# Herps of Shawnee forest...timber rattlesnake



## HABU

The most dangerous snakes are the rattlesnakes. They are yellow in color, marked with black spots. The largest are about four feet long, sometimes more, and about as thick as an arm. The rattles are at the end of their tails, and often betray the snakes when they are not seen….When the rattling sound is heard, it is a sign that the serpent is angry, the trembling of the tail causing the rattling…. On wither side of the mouth they have two very sharp teeth, which lie concealed in a skin sack until they want to bite, when they are able to move these forward with great swiftness. Hence, it is that when anyone has been bitten four little openings close together may be seen in the skin. If a rattlesnake has been killed,…and one draws forward the teeth with a little stick, a clear liquid spurts out of the bag lying at the root of the teeth. This is the poisonous juice......David Zeisberger, History of North American Indians, 1779-1780.
The coloring of the Eastern timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus horridus) ranges from yellow to brown or gray to black. It has a series of dark chevron-shaped crossbands. It has a noticeable, rattle on the end of its tail.
Pairs will breed in August and April, shortly afterward the female will give birth to 15 - 17 live young. At maturity, adults will reach a length of three to four feet, with a maximum of six feet. They can live up to thirty years.
The timber rattlesnake is the most dangerous venomous snake in northeastern America. However, bites are not common. It is normally calm, preferring to stay coiled and motionless or crawl away when bothered. If threatened though, the timber rattlesnake will rise up and shake its rattle, giving a warning before striking - only when necessary. Rattlesnakes can strike up to 1/3 to 1/2 of their body length.
Approximately 8,000 people are bitten every year in North America. Of this number, less than ten deaths occur.
They are diurnal during the spring and fall but become nocturnal in the hot summer months. During the winter, it will hibernate with a number of snakes including the black rat snake and copperhead.
Historically, the timber rattlesnake had a wider range. In the early 1800s it was found in 24 Ohio counties. In the 1930s it was found on some islands in Lake Erie. Scientists and wildlife officers do not believe they still inhabit the northern region because there have been no sightings in the area since the 1950s. With Ohio's development from rural to urban, the rattlesnake's range has shrunk considerably. Today the species is found in the southeastern portion of Ohio in remote areas such as Pike, Shawnee, Tar Hollow and Zaleski state forests, preferring a habitat of dry, wooded hill country where they will prey on squirrels, mice and other small rodents, and small birds.
The eastern timber rattlesnake is on Ohio's Endangered Species list.


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## HABU

*Herps of Shawnee forest. northern copperhead*

The northern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) has a stocky body that may be copper, orange or pinkish with dark hourglass-shaped crossbands. This coloration helps them with camouflage because they resemble fall leaves on the forest floor of the rocky, wooded habitat they prefer. Young copperheads have a yellow-tipped tail which they flick to lure prey to them. The non-venomous milk snake has similar coloring and is sometimes confused with the adult copperhead.
Copperheads breed twice during the year -- February to April and August to October, producing 3 - 10 live young each time. They will grow to reach an average of 24 - 36 inches as an adult. Copperheads typically live one to seven years, with a maximum of thirty years. The snake eats a variety of small rodents, insects, lizards and frogs.
Although they are shy and seldom seen, the native northern copperhead has the "honor" of having bitten more people than any other venomous snake in the United States. However, there have been very few deaths attributed to the very painful bite. Still, they should be considered dangerous. When they are encountered, they will normally remain still or move away. If they feel very threatened, they will shake their tail (although they have no rattle) and strike out in self defense.
Like many snakes, the copperhead is diurnal in the spring and fall but becomes nocturnal during the summer. It is common to see a copperhead at night after a shower lying on the warm, wet road pavement.


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## diverfi

I went on holiday to relatives in Texas recently. They've had a couple of copperheads round the pool, so we had to be a bit careful. We only saw one snake...don't know what it was, but had just shed a 5ft skin (which I brought home). It was black and grey. We saw a black widow spider on the side of the pool too, but splashed it and it scuttled off into the undergrowth.
Fi


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Black Ratsnake*

The black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) is the largest species of snake in Ohio. It can reach lengths of up to eight feet, averaging 42 - 72 inches. It is black with a faint gray or brown checkerboard pattern and white between its scales. They are native to most of Ohio. The black rat snakes habitat includes forests, farmlands, and old fields, where they find prey, including small rodents, birds and eggs.
It is an excellent climber, often going up trees or rafters to raid birds’ nests of eggs and young. It is a constrictor. 
When captured, they will release a very foul odor from scent glands.
Black rat snakes breed between April and June. During this time the female will lay 5-30 eggs (10-14 average). 
During the spring and fall, the black rat snake is diurnal, but becomes nocturnal during the hot summer months. Like all reptiles, it is cold blooded.
Rat snakes will hibernate with other snake of different species including the timber rattlesnake and copperhead. There is a myth that in times of danger the black rat will steer, or “pilot”, these venomous snakes to safety. Although this is completely false, it is also known as the Pilot Snake.
It is one of the most beneficial predators in Ohio. It excels in controlling rodent populations. Unfortunately because it often lives close to humans, it is the most frequently killed species of snake. This is because of its large size and a general human fear toward all snakes.
If left alone, it can live up to twenty years.
The black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) is the largest species of snake in Ohio. It can reach lengths of up to eight feet, averaging 42 - 72 inches. It is black with a faint gray or brown checkerboard pattern and white between its scales. They are native to most of Ohio. The black rat snakes habitat includes forests, farmlands, and old fields, where they find prey, including small rodents, birds and eggs.
It is an excellent climber, often going up trees or rafters to raid birds’ nests of eggs and young. It is a constrictor. 
When captured, they will release a very foul odor from scent glands.
Black rat snakes breed between April and June. During this time the female will lay 5-30 eggs (10-14 average). 
During the spring and fall, the black rat snake is diurnal, but becomes nocturnal during the hot summer months. Like all reptiles, it is cold blooded.
Rat snakes will hibernate with other snake of different species including the timber rattlesnake and copperhead. There is a myth that in times of danger the black rat will steer, or “pilot”, these venomous snakes to safety. Although this is completely false, it is also known as the Pilot Snake.
It is one of the most beneficial predators in Ohio. It excels in controlling rodent populations. Unfortunately because it often lives close to humans, it is the most frequently killed species of snake. This is because of its large size and a general human fear toward all snakes.
If left alone, it can live up to twenty years.


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## fergie

Excellent stuff Habu. Keep it coming :2thumb:


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Eastern Hognose Snake*

The hognose snake (Heterodon platyrhinos) gets its name from the turned up, pig-like nose that it uses to dig for toads. Its coloring can range from yellow and brown to black and gray, making its nose the best method for identification.
Averaging 18 - 30 inches in length, the hognose prefers habitats of dry, sandy areas; fields, upland hillsides with few trees and meadows. In addition to toads, it also eats frogs, salamanders and small mammals.
It breeds from June to August, laying 4 - 61 eggs.
The snake is diurnal and can be found throughout Ohio except for the northeastern corner. It is most common in northwestern Ohio's Oak Openings. 
It begins its hibernation in October and November.
The hognose is not as vicious as it lets on to be. When threatened, the hognose will coil its body and flatten its head and neck to appear like a cobra's hood. It will then hiss and strike with its mouth closed, often falling quite short of its target. Because of these defensive reactions, it has been thought in the past they were venomous and it has been called the puff adder, blow snake and hissing viper. However, if it is still threatened after all of this, the snake will "play ‘possum", rolling over on its back and remaining still, with its mouth open and tongue hanging out. When danger has passed, it will roll back over and move away. Eighteenth century Moravian missionary David Zeisberger stated, "the spreading viper or hissing adder, [is] an entirely harmless snake generally thought to be poisonous."


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## rob-stl-07

nice snakes!


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Eastern Gartersnake*

There are three species of garter snakes in Ohio -- the Eastern garter, Easter plains garter, and the Butler’s garter snake. The Eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) is the most common, ranging throughout Ohio.
Garter snakes come in a variety of colorings. Generally, the Eastern garter snake can be identified by its dark body with three stripes, a thin one on its back and thicker ones on either side. The stripes are normally yellow. Eighteenth-century Moravian missionary, David Zeisberger, described garter snakes as, "a kind of striped, brightly marked snakes which are small and harmless."
It is diurnal, usually hunting in moist habitats such as wet woodlands, meadows, marshes and along drainage ditches and streams. Its diet consists of frogs, toads, salamanders, earthworms, minnows and mice.
Although cold blooded, the garter snake can tolerate very cold weather but will come together in large numbers to hibernate during the winter. When spring arrives they will breed from March to May, producing 7 - 85 live young. The average adult garter snake is 18 - 26 inches long, yet can reach a maximum length of 36 inches.
A garter snake's life expectancy is no longer than ten years.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Eastern Black Kingsnake*

The Black Kingsnake Lampropeltis getula ***** in its purest form, is a beautiful snake. As the name suggests, this is basically a smooth scaled black snake with a glossy shine, and depending on the locality, it may have varying degrees of pattern dorsally with some individuals lacking pattern all together.
It has been our observations that there is a distinct tendency for those populations from upland habitats (above) to be the darkest, while the lowland populations (right) are more apt to retain more of the juvenile pattern. The Black Kingsnake is intermediate in size for a common kingsnake. The official record length according to the Peterson field guide of Reptiles and Amphibians list 58" as the record size. The Black Kingsnake is a dietary generalist. In addition to warm blooded prey they will also feed opportunistically on lizards, frogs, reptile and bird eggs. Like all kingsnakes, they will commonly prey on other species of snakes, both venomous and otherwise.
Black Kingsnakes most often utilize edge habitat, commonly found under roofing tin and boards where the field meets the forest, and in transitional sites such as abandoned farms and dump sites. Kingsnakes often take up residence in the network of rodent burrows that exist under sheltering objects at these places. Unlike the kingsnakes found in other parts of their range, the Black Kingsnake does not seem to be as directly linked to water ways as in the deep south where they often frequent canals or cypress swamps or in the west where riparian corridors are often utilized. In Ohio, edge habitat is usually frequented whether it be where the field meets the forest or aquatic environs. We have found them to be equally numerous on the edges of swamps as we have on high and dry ridges of pine and oak. 
The earliest emergence we have recorded over the past two years has been on March 21st. By late March they are usually out in considerable numbers. Often times we have seen adult pairs together under a single piece of artificial cover early in the year and we believe that this is when reproductive activity commences. Gravid females have been observed regularly in late May through early June. Over the years we have recorded a number of clutch sizes ranging from 7-12 eggs. The young have hatched out in between 52 and 60 days, depending on ambient air temperatures. Hatchling Black Kingsnakes are generally between 8" and 10" long and are strongly marked in the form of numerous cross bars which form a chain pattern on the sides. Depending on the origin, some or all of this neonate patterning is lost as the young snake matures.

