Category: All Things Reptile

First of all, this week, I would like to deeply thank Adam Clause, Prof. Brad Hollingsworth, and the San Diego Natural History Museum for all they have done for me. For all of the people driving up or down Baja come spring, I would highly recommend stopping by the San Diego Natural History Museum. They have an amazing Baja exhibit, some beautiful reptiles, and loads more interesting stuff.

Here in LV/ES, the last few days have been very windy and cold, and most of the local reptiles are underground at the moment. I am planning another set of reptile walks in mid to late March, but it is hard to plan ahead when no wind is crucial.

In the meantime, I have been working on a new seasonal pond for our resident toad population. Because of a newly installed berm, their old pond has been closed off, so this summer it will not fill with water. I have a good location for the new pond, but am still in need of some way to keep the water from seeping into the soil. I am seeking clay, if anyone knows where I can find some. If not, the toads will just have to lose their dignity and use my back-up plan, a kiddy pool. Next week I will return for a normal column. chancestevens123@icloud.com

Today, I decided to write about turtles, but not the ones you might think. This week I will be spotlighting the only native fresh water turtle in Baja California Sur.

The Baja California Slider (Trachemys nebulosa) is an interesting turtle with a mysterious and rich history. These sliders rarely leave the water, yet they inhabit many isolated oases throughout the desert. So… how did a turtle that doesn’t leave the water spread across deserts? Well, one theory is that Baja used to be much wetter.

Thousands of years ago, this peninsula was much more like the mainland adjacent to Baja, with a good bit more rainfall. The turtles could have traveled from oasis to oasis until they arrived at their current range, or they could have stayed here unchanged since the peninsula broke off from Mainland Mexico, or somehow crossed the ocean. Another possibility is that they just evolved in Baja, although this theory is probably not the answer because a very similar — if not identical — population of turtles lives in Sinaloa and Sonora on the mainland.

These are all good theories, and it is unknown how these turtles got to Baja in the first place, but we do understand how they got into all of the isolated oases. In the 1700s, natives brought these turtles northward, from their tiny natural range of the Rio San Jose Valley to all over BCS, as a food source! Now, in the Rio San Jose Valley, these turtles are actually quite rare as a direct result of overhunting.

The Baja California Slider is the only native fresh water turtle in our area, but not necessarily the only fresh water turtle living here because there may be invasive species. For example, unfortunately, Red-Eared Sliders have been released in some water sources, competing with the Baja California Sliders, and diluting the bloodline with interbreeding. These two species are very similar-looking, and it is quite difficult to tell the difference between them. I have not yet had the pleasure of crossing paths with one of these amazing reptiles, and I will follow up with a column about identifying them once I find one, and figure out for myself what the differences are. chancestevens123@icloud.com

One of the most common snake sightings that I hear about goes something like this: “I saw a sea snake on the reef today.” Although this is possible, there is a lot more to it, so let’s get into identifying sea snakes.

First of all, sea snakes are rare around here, and they are not permanent inhabitants of our reefs. They are more appropriately considered guests, and they like to keep moving. I would estimate that 80% of “sea snake” sightings are not snake sightings at all, but rather one of the resident eel species. I have lived here for over two years and have never seen a sea snake myself.

Eels are diverse and interesting fish, and come in a variety of shapes and colors, from Green Morays to Garden Eels. A great resource for identifying eels is resident William Ihne’s video, Eight Eels of Baja.

Complicating matters, some eels are called “snakes” like Tiger Reef Snakes, even though they are actually fish. The only sea snake in this area is the Pelagic Sea Snake, which is a striking yellow-bellied black-backed snake known for its fascinating lifestyle of living out at sea. Sea snakes are dangerously venomous and should be given space, though they are quite docile and unlikely to bite. 

One telltale sign of a sea snake is the tail (no pun intended). The black and the yellow of the body overlap into a mottled sort of look, and the tail is flattened to aid in swimming. As far as I know, there aren’t any eels with a similar pattern of black and yellow on the tail. 

Another way to tell the difference between a sea snake and an eel is by the head. An eel’s head is usually a bit smaller than its neck, and the back of its head is less well-defined. Eels are also quite happy to open their mouths in warning.

Although rare, one time when sea snakes may be observed is when they wash up on the beach. They are very sluggish on land, but still should be given space, even when they look dead.

Hopefully William’s great video and this column can help you tell fish from reptile! chancestevens123@icloud.com

It is now winter, and most of the reptiles are underground so I am going to have to get creative. This column is about snakes in trees, and how to tell who’s who.

First of all, though unusual, any snake could find itself in a tree, even the least arboreal (arboreal means “lives in trees”). If you happen to see a snake in a tree, make sure to snap a photo because it may be a new behavior. Secondly, the “trees” around here are a bit wistful, but you know what I mean.

