A n00bs guide to herping

[Renenet]

Putting the book on order now. I hope there are copies still in stock!

A trick I learned in astronomy is to use a red bulb in the torch or cover the light with red cellophane. Red light doesn't screw up your night vision like white light does. Has anyone done this while herping at night or does it make it too hard to spotlight things?

[GeckPhotographer]

I have never done this but it might change the eye shine.Why is it a problem to not develop night vision in while herping? I cannot see it being that much use?

[Renenet]

I have never done this but it might change the eye shine.Why is it a problem to not develop night vision in while herping? I cannot see it being that much use?

I'm just curious to see if the red light trick has any application in herping. I've only used it to adjust equipment or avoid falling over things in the middle of the night, never for spotting animals.

Night vision in astronomy is pretty important - as your eyes get used to the dark you see stars and other astronomical objects better. It probably doesn't work quite the same way when looking for herps.

[snakeluvver]

Well I followed your advice and had the best herping trip I've ever had. I saw a Water Skink On all my previous trips the only things I saw were garden skinks. I see loads of reptiles but only when I'm not looking for them

[GeckPhotographer]

Yeah torch being used for spotting herps is a bit different than astronomy where you are better off seeing the object without the torch whereas herping the torch really is best to be powerful and illuminate an area in which you can see the animal fairly well, as well as for eyeshine. That said I will likely try the red cellophane thing just to get a perspective on it, cannot say something is not good without at least having a go.

[snohara]

I sure didn't even know there was a name for this. My dad use to take me and my siblings out looking for things. Always peeling bark, lifting stones and sticking fingers down holes. Some of my favorite childhood memories happened under these circumstances. We found a good number of different species across all groups. We were just as happy to spot a big ol huntsman spider as we were to spot a painted dragon. Any thing that moved made us happy. These were lovely days for me and i'm very pleased that i've recently found my way back to herpetology.

Scott.

[Jonno from ERD]

Red filters are great for spotting nocturnal mammals - their eye shine shows up from nearly all angles and is a lot stronger. White light is better for herps as you are usually looking for movement, not eye shine.

[GeckPhotographer]

Good info, so it is better for herp eyeshine too you are suggesting? In my case I am ussually looking for eyeshine I find it far more productive at night but that is just me..

[Renenet]

Thanks Jonno, interesting info.

[waruikazi]

I'm just curious to see if the red light trick has any application in herping. I've only used it to adjust equipment or avoid falling over things in the middle of the night, never for spotting animals.

Night vision in astronomy is pretty important - as your eyes get used to the dark you see stars and other astronomical objects better. It probably doesn't work quite the same way when looking for herps.

I've tried the red lights and decided i don't like it because the filters knock down the ammount of light you have to work with considerably.

Well I followed your advice and had the best herping trip I've ever had. I saw a Water Skink On all my previous trips the only things I saw were garden skinks. I see loads of reptiles but only when I'm not looking for them

Well that's a good start!

[Karly]

So once you find a good herping spot, what's the best technique for actually finding the critters? Most of the herps I've found have either been through sheer luck or they've been in such obvious places it's impossible to miss them! Should I be picking things up and looking underneath them or climbing trees or something along those lines?

[hrafna]

you might all laugh at me. But would investing in a micro inspection camera be worthwhile with finding critters? Same stuff plumbers use to inspect pipes?

[ssssnakeman]

They are a great item hrafna,
as good at looking down holes and hollows as they are for looking in wall cavities.
They are expensive and add a bit of weight to yoUr pack but beat digging, or ripping logs apart.
What a top thread this is..most important,
leave the area like you found it and if you find a hot spot,.
dont give out the location, keep it secret.
Other people might not respect it like u do.

[waruikazi]

So once you find a good herping spot, what's the best technique for actually finding the critters? Most of the herps I've found have either been through sheer luck or they've been in such obvious places it's impossible to miss them! Should I be picking things up and looking underneath them or climbing trees or something along those lines?

All depends. I'm lazy so i like to drive through the roads and clearings looking for stuff sitting or crossing the clearings. But if i'm walking in the scrub i tend to use my ears more than my eyes and then at night you can use a torch to make some herps eyes glow.

I tend not to turn things over.

[Oscar90]

im only relatively new to this but tip for picking up agressive wild pythons, what i do is (wearing shoes) put my foot out in front of its head so it strikes on the sole of the shoe ive found with most pythons around my area that after 5 or so strikes they stop striking and ive been able to pick them up and move them off the road without them tagging me.
again not sure if this is common knowledge its just what i find works well