View Full Version : How do you go garter hunting?
jaleely
06-28-2012, 02:19 PM
Apparently I'm surrounded by many different garter snakes in my area, but I have sure never seen any! Granted, when we go for a hike we usually take our dogs, and the hubby tends to walk fast.
So, teach me how to herp! Do you bring a stick? Flip over rocks? Go during a certain time of day? Only near streams or out in the open?
Thanks : )
guidofatherof5
06-28-2012, 02:26 PM
Where are you?
Flipping rocks and logs is a good idea but keep in mind that is something's home. Please them back exactly as you found them.
Early morning, late evening if the weather is hot.
Water sources are life to garters.
Much depends on where you are at and what garters your have available.
setfree
06-28-2012, 02:30 PM
well I always found them out in a small field with grass. but you can find them under logs and rocks. the only reasons I would bring a stick is for walking and in case there are poisonous snakes in your area. this way you can be a few feet away when you flip over logs and stuff. but all there is to finding a snake is being at the right place at the right time. good luck!;)
infernalis
06-28-2012, 02:33 PM
well I always found them out in a small field with grass. but you can find them under logs and rocks. the only reasons I would bring a stick is for walking and in case there are poisonous snakes in your area.
I don't think she intends to eat any snakes.:D
Steveo
06-28-2012, 02:37 PM
Near a stream is better but you don't necessarily have to be right next to it. I have the most success in places with a lot of fallen timber that can be flipped over. Mornings and evenings are going to be better through the heat of the summer. I do really well in places with fallen timber and short grass, and I look for these places whenever possible. I've also had the greatest success on cool, cloudy days but those are rare where I live. Cold snakes typically find something to curl up under and wait for warmer temps and/or sun. I'm a fast walker so I rarely catch them out in the open, I just use my speed to cover as much ground and flip as many things as possible.
Keep in mind that what I've just described are not necessarily the places where the most garters are, they're just the places where they're easiest to find. High grass and flooded, soft soil is great garter habitat but it's really hard to deal with.
mikem
06-28-2012, 02:39 PM
poisonous snakes
venomous snakes ;)
jaleely
06-28-2012, 06:01 PM
lol wayne!
Ventura county CA is the location.
I've done a little asking on another website but just seems I have terrible luck to see anything. I haven't really disturbed the area much though. I enjoy nature and respect it, so if I do get down in there and move rocks and thing I will put them back (and i encourage others to as well!) I guess i just think it's really weird that i NEVER see any wild snakes! Supposedly there's an area around here where there are wild blue-red sided california garters. I'm just like, WHERE??? lol
BUSHSNAKE
06-28-2012, 06:53 PM
lol wayne!
Ventura county CA is the location.
I've done a little asking on another website but just seems I have terrible luck to see anything. I haven't really disturbed the area much though. I enjoy nature and respect it, so if I do get down in there and move rocks and thing I will put them back (and i encourage others to as well!) I guess i just think it's really weird that i NEVER see any wild snakes! Supposedly there's an area around here where there are wild blue-red sided california garters. I'm just like, WHERE??? lol
Ive had Thamnophis hammondii from Ventura County:)
snakechick
06-28-2012, 08:47 PM
I live in Ventura county also :). I have never purposely gone looking for snakes in our area, but I love to hike so I have seen some. I've seen rattlesnakes while hiking through the Conejo valley trails off the 101. As for garters, I worked for a winery in Santa Ynez (way out in happy canyon) where I would see Thamnophis hammondii all the time. There is a lake on the property which probably supports their population. They were always coming down to the winery for a wine tasting :).
ConcinusMan
06-28-2012, 09:04 PM
I don't think she intends to eat any snakes.:D
No, but I'm sure a few will try to eat her if she grabs them, LoL.
I have the best luck in the A.M. when the sun is just starting to warm things up. A lot of cold snakes will come out and just curl up basking in the sun. Best to find a place near water, or a riparian zone with plenty of amphibians and cover. Look for them in clearings right on the edge of dense bushes or other cover which they will use to quickly get to safety. I don't generally flip anything. I don't like to disturb the habitat or trample plants. I make an exception if I run across an illegal dump with boards and stuff lying around, but I don't flip natural cover. Bad practice.
ConcinusMan
06-28-2012, 09:27 PM
I'm pretty good at finding good spots using satellite imagery. That's how I found the spot where I get the blue anery's. I have to tell you, the areas around Mugu Lagoon, or Ventura co. game reservation look very promising. Take a look using google maps and set it to satellite view, and zoom in. Looks green and wet. perfect for garters. CA red sided are highly aquatic. You're not going to find them far from water, and much of the time, they're going to be IN the water hunting amphibians.
