Ruth's obscurus UK

[Ruth]

As a few of you have started threads on your wonderful Garters I thought I too would start one. I have only had her a few months and am very much learning. Thanks to you lot I now know she's an obscurus so I thought if I put up pictures of her growing you might tell me if you think I'm doing something wrong or give me ideas of how I could do things better.

Please do share with me anything you wish you had known when you started as I know not everything is wrote down in books and articles.82038204She often stinks on me :)
I saw someone on here tor up pieces of card for bedding which I thought was a great idea8205

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Nice Chapala! you can get some cardboard bedding that's non printed so no risk of poisoning.

Repti-Card Maxibale (http://www.reptilebedding.co.uk/ReptiCard_Maxibale_17kg/p1685644_7865846.aspx)

Hope it helps!

[Ruth]

Nice Chapala! you can get some cardboard bedding that's non printed so no risk of poisoning.

Repti-Card Maxibale (http://www.reptilebedding.co.uk/ReptiCard_Maxibale_17kg/p1685644_7865846.aspx)

Hope it helps!

Thank you it is card from food packaging so no carcinogenics and obviously food safe grade but it did go through my mind :) It's scary when you think of the amount of nasty's around us.

[guidofatherof5]

Good looking snake and nice thread.

[chris-uk]

Always nice to see enthusiastic keepers on this side of the pond and channel. You seem to have the right ideas, and as you've been working through the information on Steven Bol's website that's a very good foundation.

The muskings will stop when you gain her trust, although that can take some time you will get there eventually.

[Ruth]

Always nice to see enthusiastic keepers on this side of the pond and channel. You seem to have the right ideas, and as you've been working through the information on Steven Bol's website that's a very good foundation.

The muskings will stop when you gain her trust, although that can take some time you will get there eventually.

Thank you. Sadly there doesn't seem to be that many keepers which I find odd. Why are corn snakes so incredibly popular but not garters ? Is it just that it's harder to rear baby garters compared to corns. It's making it a harder task to find other garters and when I see all these posts from people seeing them in the wild I'm rather jealous. I've only ever seen two snakes in the wild, one was a slow worm and another I'm not sure what it was but it was large 3 1/2 ft and swimming in the river.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

I think its because you can't bung Garters in a box and throw a mouse at them once a week like you could with Royals ect. They need large vivs with bright lights to thrive so are of no interest to big breeders.But its not all bad as people like us who don't see snakes as moving £-signs benefit from the cheap prices:D

[Ruth]

You may be right.

I showed my mum my girl today and she was in her box having a swim , she was surprised with her colouring and her take is that they just don't grow big like the boa's and pythons so people don't see them as impressive. Owning a bulmastiff I certainly have witnessed that mentality that bigger is better :) Sadly the type of people that think that way with the big dogs can never control them and I imagine it's the same for the snakes and they end up neglected and needing new homes, just as the dogs do.

[thamneil]

They look good! Nice to see another thread about somebody's snakes. I'm sure your collection will slowly begin to expand. Look forward to updates!

[chris-uk]

Be patient and you'll start to find other garters. We are a tiny minority amongst reptile keepers, but when you've put in the time and effort to acquire a snake you're more likely to treat it as it deserves - I'd wager that of the neglected snakes in the UK there's a significant difference between garters and corns/royals.

How often do you read online about some nobber looking for the biggest snake available, then you see them post photos of themselves wearing a gym vest to show their physique as much as the big snake they are holding. So many snakes are owned by the sort of person that wants to boast about the size or danger of their animal rather than being genuinely interested in keeping them well. RFUK is rife with examples.

[ProXimuS]

Very beautiful girl :) This is a type of garter I'd love to own someday.

[Eight]

That's a good looking garter you have there. And I agree that you don't find too many garter keepers out there but that may be for the best. As Will said earlier they aren't as easy to feed as corns or royals, and people that are just in the hobby to make money overlook them thank god.

I have noticed more and more people breeding royal morphs and you can tell with a lot that its all about money to them. Personally I would have a happy little marcianus over any royal morph.

