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Posted by Richard F. Hoyer on March 26, 2003 at 12:46:39:
In Reply to: Rubber Boas posted by naryan93602 on March 25, 2003 at 20:47:32:
Naryan:
Bluerosy gave you a head start and as he implied, it is now up to you to put in some effort, learn, and gain experience through trial and error where to find various species.
Let me add just a little more with respect to the Rubber Boa. Suitable habitat for this species occurs uninterrupted from northern Kern County, Calif. (Greenhorm Mts.) north into southern British Columbia and thus the species has to have a continuous distribution. In your region, the Rubber Boa probably occurs from about 4500 ft. elevation and higher.
That being said, just like human populations, snake densities vary from areas where they are sparce or even void due to marginal to unsuitable habitat conditions, to areas with optimal conditions exist for the species and in which they occur in relatively high densities.
Snakes in general occur in habitat that lack large objects of natural cover but are difficult to find is such habitat as much of the time they are beneath the surface or hidden partly covered in grass, leaf litter, and dirt on the surface and easily overlooked. So in order to find snakes, either you find discarded junk to turn in habitat that lacks large objects of natural cover or make searches where natural cover exists in the form of rocks and woody debris--bark, branches, small turnable logs, stumps.
Early in the season when the subsurface ground temperatures are still cool, snakes come to the surface to acquire the warmth they require for carrying on their life activities. Where snow and freezing temperatures are common during the winter, many species seek shelter beneath rock formations. These formations may be evidence on the surface such as small to large outcrops to totally or almost totally hidden subterranean structures in which perhaps a few scattered surface rocks are the only evidence.
When temperatures reach into the high 50's and above in the spring with some periods of sunshine, looking into rock crevaces and turning rocks at this time of year is the standard practice for finding specimens. It helps to find areas with rocks or rock outcrops that have a reasonable exposure to the sun. Outcrops that remain in the shade for prolonged durations in the spring such as those shaded by canopy cover and /or on north facing slopes are not as suitable as SE, SW or south facing slopes with rocks and rock outcrops.
When you turn natural cover, try to return that cover to its original position as best as possible.
Richard F. Hoyer
I will be going to Shaver lake CA area on Friday and was wondering if anyone had tips or places to look.Elevation is 5500 feet and the temperature is around 60 in the day.P.S. Bluerosy I am not asking you cause all your posts are negative.
