Ribbon Snake Mating Pair

[Mandi0284]

I just got a call from my step-son. He saved a pair of snakes from a neighbors garden. Apparently she hates reptiles and wanted to kill them.

He sent me a picture and they appear to be eastern ribbon snakes. He said they are a dark color with orange stripe on their back. He guesses they are about 1 1/2 feet long.

He can't keep them and wanted to give one to me. I don't think the ribbon will get along with my wandering, but I am not sure.

Does anyone here have ribbons or know anything about keeping them?

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[i_heart_sneakie_snakes]

I don't know about ribbons at all. I do know Wanderings CAN be cannibalistic though. So be very careful in that regard. They look very pretty in the photo though :)

[d_virginiana]

The general rule of thumb is not to house wandering garters with anything else because of the cannibalism risk. Ribbons tend to be more on the shy side too, so unless you can house it in a different tank I'd recommend against it.
Nice snake though... I'm crap at ID-ing snakes, but ribbons don't have marks on their labial scales (the ones around the lips) like easterns do. Just from the top it looks to me like it could either be a forida-blue eastern or a ribbon. Can you get a pic of its head?

[kibakiba]

It just looks like a radix to me... Sort of.

[joeyjoe9876]

It just looks like a radix to me... Sort of.
That's what I was thinking too

[thamneil]

That snake really does not look like a ribbon to me. Keep in mind the picture is small and im squiting! I do believe that the snake is a radix.

Wanderings have the potential to be a cannibalistic species and could very well eat their cage mates. I would keep them seperately.

Could you post a better picture? I've got one gulf coast ribbon. Very skitish and flighty snakes right off the bat. Way underrated though. Whatever they are, I wish you good luck!

[Mandi0284]

I will get some more and better pics today when I go to look at them. I do have an extra tank that used to house some fish. I can put my lizard in there and that frees up a 10 gallon.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

What state was these snakes caught in.

[EasternGirl]

Yes...what state are you in? It's hard to tell in those pics but they look like radixes or easterns to me...doubt they are ribbons. Kudos to your son for rescuing them from the neighbor!

[Mandi0284]

my son caught them over by 38th and sheridan. i have better pics of the two snakes. The big one was BIG. About 14 inches and almost 2 in thick. I dont think she was pregnant, just big. The other one is a little bigger than Dexter and about 2 in longer.

We didnt keep the big one. 1- I dont have a big enough tank for her. 2- I was worried that being a wild snake and that big she would die in captivity. So I took her to a local park where there are plenty of fish and frogs to eat.

I have the younger one. My son wanted to keep him.

I think that you guys are right about them being garters. Let me know what species you all think they are.

[joeyjoe9876]

gotta say, definitely looks like a radix to me.

[kibakiba]

Yeah, that's definitely not a ribbon snake.

[Mandi0284]

I saw a pic of a ribbon that looked very similar with the stripe on the back. Sorry about the mis-id on them.

[ProXimuS]

Woooa! That is super awesome!!:D Definitely not a ribbon. I can say that with 100% certainty. I've got a Gulf Coast Ribbon. They do look like radixes to me, as well. Ribbons don't have that "checkery" type of markings, and don't have the dark color on the edges of their lip scales. Still very nice find;)

[Mandi0284]

Should I try to get him eating live guppies? What kinds of food do they like the best?

[kibakiba]

I'd try earth worms or night crawlers. Guppies would also work, I'm sure.

[joeyjoe9876]

try some worms, silversides, tilapia, etc.. Here's a caresheet you can read Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet (http://www.thamnophis.com/index.php?page=caresheet)

[Mandi0284]

Ok. I may wait a few days before I offer him anything to eat. He is still nervous, but has calmed down a lot.

[thamneil]

Definately radix. That first girl looks like a monster.

Im sure worms will get them started very quickly. From there on, expand to mice and any "safe" fish. Good luck with your new captive!

[Mandi0284]

Yeah she was big. Bigger than I have ever seen before.

Going to Chatfield tommorow to look for snakes there.

[EasternGirl]

Yep...radix. The supralabial count and look of the pattern of the face and orange dorsal stripe confirm it. Easterns do not have those orange stripes and have only 7 supralabials...your snake has 8. Beautiful snake! Great find!

[Mandi0284]

Thanks he is a lovely animal.

[Mandi0284]

here is a picture of my wandering, who i am renaming to jesse, and zeus.
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I went to another greenbelt with my cousin, Amanda lol. She caught (what i think is a male) wandering garter. He is a lovely reddish color and a nicely marked belly.

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I just bought a 20 gallon long tank so he is in that for now. Since I have been warned about the possibility of them eating eachother. It took me a while to get the tank so I have had the radix in with my little girl.

I am happy to say that they are getting alone very well. The radix is eating toad-scented silversides. My wandering's eyes have clear so I give her till the weekend to give me a new shed.

[ProXimuS]

Make sure you're not keeping opposite sex of different species/subspecies together. You don't want them breeding. It might be best to keep every one alone right now considering you've got two Wandering garters and a male radix, Unless you find another male radix or male besides a Wandering, to go with the radix. I guess there could be a possibility of putting the two vagrans together if you don't mind them breeding....I'm thinking it's mostly a feeding thing with the cannibalism....So maybe it would be ok to even keep the radix and vagrans male together....But definitely not opposite sex/different species/subspecies. But others can give more insight on the housing who with who situation....

Good looking catch.;) If you can try and get some vent pics we'll try and help you on the sex.

[setfree]

congrats! they look great! I wish I could find a few!:)

[Mandi0284]

Do you think they would breed? I wonder if their babies would be colorful lol. How old do the snakes have to be before they are ready to breed?

[ProXimuS]

Ideally, I do believe at least a couple years old is best(not positive), but I think they are technically able to at less than a year(again not positive). But there is a pretty good chance of them breeding...There was an accidental breeding not too long ago between a Red-Spotted and an Eastern. It's definitely a possibility and not really something you want to happen. I've heard hybrids colors/markings end up looking less than what the parents look like.

[Mandi0284]

oh. I would love to get a female red-sided or puget garter. something with blues and reds.

I will move the radix into the bigger tank once I get substrate for it. Can I use aquarium gravel?

[Mandi0284]

Here is the one vent pic that I can get for right now. He is very active. More so than the other two snakes.

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[ProXimuS]

I don't think gravel is great for them. You may want to check the caresheet.

I'm thinking male on that one, but a straight vent pic would be better. But don't worry, if he's all wiggly, he's probably a little stressed. Better vent pics can come when he's calmed down more.:)

[guidofatherof5]

It's always best to have a photo with the tail hanging down but I know they don't cooperate all the time.

I see female.

[Mandi0284]

When my cousin caught the snake I thought male. I will try in the next few days.

[thamneil]

Looks like a female to me as well.