Story and Sexing (Re-sized Pics)

[NexXx]

Well, today one of my crazy neighbours was about to kill a beutiful garter snake. I knew this, cuz it just happens to be that the neighbour's son knows me, and also knows i love snakes. Anyways, i went running to his house to find a beaten up snake. It's ok now, but thanks to the good beating that old lady gave to it, the snake puked yesterday's lunch (a small bird) as soon as i got it.

Now, I'm still undecided of what to do with the snake (it is reasonably bigger than the one i currently own). And i also don't know if it's a female and if it is gravid. Reason why i'm about to put some pics in here.

Note: Kinda felt bad to know that the reason of it's fatness was a bird (I wanted to see some babies).

Note#2: Is it fully grown? is it a female? and is it gravid?


http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/5314/pic0022qk5.jpg
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/6473/pic0024wb6.jpg
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9103/pic0025oe8.jpg
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/3862/pic0026rd6.jpg

Note to Admin: I couldn't edit the past topic, it said something about 30 mins passed the time after the post. Sorry for whatever problems i may have caused. (you can totally delete the post with the HUUUGEEE pics).

[Dracaena828]

I'm no expert, but that looks like it could quite possibly be a gravid female. If it is large enough to eat a bird, that indicates that it is likely female, as males are quite a bit smaller. The snake does have a fair bit of bulk and stretched skin towards the tail end, so I would cross your fingers and wait a few days to see if any of the bulk goes away (indicative of it just being a large meal). Good luck! Nice looking garter, looks just like my first years ago...
Angela

[snakeman]

It is a female.It does look gravid.This time of year ,pretty much all females are.Hope the babies survive all the trauma.

[NexXx]

How long would it take it to drop (considering how it is right now) ?

[adamanteus]

Yes Nelson, she's gravid!:D

[Stefan-A]

Congratulations to both you and the snake. :) Hopefully it'll make it.

[snakeman]

Probally by the end of the month.You are in canada,so I am guessing on that one.Most of the babies in PA come in mid-late june.

[NexXx]

Thx guys :). I'm only going to keep 2 babies, or 4 (it will depend on how many she gets to drop). After that, I'll return te rest to the wild, and the mom as well (Right now i moved it to an encolosed section of my backyard, i don't want it to get confortable as a captive snake, since i plan to return it back).

Hopefully by the end of the months, i'll be posting more pics in here :p :rolleyes: :cool: .

[adamanteus]

Good for you , Nelson, returning her and most of her young to the wild. There's a lesson there for all of us. Respect.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I agree also, does look like a female, probably gravid...:D Nice looking snake too!!!