# Desert tortoises, and other critters in AZ



## gummybearpoop (Mar 6, 2011)

Hi everyone 

Here are some photos I took of desert tortoises and other desert creatures. 
http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4767&p=57425#p57425


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## Laura (Mar 6, 2011)

wow!!


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## Tom (Mar 6, 2011)

Wow Norman. That was like a book on SW herps. You should make it into a book. I too liked the chuck overlooking the city pic. Why did that one snake cost you a lot of money?

The pics of gilas and DTs in their natural burrows were amazing and offer great insight into housing and caring for them.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 6, 2011)

Great pictures, Norman! I almost skipped over this thread, but I'm very glad I didn't.


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## ticothetort2 (Mar 6, 2011)

Really awesome pics, thanks for sharing...


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## gummybearpoop (Mar 6, 2011)

Tom said:


> Why did that one snake cost you a lot of money?




Tom
Thanks for the comments
That snake cost me a lot of money because I was bit and hospitalized for 4 days. I need to invest in a better camera with good lens. A book would be nice, but Im not at that level yet. Do you ever go looking around for animals around your neck of the woods?


Thanks Laura, Tico, and Yvonne


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## Tom (Mar 6, 2011)

gummybearpoop said:


> Do you ever go looking around for animals around your neck of the woods?



Oh yes. I'm constantly on the look out, but since I don't go out with the intention of finding stuff, I seldom have my camera. My job also takes me into all sorts of places where I'm privileged to see all sorts of cool stuff.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Mar 6, 2011)

Beautiful.


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## pdrobber (Mar 6, 2011)

awesome. so. many. pictures. thanks for sharing


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## jobeanator (Mar 6, 2011)

wow norm sweet pics i always get jealous when you post all these reptiles you see or have! I never knew arizona had soo many cool herps down there i might have to live down there one of these days new york's reptiles arent as cool as arizonas!


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## Badgemash (Mar 6, 2011)

I think some of those shots are definitely book quality! Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the reminder that I need to be careful when I'm climbing around the desert doing field work this spring.

-Devon


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## Neal (Mar 6, 2011)

Wow, right in my own backyard. Those desert tortoises were amazing looking. Are they difficult to find out there, or did you know where to look?


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## gummybearpoop (Mar 6, 2011)

Thanks everyone!



Neal said:


> Wow, right in my own backyard. Those desert tortoises were amazing looking. Are they difficult to find out there, or did you know where to look?



Neal, I used to look for them when I was a child and never found one. Some places they are difficult to find and some places easy. If you are interested, maybe you can go on a tortoise survey with AZG&F....they are fun. Lemme know


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## Tortuga_terrestre (Mar 6, 2011)

AWESOME! Why was the DT hatchling colors more vibrant??? My DT's are vary from dark to sandy color..but that little guy looked orange.


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## Angi (Mar 7, 2011)

Your pictures are amazing. I wish I could take better wild life pictures. Everything runs away too fast. I tried to take a picture of a Ca. King in my front yard, but he darted away. I was still excited to get to see him. That is what I like to look for Ca. Kings. I think they are the only Kings we have in San Diego mountain area. I look for horned toads and thoughs shinny blue striped lizards too. I used to see them all the time when I was a kid. not often now....sad.


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## gummybearpoop (Mar 7, 2011)

Tortuga_terrestre said:


> AWESOME! Why was the DT hatchling colors more vibrant??? My DT's are vary from dark to sandy color..but that little guy looked orange.




Thanks. When you say your DT hatchlings are darker.... are those captive bred or wild animals?

The baby we found is from the Sonoran Desert, and maybe the babies from the Mojave look different. 



Angi said:


> Your pictures are amazing. I wish I could take better wild life pictures. Everything runs away too fast. I tried to take a picture of a Ca. King in my front yard, but he darted away. I was still excited to get to see him. That is what I like to look for Ca. Kings. I think they are the only Kings we have in San Diego mountain area. I look for horned toads and thoughs shinny blue striped lizards too. I used to see them all the time when I was a kid. not often now....sad.



Thanks Angi. I love cal kings too, but have only found 3-4 in my life. Do you ever go look for California Mountain Kings? The San Diego California Mountain Kingsnake is one of the most beautiful subspecies and beautiful snakes in California. If I were in California, I would look for all the subspecies of California Mountain Kingsnakes, Rosy Boas, Rubber Boas, Panamint Rattlesnakes, Red Diamond Rattlesnakes, Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnakes, San Francisco Gartersnakes, etc. etc. California has some wonderful species. Not too sure if you are into rattlers.


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## ChiKat (Mar 7, 2011)

Ahhh why can't I see the pictures?!?! It says "Bandwidth exceeded. Upgrade to Pro today!"
Cruel. I want to see!!


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## gummybearpoop (Apr 8, 2011)

ChiKat said:


> Ahhh why can't I see the pictures?!?! It says "Bandwidth exceeded. Upgrade to Pro today!"
> Cruel. I want to see!!



New month, now you can see! Hurry before it exceeds again! haha I am too cheap to upgrade!


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## dmarcus (Apr 8, 2011)

Those are some very cool pics, must be fun to get to see all those interesting animals..


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## luke (Apr 10, 2011)

Did not expect so many pics!!!

Nice work


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## SnakeyeZ (Apr 10, 2011)

Fabulious photography.


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## TebowHammer (Apr 10, 2011)

Amazing pictures, Norman!

I just saw this thread at the top of the forum and had to check it out. Very impressed!

Please post some more whenever you get the chance!

Cheers


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## CtTortoiseMom (Apr 10, 2011)

Thanks so much for sharing! I alway's thought it would be an amazing vacation to go to somewhere like AZ and be taken on like a wild life tour by someone who really knew where to find them. You are living my dream vacay!


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## Jacob (Apr 10, 2011)

Great Pictures, thanks for sharing!


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## terryo (Apr 10, 2011)

Wow! I don't know how I missed this thread. Those pictures were amazing.


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## Paige Lewis (Apr 11, 2011)

Amazing photographs, i really enjoyed looking through them, thanks for sharing!


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