BajaNomad

Baja Rat Snake

BMG - 5-14-2009 at 03:44 PM

We came across an interesting snake on the hill behind La Paz the other day. Not being a snake expert, I took photos and looked it up back home. Looks like it was a Baja Rat Snake. Turns out they are rarely seen during daylight hours. It looked to be about 4' long, but Ana wouldn't catch it so I could measure it.











Von - 5-14-2009 at 03:46 PM

Thats beautiful....i like the sequence i once was running here in mission trails SD. when i came upon a snake eating another snake it was cool.

fdt - 5-14-2009 at 03:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BMG
It looked to be about 4' long, but Ana wouldn't catch it so I could measure it.


I can't believe it. How dare she :saint:

Cypress - 5-14-2009 at 03:57 PM

My old eyes must be failing me.:) Most rat snakes I've ever seen were visible to the naked eye.:spingrin:

Gal after my own heart!!!

longlegsinlapaz - 5-14-2009 at 04:15 PM

I'm not a snake expert by any means, but...it's hard to get a size perspective without something of known size in the pic!:yes: Why didn't you hand Ana the camera & YOU go catch it? Although in comparison to you, it'd look like a baby angle worm! OH WAIT!:O It IS a baby angle worm!:lol::lol: Now I understand why you wanted Ana to catch it!:lol: All the rat snakes I've seen here were black & a huge diameter as well as 5-6' length. If that's a rat snake...maybe an immature one?? Never seen any snake that color...don't want to...prefer not to see any snake any species, color or length, anywhere! :biggrin:

Fred - 5-14-2009 at 04:21 PM

The big ones that look like, the workers at Noth Beach in Los Barriles put 2 in the campgrounds and in one year they got rid of all the rats. Kinda wierd to be having your morning coffee and they were sometimes just passing by to go down to the beach.

Natalie Ann - 5-14-2009 at 04:28 PM

Steve - Please get closer next time. It's hard for me to clearly see this guy. If he bites you, toss the camera to Ana before he swallows. He'll be easier to see with you inside.;D:biggrin:

Nena

BMG - 5-14-2009 at 04:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Natalie Ann
Steve - Please get closer next time. It's hard for me to clearly see this guy. If he bites you, toss the camera to Ana before he swallows. He'll be easier to see with you inside.;D:biggrin:

Nena


Did Longlegs pay you?

longlegsinlapaz - 5-14-2009 at 04:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BMG
Quote:
Originally posted by Natalie Ann
Steve - Please get closer next time. It's hard for me to clearly see this guy. If he bites you, toss the camera to Ana before he swallows. He'll be easier to see with you inside.;D:biggrin:

Nena


Did Longlegs pay you?
Moi?:saint: :no::no:Nope!:no::no: So glad Ana refused to catch it! I'm pretty sure Wiley has an anti-snake guest policy at social functions!:bounce:

ILikeMex - 5-14-2009 at 05:19 PM

Cypress - 5-14-2009 at 05:27 PM

That Baja Rat Snake looks a lot like a high desert "Bull Snake".:yes:

Paula - 5-14-2009 at 05:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ILikeMex



I Like Mex, that's a great snake-charming suit you're wearing!

ILikeMex - 5-14-2009 at 05:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paula
Quote:
Originally posted by ILikeMex



I Like Mex, that's a great snake-charming suit you're wearing!


:lol:
Hey now! When I really want to charm them I wear my BDay suite. Anyway that charm suite I'm wearing didn't work - he bit me

vandenberg - 5-14-2009 at 05:33 PM

Steve,
Get a telelens ....OR....stick to photographing anacondas.:biggrin:

Russ - 5-14-2009 at 06:43 PM

Gopher Snake
Quote:
Originally posted by ILikeMex

BigWooo - 5-14-2009 at 06:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Russ
Gopher Snake


Cypress - 5-14-2009 at 07:09 PM

Bull snakes are a sub species of the Gopher snake or maybe the other way around.

BMG - 5-14-2009 at 08:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
Steve,
Get a telelens ....OR....stick to photographing anacondas.:biggrin:


I attached a telephoto to my Instamatic but the duct tape let go just as I started shooting.

OH YAH?

David K - 5-14-2009 at 09:02 PM

You guys holding gopher snakes had me remembering my 12 year old Sarah playing with a very live red diamondback... in 2003, south of Las Flores.

At the time I said she watched too much Steve Irwin (Crocodile Hunter)!


Skipjack Joe - 5-15-2009 at 09:02 AM

Beautiful picture BigWoo. The very notion of touching them freaks me out but their beauty is amazing. My son runs these things down and grabs them. Sometimes they bite him but he doesn't seem to care. Shudder !!!

Barry A. - 5-15-2009 at 09:16 AM

----------a word to those who like to "catch snakes"-----they bruize very easily. so please be gentle with them, and never drop or throw one--------it will really damage them, usually permanently.

It is better to just watch them----preferably from a distance. :lol:

Pacific Diamondback rattlers------We used to catch dozens of them on the Palo Verde peninsula back in the 50's----that was exciting!!! until I got bit------no more "snake catching" from then on. :light: (even tho I obviously survived)

Barry

ILikeMex - 5-15-2009 at 10:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
----------a word to those who like to "catch snakes"-----they bruize very easily. so please be gentle with them, and never drop or throw one--------it will really damage them, usually permanently.

It is better to just watch them----preferably from a distance. :lol:

Pacific Diamondback rattlers------We used to catch dozens of them on the Palo Verde peninsula back in the 50's----that was exciting!!! until I got bit------no more "snake catching" from then on. :light: (even tho I obviously survived)

Barry


Rodger that. I like sankes. Have some of the gardner snake varity in my back yard. I try to be gentle in picking them up and putting them back down.

I would not try and do that though with a rattler :o

BigWooo - 5-15-2009 at 10:30 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Beautiful picture BigWoo. The very notion of touching them freaks me out but their beauty is amazing. My son runs these things down and grabs them. Sometimes they bite him but he doesn't seem to care. Shudder !!!


Thanks, I would normally leave them alone, but I do have a lot of experience with snakes and this guy was heading for an area with vehicle traffic, so I thought it best to redirect him.

Never ever mess with rattlers. I've seen first hand the damage they can cause :o

BigWooo - 5-16-2009 at 04:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Desert Rat
Barry A and BigWoo, What was the consequences of your snakebites? How did you treat the bite wound? If you saw a physician, how did he/she treat it? Reason I'm asking is because while hiking I usually encounter a rattlesnake or two and if I am ever bitten by a rattler I sure would like to know how increase my odds of surviving. I have read several articles about poisonous snakes and the treatment for bites, but none of the articles were written by someone who had actually been bitten.


I've never been bitten by a rattler and hope to keep it that way. :spingrin:

As far as treatment in the field, we're taught to immobilize the extremity, lay the patient down while keeping the affected extremity below the level of the heart, keep everyone calm, and get to the hospital. There's really not much to do other than treat any symptoms that may arise as best as you can and get to a facility that can treat it.

Some say snake bite kits provide some benefit if used right away. I don't know...if it was me I'd probably try it, but the true goal is to get to a hospital as soon as possible.

NEVER put ice on the wound!!!!

You should also remove anything like rings, bracelets, boots that may be difficult to get off later if there's swelling.

[Edited on 5-17-2009 by BigWooo]

BigWooo - 5-16-2009 at 06:06 PM

On a side note, although I wouldn't use this to diagnose yourself, most patients I've seen that were actually injected with the venom developed a metallic taste in their mouth.