Found Wild Garter

[Finalflash50]

I found a wild garter in my friends driveway. We had just gotten done looking for them all over his backyard. I spotted one in between two bricks. We lost it the first time, but then we came back to the same brick five minutes later and he was back down there. I lifted the brick and caught it right away. He had some pretty good strikes at us. We put it down and I held it by it's tail and let it more around a little bit. We had thought it calmed down, but each time I went to hold it by it's body, it took a strike at us. We both got bit once, bleeding. He was pretty angry. He looked like an eastern, but I'll let you people here judge him. I have a video.

He was about 3 feet long, 2 inches circumference.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4bSkD6gzP4&feature=youtu.be

[chris-uk]

It's a garter, not a copperhead... Just pick it up rather than holding its tail. :D

Looks like a good sized girl. Where abouts are you? Looks like a sirtarlis of some description. I'm always jealous of the forum folk who can find wild garters in their gardens.

[guidofatherof5]

Holding a large female like that can injure their tail.
At this time of the year probably gravid. Would be best to let her be so she can have her babies out in the wild.

[kibakiba]

It looks big enough to be gravid. It was probably just defending itself from the big pink monkey that was hurting its tail.

[katach]

Very pretty eastern, most likely gravid. As stated before holding by the tail can cause injury. Next time if you just pick it up, they usually calm down pretty quick. Every garter I've ever picked up that struck to begin with stopped after a minute. You just have to be confident and calm.

[Dan72]

That is one big gal.

[Finalflash50]

I did feel bad about restraining it, it just looked really good, so I wanted to keep it still so I could get a good shot of it. I guess I could have done that while it was moving too. I only held it for the time I was filming, and let go immediately after I cut away. At first, my friend picked it up by the tip in the air so that it was hanging. I told him not to do that because I know it hurts it. I wasn't aware that the way I was keeping it down caused it pain. My apologies. I won't do that in the future.

[guidofatherof5]

I don't think you caused any pain. Just increased its stress level.
Don't worry about it.

[katach]

Yeah, don't worry. You just know for next time.

[Finalflash50]

Finding this snake was way too easy. We are probably going to go hunting in his backyard a lot this summer now that school is out. I'll see if I can get a video of each one I see. I will hold them by the body for the videos. I'm just going to take the bites. The only reason I was paranoid of being bitten was because I haven't been bitten in a snake for so long. It has to have been a good 5 years.

[Invisible Snake]

Try getting a pair of gloves designed for herpers.

[Finalflash50]

My friend in the video, Michael, is getting gloves. As for me, I think I am better off taking the bites and getting used to the jumpy feeling it gives me. After all, I'm not always going to have the gloves on me when I'm in the wild. If I see a snake, I wouldn't be able to do anything with it because I would be so nervous of getting bit. Great idea though.

[guidofatherof5]

[QUOTE=Finalflash50;214459]My friend in the video, Michael, is getting gloves. As for me, I think I am better off taking the bites and getting used to the jumpy feeling it gives me. After all, I'm not always going to have the gloves on me when I'm in the wild. If I see a snake, I wouldn't be able to do anything with it because I would be so nervous of getting bit. Great idea though.[W/QUOTE]

Good thinking = wise decision.

[Steveo]

I don't think there's anything wrong with going barehanded. It can be hard to handle a snake gently (especially a small one) with thick gloves. Most garters just try to escape without striking. Some of the larger snakes I find try to get me, but I can usually get them to strike at a pillow case and then work the rest of them inside. Just wash your hands thoroughly when you're done.

I like to go herping on those 50-60 degree cloudy days, though we don't get many here. Nobody wants to strike at those temps and they're all under cover so you just have to find their hides. Much easier than flushing them out of tall grass, IMO.

[EasternGirl]

Looks like an eastern to me...where are you exactly? Don't feel bad...I always used gloves to pick up garters when I first got into the hobby...I was a bit skiddish about getting bitten by a snake at first. I have also been guilty of picking them up by their tails...sometimes when my little babies are flipping all over and I need to catch them...I end up catching them by the tail...but everyone is right...it's not good for the bigger snakes and you have learned that and now you know. :) Very pretty girl...she is probably gravid...I would let her go on her way as long as she has a safe place outside to have those babies.

[Finalflash50]

I'm in Michigan. Macomb County. A majority of the snakes I will ever see are going to be eastern garters. There's only been one time where I saw a different type of snake. It was a smooth green snake. Every other snake I saw was a garter, most likely eastern.

[guidofatherof5]

DNR - Smooth Green Snake (Liochlorophis vernalis) (http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12201-61212--,00.html)

[Finalflash50]

The greensnake was really cool to find. It never showed any defense against me. I saw it, and grabbed it immediately. It panicked at first but calmed right down and behaved really well. I still like finding garters better, though.