Slide marks gait vs. length

[waruikazi]

I want to see if there is a way to get a relatively accurate idea of a snakes length and girth from the gait on their slide marks.

If you know a rough ratio i'd love to hear it or if you have pictures of slide marks from animals of a known approx length and girth (particularly pythons) can you post them and i'll see if i can work something out.

 

[Sock Puppet]

Would the amplitude of the tracks also change in regard to the speed of the animal? That is, would tracks from a snake just cruising along differ to tracks from the same animal moving quicker (for example to avoid a predator)?

 

[fugawi]

How would you tell if the snake had just fed? It's girth would be larger.

 

[waruikazi]

How would you tell if the snake had just fed? It's girth would be larger.

After a snake has had a feed they will usually move a very small distance to the nearest hiding place to digest, so generally speaking you wont find slide marks from a recently fed snake. If you do, depending on the size of the meal, you will see drag marks rather than slide marks from them crinkling up and then pushing/pulling themselves forward rather than the general lateral undulation type of motion.

Come on guys stop throwing curly ones!!!! This is going to be hard enough to work out as it is!!!!

 

[fugawi]

I get that but what about a couple of days later, still a small lump but much freer movement and possibly on the hunt again?

 

[waruikazi]

I get that but what about a couple of days later, still a small lump but much freer movement and possibly on the hunt again?

That's kinda what i am hoping to find out.

If you look at the slide marks from a death adder (which you can pick from the marks left by the caudal lure) the gait is about twice as wide as it is long and the width of the slide (belly print) you could describe as fat.

If you compare that to a black headed python the gait is about as wide as it is long and the width of the slide is i suppose what you would call average.

I want to know if you can extrapolate relatively accurately the length and width of a snake from it's slide marks because there is a python out this way that is very long and very thin in comparison to other pythons and i want to know if the slide marks i'm finding are from that snake.

 

[SnakeNBake]

You guys have just made my day with this thread!!! I have never had a chance to track reptiles. Tracking is another field Im a complete noob in but I love to learn about. Great questions!

@SockPuppet - I'd assume that speed would change the track, eg distance between markings, and maybe width...maybe??

@Waruikazi - Fascinating stuff, you know the area and tracks of the local fauna really well obviously, are you thinking its a rarer species or maybe an unwell snake?? Have you got any photos of any tracks you've come across?

 

[fugawi]

This might sound kinda strange but have you thought about asking some Aboriginal trackers/hunters exactly how they do it?

 

[SnakeNBake]

I would seriously love to learn some skills from some aboriginal trackers. I've heard some amazing stories.

 

[waruikazi]

This might sound kinda strange but have you thought about asking some Aboriginal trackers/hunters exactly how they do it?

No they all think i'm a weirdo for looking for snakes and the trackers tend to come from the desert where there is less food. Up here there's heaps, no need to do much tracking. That and the birds tend to tell you more than the tracks can.

You guys have just made my day with this thread!!! I have never had a chance to track reptiles. Tracking is another field Im a complete noob in but I love to learn about. Great questions!

@SockPuppet - I'd assume that speed would change the track, eg distance between markings, and maybe width...maybe??

@Waruikazi - Fascinating stuff, you know the area and tracks of the local fauna really well obviously, are you thinking its a rarer species or maybe an unwell snake?? Have you got any photos of any tracks you've come across?

I've got no idea what it is but it has visited the same area atleast 2 nights in a row now and if it is what i want it to be it might be worth camping out for.

 

[SnakeNBake]

Intriguing, keep us posted!!

 

[S&M Morelia]

What if you did a few tests for yourself?
Grab a heap of sand and a few different sized animals and let them have a slide?
Record your findings and there you go.

 

[waruikazi]

What if you did a few tests for yourself?
Grab a heap of sand and a few different sized animals and let them have a slide?
Record your findings and there you go.

I haven't got any pythons.

 

[SnakeNBake]

Thats a great idea!! Man that would be fun to do. Quick i need a snake collection!!!

Waruikazi, you could start cataloguing tracks with photos and make notes of findings.

 

[Sock Puppet]

@SockPuppet - I'd assume that speed would change the track, eg distance between markings, and maybe width...maybe??
?? Have you got any photos of any tracks you've come across?

Don't know about width, but I'd probably take a punt at amplitude & frequency.
Also the amount of substrate "pushed out" at each peak could differ due to speed, however so many other variables would have to be taken into account, dirt/sand composition, wet/damp/dry, etc etc.

I've got no idea what it is but it has visited the same area atleast 2 nights in a row now and if it is what i want it to be it might be worth camping out for.

good luck mate, I reckon I could take a punt at what you're chasing

 

[Dan40D]

There are some zoology students on the site, sounds like a good thesis project or field study for them. Either that or call mythbusters. I have no idea on the answer to your question Gordo, but i think it is fascinating and applaud you for thinking outside the box a little.

 

[Bloomster]

I will do some experiments with my pythons on thursday for you, i will get track marks from 3 different species and a few different size animals from each. All pythons though. all known size and weights.... hope you can wait that long.

Bloomers

 

[Elapidae1]

Yep reckon I know what your chasing to, hope you finally find it.

@Sockpuppet I think your snake is a monitor and direction would have been heading towards you while taking the photo.

Direction of snakes can be ascertained from the substrate being pushed behind the coil as it moves forward.

Or a monitor over a snake track or viseversa

 

[Sock Puppet]

Considered that Steve (especially since it's like a double track) but at no point where I followed it did I notice claw marks clearly evident so figured it for a snake.

 

[SnakeNBake]

I'd have to agree with steve1 on what your track might be SockPuppet. There is what looks like claw marks either side
Edit: pic removed

I found this page which has some good descriptions of types of snake movement and the tracks they leave. Snake Tracks