Again as Chris said its nice to see another uk keeper :)

[Ruth]

My obscurus should be getting a friend today. My poor hubby has a 7hr round trip to collect her and he doesn't even like snakes. I'm told she's a Florida Blue female and I'm hoping all being well she will be sharing a home with my current girl. I do wish I'd bought more than one and love seeing all your photo's of your garters hanging out together.

Obviously there will be a quarantine period and the snake will need sexing before they can live happily ever after but I'm still excited. I would like a couple of groups of Garters and am now very much leaning towards the natural sets ups people have discussed and have a little experimental terrarium going on to see if I can keep the plants alive.

[Natrix]

Be patient and you'll start to find other garters. We are a tiny minority amongst reptile keepers, but when you've put in the time and effort to acquire a snake you're more likely to treat it as it deserves - I'd wager that of the neglected snakes in the UK there's a significant difference between garters and corns/royals.

How often do you read online about some nobber looking for the biggest snake available, then you see them post photos of themselves wearing a gym vest to show their physique as much as the big snake they are holding. So many snakes are owned by the sort of person that wants to boast about the size or danger of their animal rather than being genuinely interested in keeping them well. RFUK is rife with examples.
Well said Chris ;)

[Darlo]

Glad she arrived safely! Hope the little one does well for you ;-)

[Ruth]

Glad she arrived safely! Hope the little one does well for you ;-)
Thank you and I'm sure she'll be fine. We'll see if she likes to musk on me as much as my other and it will be interesting to see the different personalities.

[Ruth]

I took out the new arrival (florida blue) for the third time today in the hope of getting a few pictures. She is VERY lively and in my opinion quite cheeky. If she isn't in her bath then she's up on the log looking for a way out and when I open it up I have to be quick. She thrashed around the first two times she came out and even tried to bite me twice, she has spunk. Today although not calm she was a little more restrained and I'm sure she will get used to me. She doesn't musk as badly as my obscurus did so that's a plus.

Here are some of the pictures they aren't great but I didn't have anyone to take the photo's as I held her.

83388339834083418342

[Selkielass]

Pretty thing!
I've got heard Florida blues are spunky, but I haven't worked with any myself.

[Ruth]

Pretty thing!
I've got heard Florida blues are spunky, but I haven't worked with any myself.

Oh I have a little lavender corn that hates me lol He's hated me since I met him in the pet shop and will go to bite nearly every time. He's ok when he's been held a while and is fine in all other behaviour and I actually rather like him. It's amazed me how much personality a snake can have and the differences among them. I have another corn that is super friendly and will look to come out, prop itself up and work his way onto my arm and just snuggle up. When I pop him back he's reluctant to go back and will look at you as if to ask to come back out.

[Ruth]

Well I now have another two Obscurus a male and another female and they are doing wonderfully.

I thought I would do an update as I just received my first ever Garter bite, not from my obscurus but from this girl.8871

I don't know why but she really doesn't like me. Feeding her tonight she escaped me while thrashing around my boys came hurtling upstairs and distracted me. Primrose (the snake) took her chance and went for it, she was off. I called hubby to come help me catch her which we managed quite easily as she decided to go behind some draws. As I had a good hold of her, or what I thought was a good hold she managed to just swing her head round enough to latch onto my thumb with half her mouth. I wish I had got hubby to take a photo but he had gone white and was panicking. I thought never mind she'll let go in a sec, I was wrong she held her ground. Ok so maybe a couple of minutes, nope. So I'm now wondering how I get her off. I remember being told to slowly push their head forward so as to disengage them but this didn't work. Again I had heard about submerging their heads in water this too did nothing. Running tap, nothing. I'm sat on the bed with a panicked hubby looking at her as she looks at me. I had no choice but to pull her off. I did it gently and she was free and placed in her feeding tub. I saw to my thumb and went back a few minutes later concerned she would be too stressed to eat. Again I was wrong she had a nice full belly and was looking to get out. She's now in her home hopefully tired from her little adventure.

So what is the best way to release a Garters bite ? She will get me again :)