The Black Kingsnake has a fairly small range when compared to other subspecies of the common king snake. The center of this range is Kentucky and Tennessee and extends north to smaller portions of West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana. To the west they occur in Illinois where the Black Kingsnake eventually intergrades with the Speckled Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula holbrooki. To the south the Black Kingsnake ranges into northern Alabama and Georgia and perhaps into Mississippi as an intergrade. In the east the Black Kingsnake extends into the southwestern extreme of Virginia. Throughout this range where the Black Kingsnake comes into contact with other members of the getula complex intergrades exist, whether this be in the west with L.g.holbrooki or in the south with L.g.getula.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Northern Watersnake*

The northern water snake (Natrix sipedon sipedon) is abundant and can be found throughout Ohio around any permanent body of water, including lakes, ponds, swamps, marshes, streams, and rivers as habitats.
The species breeds between April and June, producing 8 - 99 live young, averaging 15 - 30.
It is stocky and comes in a variety of colors and patterns ranging from reddish brown to brown-black with dark blotches on its back and sides. Its body length ranges from 22 - 53 inches. It looks very similar to the venomous water moccasin, or cottonmouth, neither of which lives in Ohio. Despite this fact, the northern water snake is frequently killed because of their appearance.
It's frequently seen sunning itself on logs and rocks, but will go into the water when disturbed. As a defensive measure, if necessary, it will bite viciously. A water snake bite will bleed a lot because of a substance in the snake's saliva that slows the clotting of blood.
Northern water snakes typically eat frogs, small fish, salamanders, small turtles, crustaceans, and small mammals.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Northern Black Racer*

In 1995, the Ohio Legislature made the Black Racer Ohio's official reptile due to the snake's prevalence in the state. The Black Racer's scientific name is Coluber constrictor constrictor. The Black Racer lives in Ohio's eastern and southern counties. The closely related Blue Racer, Coluber constrictor foxi lives in the northern and western portion of the state. The only real difference between these two snakes is their color, with Black Racers being entirely black and the Blue Racers having a gray or greenish tint to their skin. Both varieties of snakes are non-poisonous. They provide valuable assistance to Ohio's farmers by killing various types of rodents that can cause damage to the farmers' crops


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Rough Greensnake*










Description: Rough Green Snakes are fairly long – to 32 in (81 cm) – slender, bright green snakes with yellow or whitish bellies that spend much of their time climbing in vegetation. Their bright green color easily distinguishes them from all other snakes. The similar Smooth Green Snake replaces this species in the Appalachian Mountains and the Northeast. Rough Green Snakes have keeled scales and large eyes. After death the color of green snakes fades to blue or black and dead individuals may resemble small black racers. Young Green Snakes resemble adults.
Rough green snakes can be found in a variety of habitats but are most common in open forests and edge habitats. They can be particularly abundant along the margins of wetlands and rivers, where they search overhanging vegetation for insects. 
Habits: Rough Green Snakes are probably the most arboreal snakes in our region and spend the majority of their time hunting for insects, spiders, and other invertebrates in vegetation well above the ground. When encountered, green snakes often freeze, relying on their green coloration for camouflage. At night, Green Snakes can often be found sleeping coiled in shrubs, vine tangles, or thick vegetation. During cool weather Green Snakes often take refuge on the ground and can sometimes be found hiding beneath logs, rocks, or debris. They mate in the spring and females lay 3 – 12 eggs in the early summer.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Northern Ringneck Snake*

The adult is gray to bluish black above with a flat black head. The neck ring and ventral color varies from yellowish to reddish. The neck ring may be incomplete. The belly is unmarked or has a row of dark, half-moon-shaped spots along its length. The juvenile has a velvety black dorsum and an even blacker head. Most adults are from 10-15 inches (25.4-38 cm) long. This species lays from 2-10 whitish eggs in rotting logs in June or early July. Several clusters may be laid together in a communal nest. The 3 1/2- to 5- inch young hatch in late summer. This species will twist and raise its tail like a corkscrew when approached by certain predators.
It inhabits moist wooded areas in both pine and hardwood, where there is an abundance of rotting logs, old stumps, and loose bark to provide hiding places. It is also found in cutover lands, sawdust piles, field edges and even suburban backyards. The ringneck snake is secretive, inhabiting the leaf litter and upper soil horizon community. It is seldom encountered in the open.
This species feeds on insects, earthworms, small snakes, small lizards, salamanders and frogs. It usually swallows its prey whole, but may also use partial constriction.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Eastern Worm snake*

The worm snake truly resembles a worm. It has a length of 7.5-11 in. (19-28 cm), the head is plain brown above, the belly is pink, and the head is pointed. The scales are smooth and opalescent. The young are darker than the adults. The upper side of the body and head are unpatterned and plain brown; the underside is unpatterned and pink, with pink coloration extending onto the sides of the body. At hatching, juveniles are patterned as adults but the dorsum is a darker brown and the venter is bright pink. Eggs, 2-8, are laid in June or July and hatch in late summer. When held in the hand, this snake attempts to push its way between the fingers with both its tail and head.
It is secretive and occurs in forested and wooded habitats where the soil allows burrowing. It has been found under all manner of surface objects, including logs, tree bark, boards, rocks, and trash, as well as in moist logs and stumps. This snake is seldom found active on the surface and is only rarely seen crossing paved roads at night.
The primary prey of the worm snake is worms, but it will also take soft-bodied insects.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Northern Red bellied Snake*

The adult is usually brown above but may vary from gray to nearly black, with four indistinct dark stripes and/ or a broad light stripe on the back. The belly is usually bright red with no markings. There are three pale spots on the neck which may connect to form a collar. The juvenile is similar to the adult. They are about 3 inches at birth and grow to a maximum of 16 inches. The female bears up to 21 live young during July or August. This snake will not bite when handled, but may emit musk from glands at the base of the tail, curl the upper lips exposing the black mouth, and may even play dead. Redbellied snakes are secretive, nocturnal, and terrestrial.
This species is found in wooded areas, particularly where there are rocks, logs, or other cover. Habitats may be moist or dry, ranging from the edges of swamps and bogs to well drained, rocky hilltops. The debris around old barns and abandoned houses often support colonies of this little snake. They can be found under all manner of surface objects, such as rocks, logs, boards, debris, bark, and leaves. These snakes overwinter in anthills, in unused rodent burrows, and in soil containing crevices and passageways.
This snake eats insects, earthworms, slugs and occasionally, tiny frogs.


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## HABU

Although rare over much of its range, the *Eastern smooth earth snake* is often common locally. In Ohio it occurs only in the southern quarter of the state, especially in the forested area of Shawnee and Pike state forests. Appearance
The Eastern Smooth Earth Snake is one of Ohio's smaller snakes. Its slim body is gray to reddish- or yellowish-brown, generally lighter in color than most surface soils in Ohio. It is without noticeable markings, although there may be a faint light stripe down the middle of the back. 
Range
Overall Range
Eastern United States, from New Jersey to northern Florida and westward to southern Ohio and Alabama. 
Range in Ohio
In Ohio this snake is limited to the southernmost counties. 
Local Habitat
Damp deciduous forests and adjacent areas such as old fields, trails, secondary roads and wooded residential areas; rocky, wooded hillsides.

Lifestyle
The Earth Snakes are highly secretive and seldom seen. Heavy rains will sometimes bring them above ground, but even then they often stay hidden under rocks. Most of the time they remain below ground where they find their food.
The soil-like color of these snakes also helps to keep them from being noticed by people. One author reports that the Earth Snakes are common in local areas, and further supposes that they "may be more abundant than it seems."
Eastern Smooth Earth Snakes sometimes congregate in small numbers as the weather grows colder in autumn. They hibernate under large rocks or in accumulations of woodland debris. They often hibernate with other small snakes such as Ring-necked Snakes and Worm Snakes.


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## HABU

that's the snakes for this county..... what to do next?...hmmmm... frogs?...salamanders?..oh i know! lizards...


