Pics of my couchii

[tyflier]

But be careful to let the snake pull away from the gloves and not yank back. Don't want to hurt snake/teeth and possibly have to deal with mouth rot.

It's been suggested to me by my Hoggy breeder to never use gloves due to the very great possibility of tooth loss. (shrugs shoulders)

I don't know. I can see both sides. I'll go w/o gloves until I think the danger to me is greater than the possible injury to my snakelettes. As I have the ability to sit for a long time waitng for snigglettes to withdraw from either me or gloves if I should use them.

So, it's not something I do - use gloves... yet, but wanted to toss out.

I have had more snake teeth embedded in flesh than in gloves to be honest. For some reason, most of the don't seem to even bite the gloves. I've had them strike a couple times while wearing gloves, but rarely do they latch on. Without the gloves...they latch on and twist their heads about. That's when they lose teeth.

I try not to use gloves unless I am dealing with a big, bitey snake. For the most part babies, and small ones don't bother. It's only when one of the bigger kings starts eyeballing me and giving me a little lip. Than I use the gloves to force them out and into interacting...

[Garter_Gertie]

Ah! I'm not going into kings so I don't have to worry! THANKS!

[tyflier]

Ah! I'm not going into kings so I don't have to worry! THANKS!

But you HAVE a king! You have an Eastern Milk listed in your signature...Lampropeltis trangulum triangulum. So here's some information...just for fun...

The Genus Lampropeltis is the Kingsnake genus. Everything that falls under the family Lampropeltis is a kingsnake. The species, triangulum, is the species Milksnake. The subspecies, triangulum, is the Eastern Milk. But as I said above...everything that is classified in the Genus of Lampropeltis is a kingsnake...so your Eastern Milk is the common name for an L.t. triangulum...which is technically a king. You could as easily and just as accurately call your Eastern Milk an Eastern King. It would be scientifically accurate.

With that said...common names are incredibly innaccurate. "Eastern King" is also the common name for Lampropeltis getula getula, which could scientifically be called a Common King, and IS called a Common King in some localities.

A good example is the Scarlet King. Everyone knows and accepts that a scarlet king is a kingsnake...but it is actually classified in the triangulum species...making it a milksnake...

Clear as mud??

That's why field herpers tend to use the latin bi-nomial referance. It reduces confusion based on Locality and Common names being different from place to place...

[Garter_Gertie]

Well, Ty, you got me.

However, I've not the milk *yet.*

But, yes. Clear as mud! Thanks. Still... I doubt I'll go with a glove at the beginning, knowing the mother I'm getting the kid from and hopefully getting the kid at a young age.

I will always be hesitant to use gloves, for the sake o'the snigglettes. I'd rather just bite the bullet and grit my teeth than run the risk o'hurting the kids' teeth. I can reason, the kids can't.

But I thank you for the edjumacation as I didn't know milks were/are kings! THANKS!!!

[Loren]

Very nice Sierra Garter. I have one too. Had it for about 5 years now.

[tyflier]

Very nice Sierra Garter. I have one too. Had it for about 5 years now.

And you have an awesome photo of a Sidewinder in a very defensive posture for an avatar!! Nice Pic! Is that a Mojave Sidewinder?

Anyhow...some advice, if you could...have you had any success converting your couchii to pinkies? If so, I would greatly appreciate any advice you could offer on doing that, as everyone I know with one has had no luck in converting...

[Loren]

First question- yes. Thanks.

Just went herping through your area this summer too. Still trying to find a desert striped whipsnake.

Winder is from north of Ca. city though.

On your second question, I just put a post on your other couchii thread regarding rodents.

[tyflier]

First question- yes. Thanks.

Just went herping through your area this summer too. Still trying to find a desert striped whipsnake.

Winder is from north of Ca. city though.

On your second question, I just put a post on your other couchii thread regarding rodents.

Awesome! Thanks.

Desert striped whips are hard to find in my area. You'll find more Mojave Patchnose and Red Coachwhips than anything else. However...there are a good amount of California striped racers and striped whipsnakes in Tulare County, right at the top of 9-mile Canyon Road. Great place to find a lot of more "obscure" California species, including L.z. multicincta and Nevada Shovelnose. One of the few areas to find Inyo County Rosy Boas, too...

Next time you're coming through...shoot me a line. I'll show you some of my favorite desert-dwelling roads to cruise...

[Loren]

Cool !

I have heard of that road, but never been there. I have a ca. striped racer(lateralis) a coachwhip, and a mojave patchnose. And a ca. mountain king ( a sierra that was given to me about 5 years ago-I've never collected one). No nevada shovelnose, but I do have a mojave shovelnose.

[tyflier]

Cool !

I have heard of that road, but never been there. I have a ca. striped racer(lateralis) a coachwhip, and a mojave patchnose. And a ca. mountain king ( a sierra that was given to me about 5 years ago-I've never collected one). No nevada shovelnose, but I do have a mojave shovelnose.

It's awesome up in there. You can cruise the roads right along the border of Kennedy Meadows. I like to grab my flyrod and a couple hooks and walk along the creeks and streams fishing for golden trout and flipping for racers, garters, NorPacs...whatever might be hanging out. REALLY nice area to herp.