Massive undertaking - 3 acre garter habitat

[infernalis]

I have had this plan going on in my mind for a long time, and it's finally underway.

Think of it as a 3 acre vivarium.

Phase one, removal of some trees.

http://www.reptard.info/rocky/sucks.jpg

the next step will be stump removal and excavating a large deep pond..

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/stumps.jpg

I will also be leveling the ground surrounding the pond and planting grass & blue spruce trees. I like blue spruce, a very pretty species of tree.

made progress today. The wall of debris at the back end will be covered with the soil displaced excavating the pond forming a dike that will be about six feet high with countless air gaps inside it.

to the left is the side of my hill and to the right is an existing dike with a creek on the other side.

Spent most of today having the area leveled, the spot where the pond is going to be is already getting wet. There is a natural spring located there, combined with the snow melt and spring rains, the pond will be perfect for the local frogs to breed by spring 2011.

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/pond.jpg

My son just had to get in the picture.. Anyhow, the clay base will retain water really well.

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/goo.jpg

once the pond is completely dug out the whole surrounding area will be planted with grass and then fenced off to keep trespassers out.

Lake Thamnophis will be a reality in just a few short months.

I should be seeing a lot more of this next summer..

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/choad.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Lake Thamnophis.
Sounds like a retirement community for old garter snake keepers.:rolleyes:

[infernalis]

You just want a cabin on the shoreline, so you can spoil your Radix even more Steve.

[Mommy2many]

As Steve has hinted, can we put down $$$ now for our cottages along Lake Thamnophis? They did this along Lake Candlewood up here. Bigger lake and mucho bucks for lakefront property now! I want one next to you and Steve; nothing big, just someplace to come and hang out with the snakes and frogs!

[charles parenteau]

Fantastic!!

[HazAnga]

lookin sweet Can't wait to see the final pic. I guess that's one way of getting them to come to you. and the mounds of dirt or dike as you called them would and could be perfect brumation dens.

[infernalis]

lookin sweet Can't wait to see the final pic. I guess that's one way of getting them to come to you. and the mounds of dirt or dike as you called them would and could be perfect brumation dens.


That's the general idea, the wall of clay will have countless air gaps, and as the pine wood inside decomposes it will leave hollows inside perfect for snakes.

My property is already very well populated with eastern garter snakes, water snakes, milk snakes and Storeria (brown snakes)

sometimes after it rains it is nearly impossible to walk ten feet without spotting a snake.

As an example I lifted this board up last summer and look what was under it.

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/all4.jpg

[zooplan]

:mad: you have so much space

Lake Thamnophis would be an unbelievable expensive project in Germany.

@Steve would you lend out some of those boards to me?

[infernalis]

Believe me Udo, this is not cheap here either.

I sold the trees to a lumber mill to pay for it.

They were in my way ;)

[gregmonsta]

Looking forward to seeing this progress :D. Good project!!!!!

[infernalis]

progress report, removing stumps today. Looking good!

The quality of this soil is so nice.. I am going to gather some for my Savannah monitor enclosure.

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/dozer.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/stumpdig.jpg

[RedSidedSPR]

:eek:Wow.

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, wow. What a mess!:p

[infernalis]

Been thinking.

Large rocks stacked along one bank situated for basking in the AM sun.
There is abundant shale stone all over back there, not too hard to do.

Slope one side very gradually to give a large shallow area where reeds and
cat tails can grow. a marshy wetland at one end.

[Nir]

Looks awesome!! Can't wait to see the results!!

[infernalis]

Oh man! I tried calling Jim, no answer.
The creek is filling up fast and he still has stuff parked in it!!!
This pic tells it all....

http://www.reptard.info/photo/flooding.jpg

I took this one a few months ago, this is what the creek can really do if this rain keeps falling

http://www.reptard.info/photo/flood3.jpg

I would hate to see the guy lose his logs and even worse, that machine that looks like it cost more than a house.

[Mommy2many]

Uh, OH!
How did he make out?

[infernalis]

Uh, OH!
How did he make out?


Everything was under water for about a day. The water receded before it entered any critical areas like motor intakes.

http://www.reptard.info/MySpot/wet.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Snow, instead of rain at elevations above you apparently helped.