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## HABU

*Herps of Shawnee forest, Eastern Fence Lizard*

Fence lizards belong to a group of rough-scaled reptiles called spiny lizards. They are tree climbers. When encountered on the ground, fence lizards will usually dart to the nearest tree, climb up the side opposite their pursuer, and remain motionless. If they are approached closely, they will continue up the trunk, making sure always to stay on the side opposite the pursuer. 
Description 
Males can be distinguished from females by the dark blue band, outlined in black, across their throat and an iridescent patch of blue on each side of the belly. The male's back is less distinctly patterned than the female's.
Habitat and Habits 
Although found in a variety of habitats, fence lizards seem to prefer the dry, wooded hillsides that characterize most of unglaciated Ohio.
Reproduction and Care of the Young 
Breeding takes place after hibernation. The eggs are laid in the summer.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, five lined skink*

The five-lined skink gets its name from the five broad light stripes on its black or brown body. These stripes fade with age, until the adults look a uniform color. The tail of the skink is a bluish-gray. This tail plays an important role in the skink's defense. If a predator grabs the skink by the tail, the tail breaks off. This gives the skink time to get away. Eventually the tail will grow back, but it will not be as long or as colorful as the original.
During the April-May breeding season, males will have a red-orange snout. Females will dig a nest under log or rock and lay between 4-15 eggs. She will guard the eggs for the 24 to 55 days it will take for them to hatch. When born, the skink is approximately two inches long. They will grow to be five to eight inches long and live for five to six years.
Skinks are one of the fastest reptiles in the world. Their speed also helps them to escape capture. If captured, the skink will bite, but its teeth are too small to cause any damage.
The five-lined skink lives in a habitat of moist or humid locations such as woodlands with leaf litter, stumps and logs. It is in these conditions that they can hunt for their typical foods, which are insects, earthworms, crustaceans, lizards and small mice. It is diurnal and spends all of its time on the ground, climbing only to the top of tree stumps to bask in the sun.


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## diverfi

Ummmmm.....are you bored Habu??
Fi


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## HABU

diverfi said:


> Ummmmm.....are you bored Habu??
> Fi


somewhat...but with this thread i was just sharing the love.... i like seeing herps from other places. i alway check out any british herp threads.... i just have a few cool things i like to share.


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## Adam W

wow how long did that take you and did you take any of those pictures o mighty habu??:lol2:


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## HABU

Adam W said:


> wow how long did that take you and did you take any of those pictures o mighty habu??:lol2:


it didn't take long...i pulled everything from local websites in ohio mostly.... my pics are crap...like this one...


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Broad-headed Skink*

The Broad-headed Skink gets its name from the wide jaws, giving the head a triangular appearance. Adult males are brown ore olive brown in color and have bright orange heads during the mating season in spring. Females have five light stripes running down the back and the tail, similar to the Five-lined Skink. Juveniles are dark brown or black and also striped and have blue tails.
These skinks are the most arboreal of the North American Eumeces. Although they do occur in urban areas, their preferred habitat are humid forest areas with abundant leaf litter, especially oak forests. They forage on the ground, but also easily and often climb trees for shelter or sleep or searching for food.
Females typically are larger than males, and the larger the female, the more eggs she will lay. Males thus often try to mate with the largest female they can find, and they engage in sometimes severe fights with other males over access to a female. The female lays between 8 and 22 eggs, which she guards and protects until they hatch in June or July. The hatchlings have a total length of 6 to 8 cm (2.5 to 3 in).
Broad-headed skinks are widely distributed in the south-eastern states of the U.S., from the East Coast to Kansas and eastern Texas and from Ohio to the Gulf Coast.
Note: these skinks are often falsely called "scorpions" and believed to be poisonous. This is a myth; Broad-headed Skinks are not venomous, and although they can bite and deliver a painful pinch, they are not dangerous to humans.


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## Adam W

HABU said:


> it didn't take long...i pulled everything from local websites in ohio mostly.... my pics are crap...like this one...


did you write on hand so you didnt forget your name??:lol2:


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## HABU

Adam W said:


> did you write on hand so you didnt forget your name??:lol2:


 i wanted my peeps here at rfuk to know it was me and that i was wishing some of them were there..i was going to write rfuk but holding a rattlesnake and all i was a little pressed you know...:lol2:


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## rob-stl-07

wow great info habu. Goin the sates again next year. Know any good snake areas around NC? i heard from Dean Ripa that the tin fields are good?


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## Adam W

HABU said:


> i wanted my peeps here at rfuk to know it was me and that i was wishing some of them were there..i was going to write rfuk but holding a rattlesnake and all i was a little pressed you know...:lol2:


:lol2:i understand, but you could of tried:Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Esarosa

This is going to sound odd and slightly kinky but I really have a fetish for snakes with a 'nice' belly. The bright oranges against the blueish black are stunning on the Northern Ringneck snake. Beautiful, and stunning pics habu hun!


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## -matty-b-

your a lucky man habu to have all that on your doorstep:devil:


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## HABU

rob-stl-07 said:


> wow great info habu. Goin the sates again next year. Know any good snake areas around NC? i heard from Dean Ripa that the tin fields are good?


anywhere in NC is great herping..i mean GREAT! also anywhere that you find tin, lumber or any trash is good and easy..you just flip stuff...my woods are litter free so i have to hunt harder...


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## HABU

Katiexx said:


> This is going to sound odd and slightly kinky but I really have a fetish for snakes with a 'nice' belly. The bright oranges against the blueish black are stunning on the Northern Ringneck snake. Beautiful, and stunning pics habu hun!


 ringnecks are a favorite of mine too. i'm lucky in that they are common and easy to find... they like hiding under rocks around the creeks..


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## HABU

-matty-b- said:


> your a lucky man habu to have all that on your doorstep:devil:


i live in buena vista...on the river...shawneee is well, ...here's the map...


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## HABU

i'll do turtles and amphibians tomorrow... if you like salamanders you'll want to have a look.:2thumb:


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Eastern Box Turtle*

Identification and Classification
Box Turtles are the most common terrestrial turtle in the eastern United States. They are small to medium sized turtles, attaining a maximum length of about 8 inches and having a highly domed carapace. A key characteristic of box turtles is their hinged plastron (bottom of the shell) that can be shut completely to exclude predators. Although mud, musk, and blandings turtles also posses hinged shells, they cannot be closed completely. Superficially, box turtles resemble tortoises but they are actually more closely related to many aquatic turtles and belong to the same family as spotted, bog, chicken, map, and painted turtles, as well as sliders, cooters, and diamondback terrapins. Box turtles in the United States are divided into two species, the eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina), which ranges from Texas throughout the southeast and north to Michigan and southern Massachusetts, and the western box turtle (Terrapene ornata), which ranges west of the Mississippi to Colorado and New Mexico. The western box turtle is superficially similar to the eastern box turtle but is typically smaller and has a shell marked with radiating yellow lines. There are an additional two species of box turtle that are endemic to restricted habitats in Mexico. One of these species (Terrapene coahuila) is almost totally aquatic.
Eastern box turtles are highly variable in shell shape, pattern, and coloration. Based on these differences, four subspecies of eastern box turtles have been designated. The most widespread subspecies is simply known as the eastern box turtle (T. carolina carolina). This turtle ranges along the entire east coast of the United States from Massachusetts to northern Florida, as far west as the Mississippi River, and north to the Great Lakes. Although this subspecies is highly variable in coloration, it is often more brightly colored than the other subspecies and almost always has four claws on the hind feet.

Eastern box turtles are amazingly versatile animals and inhabit a wide variety of habitats from wooded swamps to dry, grassy fields. Although these turtles can live in a variety of different habitats, they are most abundant and healthy in moist forested areas with plenty of underbrush. Although not aquatic, box turtles will often venture into shallow water at the edge of ponds or streams or in puddles. Box turtles do not travel far, usually living within an area less than 200m in diameter. In cold climates they hibernate through the winter in loose soil at a depth of up to two feet.

Food Preferences
Box turtles are omnivores in the broadest sense of the word. They will eat almost anything, animal or plant, that they can fit in their mouth. Intriguingly, it is thought that young box turtles are primarily carnivorous and that as they grow their diet shifts more and more towards plant material. Favorite foods include almost any insect (although they seem to particularly relish worms and slugs), virtually any fruit or berry, mushrooms, a variety of vegetable matter, and even carrion. Interestingly, box turtles are even able to eat many mushrooms that are toxic to humans.

Box Turtle Life History
Box Turtles are some of the longest lived and slowest reproducing species in the world. When a box turtle first hatches from its egg it is a mere 1.25 inches long. Little is known about the lives of young box turtles because they are so secretive and hard to find. In fact, it is very rare to find a box turtle much smaller than about 3.5 or 4 inches long. It is thought that these young turtles spend most of their time concealed in brush and leaf litter and feed primarily on insects. Box turtles generally grow slowly, reaching sexual maturity at between 7 and 10 years old and 5 or 6 inches in length. Once mature, a female box turtle will lay between 3 and 6 eggs each spring in a shallow nest. The eggs are left unguarded and hatch in the late summer or early fall when hatching occurs. Box turtles commonly reach 25-30 years of age and there are well-documented cases of them living to 40 or even 50 years. Although questionable, some sources even report box turtles topping 100 years of age.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Common Snapping Turtle*

Identification
Identifiable features of this aquatic turtle include a long tail which is saw-toothed on the upper side, a small cross-shaped plastron, a large head, and a sharp curved beak. Young turtles also possess vertebral and lateral keels on the carapace. The upper surface of the carapace in adults is mostly smooth with deep seems, but there may sometimes be traces of their former keels. The carapace is generally dark in coloration and varies from brown, black or olive. The plastron may be yellow, tan, or grey, and due to it’s small size leaves the legs and much of the underside of the turtle exposed. There are often dark streaks marking the jaws, and the chin features two barbels. The skin of the neck is bumpy and often has tubercles. Around the small eyes of the turtle are two yellowish stripes that slant back from the eye. Possessing webbed feet for swimming, the turtle also has strong, stout legs. These turtles are the largest in the Great Lakes region, and can their carapace length can grow to between 20.3 to 50.3 cm (8 to 19.8 in) in length, and around 10 kg (22 lbs), although records show some larger.

Distribution and Status
Common Snapping Turtles are common in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Populations extend from Nova Scotia westward through Southern Saskatchewan, south through Texas and east to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Disjunct populations can also be found in central New Mexico and Maine in the US, and in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia in Canada. The turtles are common in their range, except where populations have been over harvested for human consumption and use. Found in all eight Midwestern states, the Common Snapping Turtle is a species of Special Concern in Minnesota..

