Not much to write about during the winter months. Everyone cleans cages and feeds animals. We all look forward to spring as a time to see animals in their natural surroundings, breed the animals we already own, if we choose, and just enjoy nature.
This winter, for many, has been very pleasant, and almost too warm. We have seen errant turtles out in December, and on some warmer days, in February, you could go to some den sites and see animals basking on the rocks, only to go back under when the weather turns colder. They don' t venture far until it starts to stay warm all day long. This year has been an entirely different story. We had our first "unknown snake identification a few weeks ago, in February, when some neighbors wanted to know what they found. Turns out it was a Midland Ground Snake. Time to make sure there's a snake bag in every vehicle!
This poor guy was found on the road, that I had just driven, in the opposite direction, only 2 hours earlier. I have to keep telling myself that "you can't save them all." I do wonder about his placement in the road, as usually snakes crossing are perpendicular, not parallel to the white line, although they can contort somewhat when hit. That prompted a thought that possibly another predator (hawk, for example) picked him up and then dropped him for whatever reason. But whatever happened, he's obviously deceased. And we can only hope he becomes food for yet another animal.
Since that day we've seen a dead common snapper, and DOR black rat snake. Different roads. Hate to think that they started to enjoy the warm weather also, only to become casualties so early in the year.
This winter, for many, has been very pleasant, and almost too warm. We have seen errant turtles out in December, and on some warmer days, in February, you could go to some den sites and see animals basking on the rocks, only to go back under when the weather turns colder. They don' t venture far until it starts to stay warm all day long. This year has been an entirely different story. We had our first "unknown snake identification a few weeks ago, in February, when some neighbors wanted to know what they found. Turns out it was a Midland Ground Snake. Time to make sure there's a snake bag in every vehicle!
This poor guy was found on the road, that I had just driven, in the opposite direction, only 2 hours earlier. I have to keep telling myself that "you can't save them all." I do wonder about his placement in the road, as usually snakes crossing are perpendicular, not parallel to the white line, although they can contort somewhat when hit. That prompted a thought that possibly another predator (hawk, for example) picked him up and then dropped him for whatever reason. But whatever happened, he's obviously deceased. And we can only hope he becomes food for yet another animal.
