Locks in the wild!!

So I went walking with my pups today at a park near my house. As I'm walking the trail that runs along a stream, I'm thinking that it's too bad how few snakes and lizards I see around here. I decide I must not be looking hard enough, so every time I hear the leaves on either side of the trail move, I look and usually just find birds. So I keep walking and looking and finally come across a small snake that is maybe three or four feet away. I don't want to get closer with the dogs because I don't want to disturb the snake. I stand there watching only to realize it is two snakes, one a bit smaller that the other, both wrapped all the way around each other and the smaller one's tail moving relentlessly until it gets into the right position and locks up. I have never seen a lock in real life, but I have no doubt, I could even see his muscles contracting near his tail in front of where he wrapped the females tail. A little further along the trail, I saw a single snake on the base of a tree, and then a little further along, another locked pair. All in all I spotted seven snakes, all of which appeared to be the same species and I'm assuming they were Eastern Garters, but not sure. They were all small, maybe 16-24" and the larger females were maybe an inch in diameter. Guess I'm gonna have to learn to look more closely from now on and stop thinking that the noises around me in the woods are always just birds and squirrels.

Spring is coming :) "Love is in the air!!"

Take a camera next time. lol.

Very cool thanks for sharing. Next step is to start bringing your camera and taking pics for all of us who cant get out and do some herping :D.

Just a personal story to add, I lived in colorado for a short period of time, kina out in the boonies and one time carrying groceries into the house I was tripping over garters all up my sidewalk. I didnt see any lockups, but Im pretty sure thats the only reason snakes congregate in numbers is to breed..

Have to try to figure out how to juggle two Great Danes, plus a camera and still get close enough to take decent pics without scaring the snakes off...lol. Luckily, my dogs are really good and listen well when I say stay, so just really need a neck strap for the camera!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brunoheart

Have to try to figure out how to juggle two Great Danes, plus a camera and still get close enough to take decent pics without scaring the snakes off...lol. Luckily, my dogs are really good and listen well when I say stay, so just really need a neck strap for the camera!

---

:rofl: Good luck with that!

Went out again today, took the camera, but do not have pics/vids hosted online yet. Did a bit of research and found out the snakes I'm seeing in the park are Northern Brown Snakes. Caught a short vid of two males breeding the same female today, not sure yet how good the vid will be since the camera screen is so small. Also missed a great shot of one of them periscoping, a third of his body off the ground! Very cool!!
There are also some type of water snake over there, but have not been close enough to see anything except them slithering into the water, so no idea what kind it might be. Definately much larger than the Browns, though.