Ecology
Common Snapping Turtles inhabit a range of permanent water bodies, including shallow weedy inlets, bays, mud-bottomed ponds, lakes and sloughs, and slow streams with dense vegetation. Tolerant of pollution, the snappers will often live in brackish water. The turtles spend most of their day in shallow water buried in mud, weeds, logs or other such substrate. They do not appear to bask as much as other turtles, but will sometimes float at the surface, climb onto logs, or sit along a bank. These turtles tend to retain a home range for periods of time, from 0.25 hectares (0.6 acres) to 9 hectares (22 acres) in size.

Threats and Management Issues
Collection for human consumption and use is the biggest threat to the Common Snapping Turtle.


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## -matty-b-

have you found all these yet ???


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## HABU

-matty-b- said:


> have you found all these yet ???


 i've yet to catch any black kings...that's what i'm after now.... soon i will though. all of the rest, yes many times... the species we have are abundant.... those black kings are elusive...they like a certain habitat and are only locally common.... like farmers fields and old barns.... that's alway private property..... they don't usually hang out in the deep woods like the rest...i'll find a few when i find the perfect spot.... then i'll have plenty...and will begin breeding them. i'll start posting frogs next...


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, American Bullfrog*

http://www.naturesound.com/frogs/audio/bllfrg.ram

Description 3 1/2-8" (9-20.3 cm). The largest frog in North America. Green to yellow above with random mottling of darker gray. Large external eardrum; hind feet fully webbed except for last joint of longest toe. No dorsolateral ridges. Belly cream to white, may be mottled with gray.
Voice Deep-pitched jug o'rum call can be heard for more than a quarter mile on quiet mornings.
Breeding Northern areas, May to July; southern, February to October. Egg masses are attached to submerged vegetation. Tadpoles are large, 4-6 3/4" (10.2-17.2 cm), olive-green, and may take almost 2 years to transform.
Habitat Aquatic. Prefers ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams large enough to avoid crowding and with sufficient vegetation to provide easy cover.
Range Eastern and central United States; also New Brunswick and parts of Nova Scotia. Extensively introduced in the West.
Discussion Nocturnal. Less aquatic than the Pig Frog, it is usually found on the bank at water's edge. When frightened, it will as soon flee into nearby vegetation as take to the water. Large specimens have been known to catch and swallow small birds and young snakes; its usual diet includes insects, crayfish, other frogs, and minnows. Attempts to commercially harvest frogs' legs have prompted many introductions of the American Bullfrog outside its natural range.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Green Frog*

http://www.naturesound.com/frogs/audio/grnfrg.ram
Green frogs (Rana clamitans) are native only to the Nearctic region. They are found in the United States and Canada from Maine and the Maritime provinces of Canada through the Great Lakes region and into western Ontario and Oklahoma, south to eastern Texas, east into northern Florida and extending up the entire east coast of the United States.Green frogs are found in a wide variety of habitats that surround most inland waters, such as: swamps, wooded swamps, ponds, lakes, marshes, bogs, banks of slow moving rivers and streams, oxbow lakes, sloughs, and impoundments. Juveniles may disperse into wooded areas or meadows during times of rain. Green frogs overwinter in the water usually buried in the substrate.
Green frogs are green, greenish brown, brownish, yellowish green and olive, with some rare individuals being blue. They are generally brighter in front with small irregular black spots. Their legs have dark transverse bands. They are yellowish or white below, and males usually have a bright yellow throat. The tympanum (eardrum) is large; in males the tympanum is much larger than the eye and females tend to have a tympanum the same size as the eye. The dorso-lateral ridge is well defined and extends from the back of the eye posteriorly down the body. The toes are well webbed and the first fingers do not extend beyond the second. The tibia and femur are equal to ½ of the body length, which is 7.5 to 12.5 cm for adults.
Eggs hatch in 3 to 7 days. After hatching, green frog tadpoles are usually green with small black dots and often have yellow bellies. It can take them anywhere from 3 to 22 months to begin metamorphosis into full grown frogs. Some undergo this transition before the winter, but many tadpoles go into hibernation and wait until the spring to transform. Green frogs reach their maximum size when they are 4 to 5 years old.
Female green frogs choose their mates based on the desirability of their territories for egg laying. Satellite males may also be present during the breeding period of green frogs. A satellite male is described as a smaller male, unable to acquire and defend territories, and it is often found in areas protected by a larger male. The satellite male will wait for the opportunity to mate with a female that is responding to the larger more dominant male frog's vocalizations.
Breeding takes place in late spring; variations in temperature and region can influence actual breeding times. The breeding season is 1 to 3 months long and occurs in a variety of habitats, such as swamps, ponds, marshes, bogs, and slow moving streams. Once a female has chosen a male, amplexus will begin. During amplexus, 1000 to 7000 eggs may be laid. The egg masses float on the water surface or hang from emergent aquatic vegetation. Green frogs are primarily carnivores and eat a wide variety of insects and other invertebrates from both land and water, such as slugs, snails, crayfish, spiders, flies, caterpillars, butterflies, and moths. They also eat other vertebrates, such as small snakes and frogs. Green frogs practice "sit and wait" hunting and therefore eat whatever comes within reach. Tadpoles mainly eat diatoms, algae, and tiny amounts of small animals such as zooplankton.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Grey tree Frog*

http://www.naturesound.com/frogs/audio/graytfg.ram

Both gray treefrog species, Hyla versicolor and Hyla chrysoscelis, inhabit a wide range from southern Ontario and Maine, westward to central Texas, northwest to Manitoba, and northern Florida. An isolated colony is also noted in New Brunswick. The two species appear physically identical, and consequently more studies are necessary to delineate where the species overlap.
Generally, the eastern gray treefrog (H. versicolor) is mostly found to the north and northeast of the range. However, the gray treefrog species are extremely variable in their distribution pattern. For instance, the eastern gray treefrog is common in the eastern Great Lakes region, including southern Michigan; however, both species: H. versicolor and H. chrysoscelis share the same breeding ponds in Wisconsin and northern Michigan.
Eastern gray Treefrogs inhabit all elevations of wooded areas near temporary and permanent waters in such diverse surroundings such as swamps, ponds, lakes, old fields, thickly wooded suburban neighborhoods, farm woodlots, and mixed or deciduous forests. During the summer months, they are most often found in damp rotten logs or hollow trees. In winter, gray treefrogs hibernate on land under woody debris such as logs, roots and leaf litter.
The eastern gray treefrog measures 1.25 to 2 inches (3-5cm) in length. The record length is 2.25 in. (6 cm). There is no sexual dimorphism. The dorsal surface of the gray treefrog species is rough and lightly sprinkled with warts,more than most frogs but less than the average toad. The large toepads produce mucous to adhere to smooth bark or man-made structures near light sources, and are characteristic of the family Hylidae. The colors of a gray treefrog vary with the colors of its background and environmental factors such as season and humidity, but shades of gray are most common with black blotches on the back. Variations of brown, green, and pearl-gray colors have been noted. Green colors are more prominent during the breeding season and in yearling frogs. Usually, there is a white mark beneath the eye. The ventral skin on the hind legs, in the groin region, may appear orange to golden yellow with black speckles and the belly is white.
If the coloration is in question, place the treefrog in a box, allow it to sit quietly, and later re-examine the specimen. The yearling frogs are about half the size of the older H. versicolor population, but retain the same characteristics. Gray treefrogs continue to grow each year until they achieve the physical limit of the species.
Both gray treefrog species possess the same larval traits, but H. versicolor was used to exemplify the tadpole stage in Conant and Collins' "A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of East Central North America". The tadpoles are small, but colorful, 1.25 in. to 1.5 in. (3.2 cm. to 3.8 cm.) long. The tip of the tail is well-defined with a 5 mm narrow tip. The oral disc is comprised of 2 upper labial tooth rows and 3 lower, serrated jaws, and an overhanging upper jaw. The intestinal coil is also visible. The background color is light green to yellow. The tallest section of the tail fin is the middle and heavy black dots are scattered along the margin on a red or orange background across the tail. 
Tadpoles of the eastern gray treefrogs metamorphosize into froglets in six to eight weeks. The young frogs are approximately 0.6 in. (1.5 cm) snout to vent length. The larval and adult rate of growth is dependent on the availability of food and stress of predators. The sex deterimination of amphibians is genetic. However, if larvae are treated with estrogen, then hormonal sex reveral is possible after metamorphosis. Hyla versicolor follow the XX/XY pattern of heterogamety.
The breeding choruses of gray treefrogs begin in late April to early May after the evening air temperature rises above 15°C, which varies throughout the range. These frogs end their hibernation in the early months of spring, but do not have the energy reserves to call, yet. Warm, cloudy nights, from dusk to midnight, produce the most intense choruses. However, interludes of cold weather may temporarily end the male gray treefrog calls. Generally, the breeding chorus lasts for several weeks. Sometimes, the breeding calls are continued into late June or early July, depending on local temperatures and unusual weather phenomena.
Female choice dominates the mating scheme of gray treefrogs, since the female approaches the male with the most prolonged and frequent calls. If the male detects a nearby female he will also further entice her with a “courtship call” that is longer and more emphatic than the usual advertisement call. Successful calling results in amplexus as the female deposits eggs which are externally fertilized by the male. Almost immediately, the large egg mass breaks into small, loose egg clusters of 10 to 40 eggs attach to plants or other structures within the pond. Depending on the water temperature, the tadpoles hatch in three to seven days. Both gray treefrog sp. do not hybridize due to a mating barrier, the different pulse rate and pitch between the two calls.
Male eastern gray treefrogs are territorial during the breeding season. During the rest of the year, males and females are tolerant of the presence of conspecifics of similar size. However, they are opportunistic cannibals, and may eat other gray treefrogs if they are small enough to catch and swallow.
As a member of the genus Hyla, eastern gray treefrogs possess advanced toe pads to adhere more strongly to vertical surfaces of glass, metal, and primarily tree bark. A very low angle between the toe pads and substrate with a combination of mucous glands and surface moisture create surface tension to support the body mass. The toe tips are able to be flexible and grip more firmly due to small bone or cartilage between two terminal toe bones that support the toe pad. These specialized adhesion abilities would not exist if a detergent were applied to the pad; however, the adhesion would return with the removal of the detergent. Climbing ability is an important adaptive trait of this species and it is central to their survival.
When gray treefrogs hibernate, they appear rigid, and have a high freezing tolerance due to glycerol in their blood. During hibernation, 80% of the body freezes and the eye becomes opaque as breathing and heartbeat are temporarily suspended. Their high tolerance for freezing temperatures enabled the gray treefrogs to expand their territory northward and towards higher elevations.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Spring Peeper*

