Hello from Ontario

[Eloanne]

Hello here!
I'm from Ottawa in Ontario and I'm 26 years. I'm looking for some experience and advices. I caught a big female Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis last year. She was gravid and gave me 21 little babies in august 2011. So, today, I have 4 females and 2 males in my care. All others have been adopted. I keep some gathers at home since 7 years, but it's the first time I have some babies. It's a wonderful experience. There are some pictures There is Cyanure, my big and favorite girl They are one year now and I would like to breed my females when they will be adults. When would they be able to have babies? And how can I found a male for them? Should I find a male or several? I have a lot of questions ^^ I'm looking forward to hearing more about these wondrous animals Thank you all! (and sorry about my english, it's not my first language

[infernalis]

http://www.thamfriends.com/mat.jpg

[thamneil]

Welcome from a chilly Manitoba. Neighbors! :)

As for breeding, you typically want to wait until the females are at least two years of age. It gives here body time to mature and carry young. Hope you enjoy the forum family!

[HazAnga]

Welcome fellow Ontarian I'm from London myself. I second thamneil's comment about waiting till their at least two.

[Invisible Snake]

Hello and welcome to the forum! :)

I agree with the other members, females should be at least 2 years old and males can breed as soon as they're 18 months old.

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard.

[guidofatherof5]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//744/medium/welcome.jpg

[mikem]

Welcome to the forum!

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Hello and Welcome to the forum:)

[Light of Dae]

Welcome fellow Canadian, your english is awesome!
Good looking eastern you got there.

[EasternGirl]

Welcome to our forum family! Lovely pictures...I really like the one with the flower and the close up in the last photo. Your English is fine...we have many members for which English is not their first language. We will try to help with all of your questions and are glad to have you here!

[-MARWOLAETH-]

You'r English is better than mine:p

[indigoman]

Welcome to the forum! Glad to have you aboard.

[ProXimuS]

Hello and welcome:D

[Eloanne]

Thanks a lot everybody for your replies! Ok for two years waiting. That gives me more time to find a beautiful male. I really want the best for my ladies. I think they don't have the same color. There is one really green and black, one more red (like red highlights on black lines), one yellow and black and one green and brown. Is there a name for theses colors or not?

I'll open a new topic for my questions about brumation, enclosure and food. Once more time, thanks for your welcome, it's a pleasure to be here :)

And one more picture by the way : food time for my babies
6672

[guidofatherof5]

Looks like those babies are enjoying themselves.

[thamneil]

I like the look of your substrate. What exactly is it? I see some moss mixed in.

[Eloanne]

It's a natural pet bedding made from reclaimed pulp (a little bit crushed by hand) with some natural moss. I bought it in Walmart. They love it because they can hide underneath before molting, but it's not very good for humidity because it's very dry. Unfortunatly, cause moss, it doesn't absorb odor as I would like. At least, they don't eat many fibers. At this time, I'm trying coco substrate, but my female swallow it when they are eating, so I have to change another time :(

[EasternGirl]

I mix moss in with my substrate for my babies too. They love it. If you could put up pictures of each of the snakes with the different colors, we can tell you what kind of garter they are...if they are, in fact, different kinds.

[Eloanne]

I don't think they are different kinds... they are sisters and brothers. But there are some pictures.

This is Belladone (the "red" one):
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/314891_283487894999456_1293930069_n.jpg
This is Cyanure:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/312880_296323707049208_559335148_n.jpg
And this is Arsenic (the green and dark one):
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/391311_491665800848330_1604063269_n.jpg
Uranium is doing her moult so I can't take a good picture now.

[Light of Dae]

It's a natural pet bedding made from reclaimed pulp (a little bit crushed by hand) with some natural moss. I bought it in Walmart. They love it because they can hide underneath before molting, but it's not very good for humidity because it's very dry. Unfortunatly, cause moss, it doesn't absorb odor as I would like. At least, they don't eat many fibers. At this time, I'm trying coco substrate, but my female swallow it when they are eating, so I have to change another time :(

Lol Molting is the right idea, but its called Shedding in snakes. Molting is more for spiders n scorpions :)

As far as substrate goes I prefer Coco Husk, the bigger chunks you can get it loose in a bag or in bricks. Its great for keeping up humidity cause you can mist it or soak it n it drys out nice n doesn't mold. The thing is they can't really borrow in it...

Do you have a moist moss hide for them? A small tub with a hole in the lid filled with moist sphagnum moss is perfect for letting your snakes have the option of humid when needed. Will really help them shed. As well a larger water dish helps with humidity, if you have a screen top, cover most of it with a towel helps too.

:) very cute little easterns you got there!

[HazAnga]

I use and find that the forest bark or something similar works great (kind of like the bigger chunked coco husk light of dae's mentioned). It's big enough that it won't be easily accidentally ingested and small enough for them to still find it comfortable. And it allows you to be able to mist and not go gross.

[Invisible Snake]

Great pics, thanks for sharing. If you want you can enter 1 of the pics where the garters are eating in this months photo contest.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/thamnophis-contests/11369-september-2012-photo-contest.html

[Eloanne]

Thanks a lot for contest Invisible Snake, I participated in the contest :)
Light of Day, oups, I forgotten the good word for "shedding" ^^ I use coco in bricks, but it's too small. What is the brand of your substrate? I haven't moist moss hide for them, but I have a very big bowl of water. It give me 60% humidity all time. Is it good?