By far, the most common snakes to see in trees in this area are coachwhips. They are long, fast snakes that come in a variety of colors; around here, they are mostly black. I have witnessed coachwhips at the tops of trees, out on thin branches, hunting birds and much more, showing they are quite accomplished climbers. I have even seen them at the top of tall palm trees with no nearby vegetation.

Another type of arboreal snake in the area — although much rarer — is the Baja California Striped Whipsnake. Relatives of the coachwhip, these snakes are elusive and prefer wetter habitats, meaning they are mostly found in the mountains. They are black with yellow stripes, not to be confused with patch-nosed snakes, which can be black and cream-striped, and live throughout LV/ES. As for the patch-nosed snake, I have personally seen one in a tree, although they are not known to spend much time suspended in vegetation.

A few more snakes that you may see in trees include: Cape Gopher Snakes, which sometimes raid birds’ nests; Baja California Rat Snakes, which are quite rare but spend a good amount of time in trees; California Kingsnakes, which are known to hang out off the ground; and lyre snakes, who enjoy treetop life on occasion as well. chancestevens123@icloud.com

In the first part of this series (see The Ventana View 12, diciembre), we learned who makes underground tunnels. Today we will focus on which creatures live in them. To some extent, they are one in the same, as many animals who make tunnels also inhabit them. For example, rabbits, iguanas and ground squirrels certainly live in their burrows at first, but those creatures usually move out if the burrow feels too small, or maybe part of it caved in, or maybe it is too close to something dangerous. In many cases, burrows can flood during heavy rains.

Whatever the reason, burrows change ownership frequently. Some creatures live in their second-hand burrows, although many use them more like short-term rentals. For instance, whiptails (the blue-tailed lizards scurrying all around) are very active on sunny days, sometimes covering a lot of ground in their search for grubs and other leaf-litter creatures. Rather than returning all the way back to last night’s burrow, whiptails can pop into the nearest hole and spend the night there.

After a while, burrows start to connect to each other and, eventually, become part of the tunnel network, an intricate web where many fascinating creatures spend their time. Sand snakes “swim” through softer soils but, in harder ground, they spend essentially all their time in the tunnel network. Thread snakes also spend much of their time navigating these tunnels, as well as rosy boas, ground snakes, black-headed snakes, some small rodents and a great assortment of insects.

All this life under our feet, and we barely even know it exists! This fascinating world doesn’t require much help from us, although there is one crucial factor keeping the whole ecosystem strong. If we can allow this one little thing to remain in our yards, the animals and plants will live healthier, longer lives. This all-important magic serum is leaf litter. So go ahead and landscape areas that you actually use on your properties, but please leave leaf litter where you can, but especially under trees, cactuses and bushes. Leaving leaf litter in place also holds moisture, and this natural mulch greatly benefits the plants, as well as the animals.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good kite!

We are now approaching winter! Due to the recent cold weather here in LV/ES, most of the reptiles have retired into their winter abodes, like many of the human residents. One difference, however, is that the majority of the reptiles are underground. Today, we will dive deeper into the subterranean world where reptiles spend so much of their time, and shine a spotlight where the sun rarely reaches. The first questions we should ask ourselves are: where do all the tunnels come from, and who makes them? These questions have many answers, as there are a variety of interesting fauna giving rise to this underground kingdom.

Around here, many of the tunnels belong to the Desert Iguanas, not the big ones living on rooftops, but rather the smaller, sand-colored iguanas that prefer life on the ground. In the winter months, these characters are completely absent; come spring, however, they will emerge and become one of the most common lizards in the area!

Another set of important burrowers are the mammals, digging larger burrows. Once the squirrel, rabbit, mouse, skunk, etc. leave their burrows, those spaces become good hideouts for other creatures.

A third, often overlooked group of burrowers are the insects! Ant colonies create huge nests that become part of the tunnel web after the ants move on. Termites do this job as well, along with many other insects.

Now we know who made the tunnels, but who lives there? And what about the creatures that rarely leave the soil? To be continued next week! Chance Stevens chancestevens123@icloud.com

The Five-Toed Worm Lizard is a strange, unique and seldom found creature that spends most of its time underground. This species is native to the Baja California Peninsula. There is a good-sized population just outside of La Ventana, though not much research has been done on these two-legged lizards.

If you were to see one of these crazy creatures out in their natural habitat — which is Very Difficult — you would probably be confused. At first glance, you would think that it was a worm because it is pink and looks like it has segments, but then you would see its little two front legs and teeny tiny black eyes. Upon further inspection, you would see that it more closely resembles some sort of invertebrate over a lizard. 

Mexican Mole Lizards (another name for the same species) are not widespread, and seem to prefer loamy cactus forests. These lizards are so introverted that many people who live here their whole lives never see one! I was able to find one because of patience, perseverance and a very helpful shove in the right direction by my amazing friend, Prof. Bradford Hollingsworth, Curator of Herpetology at the San Diego Natural History Museum. 

