ryanharvey1993
Very Well-Known Member
Field Herping guidelines
I have put together a few guidelines to herping, just for people new to it or interested, to tell them a few guideline rules that we should all follow, all of it is so we have as little impact when we do it as possible, Please feel free to add you own stuff, hopefully we can get a sticky on this thread as it will be useful for new herpers or anyone else interested in this.
If you lift a rock, put it back exactly as you found it, do no lift rocks that are to heavy or really fragile, when putting them down, place them don’t just drop them, make sure they are exactly as you found them, do not lift rocks that are likely to topple off edges and always check both sides of the rocks as geckos often are found motionless on the bottom of the rock
Rolling logs, the same as rocks, make sure they are put back as they were found, do not cut hollow logs to pieces searching they provide homes for animals
If you choose to rake leaf litter, make sure you rake all leaves back how you found them and use a plastic rake to avoid damage to animals
When lifting objects, make sure you lift them away from you so animals can escape out the other side, it is safer as you may lift something and find and angry brown snake coming at you
If you find tin, please put that back, be mind full that other herpers may be using it, tin is also a reptiles home and in areas where there is not any other cover that is what they will need to survive
If a reptile goes in a termite mound or outcrop, do not smash the place trying to get it out, just wait quietly and it might come out after about 10 minutes.
Do not take souvenirs, all reptiles are protected in Australia, most are readily available in captivity, just buy one if you like the species
If a reptile goes down a hole, do not attempt to get it out, you never know what else is down there, also you are wrecking something’s home
It is illegal to flip rocks, logs, rake or disturb any habitat in national parks
If you are frogging make sure you wash your boots with f10 before going to separate places to stop the spread of chytrid fungus
Do not handle captive reptiles then handle wild reptiles; there is a risk of spreading disease visa versa
Do not handle the animal for to long as you may stress it, saying this, it is illegal to touch wild reptiles in NSW
If you want to do your bit and help
Do not give out exact locations, dishonest people will always find out and wreck it for everyone, even friends, be careful who you tell, national park name is enough or general area/closest town
Report sighting of endangered species to local wildlife authorities
If you find feral species out herping, remove them from habitat and humanely euthanize them or take them to someone that can
Replace rocks that people have flipped, repair stuff so animals can use it again
Pick up rubbish as it is hazardous to many animals
Remove road killed reptiles off the road, other reptiles might come on the road to eat them and be hit
When night driving or day driving, make sure you “Persuade” the animal off the road, as it is illegal to touch them even if there in danger…. Stupid I know.
Try to educate others that reptiles are protected, not to destroy habitat, kill or poach reptiles, education is the key to saving these species, so if your out herping and find something along the track and others come along maybe you could fill them in on it, every extra person counts
As I have said, feel free to add your own and please post pictures and stories from your herping adventures
Happy herping
I have put together a few guidelines to herping, just for people new to it or interested, to tell them a few guideline rules that we should all follow, all of it is so we have as little impact when we do it as possible, Please feel free to add you own stuff, hopefully we can get a sticky on this thread as it will be useful for new herpers or anyone else interested in this.
If you lift a rock, put it back exactly as you found it, do no lift rocks that are to heavy or really fragile, when putting them down, place them don’t just drop them, make sure they are exactly as you found them, do not lift rocks that are likely to topple off edges and always check both sides of the rocks as geckos often are found motionless on the bottom of the rock
Rolling logs, the same as rocks, make sure they are put back as they were found, do not cut hollow logs to pieces searching they provide homes for animals
If you choose to rake leaf litter, make sure you rake all leaves back how you found them and use a plastic rake to avoid damage to animals
When lifting objects, make sure you lift them away from you so animals can escape out the other side, it is safer as you may lift something and find and angry brown snake coming at you
If you find tin, please put that back, be mind full that other herpers may be using it, tin is also a reptiles home and in areas where there is not any other cover that is what they will need to survive
If a reptile goes in a termite mound or outcrop, do not smash the place trying to get it out, just wait quietly and it might come out after about 10 minutes.
Do not take souvenirs, all reptiles are protected in Australia, most are readily available in captivity, just buy one if you like the species
If a reptile goes down a hole, do not attempt to get it out, you never know what else is down there, also you are wrecking something’s home
It is illegal to flip rocks, logs, rake or disturb any habitat in national parks
If you are frogging make sure you wash your boots with f10 before going to separate places to stop the spread of chytrid fungus
Do not handle captive reptiles then handle wild reptiles; there is a risk of spreading disease visa versa
Do not handle the animal for to long as you may stress it, saying this, it is illegal to touch wild reptiles in NSW
If you want to do your bit and help
Do not give out exact locations, dishonest people will always find out and wreck it for everyone, even friends, be careful who you tell, national park name is enough or general area/closest town
Report sighting of endangered species to local wildlife authorities
If you find feral species out herping, remove them from habitat and humanely euthanize them or take them to someone that can
Replace rocks that people have flipped, repair stuff so animals can use it again
Pick up rubbish as it is hazardous to many animals
Remove road killed reptiles off the road, other reptiles might come on the road to eat them and be hit
When night driving or day driving, make sure you “Persuade” the animal off the road, as it is illegal to touch them even if there in danger…. Stupid I know.
Try to educate others that reptiles are protected, not to destroy habitat, kill or poach reptiles, education is the key to saving these species, so if your out herping and find something along the track and others come along maybe you could fill them in on it, every extra person counts
As I have said, feel free to add your own and please post pictures and stories from your herping adventures
Happy herping
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