Common Kingsnake
| California Kingsnake | |
|---|---|
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| Young California Kingsnake | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Lampropeltis |
| Species: | L. getula |
| Subspecies: | L. g. californiae |
Geographic range
The California Kingsnake is found in most of California and Arizona,excluding the highest mountain ranges,
as well as southern portions of Nevada, Utah, and Oregon,
northwestern New Mexico, extreme southwestern Colorado, and northwestern Mexico.
In Arizona, they intergrade with the Desert Kingsnake or the Mexican Black Kingsnake.
Description
California Kingsnakes are most commonly patterned witha ground color of black with between 20 to 47 white bands or
a single stripe down the middle of the back.
t has smooth non-keeled scales and a relatively cylindrical body.
They average three to four and a half feet (1 – 1.4 m) in length as adults,
but can sometimes attain lengths of five feet or more,
epending on the population. Females are usually larger than males,
a case of sexual dimorphism.
The ventral scales may be patterned or solid-colored.
They get to about 5 inches in berth.
Regional color variations
There are more than 70 combinations of patterns and coloration,known as morphs, that live in the wild. These generally fall under the
basic categories of banded, striped, blotched, or unicolored,
with additional variations in color and pattern
depending on the particular population.
Those found in desert regions generally have black and white bands,
while coastal and inland valley individuals tend to be brown and yellow.[3]
The belly is normally checkered, but striped morphs in
San Diego County, California usually have a plain, yellow belly, or in some cases, an all-dark belly.
there are also aberrant morphs present.
Some aberrant morphs look like combinations of banded and striped patterns,
while others are solidly colored, blotched, or dotted.
There are five regions where striped patterns occur,
and all are disjunct from each other.
These are coastal Los Angeles and Orange counties ("Newport-Long Beach Striped");
San Diego and western Riverside counties and
extreme northern Baja California, Mexico ("San Diego Striped");
the Delta region of central California ("Delta Striped");
the San Joaquin River region of central California ("Eiseni Striped");
and extreme southern Baja California ("Nitida Striped")
All of these regions were historically wet and marshy.
Captive-developed color variations
Since becoming common in captivity,California Kingsnakes have been bred by hobbyists into many different varieties
not seen in the wild. Albinism is common in captive individuals,
as are aberrant color patterns such as "reverse-stripe" or "high-white".
California Kingsnakes are also hybridized with other types of snake,
such as other subspecies of the Common Kingsnake, Milksnakes,
and Cornsnakes, to produce additional variations in color and pattern
Behavior
The Californian Kingsnake is generally diurnal, howeverthey become more nocturnal if the weather is too hot. In the winter,
they will usually go deep underground and
enter a hibernation-like state called brumation,
which is characterized by a slowed metabolism and reduced activity.
California Kingsnakes are predators,
feeding on almost any vertebrate they can overpower.
Common food items include rodents, other reptiles, birds,
and amphibians. All kingsnakes are non-venomous,
but are powerful constrictors and
generally kill their prey through suffocation.
The "king" in their name refers to their propensity to hunt and
consume other snakes, particularly venomous rattlesnakes.
alifornia Kingsnakes are naturally impervious to the venom of
ttlesnakes but are not totally immune. They feed on rattlesnakes regularly.
When disturbed, California Kingsnakes will often coil their bodies
to hide their heads, hiss, and rattle their tails, which,
done in dry vegetation, can produce a sound somewhat resembling
that of a rattlesnake's rattle. They are considered harmless to humans,
but if handled it is common for this species to bite as well as
excrete musk and fecal contents from their cloaca.
Kingsnakes usually shed four to six times per year at which point they go "opaque", meaning the snake's skin becomes dull and its eyes will turn a milky color. Like all snakes, they usually shed in one long piece, which includes their eye scales. Juvenile snakes will shed more frequently, up to once a month, than adult snakes because of their faster rate of growth. Prior to shedding, they will generally seek out humid microclimates in their habitat.
Reproduction
The California Kingsnake is an oviparous internal fertilization animal,meaning it lays eggs as opposed to giving live birth like some other snakes.
Courtship for this kingsnake begins in the spring and
involves the males competing for available females.
Eggs are laid between May and August which is generally 42–63 days after mating;
in preparation the female will have chosen a suitable location.
The typical clutch size is five to twelve eggs with an average of nine,
though clutches of 20 or more eggs are known.