Selkielass
06-29-2012, 04:42 AM
I take. Slow silent walks between an old railroad track and the drainage areas adjacent to it. Morning, just as the heat starts to rise is when they like to sun on the fringes of the brush and grass. They are pretty much impossible. For me to spot unless they spook when I am close and I spot the movement before they disappear.
Piles of dumped turf and debris seem to be favors cover also.
I haven't had much luck with our dry weather.
-MARWOLAETH-
06-29-2012, 07:47 AM
I know there aren't any Garters in Europe [except for escaped ones in Sweden] so i don't know any garter herping advice.Try to look for them on South facing hills because that's where i find i have my most success finding Common lizards and Slow worms [haven't found any Grass snakes yet though:(]
BUSHSNAKE
06-29-2012, 08:44 AM
I live in Ventura county also :). I have never purposely gone looking for snakes in our area, but I love to hike so I have seen some. I've seen rattlesnakes while hiking through the Conejo valley trails off the 101. As for garters, I worked for a winery in Santa Ynez (way out in happy canyon) where I would see Thamnophis hammondii all the time. There is a lake on the property which probably supports their population. They were always coming down to the winery for a wine tasting :).
Sounds awesome!
Steveo
06-29-2012, 08:51 AM
I'm pretty good at finding good spots using satellite imagery. That's how I found the spot where I get the blue anery's.
That's generally my approach too. The difficult thing in the Denver area is that most of the public areas around water are parks; herping is allowed but I get a lot of dirty looks from other park-goers. I've been considering approaching ranch owners and such about herping on their lands.
annulataarethebest
06-29-2012, 05:51 PM
In the area where I live you can find dozens of garter snakes a day, or none at all. The area I herp is a street that leads to some train tracks, on the left side are the tracks on the right side is a hill, basically what's left of the woods that used to be here. Now I never find snakes in the wooded area, but at the bottom of the hill, right next to the street, you can find eastern garters (if you're lucky), northern brown snakes, maybe a northern ringneck if you're lucky, and handfuls and handfuls of shorthead garter snakes. Under boards, rocks, trash, out in the open, if it's about 75 degrees, 6 pm, you can find a lot of them hiding, any earlier and warmer than that they're usually roaming out in the open.
jaleely
06-30-2012, 06:18 PM
This is actually great advice, guys, and what i've been looking for! Awesome! : ) I wish i'd gone out today!
I have to say though i really don't know what i'll do when i find one...probably get really excited, try to catch it, get bit...and then try to talk myself out of wanting to take it home *lol* I know they can have parasites and things...and taking them from the wild is bad...but wouldn't they like a nice safe home with me, where i feed them pinky parts and trout? *lol*
Maybe it's a good thing i haven't found any!
CoffeeBlack
07-01-2012, 06:58 AM
Maybe this is terrible but Ive had great luck around shopping centers and business parks. The larger ones have drainage ponds and those ponds often have food.
EasternGirl
07-01-2012, 11:33 AM
Doesn't blue red-sided garters sound like infernalis or San Frans? Anyway....it's not necessarily terrible to take home a snake from the wild. Most of us have done it. People have different views on it. I think herping is an awesome hobby and a great way to enjoy nature and see the beautiful snakes you have in your area. Always know which venomous snakes are in your area though and how to identify them...that is my rule of thumb for herping. My view on taking snakes from the wild is that there has to be a balance...we can't just pluck all the snakes we wish from the wild and take them home...not good for the snakes...not good for the environment. But I never judge someone who finds a lovely snake and chooses to keep it...as long as it isn't federally protected. I personally use the philosophy that if the snake seems like it would be better where I found it in the wild, I leave it be. If there is a reason the snake would not do well where it is...danger of being killed, or injury and so forth...I take it home. Considering the fact that we can get CB snakes pretty readily on here...I try not to take them out of the wild if I don't have to. Four of mine were WC...two I rescued from bad situations and one was from an expo, one is from a friend.
jaleely
07-01-2012, 03:18 PM
My opinion sways back and forth all the time. I'll be honest, when it benifits me, it sways that way for sure *lol*
I don't mind WC garters...in general what i don't like like is imports.
But, that's a whole different thread!
First i have to find the little buggers, next is finding a day to go herping, and lastly, if i felt i needed to keep it, i'd have to figure out how safe that would be for my other snakes. Quarantine time, and maybe deworming? Don't most WCs need to be dewormed?