http://www.naturesound.com/frogs/audio/peeper.ram

Pseudacris crucifer is native to eastern North American. It is found from southeast Manitoba east to the Atlantic Ocean, and south to eastern Texas and mainland Florida (but not on the Florida Peninsula). It is reported to have been introduced to Cuba as well.This frog is found in marshy woods and non-wooded lowlands near ponds and swamps. Although it is a good climber, spring peepers seem to prefer to be on the ground or hiding in leaf litter. Spring peepers breed in freshwater ponds or pools, and prefer to use ponds where there are no fish. They often use temporary ponds that dry up after the larvae (tadpoles) have transformed into adult frogs and left the water.
The average spring peeper varies in size from 20 - 25 mm at maturity. This frog is usually some shade of brown, gray, or olive, and occasionally may be yellow or reddish. Its belly is cream or white, and it is marked by a dark cross on its back and dark bands on its legs. Pseudacris crucifer has moderately webbed feet and noticeable disks on its fingers and toes. 
Eggs are generally laid in temporary ponds. Embryos and larvae may die when the pH of the habitat ranges from 4.2 to 4.5. The larval stage can last from 45 to 90 days, and is partially dependent on the availability of water in vernal pools. Males begin mating rituals shortly after the end of hibernation. The males will gather at small pools by the hundreds. Each male establishes a small territory and begins calling quite frequently. This call is described as a shrill "peep peep peep." The louder and faster he peeps, the better his chances of attracting a receptive female. Males usually compete in trios, and the male with the lowest-pitched call usually starts the vocal competition.
The spring peeper is usually about three years old before it reaches the breeding stage. The species is one of the first anurans to begin breeding after winter hibernation. The breeding period lasts from March - June, when 800 - 1000 eggs per female are laid in shallow ponds. The eggs hatch within 6 to 12 days, and tadpoles transform to adults during July (range 45 - 90 days).
Female spring peepers typically choose mates in a size-selective fashion -- larger males are preferred and are more successful breeders.
The longest known lifespan in wild is unknown. In captivity, peepers will live to 3 - 4 years.
Spring peepers are known for their high piping whistle consisting of a single clear note repeated on intervals. The males sing, normally doing so in trios, the one who starts each round is usually the deepest voiced. During the daytime, peepers often call during light rains or in cloudy weather. They are usually silent at the end of summer, but call from forests during the fall.
This species hibernates under logs and in treeholes.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, American Toad*

http://www.naturesound.com/frogs/audio/amtoad.ram
American toads, Bufo americanus, are only native to the Nearctic region. They are found throughout large portions of North America, from northern Chihuahua in Mexico, northward to James Bay in Canada and eastward from the Imperial Valley of California and the Columbia River Valley in Washington and Oregon to the Atlantic coast from Florida to southern Quebec. They are generally not present in the most southern states or, if they are, only in the northern part. These toads have an immense ability to adapt to their surroundings as long as there is a source of semi-permanent water for them to use in the breeding season. This quality has allowed them to successfully colonize suburban and agricultural areas.
American toads require a semi-permanent freshwater pond or pool for their early development. They also require dense patches of vegetation, for cover and hunting grounds. Given these two things and a supply of insects for food, American toads can live almost everywhere, ranging from forests to backyards. They are common in gardens and agricultural fields. During daylight hours they seek cover beneath porches, under boardwalks, flat stones, boards, logs, wood piles, or other cover. When cold weather comes, these toads dig backwards into their summer homes or may choose another site in which to hibernate.
American toads have short legs, stout bodies, and thick skins with noticeable warts. These warts can be colored red and yellow. The warty skin contains many glands that produce a poisonous milky fluid, providing these toads with excellent protection from many of their predators. This poison is only harmful if it is swallowed or if it gets in the eyes, but it can make many animals very sick.
The skin color of American toads is normally a shade of brown, but it can also be red with light patches, olive, or gray. The bellies are a white or yellow color. Toad skin color changes depending on temperature, humidity, and stress. The color change ranges from yellow to brown to black. American toads have four toes on each front leg and five toes connected together by a webbing on each hind leg. The pupils of American toads are oval and black with a circle of gold around them. The sexes can be distinguished in two ways. Males have dark colored throats, of black or brown, while females have white throats and are lighter overall. Also, female American toads are larger than male American toads. American toads are between 50 and 100 mm in length but are usually around 75 mm. American toads can be distinguished from other species of toads by the presence of several dark spots on their backs which contain only one or two warts each. These black spots are sometimes circled with white or yellow. Some types of American toads have a prominent ridge on the top of their heads.
The eggs of American toads are black on top and white on the bottom (countershaded), and embedded in long strings of clear sticky gel. The larvae that hatch from eggs are called "tadpoles." They are dark (almost black) with smooth skin, round bodies, and a somewhat rounded tail. Like adult toads, larvae have defensive chemicals in their skin. They grow to over a centimeter in length before transforming. Newly-metamorphosed toadlets are usually 0.8 and 1.3 cm long when they first emerge. Their coloration is similar to that of adult toads.
Female American toads lay their eggs in freshwater. Hatching occurs 3 to 12 days after laying, depending on the temperature of the water. The tadpoles group together and feed and grow for 40 to 70 days.
When the tadpoles hatch they have gills located on the sides of their heads just posterior to their mouths. During the first 20 days the tadpoles start to form their hind legs. The legs grow slowly, but continuously. After 30 to 40 days the front legs, which were previously covered by a layer of skin, appear. At the same time that the front legs emerge, the tadpoles' gills disappear, and the tadpoles start to breathe "atmospheric" air. Between the last two or three days of development, they complete their metamorphosis, resorbing their tails and strengthening their legs. They also stop eating plants in favor of animal matter.
Newly-metamorphosed toads stay near their pond for a few days (or longer if the climate is dry), and then disperse and begin to live primarily on land. American toads continue to grow until they reach their full adult size of approximately 75 mm.
American toads, while still growing, shed their external skin every couple of weeks or so. Older frogs lose their skin around four times yearly. The skin peels off in one piece, and is collected under its tongue, where it is then gulped down.
Breeding occurs in the months of March or April, but may extend into July. It usually triggered by warming temperatures and longer days. The males always arrive on the mating grounds well ahead of females. They congregate in shallow wetlands, ponds, lakes and slow-moving streams. After finding a suitable area, the male toads establish territories and begin calling the females. Females may choose their mates by assessing the males' breeding calls as well as the quality of the defended breeding territory.
Male toads get dark horny pads on their first and second two toes on their forelegs. This helps them close their front limbs around a female's abdomen in a posture called "amplexus". Once a female comes close, any nearby male will attempt to mate with her. The male holds on to the female, and she moves to a suitable location in the water to lay eggs. When she releases her eggs, he releases sperm to fertilize them (like most frogs and toads, fertilization is external).
After mating takes place, the females lay their eggs in the water, in long spiral tubes of jelly. They lay 4000 to 8000 eggs in two rows. When each row of eggs is stretched it generally measures between between six and twenty meters long (20 to 66 ft.). Each individual egg is 1.5 mm in diameter. The eggs mature fastest at higher temperatures. They generally hatch in 3 to 12 days. After developing for 40 to 70 days, the tadpoles transform into adults. This usually takes place from June to August, depending on location. They reach sexual maturity at around 2 to 3 years of age.
In the wild most American toads probably don't survive more than a year or two. The majority die before transforming from tadpoles into toadlets. However, they are capable of living much longer. Some toads have lived longer than 10 years in the wild. There is a documented account of a captive toad that lived to the ripe old age of 36 and was killed by mistake.
American toads are mainly nocturnal. They are most active when the weather is warm and humid. They are solitary, congregating only at breeding ponds in the early summer and late spring. During the day American toads hide under rocks or logs or dig into dead leaves and soil. In regions with a cold winter, American toads dig deeper to hibernate. When digging they back in, pushing out dirt with their back legs.
American toads have one of the most notable calls of all toads. They give off long trill sounds that each last between 4 and 20 seconds. American toads use this call as a way to attract females for breeding. Their calls become frantic, loud, and constant during mating season. Many young males continue to call late into the summer. When they call, their throats puff out like large, inflatable balloons.
Adult American toads are carnivores, but toad tadpoles are considered herbivores, because they graze on aquatic vegetation (algae).
Adult American toads are generalists. They eat a wide variety of insects and other invertebrates, including snails, beetles, slugs, and earthworms. Unlike most toads, who wait for prey to come along and pounce on it, American toads can shoot out their sticky tongues to catch prey. They also may use their front legs in order to eat larger food. They grasp their food and push it into their mouths. One American toad can eat up to 1,000 insects every day.
Toads do not drink water but soak it in, absorbing moisture through their skin.
The main predators of American toads are snakes. One species, eastern hognose snakes, specializes on eating toads. Some snakes, such as garter snakes, are immune to the poisonous glands of American toads. When these toads are faced with a predator that is immune to their poison they will sometimes urinate on themselves to become a less attractive meal. They also inflate their bodies with air to make themselves more difficult for a snake to swallow.
Female toads prefer to lay their eggs in ponds without fish. The eggs they lay are countershaded: lighter on the bottom and darker on the top to blend in with the background when viewed from above or below.
Tadpoles avoid predators by swimming in very shallow water, and by swimming close together in schools during the day. They also have toxic chemicals in their skin that discourage some potential predators. Metamorphosed toads are cryptically colored, and are actively mainly at night, making it harder for predators to find them.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Red Spotted Newt*

