My Story: Storeria dekayi

[Mommy2many]

I did notice that when it rains or when we get a storm coming all of my snakes seem to get more active. Also, if you spritz their tank, they will all come out as well. Maybe it's an indication that a food source would be available if they were in the wild?

[Herp Derp]

@joey well since I went camping about 4yrs ago. I've slowly been getting back into nature, enjoying, learning, exploring and observing and trying very hard not to take everything home and leave the habitat as best as I have found it(a lot of people don't and I notice). Thanks for identifying it for me... I assumed it was a red back salamander with just different markings depending on the season. I've found a few of red backs in big city parks. Still looking to find one of those stick insects though.

@mommy yes I believe that's just their excitement of an abundance of food trying not to drown or stay dry.

[Herp Derp]

I saw some really big slugs 2" and thicker than my dekay up in the woods. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't eat it. Mind you the biggest slugs I've seen were out west in Vancouver, B.C. and they were as big as cigars, some bigger!!

My dekay seems to recognize me at first when I come in she's a bit scared and hides.. then I say something and she's like oh its you and pops her head out and flickers her tongue a lot.

[guidofatherof5]

They will get to know you by sight, sound and smell and they are ever observant to change.

[joeysgreen]

I found those very same banana slugs out in Vancouver too Also found the western redbacks among many other species of salamander out there. It's also a nice place to find valley garters and northwestern garters.

Depending on where you are, the ambystoma species can be various super cool polyploidy hybrid species. The blue spotted's, Jefferson's, and I think the spotted's sometimes join the party too. Nonetheless, the resultant hybrids are parthenogenic, but still require the physical stimulation of a parent species male to instigate reproduction. A great example of the fluid nature of what defines a species.

Ian

[infernalis]

They don't like banana slugs. spit them right out. They prefer the little grey ones.

[Sparksvonrou]

I have a baby or fairly young Pa Brown Snake. I guess he came to the family about a week and a half ago. I am getting worried because I have not seen him eat anything. I have offered small worms since I am having an awful time finding any small slugs. I will post a picture here of him and maybe someone can tell me what the largest size slug I should get for him. Also I have seen posts where raising slugs is easy and something about on cabbage. But I have not seen any real directions about it. Can someone assist here? For now he has been in this plastic tote with the small water dish. He likes to sit on the edge of it and slide through the water. It is a bit bare at the moment because I took all the old grass out and cleaned things up a bit. I have not actually seen him drink. How does he do that? Dip? Tongue? Absorbsion?
Thanks
Sparks

[slipknot711]

make sure he has plenty of hiding spots. try feeding at entry point of a hide. its WC so it may take a bit to get it to eat.

[Herp Derp]

I've been kind of busy, so the story continues... I released the brown snake a month later(last year) back to her original spot where i caught her, so she would have enough time to eat and find a hibernation spot, in case she needed to travel to it. I did not have the time to attempt a slug colony or worm farm. So i wasnt about to risk her life for my own fascination and addiction to observing. This year with more knowledge, I went to the same area (a month ago)and got to see a lot of garter snakes of various sizes. I also spotted and held a tiny snapping turtle(a mini "Tank", Guido/Steve) to be continued...

[joeysgreen]

That was a very respectable decision to let the snake go. It sounds like you have a nice area to view wildlife.