anyone from the lower mainland, BC???

[munchy]

i live in abbotsford, BC and since i was about 8 or 9 years old i have been catching (and releasing of course) garter snakes. in my town and many other places in the lower mainland, but mainly abby/aldergrove and chilliwack areas. ive noticed that the species i have encountered are EXTREMELY variable, coming with many different patterns, colors and markings. even found a couple of the pure black ones with the sweet blue stripe (melanistic?) i was curious if the species in the areas i listed are all the same or if theres a couple different sub-species in those areas. also those black and blue garters, are those rare? ive only seen two. also, are there any other species besides garters? i just recently found out that we have alligator lizards when i caught one at chilliwack river last year. id like to hear of any other kool herps that we have around here if anyone live near my hood :D
thanx,
Munchy;)

[munchy]

ummm i just realized i probably posted this in the wrong forum. mods feel free to move it to field herping:D

[Vanan]

Hey Munchy! We used to live in Coquitlam and used to most of our herping in the Burnaby Lake area. We've also herped the Sunshine Coast, North Vancouver, Richmond. Not too familiar about the area you're in. But just make it clearer about the garters. There are three subspecies of garters in the GVRD. One is your usual Valley Garter (T. sirtalis fitchi). Don't listen to anyone who tells you that it's a red sided (T. s. parietalis). They're not. You also have the Northwesterns ( T. ordinoides), your friendly garden slug-eater. And last but not least are the Wandering garters (T. elegans vagrans).

Asides from snakes, there are some cool amphibians to herp for too. Ones we've found are the bull frog (yech!), Boreal Chorus frogs, Green frogs, Ensatinas, Western Redback Salamanders, Northwestern Salamanders and the long toed slamanders.

Look up those names if you're not sure what they look like. And btw, next time you find a BLUE and Black garter, TAKE A PIC! lol!. I would love to see something like that! Must be a natural morph. Maybe melanistic but can't tell unless we have a pic man. :)

Anyways, have fun herping in BC. Tons of stuff to see!

[Jeff_Favelle]

Vanan, you left out the Pacific Giantsss!!!! Dicamptidon??

I WILL catch one of those one day!

[munchy]

thanx for the info!! i didnt get out too much this year due to various crap but next year i plan to do lots of herping. dont worry bout the blue garter, ill get another one and when i do, you people will be the first to know. wouldnt mind getting 2 or 3 and get some neonates out of em. if they are melanistic you think theyd be worth much?

[munchy]

woohooo i finally have a star under my name. :D

[Vanan]

Munchy, I wouldn't recommend catching any garters in BC. Catching and keeping that is. It is illegal to collect or posess them in BC. And besides, you'd capture an animal forever if you have a picture of it. Way better. Please try not to damage the sensitive ecosystem of the Lower Mainland which these critters need to thrive in, by collecting wild snakes. Might not be too bad to bring it home to photograph but releasing it after is always best. Trust me, you wouldn't want to feel as guilty as I do.

Jeff, sorry dude. I've never seen one so I can't go about them. Looks like a cool salamander to find though! :D

[Vanan]

Forgot to add that acclimatising a snake which you caught is almost as bad as any other import. Also, Natricines are usually just infested with too much stuff to even bother treating. Mostly due to their diet. :)

[Jungle Jen]

I live in the Lower Mainland and have been fortunate enough to see lots of great creatures. Vanan is definately the one to talk to about garters and other local critters, and the best way to capture them is, as he said, on film. Our ecosystem has taken great blows already from introduced species, we don't need to further their demise by capturing them.

[snakegal12345]

i live in Victoria

[munchy]

Originally posted by snakegal12345
i live in Victoria :thumbsup: :D