Thanks Tim and Michal!
Was my first encounter despite a lot of researches (yes, before you know what, when and where to look, they are invisible!), old reflexes came first, before rational analysis.
I had a cell phone and even my camera in hand… The snake was just at a totally improbable place, an open area at the limit of a reed swamp. I was thinking it is just a branch before I realized it was a damn snake. Then I was close and the snake alerted. I rushed to it instead of freezing and using my camera. Of course the snake caught me and retreated in its hole
Terrible decision making I swear, I did not repeat that later on with the other snakes. To cross-answer some other posts, I stick to (or try to…) “observe and shoot
in situ pictures FIRST” now, you can see them behave quite naturally in such place (they are used to people), it is really something amazing (and you can later share). Maybe even more amazing than handling a stressed snake trying to save its life.
Anyway, I will try again to find it back next spring! Definitely a gorgeous snake with an amazing body pattern. Will look for
Lycodon rufozonatum as well which is described for Beijing area but a strict nocturnal snake.
Regarding
Trachemys, I would say it is definitely more than a “pet store” species and that the problem. I found it for 10 RMB (less than 2 euros) in supermarket (babies still in the shipping tubes) alongside common plants and small goldfish. That is how it get sale easily. Also found some on sale in the Beijing aquarium shops…
Turtle shops in pet store have a HUGE diversity of turtles, and I don’t have memory of that one… I do believe they come from South China where you can have cheap outdoor facilities for turtle production.
Next, regarding the lotus, I have not tried myself yet, but I believe this species needs really hot and sunny places to grow well (if I think about the conditions here…)
Best wishes,
Guillaume