Ohio Herping

[mcfreshdeli]

I Plan on doing some first time field herping this summer. I am going to southern ohio close to west virgina. I have never gone before and I am not sure what to look for a signs of herps and what all kinds I may encounter. Any helpful hints or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[ElapidaeBoidae]

Hey its nice to know someone visits my roots. Southern ohio is one of the best places to catch animals. Ive visted family down there for years, and my grandmother grew up there. they even have accents if you go deep enough..i will list the various reptiles. if you need info on amphibians just ask. I will list snakes then lizards then turtles.

Brown snake, midland
Copperhead, northern
Fox snake, eastern
Garter snake
Garter snake, Butler's
Garter snake, eastern
Garter snake, eastern plains
Green snake
Green snake, eastern & western smooth
Green snake, rough
Hog-nosed snake, eastern
Kingsnake, black
Kirtland's snake
Massasauga, eastern
Milk snake, eastern
Queen snake
Racers, black and blue
Rat snake, black
Rattlesnake, timber
Red-bellied snake, northern
Ribbon snake, eastern
Ring-necked snake, northern
Smooth earth snake, eastern
Water snake, copperbelly
Water snake, Lake Erie
Water snake, northern
Worm snake, eastern & midwest

Broad-headed skink
European Wall Lizard
Fence lizard, northern
Five-lined skink
Ground skink

Blanding's turtle
Box turtle, eastern
Map turtle , common & Ouachita
Musk turtle, common
Painted turtle, midland
Red-eared slider
Smooth softshell turtle, midland & eastern
Snapping turtle
Spotted turtle
Wood turtle

Hope that helped, remember that if you want info on amphibians then just post your questions. I too am going into southern ohio to trek my homeland woods for the awesome species michigan lacks, luckily im in southern michigan near the border. Maybe i will see you there.
Sincerely,
Philip a herper for 15 years

[ElapidaeBoidae]

Oh and here are a few tips for finding reptiles.

Tip 1: Areas with large wood sheets, rocky crevices and leafy blankets.

Tip 2: Look around wet marshland areas, along with rivers, lakes, ponds.

Tip 3: take nets, snake hooks, tweezers, snake bags, Plastic containers, and field guides.

I will tell you more later...got to run...

Philip

[mcfreshdeli]

thank you for the info. I am really looking froward to this. I think that my aim is to find one of the green snakes because they look amazing.

[ElapidaeBoidae]

your welcome. Green snakes are very neat, Your going to love field herping, Im getting pumped for the arrival of spring and the first thaw. In ohio you need a 25 dollar permit to own native species, and you cant own more than 4 of each. You will also need a different permit to sell, trade, or even give any native ohio species. Just wanted to tell you so that if your going to keep the herps you find...that its legal.

[mcfreshdeli]

No I have one wild painted turtle and i feel bad enough about him. But My fiance has had it since she was 16 and didnt know any better then. I'm just gonna take some pics

[ElapidaeBoidae]

Ok i was just making sure. Do you personally have any herps as pets?

[mcfreshdeli]

Yes I have the turtle(budha) and a ball python(snuff) I love snakes and lizards. I am pretty pumped even though I am not going till 4th of july weekend. It's my po' folk honeymoon lol.

[ElapidaeBoidae]

sweet, Animals are addicting. Hey A trip to the woods for me is better than a stay in a luxury suite anyday. Im going to be collecting the herps i catch here in michigan, Except endangered ones of course. Im 14 going on 15 april fifth and ive been herping since i was a baby, literally. My first pet was when i was about a year old...a few green anoles my dad caught in flordia, they escaped their cage one day and me as a little baby caught them. Ive been doing crazy stuff since. Including jumping in canals after snakes, Running through muck that could very well suck me under if i wasnt half swimming for turtles, and stashing snakes in mountian dew bottles to sneak home. Now that i have snake bags its a different story. Im very very excited for this summers grand herping, And my 15th birthday present is what is really getting me overjoyed. Im am going to get an Albino Burmese python and a reticulated python, Males of course. I couldnt deal with a twenty five foot snake, lol. Male pythons are smaller then their female counterparts, Distinctly smaller. A retic female can push 30 ft, while a male stays around 14-15 rarley in both male and female do they exceed 20 feet. They are also a slender species compared to the other large constrictors. Male burmese, like their close close close relative the african rock python (burmese pythons are also known as indian pythons, or indian rock pythons.) have a shorter but thicker build then the retic. They get girthy, and I like that. I plan on turning my walk in closet into a burm cage, I ofm course will design it according to the snakes needs. anyways im rambling. Gotta feed my ever hungry sulcata tortoise lol.

later