What locality of garter snake??

[Paul12345678]

Firstly, im new to this forum,so hello everyone!:)
If possible i am hoping a few of you guys may beable to help me out!?!!
So heres the deal:
i recently purchased a red sided garter snake,from a uk supplier.the image used as the for sale picture was this(attached image) a thamnophis sirtalis infernalis(californian red sided garter)at least thats what it looks like from research and other peoples opinions.
The snake i was sent was this(attached image) seeming to be a thamnophis sirtalis parietalis(common red sided garter)
I just wondered if you guys could calarify for me what he definetely is?
i was sold a snake to me which was not the image as shown on the website,and intend to get back to the company as i feel i have been mislead ,and is some sense not purchased the snake they are claiming they have.
I just want to be sure of what the little fella is 1st!!
any help would be great!
regards
paul

[Albert Clark]

Wow!! That is not the t.s.parieatalis either IMO. It looks a lot like t.sauritus (common ribbon snake). I could be wrong however. You have still been mislead by the propaganda of the supplier. Welcome to the garter nation btw. Some other members will give their take on the classification/ species.

[rickymar81]

It looks like a common garter snake

[guidofatherof5]

Some T. s. parietalis - Red-sided garter can look rather plain. Looks male for what it's worth.

[Paul12345678]

Wow!! That is not the t.s.parieatalis either IMO. It looks a lot like t.sauritus (common ribbon snake). I could be wrong however. You have still been mislead by the propaganda of the supplier. Welcome to the garter nation btw. Some other members will give their take on the classification/ species.

yea another chap as said possibly a ribbon snake!!but ive noticed he doesnt have the white mark infront of his eye!but then ive never owned a red sided garter so not as if i know the differences etc!
yea i feel like ive been stitched up like a kipper!!!:(
cheers for your thoughts much appreciated :)

[Paul12345678]

Some T. s. parietalis - Red-sided garter can look rather plain. Looks male for what it's worth.
He is very plain!!not a single fleck of red on him!!he almost as like a washed out terqouise colour to him in different lighting,i was thinking he lookks like a male as hes quiet slender,not sure of his age though as it wasnt stated,id say hes about 18/20 inch long though at a guess!!
cheers for your help :)

[Jeff B]

What a scam.

[Albert Clark]

What a scam.

Jeff, what species do you say it is ?

[Jeff B]

Jeff, what species do you say it is ?
Not the same species in the advertised picture. The ad picture is clearly a cali red-sided and the snake in the 2nd and 3rd is not. Could be a case of ignorance more than an intentional scam. Hard to tell from those pics but Steve is right that may be a likely possibility.

[Albert Clark]

Kool. Ok. The case of ignorance is fathomable.

[BUSHSNAKE]

that could very well be a redsided garter...with no red, yeah they come like that too.

[Albert Clark]

that could very well be a redsided garter...with no red, yeah they come like that too.

So would you say its a het, or just a plain red sided that may or may not show red as he ages? Maybe op can ask to see the pictures of the parents? No, scratch that.

[BUSHSNAKE]

So would you say its a het, or just a plain red sided that may or may not show red as he ages? Maybe op can ask to see the pictures of the parents? No, scratch that.
just a plain red sided, red sided garters don't really gain any red coloration as they grow so it will look like that forever lol

[Albert Clark]

just a plain red sided, red sided garters don't really gain any red coloration as they grow so it will look like that forever lol

Which one? Parieatalis ?

[Albert Clark]

Thanks

[BUSHSNAKE]

Which one? Parieatalis ?

yeah parietalis, every subspecies of sirtalis west of the Mississippi river is red sided and ive had them all. I personally never thought any gain red as they grow, how they look as babies is how they look as adults:) that's just my opinion

[Jeff B]

yeah parietalis, every subspecies of sirtalis west of the Mississippi river is red sided and ive had them all. I personally never thought any gain red as they grow, how they look as babies is how they look as adults:) that's just my opinion
I would agree, red sided do not gain color as they grow. Not to be confused with the way erythristic eastern do.
Also sometimes when parietalis are really thin like that snake and the skin is not stretched, the red squares are hidden in the dark scales as they are compressed. I have caught thin wild parietals that didn't appear to have any red at first glance, but after they swallow half a dozen night crawlers and reinflate the red shows.

[BUSHSNAKE]

I would agree, red sided do not gain color as they grow. Not to be confused with the way erythristic eastern do.
Also sometimes when parietalis are really thin like that snake and the skin is not stretched, the red squares are hidden in the dark scales as they are compressed. I have caught thin wild parietals that didn't appear to have any red at first glance, but after they swallow half a dozen night crawlers and reinflate the red shows.
very true Jeff

[BUSHSNAKE]

yeah parietalis, every subspecies of sirtalis west of the Mississippi river is red sided and ive had them all. I personally never thought any gain red as they grow, how they look as babies is how they look as adults:) that's just my opinion


I misspoke, texas garters have no red and theyre west of the Mississippi. lol

[Jeff B]

I think it is safe to say that the snake sold was misrepresented as the picture is of a neon blue california red-sided, T. sirtalis infernalis and the snake purchased is not. Like I said it is hard to say if that was just and ignorant mistake, thinking that "a red-sided is a red-sided"

[Albert Clark]

So, the parietalis that do have erythrystic showing are from a different locale outside the west of the Mississippi. Does the coastal garter fall into that locale or are they just a western species?

[Albert Clark]

yeah parietalis, every subspecies of sirtalis west of the Mississippi river is red sided and ive had them all. I personally never thought any gain red as they grow, how they look as babies is how they look as adults:) that's just my opinion

Ok. I have seen parieatalis with red showing but you are saying those are not west of the Mississippi?

[guidofatherof5]

So, the parietalis that do have erythrystic showing are from a different locale outside the west of the Mississippi. Does the coastal garter fall into that locale or are they just a western species?

T. e. terrestris (Coast garter snake)

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//744/medium/Coast_garter_range_map.png

[BUSHSNAKE]

So, the parietalis that do have erythrystic showing are from a different locale outside the west of the Mississippi. Does the coastal garter fall into that locale or are they just a western species?

I think im just confusing you lol sometimes I don't know when to shut up