The Best Herps You Ever Found

[Yamori]

Some of what i have found in my back yard and localy(Queensland, Australia)
Ill put them in to catagories starting with Skinks :

1. major Skink (Ergernia major)
2. Tree skink (Ergernia striolata)
3. MANY blue tongue lizards (Tiliqua scincoides)
4. water skink (sphenomorphus quoyii)
5 Loads of copper taild skinks (ctenotus taeniolatus)
6. loads of striped skinks(ctenotus lesueurii)
7. quite a few common grass skinks (Leiolopisma guichenti)
8.Many,many fence skinks (Cryptoblepharus boutonni)

Thats about it for skinks, most of witch i found in my back yard. I take pictures and notes of each and simply leave them be. I dont think ive ever came across a skink that wasnt skitish so as you can amagine it wasnt easy taking pics lol.

Geckos:

geckos arnt as comonly seen in or around houses (besides the asian and native house geckos witch are always around and in large numbers) but you do see them ocasionaly. Here are some that i have seen-

1. leaf taild gecko (phyllurus cornutus)
2. Marbled velvet geckos(Oedura marmorata) (These really are quite beautiful)
3. Asian House Gecko ( Hemidactylus frenatus )

There has been more over the years but i cant think of them off the top of my head.

Dragons:

Athough i have seen 1 or two of these in my yard its not common to find these around homes and infact i found most of these on bush walks.

1.bearded dragons( Amphibolurus barbatus)
2.rain forest dragon(goniocephalus boydii)
3. Eastern water dragon( Physigathus leseurii)

Goanas:

I havnt seen any for quite some time but over the years i recall seeing mangrove and lace monitors in the wild.

Although i havnt seen these in a long time over the years i have seen varius snakes, some harmless some not, many different spiders, again though some harmless some not and even cane toads witch back in the days were very common. these days you never see them:main_thumbsup:


-

Darren

 

[emmagecko]

1 gardner

1 salamander

many frog's

 

[Kaspar825]

Caught garter snakes,bull snakes,bull frogs,red ear sliders and painted turtles.


I like the Garter snakes because you find them, they hiss at you, you grab them and hold them and their fine and wont hiss or bite.:main_thumbsup:

 

[sobetheleopardgecko]

feild herping in mass

i found some type of python captive breed under a log.About 8 feet.Picked it up puppy dog tame.Was going to bring inside then bit me.probably hasnt ate in a couple weeks.I also found a snapper wood frogs and garter snakes.very lucky that day.Not a herp but i found some kind of fuzy animal being chased by a snake (the python).but then the python ate it.Could not get a good look at it i wish i could have.[/FONT]:main_huh:

 

[Northstar Herp]

I've never been "field herping" in my life, but I have done a good bit of piddlin' in the woods. Some of the stuff I've seen are:

Fence lizards
five lined skinks
ringneck snakes
copperheads- when I was a kid on the farm, we killed them
corns
kings- we loved them, because they ate the copperheads
E. diamondback rattlers- the most memorable- one over 5ft. long, and another almost solid black...
spotted, box, snapping turtles
black snakes
garters
?garden spider? Don't know the actual name. That was what my dad always called 'em. Great big webs witha stitch in the middle, the spider is very leggy and speckly green.
Tons of black widows.

The best was that one black rattler. I was 18 inches from him before I ever saw him, and he was on a log about hip height. He could have tagged me right in the groin, but I guess he didn't want any trouble. Once I cleaned my shorts, we had a few minutes of eyeing each other before he mosied away to find a more scenic spot to sun. I took a couple of pics, but you can't really see him in them very well. Maybe I'll try to find them and post them sometime. One of the best memories of my life right there.

 

[ILoveGeckos14]

Found this anole in my yard today:

 

[jmugleston]

My job takes me around the world collecting insects, so I'm always looking for herps while working. Here are my top favorites both domestic and foreign though if you ask me in 10 minutes I'm sure my favorites will change:

Argus Monitor (W. Australia):

Shingleback Skink (W. Australia)

Banded Krait (PNG)

Cape Cobra (South Africa)

Alligator Lizard (Arizona)

 

[Northstar Herp]

My job takes me around the world collecting insects, so I'm always looking for herps while working. Here are my top favorites both domestic and foreign though if you ask me in 10 minutes I'm sure my favorites will change:

Argus Monitor (W. Australia):

Shingleback Skink (W. Australia)

Banded Krait (PNG)

Cape Cobra (South Africa)

Alligator Lizard (Arizona)

VERY cool. You are very fortunate to have such an interesting job that takes you to cool places to see cool things.

