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Checkered Keelback and Indian Bull Frogs

Xenochrophis piscator and Hoplobatrachus tigerinus

Notes:

Saw this water snake and group of frogs enjoying a nice sunbath on a rock in a well. Have been watching them for quite some time and wondering that this snake might someday make a meal out of one of these frogs, but i guess it never happened.

1 Species ID Suggestions

YogeshSave
YogeshSave 12 years ago
Trinket Snake
Coelognathus helena


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31 Comments (1–25)

Atul
Atul 10 years ago

Thanks Harsha :)

Harsha Singh
Harsha Singh 10 years ago

Wow! Surprised to see them resting together! Great series!

Wild Things
Wild Things 11 years ago

Great article John! Thanks for sharing such amazing piece of information.

JohnFTaylor
JohnFTaylor 11 years ago

Very welcome Atul, I was pretty amazed myself when I did the research for that article. :)

Atul
Atul 11 years ago

Wow thanks John that is such a informative page ... after reading it, it could very well be the other way round too ...must keep a watch

JohnFTaylor
JohnFTaylor 11 years ago

Sometimes it's the frogs who turn the tables http://bit.ly/PZfaAm

Atul
Atul 11 years ago

Thanks Sachin and Deva :)

Deva R Kumar
Deva R Kumar 11 years ago

Too good, lucky u :)

Sachin Zaveri
Sachin Zaveri 11 years ago

wow,,

Atul
Atul 11 years ago

thanks Viv!

VivBraznell
VivBraznell 11 years ago

Brilliant spotting. Love the first image Atul!

Atul
Atul 12 years ago

Thanks keith for your valuable update , i have discussed your suggestions with the owner of this well and he agrees with the fact that these frogs do fall in the well during monsoon when the well is full. But about the snakes he said that they were able to come out of the well very easily (he says he has seen them coming out ) but guess they choose to live in it.
we will definitely try and relocate those snakes as per your friends suggestion and also cover it so as to prevent new ones from falling in.thanks again!

one more pic updated today , note that the water level has considerably gone down and fewer number of frogs and snakes were seen.

keithp2012
keithp2012 12 years ago

I finally got around to asking a friend who knows a lot about reptiles and amphibians. He suspects year after year new frogs and snakes fall into the well and ones already trapped perish so it seems they are living in there but in fact are dying and new ones fall in frequently. In the right season the frogs may mate and tadpoles will thrive there, so at that time trapped frogs and snakes might eat some tadpoles, but once they grow up there will be little or no food to eat, especially for the snakes, the frogs might get lucky and snatch a fallen insect or two but from the photo all the animals look thin, and they can go a while without food which means they survive for a few weeks on far reserves and then die. It's too bad your friend can't catch them all and release them in a pond and the snakes in a wooded are, and try to cover the well so no others fall in or put planks of wood so they can climb out if they fall in.

Atul
Atul 12 years ago

Thank you so much Chime :-)

ChimeTsetan
ChimeTsetan 12 years ago

Wow, co-existing.
frog = indian bull frog and
snake = checkered keelback. :)

Atul
Atul 12 years ago

@keith thats what the snake is doing on that wooden plank .when ever i see them a few of those snakes are always up on the plank or on the stone borders.similarly with the frogs too, did some questioning to the person who owns that well and he said they are there all year round .

keithp2012
keithp2012 12 years ago

Isn't there some way to get them out, snakes especially need to sunbathe to digest food and can go over a month without eating, so they may be in danger of dying.

CarolSnowMilne
CarolSnowMilne 12 years ago

I can't get over the pose of the 2nd photo. Living in harmony. Side by side. Friends. HA!

MaryEvans2
MaryEvans2 12 years ago

Wonderful spotting and photo. Will be interesting to see if the snake keeps them as friends, or decides to make dinner of them :)

Atul
Atul 12 years ago

Thanks every one for the complements ! Am going to follow these for some more time and keep updating :-)

Gerardo Aizpuru
Gerardo Aizpuru 12 years ago

Wow incredible association! Atul
Grate spotting and photos.

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

Love it! It's like the old saying "Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer!"

CarolSnowMilne
CarolSnowMilne 12 years ago

Amazing! I can't believe it! Almost comical. And the next photo. Priceless. WOW!

YogeshSave
YogeshSave 12 years ago

Wow!!!!!! Dr. great spotting...

Maria dB
Maria dB 12 years ago

Great spotting and the second photo with the frog and snake looking at you is really nice!

Atul
Spotted by
Atul

Maharashtra, India

Spotted on Feb 24, 2012
Submitted on Feb 24, 2012

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