Axolotls are able to consume comparatively large food items. Worms, small freshly killed fish, beef heart, and other such items are ravenously accepted and these salamanders are usually not at all reluctant to accept food from your hand. Not uncommonly, during a feeding frenzy, axolotls will grasp, dismember, and consume the leg or a chunk of the tail of a tankmate—or even the tankmate itself. In other words watch out for cannibalism. You may consider this disconcerting, but in an axolotl community it is a fact of life. Axolotls (and most other larval salamanders) are quite able, given time, to regenerate missing limbs and tail parts. And if all else remains normal you will soon see signs of regenerative growth.

Enjoy. These are wonderful salamanders.

This is a Red-bellied newt in its terrestrial stage.

Broadly speaking, there are two rather distinct groups of newts (family Salamandridae) in the USA. There are the small primarily aquatic species of the genus Notopthalmus that range in one or another of their 3 species from TX eastward and an equal number of the larger, rather terrestrial species in the genus Taricha. These latter, restricted to the Pacific Coast states are collectively referred to as the Pacific or the Western newts. The California and the Sierra newts are subspecies of T. torosa, the Rough-skinned and the Crater Lake newts are subspecies of T. granulosa, and the beautiful Red-bellied newt, T. rivularis, stands alone.

The Pacific newts are hardy and easily maintained, but not all are readily available.2 are protected by either state or federal mandates. If available to the pet trade at all Pacific newts are seasonal.

The Pacific newts are large (to 8") salamanders that have a less complex life cycle than their eastern counterparts. In the winter to spring breeding season all are aquatic. Following the breeding season, the late spring, summer, and autumn all are terrestrial. Captives are far more comfortable in a semi-aquatic or a woodland terrarium with a small pool of water than in an aquatic setup.

Dorsally all Pacific newts are vary from a warm fawn to deep brown (rarely yellow). The venters of two species, the California and the rough-skinned newts, are a pretty, unspotted yellow. The color of the venter of the third species, the red-bellied newt, is aptly described by its common name.
Worms and suitably sized insects will be eagerly accepted by your captives. If the worms are large and your newts are small, worm sections impaled on a broomstraw can be offered your captives. You can often get your salamanders to accept small pieces of beef-heart by using the same method. Small feedings may be given daily. Larger feedings may be required only once or twice a week.

Wash your hands well after handling any Pacific newts. All produce very toxic glandular secretions.

An adult female Florida green water snake.

The Wetlands across the street from our house has been active and open for about 5 years now. It was developed from some old vacant but overgrown and tangled seasonal swampland. The tangles were primarily of plants intent on dissuading human passersthrough--catbrier, dodder, poison ivy and blackberry canes predominated. But one day “no trespassing” signs were erected. A few day’s later bulldozers and other earth moving machinery arrived and before our wondering eyes the “monkey-get-back-bushes” of all manner disappeared and we finally realized the full scope of the land manipulation. Acre after acre of shallow ponds had been bulldozed from the long-hidden surface area, the few existing trails were obliterated, a huge cache basin was dug and dammed to catch the debris (sofas to TVs and signs to clothing!) tossed by humans into a still existing but redesigned creek that fed waters to the affected area. Culverts were laid, dikes topped with graveled roads were built, a lengthy boardwalk was in place, and truckloads of emergent plants (from Juncus to Bulrushes) were brought in, unloaded and planted stategically in the pond-to-be basins that were finally being dampened by the water that was finally being allowed to trickle and accumulate---and accumulate—and accumulate. Sweetwater Wetlands Park was open to the public.

The first year as what I would consider normal for our native snake populations including, but not limited to, Florida banded, Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, and Florida green water snakes, Nerodia floridana. The next year was better for all herps, and the 3rd year even better but it was truly a banner was a banner year for the water snakes.

It was a warm year and by mid-February the snakes were breeding. Florida banded water and Florida green water snakes were present in virtually all patches of emergent vegetation in gender skewed ratios—to each female there would be 3 or 4 males in attendance. I noticed, the park rangers noticed, and the herons noticed. The snakes were commented on by the rangers and me—the snake became a major food source for the herons—especially the great blues and even more especially for the American bitterns. Until they migrated northward in April the bitterns parading through the shallow marshes almost always held a wriggling snake in their beak. It was obviously easier for the birds to go herping than to go fishing.

That summer a reduction in water snake numbers was expectedly inevitable. But by the next spring there had been no noticeable bounceback. And throughout the next year we saw only half a dozen green and about a dozen bandeds.

Last year (2019), I saw even fewer greens, but a few more bandeds. I’m wondering now whether the abundance seen in 2016 will again occur.

I can hope.

A profile of the beautiful white rattlesnake.
Can white be a camouflage color? It sure can when it is peppered with tiny black flecks of color and sitting atop or amidst a number of rocks that are similarly colored.

And is there any such place?

There surely is. And Jake and I were amidst those rocks right now—or actually, right then. It was late on a night late in August in Arizona and even at well past midnight the heat was radiating from those black speckled white rocks as we searched for our target, a black fleckled white speckled rattlesnake. “Speckled” is the name of this snake, Crotalus pyrrhus, as well as its color.

It was Jake who had decided on this target, the speckled rattler. Then he had added the specific color. Sounded good to me, and after all, the locale was only 2000+ miles away from our homes. Heck. What’s 2000+ miles to dedicated herpers. I had dragged Jake farther than that to see a single species of bird. And neither of us make any special claim to our birding prowess.

So after borrowing and loading Patti’s car for the trip, off we went. A day and a half later we arrived and were searching the habitat. 4 days later, after finding a fair number of great herps and groggy from lack of sleep, we realized we had failed to find the target and since we still had a few semi-target species—rock rattlers, regal horned lizards and a stop at the wonderful Arizona Sonora Desert Museum-- a few hundred miles to the east it was time to begin our multi-stopped retreat. Fortunately we were more successful on our list of semi-target taxa than we had been on the target.

Are we going to try again? You betcha! And the next time, in the famous last words of somebody (I think it was Jake!), “we shall succeed.”

But for now, Eastward-ho!

Although rear-fanged, the red-lipped snake was once common in the pet trade.
The Red-lipped or Herald Snake, Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, is a rather small, nocturnal, rear-fanged, colubrine snake from Sub-Saharan Africa. It is adult at 3 feet or less, and has large rear-fangs that have been described as “blade-like.” It is oviparous.

When surprised it is a defensive snake species, flattening the head, distending the lips, and striking forcefully. If carelessly grasped it will bite. In other words, this little amphibian eater does all possible to appear formidable.

Despite producing a venom that is fully capable of overcoming the amphibians on which it preys, bites sustained by humans have shown no signs of toxicity. What isn’t known of course is whether the bites were sufficiently forceful or lengthy for the snake to bring its rear venom conducting teeth into play. When kept captive it quickly tames and once acclimated seldom attempts to bite.

The common name describes an identifying characteristic of red-lipped snakes from the southern part of the range—the upper lips (labial scales) are red. However, this species in the more northerly part of the range may have white, cream, or even dark upper lips.

The head of this species is nearly black with an iridescent sheen (the iridescence is especially notable when the snake has freshly shed its skin), is noticeably darker posterior to the eyes, and is darker than the brownish to olive dorsum. When the snake’s body is inflated as when it huffs and puffs in indignation, white interstitial flecks in the form of narrow bars are often visible. The venter is white.

This snake, once common and inexpensive in the pet trade, is now less frequently available.