Above the surface, mole lizards are a bit scattered and spend their time trying to dig back into the dirt; underground, however, they are fearsome bug hunters perfectly suited for their specialized life. If you do come across one of these enigmas of nature, photograph it and let me know where you found it, since it could be a new population! – chancestevens123@icloud.com

This week I am featuring La Ventana’s five most common snakes. There are around 15 snake species in our town, so many of the less common snakes are not covered in this column, but the snakes below account for about 80% of the questions I receive!

1. Baja California Coachwhip: These large, day-active snakes reach lengths of over six feet! They are extremely fast and come in an array of colors; around here, they are typically black. They are semi-arboreal, meaning they spend a good bit of time up in trees. They are completely harmless. Here are two photos of different colored coachwhips.

2. Cape Gopher Snake: Cape Gopher Snakes are large and beautiful snakes. They are particularly active during the shoulder seasons (spring and fall) and have incredible patterns. They are completely harmless.

3. Coast Night Snake: Coast Night Snakes are small, nocturnal snakes commonly found slithering around yards or underneath surface debris. These snakes are usually gray, and are commonly confused with rattlesnakes because they have vertical pupils. They, too, are harmless.

4. Western Patch-Nosed Snake: Western Patch-Nosed Snakes are quick, agile snakes that specialize in hunting whiptail lizards. These snakes have large eyes and crème and brown-ish black stripes. They spend a good bit of time with their heads down holes, as this is one of their best hunting methods. Once again, they are harmless.

5. Red Diamond Rattlesnake: Red Diamond Rattlesnakes are large, impressive and easily-identifiable snakes. They will usually support a large rattle, and often use it! These snakes are not really present in town anymore, but can be found just a bit up in the hills, including on mountain bike trails. They are dangerously venomous, and it is best to leave them their space.

We are now in early November and, recently, I have noticed a major spike in baby snakes and lizards. This means there are more reptiles than usual at this time, and we need to be very careful driving at night, because they are crossing the roads in abundance.

A few days ago, around 9pm, I heard a sudden exclamation outside, followed by “SNAKE! Snake!” Rushing out of my camper into our outdoor living area, I saw a small Cape Thread Snake (Rena boettgeri) slithering across the rug. I picked it up and started photographing it, then headed out to release it in a nearby bush. On the way to the bush, I noticed another small serpent on the ground, right in front of me!

Upon closer inspection, I concluded it was a hatchling Coast Night Snake (Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus). I picked it up, though now I was holding a night snake, a large spotlight, a phone for photography purposes, and an extremely squirmy thread snake. Clearly this was not sustainable, so I put the light down, just to discover that this left me in complete darkness. I picked the spotlight back up and, to my dismay, the thread snake squirmed out of my hand and right into a crevice inside the spotlight.

At this point I had no idea what was happening, so I called for backup. The night snake made a break for it, successfully escaped my grasp and slithered off into the brush. A friend arrived and started to assist me but, unfortunately, the thread snake was inside the back of the spotlight, rendering the light useless in finding the escape artist. Eventually we got another light and discovered the thread snake hiding behind the battery case, and it came out easily. I then tracked down the night snake, and eventually everything worked out fine.

This week, I will be covering the Cape Region’s third and final rattlesnake: the beautiful Lower California Rattlesnake (Crotalus enyo).

I was fortunate enough to come across two on my recent trip to Cerralvo. These gorgeous little rattlers are ambush predators, and spend most of their time in wait of prey. In my experience, they are quite docile and will remain still to avoid detection before slithering off into the brush. They are not as large as other rattlesnakes in the area, and typically less common as well. 

Interestingly, these rattlesnakes don’t just eat the typical array of rodents and lizards; they are also well known to eat centipedes! Rattlesnakes have quite a reputation and, although they are dangerous, I am personally much more worried about their venomous centipede prey! 

Unfortunately, upon discovering rattlesnakes, a common reaction is for people to promptly kill them out of fear. Sometimes they are relocated, yet very rarely are they just left to just go about their business. Although relocating a snake is much better than the alternative, rattlesnakes are very important to the ecosystem, and we don’t really have many of them left in LV/ES proper anymore. 

Here are a few reasons rattlesnakes are good neighbors:

1. Pest control: rattlesnakes are especially successful at hunting rodents.
2. Rattlesnakes keep to themselves; it is actually quite difficult to find rattlesnakes even where they are common.
3. They sleep through the winter months; from December to March rattlesnakes are mostly underground.
4. They won’t stop by uninvited or, if they do, you won’t have to worry about serving them beverages and small talk.

November Reptile Walks! Come join us to find reptiles! This Friday, November 3rd, and Sunday, November 12th, from 9-11am we will be hiking Punta Gorda in search of serpentine friends. It will be a fun, educational event, although we are not guaranteed to find anything. Meet at the Punta Gorda Trailhead on the far north end of town. chancestevens123@icloud.com