The hatchlings usually emerge another 40–65 days later,
and are approximately eight to thirteen inches in length.
In captivity
Temperatures should be kept at around 80–85°F (27–29°C),
with the cool end of this range at one end of the enclosure and
the warm at the other end. This provides a thermal gradient within
which the snake can self-regulate its own body temperature.
Temperatures should not be allowed to go below 75°F or above 90°F
as this can cause severe health problems.
Humidity should be kept low (below 40%), and one suitable water bowl can provide this.
Snakes should not be handled extensively for the following 48 hours after eating,
which can cause the snake to regurgitate its prey.
When handling a kingsnake, the entire body of the animal
should be supported and not tightly restrained.
Young snakes and any individuals not accustomed to being handled
may bite and smear cloacal contents on the handler,
though most kingsnakes learn to tolerate being handled by humans relatively quickly.
TOXICITY AND TREATMENT
The King Snake is a non-poisonous species that loops around,
constricts and then squeezes the prey until it suffocates.
The snake must be fed unfrozen food.
If not unfrozen then it will cause frostbite which will be deadly towards a snake
Desert Tortoise
Image results for Desert Tortoise
Desert Tortoise |  |
Within the desert's fragile ecosystem, tortoise populations are
rapidly diminishing; in some places they have disappeared.
Losses are due to vandalism, to raven predation,
disease, collections for pets (now illegal), and habitat degradation.
Habitat has been lost or damaged from mining,
livestock grazing, development of desert lands for agriculture,
sub-divisions, high-ways, industrial uses and off-road vehicle use.
Tortoise populations grow slowly because of their low reproductive potential.
Females do not breed until 15 to 20 years old and then may lay
clutches of eggs only when adequate forage is available.
Also, survival of juveniles is low, only 2-3 per
100 hatched may live to become adults
To read more about the desert tortoise in the wild click on the article titles listed below.
You may also like to browse through the Special Reports and
Occasional Papers on the DTPC Research Papers page and take the DTNA Virtual Field Trip.
Useful links to off-site desert tortoise information can be
found in the box on the lower right.
Desert Tortoise Diet Shee | |
A desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) diet is comprised mainly of safe grasses and weeds, leafy greens, with small amounts of hard vegetables and moist fruits. A good basic salad can be prepared a week in advance and ed daily with selections from the following served in addition to it. All tortoises need pesticide- and herbicide-free forage (grasses and weeds) for grazing. You can grow your own in your backyard and let your tortoises graze on it, after first making sure your yard is escape-proof. Another way is to build a safe pen or corral for the tortoises, and seed it with the forage. You can make it more decorative by planting edible ornamental plants around the perimeter and inside. Information on edible and harmful plants can be found at my Plant Information & Identification page.  For tortoises that must be kept inside during inclement weather, you can seed nursery flats with the seeds and let them graze on them or take cuttings for them. If you feed your tortoises too much of the foods that should be fed in relatively small amounts or occasionally, you risk causing health problems, ranging from diarrhea to kidney disease. There apparently has been a problem with people not reading this entire page, so I have reorganized it to put the emphasis on the forage. HOW TO CARE FOR A DESERT TORTOISE Kangaroo Rats Image results for Kangaroo Rats    Despite its name and hopping gait, the kangaroo rat actually has more in common with a camel than with its much larger marsupial namesake. The kangaroo rat is a rodent, but it is unlike any other rodent on Earth: it is able to survive in the desert with virtually no drinking water The camel is the only other mammal that can match this feat, and yet the kangaroo rat looks nothing like the ‘ship of the desert’  This humble creature lives in the desert regions of North America. They have a large head and eyes, short forelimbs and long hind limbs, and a body that ranges in length from 10 to 16 cm (4 to 6.5 in). They can jump up to 1.8 m (6 ft) in a single leap. Like its marsupial namesake, the kangaroo rat balances on its hind legs and hops. But that’s where the similarity ends. Kangaroo rats live in burrows by day, oraging by night for seeds, leaves and other vegetation, and carrying food in their cheek pouches to store in their underground homes. They also occasionally eat insects  . Kangaroo rat facts
 The Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) or Northern Harrier (in North America) is a bird of prey. It breeds throughout the northern parts of the northern hemisphere in This species is polytypic, with two subspecies.  Marsh Hawk is a disused name for the American form of this species, but I prefer it over Northern Harrier which while descriptive, isn't nearly as regal-sounding. Northern HarrierThe northern harrier is a sleek bird of prey with a long, narrow tail.The adult male is a pale gray color and the female has a brown back and brown-streaked belly. Additionally, the wingtips of adult males are black.A prominent field mark of both the male and female northern harrier is its white rump that shows most easily in flight.These birds characteristically soar close to the ground. Like other hawk-like birds, they have a sharp, down-turned beak and long sharp talons.When gliding, harriers sometimes hold their wings in a dihedral or "V" shape.Northern harrier, marsh hawk |
Northern harriers have several characteristics which distinguish them from other birds.
