What kind of snake?

FPS_Fein · 10-26-13, 01:56 AM

Hi, my names Sean and i recently found a snake my dog was messing with while i was visiting family in central oregon. Im not sure what it is but from what some family members said it was just a garter snake. It would be cool if someone could identify what type it is and possibly help me determine what sex it is? I've had a California king snake when i was younger so im fairly familiar with taking care of snakes but this snake wont even take a pinky. So far the only thing I've been able to get him to eat is fish so if you guys have any suggestions to try anything else let me know. Thanks!

infernalis · 10-26-13, 06:18 AM

That is a common red sided garter snake.

Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis or Thamnophis fitchi (Vally Garter snake)

rhiannon79 · 10-26-13, 07:32 AM

U should post this in the forum that is meant for this type of snake their are very good members here and thier 4esponses r usually pretty quick I my self have a ball python so I am not dure of this particular snake if u dont get a reply try the forum I usually use general python their are very helpful and nice experienced and veterans of this site.

Herpophiliac972 · 10-26-13, 10:18 AM

I agree with Infernalis, that does look like a common garter snake. It is hard to determine species for sure off of a picture, but it should be enough for now. That looks like a fairly small one, so I would try to start off with insects of some sort, in addition to the fish you are feeding him. Are they wild caught fish? If you feed it anything wild caught I would be careful, so that you do not accidentally give him any insecticides or anything. I would err on the side of caution and go with store bought crickets and/ or small goldfish type fish. What kind of enclosure are you going to have it in? As for sex, that is definitely not going to be able to do from a picture. The reproductive organs of a snake are completely contained inside the snake for both males and females, in the opening at the beginning of the tail. The only ways I know of are probing (using a tool to feel for the depth which would determine sex), and "popping", which works best in young snakes and should only be done by an experienced snake handler. Most of the methods are best done by professionals, so as to prevent injury to the snake. You can, however, research the minute characteristics in the species of the snake you have to see if you can make a close estimate. This would include thickness of the tail (males tend to have thicker and longer tails, which go directly from thick to thin rather than tapering out evenly as females would). Best of luck with your new pet!

bigsnakegirl785 · 10-26-13, 03:32 PM

I would say it's a red-sided garter snake like infernalis says. Everything I've ever read says that garters do not eat crickets, so don't feed it crickets. Also, goldfish contains thiaminase and they're also apparently really nasty (dirty) so never feed goldfish to your garter. OP, Google some lists of good and bad fish. There should be a lot of links that you can find that will tell you which species contain thiaminase and which don't. Thiaminase destroys thiamin, which is important to your snake, so if it eats too much without having the thiamin replaced, it could die. It's best just to completely avoid thiaminase-containing fish, though. Other things you could try are earthworms and fish filet, and you could try scenting some pinkies to see if it will eat it. You will need to supplement its diet with calcium if you feed only fish filet. Red wrigglers are toxic to garters, so you should not feed them to it. You can feed amphibians like salamanders and frogs, but they can harbor a lot of bad parasites since they are usually wild-caught. Some species are also toxic, like toads, so they should be avoided. I'm new to garter ownership, so this is coming off of care sheets, but there should be a few more seasoned owners who can help you.

ErikBush97 · 10-26-13, 03:46 PM

North Western Garter Snake

My old Wild Caught would only eat fish when I had her. Learn From My Mistake I fed her fish with Thiamine in them and she died shortly after... Make sure that the fish you're feeding are safe. I'd hate to see yours go because of something avoidable

FPS_Fein · 10-26-13, 04:01 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. And sorry about the double post. Im on my phone so i didn't think this one went threw. But anyway I'll be heading over to the garter section. Cya!

infernalis · 10-26-13, 08:49 PM

Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet

drumcrush · 10-26-13, 10:03 PM

Yes, join the garter snake forum. Great forum.