The eastern newt, Notophthalmus viridescens, is one of only a few species in the Family Salamandridae native to North America. This newt ranges throughout most of eastern North America, from the Canadian Maritime Provinces west to the Great Lakes and south to Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. There are four recognized subspecies: the red-spotted newt (N. v. viridescens) of the eastern and northeastern U.S. and Canada, the central newt (N. v. louisianensis) of the central states and the deep south, the broken-striped newt (N. v. dorsalis) of the Carolina coastal plains, and the peninsula newt (N. v. piaropicola) of peninsular Florida. 
Notophthalmus viridescens inhabits both deciduous and coniferous forests. Immature larvae and the adult newts live in small bodies of freshwater (ponds, small lakes, ditches, and marshes) usually with mud bottoms. Adults can survive on land if their aquatic habitat becomes unsuitable; adults may move onto land during dry periods when the water is low or to rid themselves of ectoparasites. The juvenile "eft" stage lives in lakeshore and woodland habitats and is often seen in forest litter on rainy nights.
The aquatic larvae have laterally compressed tails, olive colored skin, and feathery gills. The hatchlings range in length from 7 to 9mm and have fairly smooth skin with little toxicity. Although the length of the larval period and the size at metamorphosis varies, they usually transform into a terrestrial "eft" stage after 2 to 5 months. The eft is reddish-orange in color with two rows of black-bordered red spots. It has well-developed lungs, limbs, and eyelids. The eft's skin is dry and somewhat rough and its color is a sign of its toxicity to predators. The eft has a long-slender body with a laterally flattened tail and ranges in length from 3.4 to 4.5 cm. The eft usually transforms into the mature, breeding stage after 2 to 3 years on land. The adult newt varies in color depending on its age and sex, ranging from yellowish-brown to greenish-brown dorsally and have black-bordered red spots. Its ventral color is yellow and black spots speckle the belly. The newt is slightly moist (just enough to keep its skin from drying out), with rough-scaleless skin and indistinct coastal grooves. Its size ranges in length from 7 to 12.4 cm and it has small eyes with a horizontal pupil. During the breeding season, males can be easily identified by their enlarged hind legs, with black-horny structures on the inner surfaces of their thighs and toe tips (used for gripping females during mating), swollen vents, and broadly keeled (high-wavy crest) tails.
The incubation of the eggs is somewhat dependent on temperature, but generally lasts from 3 to 8 weeks. In early fall, 3 to 4 months later, the aquatic larvae lose their gills, acquire sac-like lungs (heart transforms from two chambered heart to three, capable of supporting lungs), and emerge onto land as an eft. Two to 3 years later, the eft develops a powerful, flattened tail and returns to the water to breed, as an adult, and remains there the rest of its life, if water is permanent. (Lacking permanent water, adult newts will estivate and overwinter on land and enter vernal ponds in spring to breed.) Some eastern newt populations skip the eft stage and immediately transform into breeding adults. There are some coastal populations of eastern newts that become reproductively mature while retaining a gilled "larval" form (i.e., are neotenic). In other populations, newts enter the eft stage but never undergo a complete second metamorphosis, and enter the water only to breed. Both of these latter two cases may be in response to harsher than average environmental conditions.
The breeding season begins in late winter and lasts until early spring; at this time, the female is heavy with eggs and actively seeking a male. The courtship involves a unique form of amplexus. Females are attracted by the male's spots and he lures them to him by making fanning motions with his tail and wiggling, causing an enticing odor (a pheromone) to be released. The male positions himself above and forward of the female, gripping her sides just behind her forelegs with his hindlimbs and rubbing her snout with the side of his head. Males will deposit a sperm packet on the bottom of the pond and the female will proceed to pick it up with her cloaca, later using the sperm to fertilize her eggs. Males are often in competition with each other, but rival males who try to break up a pair already involved in amplexus are rarely successful. Sometimes the rival male may drop his sperm packet anyway and the female may pick up the packet when courtship with the other male is over. Male to male courtship is also common. Males tend to eat the sperm packets that are dropped in this case.
Oviposition can take several weeks, because the female will only lay a few, widely scattered eggs, each day. It's still uncertain whether or not females will lay all of their eggs in a breeding season, however they do lay between 200 and 400 single, jelly-covered eggs on submerged vegetation, each season. As soon as the process is finished, the female newt swims away leaving her eggs to survive on their own. Both males and females reach sexual maturity around the age of 3. 
Eastern newts have a lifespan of up to 12 to 15 years. However, mortality is high in eggs and larvae.
With the aid of its flattened tail, Notophthalmus viridescens moves quickly in water, yet is slow on land. Larvae are fairly sedentary, settling at the bottom of the water to hide. They appear to segregate by size in ponds, which probably serves as a defense against larger, cannibalistic adults, however few are lucky enough to survive the first winter. The eft is nocturnal (active during the night) and more active on rainy nights. In dry, sunny weather, the eft will find a cool, moist place to rest and crawl out to feed when damp, darker weather approaches. The adult newt returns to the water and spends the rest of its life there, often foraging both day and night. Winter is spent underground, unless the adults are in permanent water. Newts can often be seen foraging in winter beneath the ice.
Carnivorous throughout their lives, eastern newts use both chemical and visual cues to locate food. Adults seem to rely more on visual cues when feeding. They don't have a specialized diet, but temperature and water clarity, as well as prey density, can effect the feeding process.
The aquatic larvae eat small invertebrates including water fleas, snails, and beetle larvae; the terrestrial efts eat small invertebrates, mainly those found in humus and leaf litter, including snails, spring tails, and soil mites; the adult newts eat mainly midge larva and other aquatic immature stages of insects. Adults don't have a specialized diet, eating any small invertebrate that they can find.Predators of N. viridescens include birds, mammals, fish, and other amphibians, however many of them are deterred by the newt's toxic skin secretions.
N. viridescens appears to be involved in a Mullerian mimicry complex, with several other salamander species possibly mimicking the red eft, with its toxic skin secretions.
This newt is capable of locating its home pond through true navigation using its olfaction and light-dependent magnetic compass.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Cave Salamander*

Found throughout most of Kentucky, reaching up into the southwest tip of Ohio and into much of southern Indiana. From there, the range extends from the southern tip of Illinois, southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, the northeast tip of Oklahoma and the southeast tip of Kansas. The range also covers central and eastern Tennessee, the northern portions of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, and extends up the border between the Virginias.
Most frequently found in the twilight zone of caves, but also occasionally under logs and rocks in the surrounding moist forests more than a kilometer away from the nearest cave. The twilight area of a cave is the area just inside the entrance where there is some light, but not enough for plants to grow.
Eurycea lucifuga is a slender, dull yellow, orange or bright reddish-orange salamander with a white or yellow belly. Its back, sides of the head, trunk and tail are covered with many small, irregular or rounded spots that rarely form dorsolateral rows. It has a very blunt snout with the largest part of their head right behind the eyes. E. lucifuga has a relatively long tail and long limbs with 5-4 toes, the hind ones being webbed at the base. There are between 14 and 15 costal grooves.
Adults in this species are from 10-20 cm long. The sexes are, on average, the same size but distinguishable by details of the head. The males are noticeably swollen in the snout area by the nasolabial grooves and the cirri (small tabs of flesh that carry are more developed than in the females). The juveniles will usually be a lighter ground color (yellow) and have a shorter tail. As the individual grows, the color will deepen and the tail will lengthen.
Breeding occurs from September to February (possibly later in some areas), and can occur twice in the same year. Females have been found with 5-120 eggs. Eggs have only rarely been found, they are laid singly, apparently in deep recesses in cave streams and springs. Small larvae, approximately 17.5 mm, emerge that are uniform in color with three longitudinal rows of spots and a broad tail fin. E. lucifuga uses its relatively long legs, flat toes, and prehensile tail to climb rocks.
E. lucifuga eat many kinds of invertebrates, including many kinds of insects, mites, ticks, isopods, earthworms, and other soft-bodied creatures. At least one study has found juvenile slimy salamanders (Plethodon glutinosus) in the stomachs of specimens of this species. It has a baletoid tongue which it uses in combination with a short lunge to capture its prey, being able to fully extend the tongue in approximately 5.5 milliseconds. 