Feathers around their face in the shape of a disk
focus sound into their ears. Their wings form a v-shape during flight.
They also have a white rump which is visible during flight.
Where in the world do they live?
Northern harriers are found throughout the northern hemisphere.
In the Americas (the Nearctic) they breed throughout North America from Alaska
and much of Canada to as far south as Baja California, New Mexico,
Texas, Kansas, and North Carolina.
They are only rarely seen breeding in parts of the Atlantic coastal states,
such as Vermont, Rhode Island, and Maine and
are also rare in the arid and mountainous western regions,
including most of California, Oregon, and Washington.
Their winter range is from southern Canada to the Caribbean and Central America.
What kind of habitat do they need?
Northern harriers are found mainly in open habitats such as fields,savannas, meadows, marshes, upland prairies, and desert steppe.
They also occur in agricultural areas and riparian zones.
Densest populations are found in large expanses of undisturbed,
open habitats with dense, low vegetation.
Adult males show interesting behaviors during mating season.
During this time the male courts the female by flying high into the air
and then diving down. Males generally have between 1 and 3 mates.
During incubation of the eggs the male provides food for the female,
but he stays away from the nest.
She shelters them from the weather with her wings.
She also feeds her young by taking food from the male
when they are young, and later, by passing the food to them while in flight.
The male northern harrier brings food for his mate and
offspring, but leaves them when the hatchlings are about two weeks old.
How long do they live?
There is very little information known concerning
the lifespan of northern harriers.
The longest lifespan reported is 16 years
and 5 months. The average lifespan, however,
is 16.6 months. The oldest reported breeding
female was 8 years old.
How do they behave?
Besides flying, northern harriers walk and hop.
They use this method of locomotion
while retrieving prey,
collecting nesting materials,
and retrieving nestlings that have strayed from the nest.
Harriers typically fly slow and low to the ground,
gliding often, and sometimes seeming to hover.
They occasionally soar. Males fly faster and are more agile in flight
than either females or juveniles and have been seen overtaking prairie falcons.
Home Range
During breeding season both sexes tend to be territorial
around the nests, but otherwise, home ranges tend to overlap.
Monogamous male territories tend to be approximately 260 ha
(2.6 km square) in size, ranging from 170 (1.7 km square) to 15,000 (150 km square) ha.
How do they communicate with each other?
Northern harriers are most vocal near the nest.
When mating, they make fast kek, quik, and ek sounds.
When they are in distress, harriers make rapid high-pitched sounds.
Males have a more nasal sound than females.
Females issue a call for food,
most often during mating season. It is a piercing eeyah,
eeyah sound which can last for several minutes.
Males respond to this with a purrduk sound that can barely be heard.
In response to this sound the female will leave her nest to receive food.
What do they eat?
The diet is variable, depending on dominant prey types in the area.
In areas with large populations of small mammals,
they make up 95% of the diet. In northern grasslands,
the diet may be almost exclusively Microtus voles.
Northern harriers also eat other small vertebrates, including snakes,
frogs, passerine birds, and small waterfowl. When hunting for food,
harriers glide at a slow pace close to the ground until prey is found.
Harriers then dive quickly to capture it. They may also hide in vegetation,
waiting to pounce on prey. They sometimes store extra prey to eat later.
What eats them and how do they avoid being eaten?
Northern harriers have many predators, including raccoons,
skunks, American crows, common ravens, coyotes, feral dogs, red foxes,
and great horned owls. American crows and common ravens prey on eggs,
while other raptors, especially great horned owls, target nestlings.
Northern harriers with young generally respond aggressively to predators.