[infernalis]

Yes the rapid drop in temperatures did help.

we were under a "flood warning" that whole day.

[untoucheclipse]

thats awesome, but i would have to travel to far to come see it when its done lol

[infernalis]

Went back there today, I was amazed to see this.... Jim had already pulled all the stumps and padded the meadowland part down flat.

I have a whole lot of raking and seeding to do...

http://www.thamnophis.us/herp/leveled.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Forgive me if I'm having a hard time picturing a garter habitat in that pic. Perhaps in time, I'll be able to picture it. Right now it looks like a some dudes went into the woods, cleared some trees and stumps, made a big mess, then it snowed. Does that about sum it up?

[infernalis]

You don't have much imagination now do you.

Landscaping is not quite an overnight process.

A lot of thought has to go into each move or problems arise later that a little common sense can avoid.

The entire project is located between a stream that flash floods from time to time and at the base of a rather steep hill the funnels rainwater down it's slopes.

So these things need to be taken into consideration now and not later when the pond overflows in July and I have standing water in places I don't want it, etc..

In addition to what I have shown you there is now drainage channels cut at a shallow angle on the side of the hill.

If your implying that I sold the timbers, yes I did. Once I saw the guy had nice heavy equipment and he knows how to run it, I traded a load of logs for the habitat project.

I'm trying to convince him into a second pond up on top of the hill. There is a spring up there that is always wet, He's up there right now so it's only a few more hours of bulldozing to add another.

Not only am I getting a sweet habitat, but by this July I will be sitting back there on my observation deck cooking burgers and sipping cold ones.

I think that considering its December, there is a bit of progress there.

Ideally we want to get the pond cut (takes a day) before the real winter gets here.

I want water in it by first thaw. The local amphibians will use it right away, they show up in mass numbers every spring without fail and breed like crazy. So it stands to reason that they will be immediately drawn to the pond....

I took these within 200 feet of where we did this work. (my truck is parked there in the bottom photo)

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/mating.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/eggs.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/dried.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/tads.jpg

I roped this off last summer to keep vehicles out of it.

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/sanctuary.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Relax Wayne. When are you all going to figure out when I'm just trying to rouse you sometimes?:p

worked a little too well:D

[infernalis]

no prob, I should be asleep by now.

Man I am thinking that I have a lot of hand raking to do, I am looking for lawn quality here, so raking and rolling it down is going to be a real bear.

[ConcinusMan]

Oh crap. Don't even remind me of the raking. We had a bad wind storm lasted a couple of days. I don't even have deciduous trees in my yard and yet there's a foot of soaking wet leaves, front and back. Grrr....

[guidofatherof5]

Looking good Wayne.
Keep us posted on your progress.
You'll have to name the area at some point. Here's a few ideas:

"Habitate for Thamnophis"
"Wayne's Thamnophis Gardens"
and of course "Wayne's World"

[ConcinusMan]

Wayne's garter snake world. :D

[HazAnga]

I like the first one lol, and awesome work Wayne, I'd love to help... but alas I'm no where near you :(

[infernalis]

Looking good Wayne.
Keep us posted on your progress.
You'll have to name the area at some point. Here's a few ideas:

"Habitate for Thamnophis"
"Wayne's Thamnophis Gardens"
and of course "Wayne's World"


To most of the world the only name that matters is...

http://www.reptard.info/frogs/WARNING009.gif

[Stefan-A]

I guess you could come up with a name with the abbreviation "GTFO".

The "G" stands for "Garter", of course.

[guidofatherof5]

I guess you could come up with a name with the abbreviation "GTFO".


I wonder what those letters stand for:confused::D

Many people would have to have it spelled out to them and they'd trespass anyway.
It might make more people trespass.

I used to have a very find 1973 Mustang Mach I, mint condition with an awesome candy apple red paint job.
I would always park it away from anyone else. Twice someone pulled up to it and opened their door on it. You can't have anything nice. Others will always try to ruin it.:mad:

[Stefan-A]

You can't have anything nice. Others will always try to ruin it.:mad:
So true.

[ConcinusMan]

That doesn't apply to your garter snake collection Steve, which is really nice. If anything, I wanted to make it even nicer by sending you your first concinnus'. I'm sure others here would want the same.

