Snakes are fascinating

[taswegian]

A few weeks back I saw a live one near where I found this today. Got a pic but only of his last 2/3rds.
Looked big enough to fit this fellas leaveoffs.
It measure 1150mm with a couple bends so guess he'd be a genuine 4 footer.
Love to see this happen and not just find the remnants.

Front on closeup

Thats the second skin I've found in last 2 weeks here. Wife not impressed!

As I was taking the top photo the tail started moving back and forwards slightly. Must have been a very light breeze.
It looked a bit creepy gazing through the viewfinder and see that happen.

[iandsmith]

Wife not impressed? You'll have to stop taking them home!

[taswegian]

I saw the snake again yesterday curled up in an incredible tight spiral on itself.
Bit like the way a softserve comes out of the dispenser.
Guess it was preserving heat. Have never seen such a big snake so tightly curled.
I'm curious as to their range? Anyone with ideas?

[Nuts]

That's a pretty impressive skin I don't think iv'e seen one complete. I'm not a snake enthusiast but they are fascinating. I was sitting on a log near Lk Ayr watching a large tiger taking a break in slouthing its skin. It had slipped in behind my heels under the log, neither of us were going anywhere in a hurry. What I noticed (in the lifetime it took to move on) was how they (must) regulate body temperature on a hot day by adjusting the amount of body in the sun. It occasionally pushing out or retrieving a bend or two.

Iv'e always told people that they are territorial, having a short route from heavy cover through their hunting grounds that they follow each day?? I'm not sure who told me this, perhaps a doco or read the notes from a study.

[jackhinde]

Elapid skins are typically about 10 to 20 percent longer than the snake that shed them and a re therefore an unrealiable means of determining length. None the less it would have been an impressive animal. Yes they are territorial, territory size dependent on food and cover availibility.

[seakar]

on regulating temperature... spotted this one taking a swim while i was parked in Lady bay. (Stuarts Bay) it swam from the point out on Lady bay all the way back to Stuarts bay lodge.