Herpo - ken, ever suffer serious injury while herping/
Ken Foose - yes, a couple lol
Ken Foose - I got sunstroke once while herping in Amboy CA, put me down for a day or 2, a few broken bones here and there, but nothing really serious


Just_me - what was the most amazing animal you found? or unusual?
Ken Foose - I would have to say a heloderma was the most amazing
Ken Foose - just to find one is a real treat


Ratsnake - what is your opinion of the Elaphe o. obsleta and the subspecies throughout the united states?
Ken Foose - it is sometimes confusing, and a little frustating, I am almost inclined to follow Collins on this and eliminate the sub-species all together


RonB- Ever find any Green Rat Snakes? And if yes, please god, any hints?? :)
Ken Foose - Ron, sorry, no, wish I had though


SAPO - Whats your feeling on comercial collecting in Nevada? For or against? Should it be stopped?
Ken Foose - I have been in the middle of this for years, I have to say that I don't really have a problem with it in a controlled way, but the current regs are un-enforceable


SAPO - when was the last time you where in the feild?
Ken Foose - oh my, actually several years ago, I do a little road hunting now and then, but that's about it


vibora - NM is getting ready to put a bill before the legislature to stop commercial collecting. What sorts of things would you suggest to make it functional as law?
Ken Foose - It is hard to come down for or against without hard data on the impact on native populations, without this, I have never been able to back the issue one way or the other
vibora - What would you see as a way to make necessary legislation functional?
Ken Foose - I would be cautious about any legislation, you would have to have lots of checks and balances all the way around


JeffB - of all the places you have been herping which was the most fun?
Ken Foose - in the Southwest, I would have to say the Northern Arizona area


BradS - Do you have any tips on finding Cal Kings and Rosy boas in southwest Arizona?
Ken Foose - luck, and knowing where they are found at a given time of day
BradS - what time of year is the best?
Ken Foose - I have been very lucking in March through May
Ken Foose - and during the rains in August


ff468 - which state out here has the worst herp laws ?
Ken Foose - Arizona and Califonia are tied, both need improvement, although Utah is by far the worst of all


gatorboy - Well Ken out of all the time you have been herping in the South West have you had much luck tracking down Heloderma?
Ken Foose - thanks gator, good question,I have found 4 gilas myself over the last 20 or so years
Ken Foose - they are a real treat to find for sure, but others in Nevada have had much better luck then me
Ken Foose - I found 2 on the Sandy Valley rd at dusk a few years ago, one at the Cali Nevada border near Needles, another in Red rock Canyon in Vegas


Herpo - ken, I need a a pair of blacks, what area, what time of year for really nice black cerberus
Ken Foose - Herpo, I am not sure, you should tell me lol
Herpo - cottonwood/sedona, June
Herpo - there ya go


Just_me - do you think there is any truth to the rumor of a albino Gila?
Ken Foose - I have seen photos of it, not sure who has it though, Jeff may know
JeffB - not I...
JeffB - I have seen some photos, won't beleive it til I see it or see it on a real breeders list, like the mythical albino chondro
Ken Foose - perhaps me too then
Ken Foose - me either
Ken Foose - It would be fun to find one though


Lweb215102 - What advise can u give us youngens about herping in the southwest?
Ken Foose - just folllow the regs of the state your in, and try to find an old guy like John to show you the ropes
Herpo - or an older one like foose
Ken Foose - and stay out of the sun


Ratsnake - I realize most of these questions are directed toward the south west, but I must ask you. What is you opinion on the laws agianst the collecting and housing of herps in the state of Georgia, if you are familiar with these laws?
Ken Foose - I am not real familiar with them, sorry
Ken Foose - I pay close attention to my own back yard, and states that affect it
Ratsnake - thats ok thanks


SAPO - Ever Herp in the Tucson Area? How's the Bagy Meister?
Ken Foose - never got to hunt Tuscon, and bagy is bagy lol


vibora - Of all the time you've spent in zoos and in your store what species of snakes have you developed a fondness for and why?
Ken Foose - I am most fond of my false water cobras and my beauty snakes
Ken Foose - Just like them big rear fanged guys I guess
Ken Foose - at the zoos I really liked working with uromastyx and such


JeffB - Ken whats the most exotic place you have gone herping
Ken Foose - I have been throughout latin america, I love Peru, and such places as that


matt2- which, one herp, was the most difficult for you to find in the wild
Ken Foose - I have never found an emerald tree boa and I want to do so really bad
Ken Foose - as far as the southwest, the Lyre snake in Nevada is fun to try and find


Amphirites - pass
JeffB - BeckyB go ahea
JeffB - d
BeckyB - Well Billy boy just stole my question! Pass!
JeffB - BenR - passes?
BenR - I know this is suppose to be about the southwest region, but if you could go anywhere where would you go and what would you want to find?
Ken Foose - I would really like to herp New Guinea, Bolean's pythons would be fun


BradS - Are there any laws in Arizona prohibiting the collecting of Cal Kings? If so does it prohibit selling them or is it just down right illegal to collect them in Az?
Ken Foose - I believe you need a permit to collect now, and only for private uses
Ken Foose - but others here would know more about that then I
Herpo - you can collect with a hunting license and take out of state, but illegal for an AZ resident to sell ANY native herps


Diggy - have u found desert iggs and what do u know about breeding them?
Ken Foose - I have collected many of them, in a outdoor setup they should be very easy to breed
Diggy - what about indoor?
Ken Foose - Indoor is tough, but possible with the right space and lighting
Ken Foose - these animals require a large area to reproduce


JeffB - ff468 go ahead
ff468 - which herps should we place more effort in captive breeding,and how do we convince utah to allow breeding native herps?
Ken Foose - that is a tough one, Utah is really hard on breeding
Ken Foose - you need to get together and let them know that it is more then a few of you interested in it, band together as we did in Nevada


gatorboy - With the current increase in herp regulations what part do you see organizations such as the IHS playing in keeping things in check? Not that all regulations are a bad thing....
Ken Foose - IHS is more of a clearing house for information, a information portal so to speak then
Ken Foose - I feel that NRAAC and Pijac are the more logical places to start
gatorboy - it is up to us to get the info and follow through
gatorboy - PIJAC?
Ken Foose - yes it is
Ken Foose - Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council


Herpo - and what zoos have you worked at?
Ken Foose - I have been at Oklahoma City, Topeka, Spokane, and WoodlandPard in Seattle, and a short stint in Dallas, hated it there lol
Just_me - What was the largest and smallest herp you have ever found?
Ken Foose - the largest was a green anaconda in Peru, the smallest was a Tantilla in W. Nevada


SAPO - Is there a good zoo in Las Vegas
Ken Foose - no


JeffB - Are there any Casinos doing anything w/herps out there?
Ken Foose - Yes Jeff
Ken Foose - Mandalay bay has set up an very nice aquarium, and have included some nice crocs, water monitors, and now some chondros


matt2- which herp in the s.w. would you most like to find next?
Ken Foose - I would love to find some Green Ratsnakes, if I ever get down there again


BenR - what areas of Cali have you had the best luck find california mountain kings?
Ken Foose - Ben, I suck at zonata, have really never had any luck lol
Ken Foose - ask Rick Staub, he might tell you lol


Eryx - have you ever done any herping with any of the folks from Texas zoos , such as Ardel Mitchell of Dave Blody??or others
Ken Foose - I have been out with Blody once, and Jim Murphy in latin america several time and Paul Freed from Houston a couple of times
Ken Foose - can only go out with Blody once haha
Ken Foose - Blody is great, just hyper lol