Invisible Snake
07-01-2012, 04:04 PM
I've heard that WCs have a high probability of carrying parasites, best thing to do is get a fecal float done by a vet.
guidofatherof5
07-01-2012, 04:09 PM
I've heard that WCs have a high probability of carrying parasites, best thing to do is get a fecal float done by a vet.
Usually this is money well spent.
ConcinusMan
07-03-2012, 02:31 PM
I've heard that WCs have a high probability of carrying parasites
Which is why most, if not all of the ones I keep are treated as if they do have them. I've noticed some locatilites do not have a high parasite problem, while others do, and OSU zoology dept is aware of it. Bad tapeworm problems in some areas are linked to rough skinned newts that serve as an intermediate host. Some locations without the newts have snakes that carry very low parasite loads.
I don't bother with the floats and just treat them all anyway. They seem to tolerate it pretty well, and for those infested, it works wonders for them.
Invisible Snake
07-03-2012, 09:34 PM
I don't bother with the floats and just treat them all anyway. They seem to tolerate it pretty well, and for those infested, it works wonders for them.
Is there any potential harm or side effect in treating a parasite-free garter with those meds/treatments?
Also whats the name of the drug/treatment you give them? Is it a broad spectrum med or is it a specific parasite med?
jaleely
07-03-2012, 11:37 PM
I figured you did that Richard. It would be the easiest since there are so many. I've heard you can use dog dewormer that's from petsmart, or petco chains. I forget what the name is though.
Hubby wants to go diving tomorrow (we haven't been in a while) so no herping on the 4th of July..probably a lot of people out anyway. Maybe this weekend! I can't wait to go. I'm going to go about it all differently! And gonna have my big stick! LOL
Dualll
07-04-2012, 03:42 AM
Just to hop onto this thread, anyone know any potential spots in or near Orange County, CA?
I've only seen one, but I had to go through a good drive and hike East to do so. I've found a variety of snakes here such as gophers, rattlers, king snakes, coachwhips and green snakes, but rarely any garters and that's a real shame. One of my herping goals is to be able to see and photograph garters in the wild and so far it's been a challenge here. My next stops are the Long Beach and Huntington Beach areas as I see some nice, wet areas with amphibians around that could be suitable for garters. I'll update if I come upon one, fingers crossed.
ProXimuS
07-04-2012, 11:38 AM
Is there any potential harm or side effect in treating a parasite-free garter with those meds/treatments?
Also whats the name of the drug/treatment you give them? Is it a broad spectrum med or is it a specific parasite med?
Ok so when I got my snake done, they used Metronidazole and Fenbendazole. I realized those are both things my dogs has had before. The Metronidazole she took when she had an upset tummy(horrible diarrhea...) and we weren't sure what it was. If I'm not mistaken it's like an anti-biotic type thing to kill bacterias. The Fenbendazole she took for tapeworms(gross..:rolleyes:). I do believe the Fenbendazole is a broad spectrum thing...The most common "brand name" of it is Panacur. When I took my snake in, the doctor didn't even do a fecal float, and just went ahead and dewormed him(since he's WC). It doesn't hurt(assuming they're not given too much)to give them a dewormer even if they may not have the worms. That's what I've been told for my dog, and my snake now too.
I hope this helps some...I feel like it's a bit of a ramble...:p
Invisible Snake
07-04-2012, 11:47 AM
Thanks Emily it helps, were the meds administered via syringe or did the snake have to ingest it?
ProXimuS
07-04-2012, 11:53 AM
Both. The vet used a little bitty like plastic/flexible syringe and put it down his throat and squirted the little bit of meds in.:( It sounds mean, and he didn't enjoy it too much...But it was for his own good, and he did handle it well...But I know it couldn't have been very fun for him :p
ProXimuS
07-04-2012, 11:55 AM
Might I add when my dog had them, the Metronidazole was a pill and the Panacur was powder to put on the food. I guess it's gotta be different for snakes...
EasternGirl
07-04-2012, 11:58 AM
If you find a WC snake that you decide to keep...I would recommend a good long quarantine. I did not put my WC snakes together until the second one had been quarantined for 3 months. I also do not plan on letting my new snake Bella...who was supposedly WC near any of my other snakes for at least 3 months...maybe 4. You could send a fecal test to a vet to see if the snake has parasites...if you could do that...that would be best. Also, watch for mites and take the snake to a herp vet for a check-up during quarantine if you are able to do that.
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