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View Full Version : First pet snake.... Few Questions....



Jake Dubz
09-04-2007, 02:52 AM
Hello everyone-
Just joined the forums to get some more info on this awesome breed of snake. Always wanted a snake... Just without all the bs of having to worry about them escaping and murdering the family in their sleep....:mad: I never knew how well these snakes could be kept as pets, and obviously you guys really know your stuff about these bad boys as you all seem to have a phat cage of like 4 differen't species happily hangin out:D.

I Just have a few questions about my snake as a first time owner- I'm 80% sure i've got a red sided garter, by the coloration.... and the subbtle red down his sides. He's 22" and was reallly skinny when I caught him. With that said.
1. How long do red sided garters get, more specifically whats the size difference of a male to female??? I had caught 2, but only kept the smaller 22" one i thought was the boy (other one had a nasty temper and my buddy said it was a female bc of size and girth to my skinny 22"er ... we didn't mix too hot:( anyway)
2. Male or female- how old would you roughly say he is at 22"??? Someone told me he's prolly from last spring (a little under a year old) What do you guys think?
3. How old do red sided garters live to be??

I'd REALLY appriciate some knowledge of these questions guys, idk anywhere else with people as knowledgable about this species of snake as the guys in the forum. REally happy I found this site- It's like a buncha people that appriciate this snake as much as I do

Thanx in advance-
Jake

adamanteus
09-04-2007, 12:13 PM
Hi Jake, and welcome to the forum.:)
It certainly sounds as though you've got yourself a Red Sided Garter (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). You won't be able to guess the sex of the animal by size alone, at least until it is adult. Females are generally larger and more heavily built than males.

You should find much of the information you need to get you started in our Articles Section (centre tab on the home page). Also our Care Sheets might be of interest to you.
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Garter_Snake_Care_Sheet
Enjoy it here!:)

enigma200316
09-04-2007, 12:52 PM
Welcome Jake and if you can post some pics please!!!!

drache
09-04-2007, 01:10 PM
hi Jake
welcome to this forum

Sid
09-04-2007, 03:12 PM
Welcome to the forum, Jake. You will find a lot of helpful folks here. If your Garter is indeed a male and 22 inches long, it's not a last springs birth. Male sirtalis average between 18 and 24 inches as adults. If you can post close up photos of it near the vent area, both a side shoot and a pic of it's underside we can let you knoe the gender.

Lulu Bennett
09-04-2007, 03:47 PM
Hi jake and welcme to the site.
i think you have been given the info you need already but we would still like to see pics. :D.
if there is anything else you need to know then don't hesitate to ask. we will always help where we can and there is always someone that knows any answers you are after.
hope you enjoy the site
Lulu xxx

CrazyHedgehog
09-04-2007, 04:59 PM
As they say, a picture paints a thousand words...
get a pic up here and the answers will follow!

Elliot
09-04-2007, 05:23 PM
Welcome aboard.:)

Josh
09-04-2007, 06:33 PM
welcome!...

Stefan-A
09-04-2007, 11:20 PM
Welcome aboard, Jake.

Odie
09-04-2007, 11:35 PM
Hi, from Oregon, Jake :)
This is the best site :cool:

ScimitarX
09-05-2007, 03:51 AM
Welcome Jake

Snaky
09-05-2007, 06:15 AM
Welcome to the forum:)

Jake Dubz
09-05-2007, 01:06 PM
yea, i'll have to borrow my guys digi camera- but i'll get some up here. Do the female red sided's get much bigger than the males?? bc about 20 min. after i caught this guy i got what i thought was a female and she was about8 inches longer and much girthier- She didn't have any red though so it might have just been a regular garter