katsnake
03-18-2007, 10:35 PM
I spent about 4 hours at the zoo today, saw a Chuckwalla and a gazillion people.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/th_20070318007.jpg (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/20070318007.jpg)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/th_20070318006.jpg (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/20070318006.jpg)
I pointed out which snakes were which and where they were hiding. The Zoo personel came in after a while and started putting what I thought was cotton fluff in the different areas, but after asking about it, I found out that it was sheep's wool. They put in a little raw wool in the areas to provide "enrichment" for the snakes. Sure enough, they all seemed to get active after that, moving all around and pretty much wanting to get away from the sheep... which was the intent.
After a while, I was told by a BUNCH of people that there was a snake that had "escaped" and was over by the door to the Danger and Deception" section. I went over there to see, and it was a wild CalKing. I picked it up and it didn't offer to bite or anything, only vibrating its tail a little at first. I told the people that it was not an escapee, but wild. I then found a zoo employee so I could find out where to put it, knowing that it probably would be released there again. It was moved off to another area, just a few yards from where I caught it, and they mentioned that there were several Kingsnakes, Gophersnakes and even some rattlesnakes up in the area near the Bighorn sheep. They just let the wild ones hang out and occasionally move them when they are in a path, like I did.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/th_20070318005.jpg (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/20070318005.jpg)
They said that the kings and gophers don't try to bite anymore because they have all been relocated more than a few times.
Next time I go, I am going to check with the Park Ranger right off the bat to see if I can borrow one of the zoo's exhibition animals to have there in the reptile area, it would be pretty cool if they let me. Today there was only one Pyro that was not blue or resting from yesterday's exhibition, and they had it at the entrance to the AZ Trail, where they had a couple of tables set up.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/th_20070318007.jpg (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/20070318007.jpg)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/th_20070318006.jpg (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/20070318006.jpg)
I pointed out which snakes were which and where they were hiding. The Zoo personel came in after a while and started putting what I thought was cotton fluff in the different areas, but after asking about it, I found out that it was sheep's wool. They put in a little raw wool in the areas to provide "enrichment" for the snakes. Sure enough, they all seemed to get active after that, moving all around and pretty much wanting to get away from the sheep... which was the intent.
After a while, I was told by a BUNCH of people that there was a snake that had "escaped" and was over by the door to the Danger and Deception" section. I went over there to see, and it was a wild CalKing. I picked it up and it didn't offer to bite or anything, only vibrating its tail a little at first. I told the people that it was not an escapee, but wild. I then found a zoo employee so I could find out where to put it, knowing that it probably would be released there again. It was moved off to another area, just a few yards from where I caught it, and they mentioned that there were several Kingsnakes, Gophersnakes and even some rattlesnakes up in the area near the Bighorn sheep. They just let the wild ones hang out and occasionally move them when they are in a path, like I did.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/th_20070318005.jpg (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c198/katsnake/PHXZoo/20070318005.jpg)
They said that the kings and gophers don't try to bite anymore because they have all been relocated more than a few times.
Next time I go, I am going to check with the Park Ranger right off the bat to see if I can borrow one of the zoo's exhibition animals to have there in the reptile area, it would be pretty cool if they let me. Today there was only one Pyro that was not blue or resting from yesterday's exhibition, and they had it at the entrance to the AZ Trail, where they had a couple of tables set up.