My garter snakes! Red sided & now wandering

[jaleely]

My new wandering garter snakes!

The boy...Smider.

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/garters/Photo5416.jpg
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/garters/Photo5403.jpg

Smider the wandering garter. Arrived at my in-laws house. My father in law doesn't like snakes, and so when we got there to pick up the box, he asked what was in it...and he meant to say a spider, or a snake, but it came out Smider *lol*

Then the girl, Sletha

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/garters/Photo5404.jpg
Sletha the wandering garter. My father in law again... he was trying to say their dog's name, tessa, and that to have her get away from the box the snake arrived in and was trying to say the snake would slither. *lol* Came out sletha.

THEN here are some more pics of my red sided garters.
The girl
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/garters/Photo5399.jpg
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/garters/Photo5392.jpg

I think we've decided to name her Cream

Then the boy
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/garters/Photo5397.jpg
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/garters/Photo5396.jpg
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/jaleely/garters/Photo5398.jpg

Decided to name him Berry.

So now I have Berry and Cream!

Starburst Commercial - YouTube (http://youtu.be/wYX_zhlTDr8)

[Kettennatter]

Very cute! I have the hardest time getting good pics of mine; it just won't stay still.

[snake man12]

Nice big eyes on those fellows!

[jaleely]

kettennatter mine are only holding still because they want to see if i am going to feed them *lol*

[Kettennatter]

kettennatter mine are only holding still because they want to see if i am going to feed them *lol*

I guess mine has me figured out by now. :D Maybe I should set up a structure outside his enclosure for him to play with, so I can get a few good shots. (He is watching me right now. I'm sure if snakes could laugh ...)

[Pareeeee]

Love Garters. They are so 'cute'! Nice ones you've got there.

[infernalis]

. (He is watching me right now. I'm sure if snakes could laugh ...)

Mine are pacing back and forth.. guess I better feed them.:D

Someone has Tham-fever.

[Kettennatter]

Mine are pacing back and forth.. guess I better feed them.:D

Someone has Tham-fever.

Mine also just had some food. I wonder if garter snakes are smarter than other snakes: I can feed mine by hand. It just comes up to the hand and waits for food, and once food is produced, he simply takes it.

[Jlassiter]

I feed my checkered garter f/t fuzzies out of my hand......

BTW...nice snakes!

[infernalis]

Mine also just had some food. I wonder if garter snakes are smarter than other snakes: I can feed mine by hand. It just comes up to the hand and waits for food, and once food is produced, he simply takes it.


Yes indeed they are.

Thamnophis (True Garter snakes) are a member of the Natricine snake group that includes the Water snake (nerodia), Storeria (Dekayi & Red Belly) and the European Natrix species.

The entire group bear live young, with the exclusion of the European Natrix species, Natrix are egg layers (oviparous)

Polymorphism exists in many of the species, resulting in selective breedings of snows, anerytristics, erythristics, albinos and "Flame" (bright red) with several west coast species displaying predominantly blue pigmentations.

Garter snakes are often described as "social" as they form orgies called "Breeding Balls" in the wild each spring, can often be found hiding together, and because they are so prolific, and vast in numbers have adapted well to sharing resources.

With this in mind, most experienced keepers have deemed it safe to cohab more than one per enclosure, however due to their insatiable feeding response, it is only safe if you are willing to seperate them at feeding time, otherwise food fights will break out.

They are some of the smallest of the colubrids, they are all highly inquisitve and always well aware of their surroundings.

Along with the standard hides & water, it is best to provide climbing, swimming and burrowing opportunities to keep the snake occupied.

They commonly will stare out the glass at you, I can get many to follow my finger along the glass without even trying hard.

Most will tolerate handling fairly well, but the females are far calmer than the males who will frequently musk and never stop squirming about.

Even wild females can be coaxed to eat from your hand sometimes without as much as touching her.

One day while I was photographing a large female in my back lot, I had spooked away her male counterpart, however while I took pictures of her, he returned to the scene three times to see what was going on.:eek:

What can I say..

Garter Snakes! (http://www.thamnophis.net)
Garter Snakes (http://www.thamnophis.us)
Thamnophis - Garter Snakes (http://www.thamnophis.co)
Garter Snakes (http://www.thamnophis.net/Gartersnakes/index.html)
Garter Snake Forum (http://www.thamnophis.com)

[jaleely]

LOL there we go wayne!!

and thank you jlassiter!

and yeah, I do house my red sidedes together, and my wanderings together. When they get a little older and i finish quaranteening the wanderings, i will separate them by sex.

I plan to get a blue set...maybe florida blues or some puget sounds, in either green or blue. But i am SO open to getting more garters! they are So fun, so inquisitive, such cute personalities, and they are one of the most fun species of snakes to watch eat!! sooo cute!

The females easily eat from my hand, or eat while i'm holding them.
Both males are fidgety, and picky. I'm finally getting the male red sided to take food easier, but all but the female wandering freaks out if i try to pick them up.

i haven't had my babies for long though. i'm positive i will get them more acclimated with time : )

oh yeah, and i want some flames, and maybe some easterns.... . . .ehehe!

[jaleely]

We're leaving to visit family in oregon for a week. I plan to go garter herping! But also i worry about my little ones while i'm gone.
Not so much the red sidedes...they've been eating trout and getting lots of protien. The wanderings have decided they like slugs!

As far as i can tell, slugs have good calcium in them, but may not have a lot of protein. They also haven't shed since i got them. I expect to see some sheds when i get back in a week. I am just going to put a LOT of water in there, two water dishes, and my in-laws will be checking on everyone...but they are not into snakes and probably won't open the lids unless there's an obvious problem with anyone. I'm just hoping these guys don't poop too much, don't foul their water, don't run out of water (though there is a spot where the inlaws can pour water in, so that's not too much of a worry) and don't STARVE. I am sure they won't...but they ARE still babies, and my only children! lol

[infernalis]

They will be fine. don't worry.

[jaleely]

They were! Lots of poo when i got back, and one shed. They look so different now that they're kind of getting their adult colors. i didn't they'd change so dramatically.
I cut up a big slug last night and they were trying to reach up and eat it before i got it into the enclosure. Pics later today to see the new drapes! SOOO CUTE i love them. They are like, tied for my favorite snakes.

[Sophia'sSophia]

Awww Smider is the cutest lil dude :3
You've got some beauuuutiful garters!