racer

[snakehunter7]

saw a racer on Sunday near a burned down house and he was very aggressive. I've only caught 2 and the first one was very docile, but this one bit me before i put him down, he was very aggressive. And i read that the racers that have a lighter belly (almost like a grey) are more rare than others, is this true. Anyway thats all the silghtings i've had since spring started

 

[Krloucks]

Never heard/read that about the bellies of racers. Where did you read it?

 

[snakehunter7]

it think it was called the field guide to New Jersey reptile and amphibians, it was like a little green spiral book, i had it but lost it, if i find it i can tell you the name of the author, it was like 40 pages i think, and i wont quote it but im probably 90% sure it said something about the lighter belly ones are a rarer colered belly opposed to all black, have you ever found one with a lighter belly like that, and where most of the ones you found more aggressive or docile.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/prod_herpguide.htm

if you go there it shows the cover on the right side of the page

 

[Krloucks]

Can't recall the belly differences on the ones I have found. Either I don't get the chance to take a look cause of their speed or I'm dodging their teeth! Most are aggressive, at least I have found, which is typical of the species. What's worse than their teeth is their musk so I usually have no desire to pick them up! First one this year was on 3-31 but was too fast for my trigger finger on my camera. Still, you get a big one stretched on a fallen tree, sunning itself they can be beautiful. I have that book and will check out the text.
k

 

[snakehunter7]

nice to meet you by the way my name is herb, i think the first one i found was a freakishly docile one then. I agree about there musk, i dont recall the first one musking me, maybe because it was so docile, but this recent one i was talking about got me good, all over my hands and shirt, it was horrible.lol. Come to mention it, most of the snakes i have caught are aggressive, black ratsnakes, garters are vicious little guys, they musk really bad to. I guess your a reptile photographer right, do you have any goods pics of pine snakes. Its been a goal to catch one for like 4 years and not even a sighting, its harsh because there threatened i guess, and so many dirt bikers dont care, they probably destroy lots of there homes. That kind of stuff will get you ticked off. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with dirtbiking as long as its somewhere where your not effecting the animals around you. I try and block off paths on firebreads to stop them but the next day the stuff i put in the way is always gone, the Pinesnakes are my favorite and i do my best to stop that kind of stuff and tell people that they are threatened and are not venemous since some people get them confused with rattlers.