Defense ranges from aggressive distress calls to striking the intruder with
closed talons. Males and females contribute equally to defense
What roles do they have in the ecosystem?
Predation by northern harriers can have significant effects on
populations of field mice and other rodents.
As prey, northern harriers provide food for some terrestrial predators,
such as coyotes Canis latrans, striped skunks Mephitis mephitis,
raccoons Procyon lotor, and red foxes Vulpes vulpes.
Do they cause problems?
There are no negative affects of northern harriers on humans.
How do they interact with us?
Northern harriers help protect crops by reducing populations
of field mice and other rodents. Unlike some other hawk species,
they do not attack poultry.
Are they endangered?
No conservation measures have been enacted
specifically for this species, however, conservation measures
for waterfowl and habitat management for
game birds has increased local numbers of nesting northern harriers.
The species is abundant enough to be rated "Least Concern"
by the IUCN. It it protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty,
and is listed in Appendix II of CITES
Image results for rattlesnakes
Rattlesnakes
Genus Crotalus
Venomous Snakes
Throughout the World there are many snakes whosevenomous bite can be fatal to humans.
In the United States, however, there are only four including;
the Coral Snake, the Copperhead, the Cottonmouth
Water Moccasin and the Rattlesnake.
Rattlesnake Description & Identification
Rattlesnakes come in 16 distinct varieties.
There are numerous subspecies and color variations,
but they are all positively identified by the jointed rattles
on the tail and a triangular head.
Pit Vipers are snakes with two pits under
their nostrils to detect heat, thus enabling the rattlesnake to hunt
warm-blooded prey. The pits are so sensitive that
the snake can determine the size of the warm-blooded animal
and can even detect prey in complete darkness.
There are many species of rattlesnake and
each can be identified by the variation of the pattern and color of their skin.
Colors can range from shades of brown, gray and black,
tones of yellow, cream, rust, olive, and light pink.
A rattlesnake’s skin may contain a pattern that is banded, diamond shaped,
or blotched. Some species of rattlesnake have no identifying pattern at all.
Rattlesnakes have a forked tongue that
they flick up and down. The tongue picks microscopic airborne
particles and gases from the air. When the tongue slips back
into it's mouth it touches a sensitive spot on the roof of their mouth
called the Jacobson's organ. This organ picks up
the particles collected by the tongue and sends messages
to the snakes brain identifying the scent as food, enemy,
mate or other object or substance. Rattlesnakes also have
external nostrils lined with olfactory cells which can pick up scent.
The nostrils are mainly used for breathing.
The fork of the tongue is a directional aide.
It can provide information based on which side or fork in the
tongue has the strongest presence of a particular odor.
This information helps the rattlesnake follow its prey or find it's way home.
Rattlesnakes pick up vibrations through their body muscles which
send sound through to their jaw bones and on to their inside ear parts.
Rattlesnakes do not have outer ears and
therefore rely on vibrations to pick up sound.
A snakes vision can detect objects or movement from about 40 feet away,
but their vision is sharper when objects are closer.
A rattlesnake's pupils are elliptical, not round which enables
the snake to see well in dim light. This is helpful for night hunting.
Rattlesnakes have the following physical characteristics:
- Broad, "triangular" head
- Eyes have verticle "cat-like" pupils
- Covered in scales that are a varitey of colors/patterns
- Scales are keeled with a raised ridge in the center of each
- Body is heavy or thick (or fat) in appearance
- Large tubular fangs in mouth that fold out when the mouth opens
- The mouth is like a hinge, opening 180 degrees
- Blunt tail with jointed rattle (Note: baby rattlesnakes don't have rattles and some adult snakes may break or lose their rattles)
- Typically rattlesnakes range from 3' to 4' in length
In ideal habitats where there is a constant,
abundant supply of small rodents, the rattlesnake sometimes
attains a length of 5 feet, but the average adult size is between 3 and 4 feet.
abundant supply of small rodents, the rattlesnake sometimes
attains a length of 5 feet, but the average adult size is between 3 and 4 feet.
Range
While most of the rattlers are concentratedin the southwestern United States, they extend north,
east and south in diminishing numbers and varieties.
Every contiguous state has one or more varieties of rattlesnake.
The rattlesnake is found in many different
biomes ranging from along the coast at sea level,
the inland prairies and desert areas to the mountains at
elevations of more than 10,000 feet.