Found throughout most of Kentucky, reaching up into the southwest tip of Ohio and into much of southern Indiana. From there, the range extends from the southern tip of Illinois, southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, the northeast tip of Oklahoma and the southeast tip of Kansas. The range also covers central and eastern Tennessee, the northern portions of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, and extends up the border between the Virginias.
Most frequently found in the twilight zone of caves, but also occasionally under logs and rocks in the surrounding moist forests more than a kilometer away from the nearest cave. The twilight area of a cave is the area just inside the entrance where there is some light, but not enough for plants to grow.
Eurycea lucifuga is a slender, dull yellow, orange or bright reddish-orange salamander with a white or yellow belly. Its back, sides of the head, trunk and tail are covered with many small, irregular or rounded spots that rarely form dorsolateral rows. It has a very blunt snout with the largest part of their head right behind the eyes. E. lucifuga has a relatively long tail and long limbs with 5-4 toes, the hind ones being webbed at the base. There are between 14 and 15 costal grooves.
Adults in this species are from 10-20 cm long. The sexes are, on average, the same size but distinguishable by details of the head. The males are noticeably swollen in the snout area by the nasolabial grooves and the cirri (small tabs of flesh that carry are more developed than in the females). The juveniles will usually be a lighter ground color (yellow) and have a shorter tail. As the individual grows, the color will deepen and the tail will lengthen.
Breeding occurs from September to February (possibly later in some areas), and can occur twice in the same year. Females have been found with 5-120 eggs. Eggs have only rarely been found, they are laid singly, apparently in deep recesses in cave streams and springs. Small larvae, approximately 17.5 mm, emerge that are uniform in color with three longitudinal rows of spots and a broad tail fin. E. lucifuga uses its relatively long legs, flat toes, and prehensile tail to climb rocks.
E. lucifuga eat many kinds of invertebrates, including many kinds of insects, mites, ticks, isopods, earthworms, and other soft-bodied creatures. At least one study has found juvenile slimy salamanders (Plethodon glutinosus) in the stomachs of specimens of this species. It has a baletoid tongue which it uses in combination with a short lunge to capture its prey, being able to fully extend the tongue in approximately 5.5 milliseconds. They have long, angled vomerine teeth accompanied by parasphenoid teeth which form club-shaped patches.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Green Salamander*

Description: With its distinctive green and black mottling, the Green Salamander is difficult to confuse with any of Ohio’s other salamander species. Adult size is 3.5-6.25.” Other characteristics of the species include squared toe tips, a flattened body, and long legs. 
Distribution in Ohio: Recorded only from Adams, Scioto, and Lawrence Counties in southeastern Ohio. All known Ohio populations are within seven miles of the Ohio River. 
Habitat: Green Salamanders are found along and within limestone and sandstone (?) rock outcrops and occasionally on trees near these formations. They live within the rock crevices, coming out at night to forage on the rock face. 
Life history: Courtship, breeding, and egg-laying all occur on the rock outcrops that this species is associated with. Eggs are attached to the roof of rock crevices in June and the female attends to them until hatching in late September. The larval stage is completed within the egg. Green Salamanders reach sexual maturity 2-3 years after hatching. 
Conservation: The Green Salamander is perhaps the most habitat specific salamander in Ohio. Logging of forests around rock outcrops can detrimentally impact populations by increasing temperatures and evaporation, and altering their invertebrate prey base.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Hellbender*

Hellbenders are one of the largest salamanders in the world, growing to over 2 feet long. Their cousins in China and Japan, the Chinese and Japanese giant salamanders, can grow to an enormous 5 to 6 feet long! Hellbenders are only found in the mountains and foothills of the eastern United States. They once thrived in thousands of pristine streams in the Ozark and Appalachian mountains, and throughout the Ohio River valley. Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) are extremely large, completely aquatic salamanders native to the eastern United States. The largest hellbender ever recorded was nearly 21/2 ft. long.
These salamanders need cool, clear streams and rivers with many large rocks. They feed almost entirely on crayfish, but will also eat small fish, invertebrates, and other hellbenders. They will also scavenge for anything that smells good (or bad, depending on your outlook)-- this is why they are often caught on fishing lines. 
Cool, clear streams are important because hellbenders breathe entirely through their skin! They have lungs, but rely on the thousands of capillaries found in the fleshy folds of skin along their body and legs to get oxygen from the water. 
Hellbenders live a long time! The oldest known hellbender in captivity was 29 years and individuals in the wild likely live that long or longer. Because they live so long, the removal of adults from the wild can cause populations to dwindle.
Where do they live?
Hellbenders were once widely distributed throughout the Appalachian Mountains and across the midwestern United States to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and Missouri (see map). There are actually two subspecies of hellbenders. The Ozark subspecies (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) only occurs in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. The eastern subspecies makes up the rest of the range. 
In general, hellbenders only occur in Gulf of Mexico drainages, or those streams that eventually flow to the Mississippi River. One exception is the Susquehanna River in New York and Pennsylvania, which flows east to the Atlantic Ocean. 
Hellbender populations have drastically declined throughout their range, mainly because of declining stream quality. Today, hellbender populations generally occur in small pockets of habitat and the most abundant populations are now restricted to mountainous areas with little human settlement. The last great hellbender streams likely occur in a narrow region of rugged mountains extending from eastern West Virginia south through Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and ending in north Georgia. A small area of northwestern Pennsylvania also harbors several good watersheds. 
Myths and Misunderstandings
With what some would consider ugly looks and a name like 'Hellbender," its easy to imagine that these creatures are pretty misunderstood. Hellbenders are not venomous, though their skin secretions are somewhat toxic (I don't recommend touching your eyes after handling one). They will bite, but only if they are really provoked. A common myth is that hellbenders will 'ruin' good fishing streams by eating all the fish. This couldn't be farther from the truth! In fact, if you see hellbenders in a stream, this is an excellent indication that the water quality is still good -- and this is good for both hellbenders and game fish. The hellbender's voracious appetite for crayfish also means that they are very important for keeping a stream's food chain balanced, and this is good for fish and the entire ecosystem.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Mudpuppy*

Description: One of only two permanently aquatic salamanders in Ohio, and the only one to retain external gills throughout its life. Most adults reach about 13” in length and have a brown to gray ground color. Darker spots or blotches along the body are common. Bushy red gills on either side of the head are the most prominent identifying feature of the Mudpuppy.
Distribution in Ohio: Records exist from throughout the state. 
Status in Ohio: Generally uncommon. Most records for this species are from prior to 1950. May be locally abundant in some areas in and around Lake Erie. 
Habitat: Extremely variable, being found in small streams, larger rivers and oxbows, and reservoirs and lakes. 
Life history: Breeding occurs in autumn, but eggs are not laid until the following spring or early summer. Nests are excavated under large logs or rocks, where the females attach 50-100 eggs to the roof of the cavity. The eggs hatch one to two months later, and the young never complete metamorphosis. Instead, these “Peter Pan’s” of the salamander world live their entire 20+-year life underwater. 
Conservation: Recent records for the Mudpuppy throughout much of Ohio are scarce. The species appears to be intolerant of siltation, lampricides, and other pollutants. Channelization has made many habitats unsuitable for Mudpuppies. Logging and agriculture along waterways increases siltation and runoff. The Mudpuppy is often killed when captured by fisherman, as many erroneously believe they are harmful.


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## diverfi

Ooooh...those red spotted newts are beautiful. I've only ever seen fire-bellied newts in my pond.
Fi


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## linda.t

what a great thread look forward to seeing more,that hellbender looked great.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Slimy Salamander*

Description: A large (up to 9”), black colored salamander with numerous silvery white flecks on the body, tail, and head. The underside is black, but slightly lighter than the dorsum. The white sticky secretions that this species emits from its glands (especially along the tail) when disturbed further helps to identify the Slimy Salamander. 

Distribution in Ohio: Reported from the eastern and southern portions of the state. 

Status in Ohio: May be locally abundant. 

Habitat: Forested hillsides and talus slopes where it lives under logs, rocks, and other debris. It is sometimes found in the crevices of rock outcrops or in the twilight zone of caves. 

Life history: Reproduction occurs in the summer, with eggs being attached to the roof of an underground cavity or rock crevice. The larval stage is completed within the egg, and hatching occurs 2-3 months after the eggs are deposited. Newly hatched Slimy Salamanders apparently do not emerge from their hidden retreats until the following spring. Sexual maturity is reached in 3-5 years. 

Conservation: Slimy Salamanders are tied to forest habitats. Destruction of these habitats is the greatest threat to populations. Logging of forests causes an increase in temperature and the rate of evaporation and possibly also impacts the salamander’s food source. Like all lungless salamanders, pollutants, including herbicides and pesticides, are easily absorbed through their porous skin and are toxic to the Slimy Salamander.


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## HABU

diverfi said:


> Ooooh...those red spotted newts are beautiful. I've only ever seen fire-bellied newts in my pond.
> Fi


 yes, the red eft stage are hard to find...you just have to luck up on them...they are nice...the adults are all over the place.... mostly in the lakes here.


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## HABU

linda.t said:


> what a great thread look forward to seeing more,that hellbender looked great.


 glad you like it...these are just the ones that we have in my forest... drive 50-100 miles in any direction and you get many others.... but this is just where i live.


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## linda.t

HABU said:


> glad you like it...these are just the ones that we have in my forest... drive 50-100 miles in any direction and you get many others.... but this is just where i live.


it's great u are so lucky.


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## HABU

linda.t said:


> it's great u are so lucky.


 well since you folks aren't here i thought i'd bring them to you...all i have left is the rest of the salamanders.


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## linda.t

look forward to seeing them.
u could always do me one on chucks while your at it.:2thumb:


