This is a dark colored adult male Leopard Rat Snake.
Due to the corn snake’s beauty and genetic adaptability a great many folks once frightened of, or at least impassive towards, snakes have not only become snake owners, but rave about the beauty of their captives as well. But comparatively few of these same keepers are aware that there is another rat snake that is as pretty as our corn snake, but is a bit more difficult as a captive and is much less readily available, This is the beautiful European Leopard Rat Snake, Zamenis situla. This like many other rat snakes world-wide used to be in the then cosmopolitan genus Elaphe.

In colors, patterns, and size this snake may vary somewhat with females being a bit longer, somewhat heavier of body, and more brightly colored than the males. Adult size varies from 26 to 36 inches. The ground color varies, seemingly by locale from dusky gray to bright gray, or occasionally to a golden gray. The black-edged dorsal blotches are often a bright red but, especially on males may be dusky red. Lateral spots are black. Patterns vary from a single row of dorsal spots to a double-row, or may be a combination of the two. Some individuals may have a double row of solid rather even edged stripes, or have a combination of blotches and stripes.

Our adults were rather reluctant feeders on laboratory mice, but eagerly accepted captive bred cotton mice (Peromyscus gossypinus) when offered.

An oviparous species, eggs may number from 2 to 8 in each clutch.

As you can see, Leopard Rat Snakes can be, and usually are, a bit more finicky than our corn snakes, but are well worth the extra effort put forth.

Note the prominent vertebral stripe and postorbital bar on this Canebrake Rattlesnake.
Firstly, what is a Canebrake? Well, the term canebrake actually pertains to a habitat feature, a thicket, a dense growth, of any of a variety of Arundinaria grasses/bamboos that are common in and along lowland streams and ravines in the southeastern United States.

And the Canebrake Rattlesnake is a crotalid that was traditionally associated with the canebrakes and other moist lowlands from FL to the Carolinas and westward to eastern Texas.

Until a few years ago this was a subspecies, Crotalus horridus atricaudatus. But in their constant urge for change (or simply because they have the “power” to make such taxonomic changes), the genetic folks eradicated most subspecies (including those for the timber rattlesnake)and concluded that this beautiful southerner/westerner was merely a color variant of the northerly, often montane, Timber Rattlesnake. Both Timber and Canebrake are now merely C. horridus. But please realize that you are under no obligation to follow this genetic ruling.

Remember that you, as I, remain free to refer to this beautiful rattlesnake as the Canebrake, a rattler that we as southerners have learned to love and one that northern herpers flock southward to see.

Comparisons	Timber	Canebrake
Ground Color	Black, olive, or yellow	Tan to pinkish
Markings	Usually no banding on tail when adult No postorbital stripe Weak or missing vertebral stripe	Light banding usually visible on black tail Prominent diagonal postorbital stripe Prominent orangish vertebral stripe

Not a black, But darker than some, this is a female Northern Timber Rattler.
In the northland the Timber Rattlesnake, formerly Crotalus h. horridus, now just C. horridus) probably needs no introduction. They are the big (4 to 5 feet long when adult, occasionally a few inches longer) black or yellow (occasionally olive, especially when a juvenile) rattlesnake that is quick to buzz if disturbed and all too often quick to strike if too closely approached. Preferred habitats include sun swept open areas and equally sunny, rocky mountainsides or summits. They, of course den and hibernate, often communally, from late autumn to early spring but wander separately and widely during the summer. A live bearing species (as are all rattlesnakes) a litter may vary from 2 to 8-, 9- to 12-inch long youngsters.

Once ranging in the east from Maine to Virginia and the highlands of Georgia and in the west from se Minnesota to ne Texas, it has been extirpated by humans/habitat destruction from many areas. South of these areas the niche was filled by the southern subspecies, the Canebrake Rattlesnake (now considered by geneticists as merely a color variant).

So call it what you wish. I prefer to recognize each differently—Timber Rattlers in the north both in lowlands and mountains and the beautiful Canebrake in the south.

Comparisons	Timber	Canebrake
Ground Color	Black, olive, or yellow	Tan to pinkish
Markings	Usually no banding on tail when adult No postorbital stripe Weak or missing vertebral stripe	Light banding usually visible on black tail Prominent diagonal postorbital stripe Prominent orangish vertebral stripe

A quacking call and "robbers" mask identifies the earthen colored Wood Frog.
By now herpers in the north east must be anxious for spring to arrive, and for herpers in the south-land it is probably already here. With the blooming of the spring flowers and the budding of the hardier trees comes the emergence of the hardiest species of amphibians.

To fish-free, vernal, woodland and country waterholes come several species of Mole Salamanders. Among these are Spotted Salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum, Blue’spotted Salamanders, Ambystoma laterale, Jefferson’s Salamanders, Ambystoma jeffersonianum, Wood Frogs, Rana sylvatica, and Spring Peepers, Pseudacris crucifer.

These species often begin their breeding cycles while ice still rims the ponds and snow yet remains, patchy but not yet forgotten.

The quacking vocalizations of the dark-masked Wood Frogs, Rana sylvatica, and strident peeping of the aptly named, tiny, but very vocal Spring Peeper, Pseudacris crucifer, advertise the anurans presence, but that the silent salamanders are there and active may first be noticed by sighting their characteristic gelatinous egg masses.

Of the salamanders, it is the beautiful but variably patterned Spotted species that is most easily seen. The yellow, sometimes orangish, spots from which the name is derived may be profuse, present in moderation, or almost missing. The other two salamanders mentioned are of earthen colors with variably contrasting blue(ish) spots along the sides.

When any of these are seen or heard, we can be relatively certain that while chilly days and cold nights might still prevail, warmer weather is actually right around the corner--or maybe 2 corners.

This is an albino Florida Snapper. The greenish tint is algae

Almost everybody knows or thinks they know what a Common Snapping Turtle looks like. Sadly, many folks not familiar with both the Common and the Alligator Snapper mistake the former for the latter and steadfastly refuse to acknowledge the many external differences.

But this blog is not about the identification of either. What I am wondering is what has become of the many color variations of the Common Snapper that were advertised a decade or so ago?

Remember those? There were tan, orange, yellow, and more rarely albino common snappers being offered. But that was back then and this is now—the now that should have allowed plenty of time for those odd colored snappers to have matured and to be producing odd colored offspring if ever they were going to. The albinos should have bred true, but I’ve always wondered about those oranges and other colors that were offered. I guess that if the color was genetically produced and they were line bred there might be some strangely colored snappers around. But was there?

Actually, I was pleasantly surprised. After inquiring on my Facebook page, hobbyists showed me pix of their odd colored snappers, yellows and albinos among them, and mentioned that many other colors and even some pattern variances were available in Asia.

This, and the fact that when well cared for, often handled, captives Common Snappers can become VERY tame are good facts to know.