[infernalis]

I'm with Stefan and Steve on this one Richard. Utopia only exists in some far fetched dream world.

Just this last summer after I paid to have the grass mowed and I tore up another mower myself making this place look really nice.

went to town the next day, returned to the sounds of high pitched engines wailing... Drove back and found a pack of kids trespassing on 4 wheel ATVs "whipping donuts" in the freshly mowed grass.

Then I am the one they call an arse hole for showing up with a shotgun and a bad attitude.

I already know my neighborhood too well, No choice but to fence off the habitat with steel or I can already count on ATV traffic in there.

Fortunately I happen to have a roll of 3/8 inch steel cable and a pile of (electric/telephone) utility poles. When I make a fence, I make them count.

another thing the neighbors will learn really quickly, My "summer camp" is only about 100 feet away, we will be back there most of the summer set up real close by.

The best security I have ever found, the element of surprise.

[ConcinusMan]

A couple of very alert yapping dogs doesn't hurt either. I know my poms are small and wouldn't hurt a fly, but if a mouse farts a block away, they'll let you know about it. Good dog.

[infernalis]

My security team on patrol.. ;)

http://www.danceswithreptiles.com/Camp/wawadogs.jpg

http://www.danceswithreptiles.com/Camp/ace.jpg

http://www.danceswithreptiles.com/Camp/diamond.jpg

http://www.danceswithreptiles.com/Camp/max.jpg

During the warmer weather, we live back in the woods more than we do in the house. My kid never misses much either...

http://www.danceswithreptiles.com/Camp/fire.jpg

[infernalis]

So anyways, time to update this.. The logger/contractor never returned. (Big surprise) so my habitat was left half done.

I have met with a landscaping contractor and we assessed the situation and he quoted me $500 to complete the whole project. I agreed.

Since he is in the landscaping business, we have now decided to run a York rake (Removes debris and bigger stones) over the flat part so when I seed it, the meadow will be lawn quality.

I do have some work to do, the small pond that formed from the work I had done already has sprouted life. There are egg clusters and tadpoles swimming in there right now.

We will have to net and dredge them all out so I can excavate.

Once he hits that with the dozer, we figure he only has a couple hours before the aquifer fills the hole too fast for him to drive in the hole with a dozer anymore, so I can keep the amphibians in this 500 gallon tank I have until we finish the pond.

He has a skid steer loader, so I can bring in a couple loads of big rocks for a basking zone. A row of big flat slates out of the creek bed will be perfect if I angle them so they get direct A.M. exposure.

Plant a willow on the bank and it should turn out nice.

[guidofatherof5]

Sounds like a plan.
Keep us posted on the progress please.;)

[Mommy2many]

YEAH!!!

More froggies!

[infernalis]

we have those.


http://www.thamnophis.us/phibs/2.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.us/phibs/3.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.us/phibs/5.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.us/phibs/4.jpg


http://www.thamnophis.us/phibs/6.jpg

[Mommy2many]

Cool...:D

[Sonya610]

Great thread. Wonderful endeavor.

[RedSidedSPR]

Awesome.

[Spankenstyne]

Ack I missed this thread before, very cool undertaking I'm extremely jealous. Sadly I only have a small yard so we'll get to live vicariously through Lake Thamnophis ;)

Not sure how it's all situated but if possible perhaps try for the den areas to be south facing. Almost all of the hibernacula we find out here face South or SW, I would think it would likely be the same there, but something to think about anyways. At the very least to try amd mimic the direction the natural dens in your area face.

I'm curious about wanting the lawn quality grass, why not just seed it but keep the rocks for more natural spaces & natural microhabitats that might be utilized? Might make it more enticing for your inhabitants.

Anyways can't wait to see this as it keeps getting updated. What a great project

[infernalis]

Ack I missed this thread before, very cool undertaking I'm extremely jealous. Sadly I only have a small yard so we'll get to live vicariously through Lake Thamnophis ;)

Not sure how it's all situated but if possible perhaps try for the den areas to be south facing. Almost all of the hibernacula we find out here face South or SW, I would think it would likely be the same there, but something to think about anyways. At the very least to try amd mimic the direction the natural dens in your area face.