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## HABU

*Herps of the mojave desert, Chuckwalla*

Description 
Size 
5 - 9 inches long from snout to vent (12.7 - 22.8 cm). (Stebbins 2003) The second largest lizard native to the United States (after the Gila Monster). 
Appearance 
A large, flat-bodied lizard with a large rounded belly, and a wide-based blunt-tipped tail. The neck and sides of the body are covered with loose folds of skin. Scales are small and granular. Tail will regenerate if detached. Males have enlarged femoral pores. 
Color can be black, reddish, gray, brown, yellow, or tan. Several color patterns occur. Color changes with age and varies with the color of the habitat. Some individuals have red torsos. Males have dark, usually black, head, chest, and limbs, with red, black, or yellowish backs. Sometimes the dark coloring is covered with light spots and flecks. The tail and sides are light gray or cream, sometimes reddish. The body and tail of young chuckwallas are more prominently banded with dark and yellow coloring. Females usually retain some of the juvenile body and tail banding. 
Behavior & Natural History 
Diurnal. Rock-dwelling, sheltering in rock crevices or under rocks. Rocks, especially large outcrops and boulder piles, are used for basking. Chuckwallas are often seen in the morning basking on a large rock pile. After basking, they leave the rocks to forage for food. 
Most active from spring through fall, remaining inactive in deep rock crevices during the cold of winter, but may be active all year in warmer areas. Also retreats into rock crevices during extreme heat. 
When disturbed, a chukwalla will retreat into a rock crevice and inflate with air to enlarge the body, tightly wedging it in the crack, and making extraction difficult to impossible. Capable of biting hard. 
Diet 
Eats a variety of vegetation, especially creosote flowers, leaves, fruit, and occasionally insects. 
Reproduction 
Breeds from April to June. 5 -16 eggs are laid from June to August. Females may only lay eggs every two or three years. 
Range 
Widely distributed throughout the Mojave and Colorado deserts in California, from the desert slopes of the mountains, north through the Owens Valley and east to the Colorado River. Ranges south into Baja California, and east into southern Nevada and Utah, through eastern Arizona and south into Sonora, Mexico. Sea level to around 6,000 ft. (1,800 m). 
Habitat 
Inhabits rocky flats and hillsides, lava flows, and large outcrops in the California Mojave and Colorado deserts. Creosote bush is found throughout most of its range. Although primarily associated with natural rock piles, Chuckwallas have also been observed inhabiting atypical places such as burrows in dirt, piles of railroad ties, and artificial rip rap. 
Taxonomic Notes 
In 1998 Hollingsworth (Herpetological Monographs 12: 38-191) changed the name from S. obesus to S. ater. The name S. obesus is still preferred by many researchers. 
Taxonomy 
Family Iguanidae Iguanian Lizards 
Genus Sauromalus Chuckwallas 
Species
Common Chuckwalla 
Original Description 
Sauromalus - Dumeril, 1856 - Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, Vol. 8, p. 535 
Sauromalus obesus - Baird, 1858 - Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, Vol. 10, p. 253 
Sauromalus - Greek - sauros - lizard and homalos - level or flat - refers to the ability to flatten its body


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## linda.t

love u thanks:flrt:


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Northern Dusky Salamander*

Description: One of the most variable patterned salamanders in Ohio, adult Northern Dusky Salamanders are usually yellowish brown to dark brown. Five to eight yellow dorsal spots bordered by a dark band are present on juveniles, and some remnants of these markings may or may not be present in adults. The underside is lightly mottled with a mixture of gray or brown. As with other members of this genus, a light line extends from the eye to the angle of the jaws. 

Distribution in Ohio: Mainly south and east of a line from Cincinnati to Cleveland. 


Status in Ohio: Locally abundant and widespread. 


Habitat: Small streams, seeps, and springs, where it lives under rocks, logs, or leaf litter within or adjacent to shallow water. 

Life history: A compact cluster of 12-27 eggs is laid under a rock near water in late July. Females remain with the eggs until hatching in September. The aquatic larvae complete metamorphosis the following summer and begin breeding 2-3 years later. 

Conservation: Populations of Northern Dusky Salamanders are most threatened by destruction, disturbance, or pollution of their small aquatic habitats, including streams and seeps. Pollution, runoff, and stream channelization and scouring are all major threats to these habitats in Ohio. Removal of forests around streams and seeps increases siltation, water temperature, and evaporation, and alters the prey base and foraging opportunities for the species.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Long-Tailed Salamander*

Description: One of Ohio’s longest salamanders, the tail of this aptly named animal comprises 60-65% of its total length (up to 9”). The ground color is usually some shade of yellow or orange, but may be brownish in some individuals. Unlike the closely related Cave Salamander, the black spots on the Long-tailed Salamander are usually arranged into weak rows and form bars on either side of the distal portion of the tail. 

Distribution in Ohio: Southwestern and eastern Ohio. 

Status in Ohio: The Long-tailed Salamander is not a state listed species. 

Habitat: Streams, springs, seeps, caves, and wet shale banks are the primary habitats of the Long-tailed Salamander. Here they are most often found adjacent to or in shallow water, under rocks, logs, or within rock crevices. They are sometimes found some distance from water, in surrounding forest habitats. 

Life history: Breeding presumably occurs in late autumn and early winter. Eggs are laid in the winter, but are rarely found, probably because they are attached to rocks in dark, subsurface streams or seepages. The aquatic larvae hatch in 4-12 weeks and probably complete metamorphosis in the same year, although some may remain as larvae until the following spring or summer. 

Conservation: Populations of Long-tailed Salamanders are most threatened by destruction, disturbance, or pollution of their small aquatic habitats, including headwater streams, springs, and seeps. Pollution, runoff, and stream channelization and scouring are all major threats to these habitats in Ohio.


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## HABU

Description: A small (3-5”) stream-side salamander with a yellowish green to yellowish brown ground color. Two lines (hence the name) extend from the eye down to about one-half the length of the tail (Northern subspecies) or to the tip of the tail (Southern subspecies). There are usually dark spots scattered between the two lines (Northern) or along the sides of the body (Southern). The underside is bright yellow. 

Distribution in Ohio: The Northern Two-lined Salamander (E. b. bislineata) appears to be limited to the north of a line extending from central Knox County to central Jefferson County. The Southern Two-lined Salamander (E. b. cirrigera) occurs south of this line. Breeding between the two subspecies does occur. 

Status in Ohio: Widespread and locally abundant. 

Habitat: Headwater streams, small creeks, springs, and seeps, where they may be found under rocks, logs, and leaf litter at the water’s edge. Sometimes found away from water, in adjacent wet forests. 

Life history: Thirty or more eggs are laid in May, submerged underwater and attached to the underside of a rock. The larvae hatch one month later and remain in the aquatic larval stage until metamorphosis two years later. Sexual maturity is reached at 2-4 years. 

Conservation: Populations of Two-lined Salamanders are most threatened by destruction, disturbance, or pollution of their small aquatic habitats, including streams and seeps. Pollution, runoff, and stream channelization and scouring are all major threats to these habitats in Ohio. Removal of forests around streams and seeps increases siltation, water temperature, and evaporation, and alters the prey base and foraging opportunities for the species.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Spring Salamander*

Description: A large (up to 9”) stout-bodied salamander with a ground color ranging from salmon to pinkish orange. Black spots, flecks, or mottling are present on the body, but may be obscured in older, darker animals. The belly is usually clear. A light line runs from the eye to the nostril, then to the upper lip. This line is usually bordered by darker pigment. 

Distribution in Ohio: There are two subspecies in Ohio. The Kentucky Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus p. duryi) is limited to an area west of the Scioto River in Adams, Scioto, Highland, and Pike Counties. The Northern Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus) is found in eastern Hamilton County and in eastern Ohio, south of the Wisconsin glacial boundary. 

Status in Ohio: The Spring Salamander is not a state listed species. 

Habitat: Springs, seeps, spring-fed headwater streams, caves, and other cool, clear waters free of predaceous fish. In these areas the Spring Salamander is found under rocks, logs, and within burrows in the water and at its edge. 

Life history: Eggs are laid in the summer, attached singly to the underside of a rock within a spring. They hatch later that summer or in the fall. The aquatic larval period lasts 3-4 years. 

Conservation: Spring Salamander populations rely on clear, cool springs, seeps, and headwater streams. Their permeable skin makes them especially susceptible to pollution, such as pesticides, herbicides, runoff, and acid mine drainage. Removal of trees around springs, seeps, and headwater streams may negatively impact populations by increasing temperatures and evaporation. Forested areas around these water sources are also important for foraging.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Four-Toed Salamander*

Description: A small (>4”) woodland salamander easily identified by three characteristics: four toes on each hindfoot (unique among Ohio’s terrestrial salamanders), distinct constriction band around base of tail, and ivory white belly with irregular black speckling. 

Distribution in Ohio: Uncommon, widely scattered populations. 

Status in Ohio: The Ohio Division of Wildlife lists the Four-toed Salamander as a SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN. 

Habitat: Mainly a species of mature swamp forests, undisturbed vernal ponds, and surrounding forests. During the breeding season often found around margins of ponds. Outside of breeding season the Four-toed Salamander lives in underground burrows or under logs and other debris on the moist forest floor. 

Life history: Courtship, mating, and egg-laying are all terrestrial activities, but larvae of the Four-toed Salamander are aquatic. Breeding may occur in both autumn and spring. Females lay eggs in areas where larvae will be able to enter the water upon hatching -- usually under moss on tree trunks or logs overhanging water, in island hummocks within the pool, or under logs along the pond’s margin. The eggs hatch in 5-8 weeks and the aquatic larvae complete metamorphosis in six weeks. Animals become sexually mature after 2 years. 

Conservation: Four-toed Salamanders are usually associated with undisturbed forested wetlands with heavy moss growth. Threats to this species include wetland filling and draining, introduction of fish to breeding ponds, pollutants, such as insecticides and herbicides, and loss of adult habitat.


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## HABU

*Herps of shawnee forest, Marbled Salamander*

Description: A short (3.5-5.5”) stout salamander, easily recognizable by its black ground color with white or silver crossbands across the body and tail. The bands can be quite variable in their size and shape, and individuals lacking any markings have been reported. The underside is all black. 

Distribution in Ohio: Throughout the state. 


Status in Ohio: Generally uncommon. Populations are disjunct and widely scattered and most common in the southeastern portion of the state. 


Habitat: Mature deciduous forest with vernal or floodplain pools for breeding. 

Life history: Unlike the other members of this genus found in Ohio, the breeding season for the Marbled Salamander is in the autumn and courtship, breeding, and egg-laying all occur on land. The eggs are laid in September or October under logs, moss, leaves, or debris along the margins of a vernal pool and are attended to by the female. When autumn rains fill the pool and inundate the eggs, the female leaves and the eggs hatch. The aquatic larvae then overwinter in the pond, completing metamorphosis the following spring or summer. Adults live in adjacent forests, in burrows and under rotting logs and leaf litter. 


Conservation: Marbled Salamander populations only occur in mature deciduous forests having wetland areas for breeding. Destruction of these habitats, including wetland draining and filling, urbanization, and logging, are the greatest threats to these populations. Pollution, including pesticides and herbicides, are easily absorbed into the porous skin of salamanders and are toxic. Predatory fish introduced into a breeding pond will exterminate a population.


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## linda.t

great reading about them all.:no1:


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