 

[Shera]

I can't say that I go out "herping" anymore (I don't think it can be called herping, more like mucking around looking for herps, lol), although my middle DD is really interested in herps, so I'll probably have an excuse to do it again when she's a couple of years older (she's 3). I used to do it a lot as a kid though.

I'd say my top 3 were:

A huge male Blanding's turtle (he was the most docile turtle I have ever carried around, it's a shame they are threatened)
Some corn snakes
blue spotted salamander

Others I have found include
Painted turtles
stink pot turtles (not sure if that's the real name, lol)
garter snakes
red back salamanders
northern leopard/green/bull frogs
3 times I've found tree frogs, but I don't know what kind, but they were big and green with sticky feet.
toads (not sure of what species)

We don't have lizards here unfortunately. I haven't traveled much, but when I was young and went to Florida I spent most of my time looking for lizards. If DH and I go somewhere warm I'm sure I'll drive him crazy wanting to go look for lizards all day, lol, he's not really into them.

 

[GeckoStud]

Locally
Bullfrogs, green frogs, spring peepers, American toads, pickerel frogs, amongst others.
numerous salamanders, not sure of species...
Best though are Northern Fence Lizards at Raystown Lake, that was awesome!
Garter Snakes, Black Rat Snakes.

In Maryland I had one of the best herp days ever. We were staying in a hunting lodge by the bay and had a bad storm over night. The next day in our pool I found some green frogs and a Narrow Mouth Toad which was awesome because I guess they're threatened or something? Later that same day I caught a diamond back terrapin on the beach, and some more American toads by an old farm house. On the way home we caugt a mud turtle crossing the road.

Florida, I'm just gonna list them there were so many.
Green, brown, and bark anoles.
a little brown skink.
Mediterranean and reef geckos* so awesome btw!!!
Green Iguanas, and Southern Fence Lizards
Corn snakes, ribbon snakes, copper heads, banded water snakes
mud turtles, stink pot turtles, cooters and sliders galore,
cuban tree frogs, squirrel tree frogs, southern cricket frogs, pig frogs, a southern toad, another Narrow mouth toad.

Lots of fun but I really want to go herping in Arizona and find some rosy and rubber boas!

 

[thegeckoguy23]

best snake norther water snake best turtle: one of the many painted turtles i have found best salmander: marbled salmander best herp ever found: marbles salmander

 

[JoshuaTrana]

My best would be:

A western Hognose about 3 feet long.
A baby ornate box turtle just because he was cute.
And when I was 10 I caught a mutated colored garter snake that was red and blue, it looked like a san fransisco but I live in oklahoma so there was now way. I regret letting him go. I had pictures a long time ago but lost them 2 or 3 years back. It sounds unreal but he really was real. Probably my number one find ever.

 

[Lpac]

my best were 2 western diamondback rattlers the same day, snapping turtles, and thats the best ive gotten. the other ones have been house geckos, western fence lizards, some horned lizards (these were in mexico).i herp in CA

 

[L-G-C]

Well, my best would have to be the ball python I found in my back yard. Not native to Michigan. We found the owners of it.

Native species would have to be the prego garter snake. Oh and I was in the little stream behind our house and there was a turtle that my dad said was an endangered species. Can't remeber the name.

 

[Stl_Greaser]

The Tuatara trumps anything anyone else has caught, no way around it. Those are about the most wonderful herp on Earth.

Aint that the truth, I was stoked to get to see the Tuataras at the St. Louis Zoo behind the scenes a week after they first arrived and where still under quarantine! Also saw all there hatchling King Cobras, and hold an almost extinct species of dwarf boa!

 

[Quantumhigh]

I was just curious, what are some of the best herps you've ever found while herping? Mine include:
North American Wood Turtle
Timber Rattlesnake
San Fransisco Garter Snake (yes, that's no type-o)

Wow the San Fransisco Garter Snake is in the number of 1-2000 remaining nice find. My best find has to be a Gila Moster out here in Nevada. Plenty of Leopard lizards, Collared lizards, Chucks, Desert Iguana, Horned lizards and few rattles.

 

[Taquiq]

I have seen a lot of fence lizards, Chuckwallas, Horned Lizards, Garters, Alligator Lizards, and a Cal King.

 

[Grimleo]

Other than a rubber boa(lifer for me lol) I get blue tails, alligator lizards, fence lizards, garters, yellow bellied racers, and gopher snakes. Gophers and allies being the hardest to find..

 

[robin]

some of the best finds hmmm
texas horned toad
a clutch of whip snake eggs which we incubated and hatched out.
and a coral snake

 

[skunk]

Banded Rock Rattlesnake, and found a gray banded kingsnake DOR