I'm curious about wanting the lawn quality grass, why not just seed it but keep the rocks for more natural spaces & natural microhabitats that might be utilized? Might make it more enticing for your inhabitants.

Anyways can't wait to see this as it keeps getting updated. What a great project

The way my hill is situated places everything southwest. The fist sunlight of the AM strikes the ground perfectly.

Up close to the pond will be tall Timothy grass and cat tails.

The acre or so of lawn is so I can camp out back there.

The habitat is going to also serve as a family recreation spot. Hence my desire for a lawn.
(A gazebo in the middle would be awesome.)

[Spankenstyne]

Ah very nice. I had a feeling you'd likely already thought of all that. Can't wait to see the end result I'm sure it'll be fantastic.

[Joachim]

Good luck with the progress,
I can't wait to see the final result!

[HazAnga]

we all can't wait to see the final result... what about some updated pix?

[infernalis]

we all can't wait to see the final result... what about some updated pix?

Sure, I can go back there tomorrow, it's a wet muddy mess right now.

[RedSidedSPR]

Well?:D

[infernalis]

I take it you want to see the grass shoots from seeding the banks??

Hoping to get some money together before the snow falls...

[RedSidedSPR]

Fine. Nevermind...:D

[infernalis]

Awe come on,,, the new baby grass shoots are so nice.

[Kantar]

have you thought about a artificial hibernating hole?

I only know of 1 place, an abandon church in the valleys here that dedicate 1 basement window to allow snakes into a wood enclosure that extends into the basement. It works, snakes thrive there, in the spring they would just cross the lawn (graveyard) to the treeline and pond and stick around there for the summer. The caretaker says its good for the corn fields, keeps the mice away.
The church really isn't quite abandoned, the pastor died in the 1950's, the graves are mainly in the 1900's era, then it slowly goes from the 50's to now. Last addition was 2003

[infernalis]

have you thought about a artificial hibernating hole?

Yes, with the possibility of a USB webcam and L.E.D. lighting for clean pics during the winter via laptop.

[RedSidedSPR]

Well that's pretty awesome.:eek:

[Mommy2many]

Yes, with the possibility of a USB webcam and L.E.D. lighting for clean pics during the winter via laptop.

Sounds like Steve's house:D

[d_virginiana]

That would be awesome! I'd love to see pics from that.

[jitami]

Awesome project, Wayne! Can't wait to see Lake Thamnophis finished!

[infernalis]

Awesome project, Wayne! Can't wait to see Lake Thamnophis finished!


Me too, it's costing a lot more than I had planned. There is still about $1000 worth of work to be done.

[brain]

So you have seen life in the toad population come back. Has there been any other new finds .. Well not new but increased snake population since the renovation started. That shot under the piece of plywood is just great to see that diverse collection of snakes.

[jitami]

Me too, it's costing a lot more than I had planned.

Projects always seem to go this way :confused:

[infernalis]

So you have seen life in the toad population come back. Has there been any other new finds .. Well not new but increased snake population since the renovation started. That shot under the piece of plywood is just great to see that diverse collection of snakes.

I have seen multiple garter snakes and Nerodia (water snakes) back there this year.

Even without any new work, the big puddle and pile of wood debris is drawing animals in.

[brain]

:DGreat:D

I had feared with the dropping of the timber and rearranging the landscape, local snake might have wandered off to find a new home. It follows then, if the frogs came back as quickly as they did … then I guess the snake should not move to far from a food source, right? :o

[infernalis]

:DGreat:D

I had feared with the dropping of the timber and rearranging the landscape, local snake might have wandered off to find a new home. It follows then, if the frogs came back as quickly as they did … then I guess the snake should not move to far from a food source, right? :o


Makes sense, but I am not changing that much, My parcel of land is huge, this area is but a small fraction of the overall landscape.

[zooplan]

I very snoopy about another update!

[infernalis]

Seems that spring has sprung. ;)

I walked back there and found these already.

http://www.thamnophis.co/habitat/eggs.jpg

[chris-uk]

Garter food in the making. :)

[infernalis]

Yes it is, I will take more pictures with wider angles shortly after it greens up a bit, right now it's still all brown with dead winter vegetation. In a couple weeks it will be bright green everywhere.