Behavior
In the northern areas of their range and at higher elevations, snakes congregate in the Fall at crevices in rocky ledges
to hibernate for the winter, returning to these places annually.
These spots are known as snake dens.
When temperatures begin to warm in April,
snakes come out of hibernation. They remain near the den entrance
for a few days, sunning themselves, then make their way
to where they will spend the summer.
they rarely go more than a mile from their dens.
Most snakes are secretive in their summer activities,
hunting at night and remaining inactive and out of sight for days
at a time during the digestive period after eating
a squirrel or small rabbit. Consequently, more snakes are seen
in the Spring and Fall migrations to and from their winter homes.
Rattlesnakes are cold-blooded (Ectothermic) and they rely
on external sources to regulate their body temperature.
When rattlesnakes are too hot they retreat into the shade or into a burrow.
When a rattlesnake is too cold they sun themselves or
find a surface, such as a paved road,
to absorb the heat from the asphalt.
It is common to find snakes on the road in the evening hours
as they attempt to warm their bodies by lying on asphalt or concrete pave areas.
Life Cycle
While some types of snakes lay eggs,rattlesnakes give live birth. The rattlesnake, however,
does have eggs, but the eggs are carried inside the females body.
Once the eggs are fertilized they are carried for approximately 90 days.
The eggs hatch inside the rattler's body and
then she gives live birth to her young. A reproduction system
of this type is called ovoviviparous. The female rattler may contain from 4 to 25 eggs,
from which an average of 9 or 10 hearty young are born live.
Mating usually occurs in the Spring after emerging from hybernation,
but can also occur in the Fall. Rattlesnakes
reach sexually maturity at 3 years of age.
A female rattlesnake reproduces every two years and
During the process of mating the female rattlesnakes are passive
while the male crawls on top of the female.
By making jerking motions with the hind portion of his body
he is able to press his tail beneath the female's tail.
The male continuously flicks his toungue throughout
the mating process which can continue for several hours or more.
The young are born between August and October.
The newborn rattlesnake is about 10 inches long and
has a small horny button on the tip of its tail.
Rattler babies have venom, short fangs and are dangerous from birth.
In fact, they are more pugnacious than the adults.
Although unable to make a rattling sound,
the youngsters throw themselves into a defensive pose
and strike repeatedly when disturbed.
They remain in the area of their birth for the first 7 to 10 days,
until they shed their first baby skin and add their first rattle.
The litter will begin to disperse as they venture out in search of food.
Many newborn rattlesnakes do not survive their first year,
either dying of hunger or being eaten by birds and animals.
Even if they survive the first summer,
they may perish during the first winter,
If all goes well, youngsters grow rapidly.
Each time they come out of hibernation, they shed their skin.
With each skin shedding (molting) a new rattle appears.
During the rapid growth of the first few years,
they may molt three times annually.
Thus, the number of rattles is not a true indicator of age.
Rattles also wear out or break off,
so it is unusual to find an adult snake with more than 8 or 10 rattles.
Lifespan
The average lifespan of a rattlesnake is 20 to 30 years in captivity. In the wild, the lifespan is less due to predation, disease or death by accident.
Predators
The King snake is well known for being immune to the venom of many pit vipers, including rattlesnakes.
Rattlesnakes are part of the King snakes diet.
Roadrunners, pigs, Hawks, Eagles and Humans are also predators to the rattlesnake.
Rattlesnake Roundup
Diet
Rattlesnakes are carnivorous. Instead of chewing their food,they swallow it whole. The size of the prey a rattlesnake selects
is limited by its own ability to eat it based on it's own size.
Rattlesnakes eat lizards and small rodents such as ground squirrels,
small rabbits, rats and mice, striking rather than attempting to hold their prey.
The rattlesnake first bites it's prey to immobilize it with a toxic venom.
When the hollow fangs of the rattler penetrate the victim's flesh,
venom is injected as though through twin hypodermic needles.
Most small prey is immediately stunned.
The venom stuns and immobilizes the prey,
allowing time for the rattler to swallow the victim whole.
The venom also begins the digestive process
as it breaks down the tissue of the prey.
Rattlesnakes have a highly-efficient digestive system
which takes a lot of metabolic energy.
After a rattlesnake swallows it's prey,
they normally hide out while they digest their meal.
Rattlesnakes become sluggish while digesting,
a process that can take several days depending on the size of the meal.
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