garter snake or not?

[snakesnake]

hey guys we were camping and i caught this snake, i thought it was a garter snake, but then searching google i saw that my snake looks a lil different then the garter snake. the snake i caught is all pure black with 1 yellow stripe down its back. could that be a garter snake? i can upload pics if needed.
any info is apreciated.
thanks.

[Stefan-A]

It could be a garter, but without a picture, it's impossible to say. Also, give the location.

[snake man]

I would say it probaly is. How does it behave?

[guidofatherof5]

Knowing where it was caught would be a great help in narrowing it down.

[snakesnake]

hey guys here is a few pics, im from Oregon, and i know we do have garter snakes here, but i searched all internet and i couldnt find one like this, all the other ones i saw have atleast 3 yellow stripes and they're all brownish color, this one is pure black and only one stripe. it doesnt bite, if it put a finger to its head it gets scared, i caught it by the river. i just want to know if its not poisonous or anything before i held it again lol.
5982

[snakesnake]

5983

[guidofatherof5]

Very cool Northwestern (Thamnophis ordinoides) if I'm not mistaken.

Night crawlers and slugs for that one.
What are your plans for it?

[-MARWOLAETH-]

That ordinoides looks AMAZING.With those colours it's like a mini cuitzeoensis.

[Didymus20X6]

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/attachments/welcome-lounge/4500d1332817250-just-saying-hi-t9i0px.jpg

I don't think these guys will kill you if you eat them. So they're not poisonous. :D

Garter snake saliva does contain a very mild neurotoxin, but it is not dangerous to humans.

[mikem]

Oh wow!! Gorgeous! :cool:

[snakesnake]

thanks guys now i feel save holding it haha, i want to keep it, i have a big tank for it always wanted a snake pet. is it ok to keep a wild snake as a pet?.

[ProXimuS]

He's soo cute! If that is an ordinoides, he's extra-cool lookin! Nice find;)

[setfree]

That's a great find! I totally trust what steve say's but if you want to make sure it's a garter it should have 7 shield scales on it's upper jaw. Oh and if you get bit and you don't live it's probably NOT a garter.:p Great looking snake!

[guidofatherof5]

This would be the only snake your should worry about.
The second link is to the range of Northwesterns in Oregon.
Amphibians and Reptiles of Oregon (http://pages.uoregon.edu/titus/herp/oreganus.html)
Amphibians and Reptiles of Oregon (http://pages.uoregon.edu/titus/herp/ordinoides.html)

[Mommy2many]

Nice find. Good luck!

[ssssnakeluvr]

very nice little northwestern garter, thamnophis ordinoides.

[kibakiba]

That is an awesome northwestern! I wish I could find one like that!

[Invisible Snake]

That's a great find!

[katach]

Awesome find! I love how much they vary in color. I have a red one and a brown one and a black and white one and 3 "normal"ones.

[guidofatherof5]

Awesome find! I love how much they vary in color. I have a red one and a brown one and a black and white one and 3 "normal"ones.

But do we really know what normal would be?:D;)

[katach]

That's what the bunny ears were for silly. :D

[i_heart_sneakie_snakes]

Wow, it's such a beauty!! Lucky Duck :)

[katach]

What will you be doing with that beautiful snake?

[Invisible Snake]

What will you be doing with that beautiful snake?

He will be giving him to me! lol jk :p

But that snake would make an awesome breeding project for anyone working with northwesterns.

[katach]

Such as myself. :)

[kibakiba]

And me, but Kat does more breeding, I just supplied the male for her breeding project :p

[guidofatherof5]

And me, but Kat does more breeding, I just supplied the male for her breeding project :p

Kinda like a pimp.:D

[katach]

It's our project. You get first pick if babies come out.

[kibakiba]

Yeah... I'm a snake pimp... Lol.
And yes Kat, I know :D But, I did supply my little usually-horny Snakey.. Haha

[EasternGirl]

Yep...that is def a garter...and an amazing one at that! You can certainly keep a wild caught snake as long as the snake adjusts to captivity. If you want help setting up a home for him...let us know...we can tell you what to do. It could be a cobra though...and if it bites you and you keel over, we will know for sure. Totally kidding! Lol... If he does bite you, it actually doesn't hurt that bad and is not dangerous at all. We have all been bit by our garters from time to time. Great find! Let us know if you have any more questions!

[snakesnake]

Yep...that is def a garter...and an amazing one at that! You can certainly keep a wild caught snake as long as the snake adjusts to captivity. If you want help setting up a home for him...let us know...we can tell you what to do. It could be a cobra though...and if it bites you and you keel over, we will know for sure. Totally kidding! Lol... If he does bite you, it actually doesn't hurt that bad and is not dangerous at all. We have all been bit by our garters from time to time. Great find! Let us know if you have any more questions!
thanks, yeah he's so tame doesnt bite at all. i have a question though, how often should i feed him? i gave him some worms and he ate them all, also should i give him water?

[Steveo]

Yes, garters need a water dish. Preferably one big enough to soak in. I think most here feed twice per week, but it varies person to person and snake to snake.

[guidofatherof5]

thanks, yeah he's so tame doesnt bite at all. i have a question though, how often should i feed him? i gave him some worms and he ate them all, also should i give him water?

Garter snakes love/need water and should have access to a fresh supply of it.

[katach]

I have found that my NW love to swim also. They are in the water dish a lot. We have swim time in the tub every couple weeks or so. Great exercise and they love it!

[katach]

Speaking of.
5992

[Light of Dae]

It could be a cobra though...and if it bites you and you keel over, we will know for sure. Totally kidding! Lol... If he does bite you, it actually doesn't hurt that bad and is not dangerous at all. We have all been bit by our garters from time to time. Great find! Let us know if you have any more questions!

I HAVE NOT! ... Bit by my Kingsnake once.... never a Garter. Yet. We will see with my 11 snakes coming from Scott Soon!

[snakesnake]

Speaking of.
5992
nice, i put a dish of water for my garter but havent seen him swim in it yet
thats a nice looking garter, what kind is it?

[snakesnake]

I HAVE NOT! ... Bit by my Kingsnake once.... never a Garter. Yet. We will see with my 11 snakes coming from Scott Soon!
same here, he doesnt bite, if i put a finger to its face he gets scared haha

[kibakiba]

SnakeSnake, Kat's garter is a northwestern garter, thamnophis ordinoides.

[katach]

Yep, she is a new addition. Her tank and bowl are small for her, but she is in quarantine for now. A soon as her quarantine period it's over she'll get much bigger digs.

[Selkielass]

Butlerii love to hang out in the water dish too, but mine are even more fond of the. Bowl with a couple sticks of 'lucky' bamboo. They thread themselves thru the roots and then climb along the trunks to bask, tails still in the water.

[EasternGirl]

Cute pic Kat! Yep...my garters love to swim and soak this time of year. Snakesnake...I think it depends on the size and age of the snake. How big is your garter? For all of my adult garters...ranging in size from a foot to three feet long, I feed them every 5-6 days. For the smaller ones...I feed them one pinky, or a pinky's worth of fish, or one big nightcrawler cut into pieces...maybe one and a half if they will eat it. For my big girls, I feed them 2-3 large nightcrawlers...just look for a nice bulge in the belly and you will know the snake is full. For my babies...I feed them every 3 days.