Hello, new here and to garters :-)

[Lori P]

Hello-- First, I swear I posted this last night but now I can't find it. So if this post is redundant, please forgive me!

I am considering purchasing two baby garter snakes and I am hoping to be able to learn as much as I can here. This seems like a wonderful, friendly forum, so I look forward to badgering everyone with questions!! :-) I do have two ball pythons, one rescue and one baby that I purchased, so I do have some snake experience.

I've been doing as much research as I can on garter care, and I feel pretty confident, but I am confused on the breed I'm looking at. I can't find any info on them, and the seller has been a bit hard to communicate with. He's probably very busy. But here's what I understand these snakes to be:

At first I thought they were Florida blue stripes, but he emailed back yesterday and told me they are not-- they are "a blue phase of pickerings". I can't find the first thing on a "pickering"?? Any clues for me as to what I'm getting??!!! And where to read more about them??

I fell in love with their coloring...they are a vibrant blue, just stunning.

Thanks for any input!!!

:-) Lori

[adamanteus]

Hi Lori, and welcome to the forum.:) Puget Sound Garters (Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii) are very nice snakes! Quite a few of our members have them, so I'm sure you'll be able to get all the help and advice you need. I am taking delivery of a pair of 'red phase' pickeringii next week....Can't wait!:D

[Lori P]

James, that's it!!!! Thank you!!!!! But now I have a whole new problem... are you telling me that in order to be a "real" snake-mom I'll have to learn all these scientific names??!! SIGH... and all I wanted was a couple of cute little blue snakes...

You all better type r-e-a-l slow, because it's all greek to me....

THANKS again, and I really look forward to getting these guys and learning more here!!!

:-) Lori

[adamanteus]

Don't worry too much about the scientific names, Lori, they'll soon become familiar.:) Not everyone uses them, but they are better, as there can be no doubt about what species you're refferring to when you use the scientific name.

[Tori]

Welcome to the forum Lori! I think you will love it here as much as I do. Everyone here has been very helpful and supportive to me. You'll have to show us photos of your babies as soon as you get them, this is a requirement....just kidding...kind of...LOL.

Tori

[CrazyHedgehog]

Puget Sound Garters (Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii) are very nice snakes! Quite a few of our members have them,
:D

And we want more!!!!

[Lori P]

Tori, thank you! I will probably drive you all to distraction with pics once I get the babies... :-)

I hope to have them by next weekend! I hope the shipping process is not too stressful for them... I've never had any animal of any kind shipped before, but it seems so common in the reptile world... so I'm hoping there are very few casualties??

:-) Lori

[Gijs & Sabine]

Hi Lori and welcome to this nice forum:)
Like James already said don't worry too much about the names and other garter things you might not know (yet ;)) There's a lot to learn here !!

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

r u getting them from bob?

[Lori P]

Tori, not to worry, I will soon be driving you all to distraction with photos. :-)

Sabine, I was just looking at the pics of your snake room and I am just INSPIRED!!!! You have an amazing set up for your snakes; beautiful, comfortable for the snakes, and very natural looking. Just amazing!!!!!

Reedkamsia-- Yes!! Bob!! Is he on here?? He's been very nice, very patient with my TONS of questions, I just get impatient for more info and think I bugged the poor guy to death...

:-) Lori

[Sid]

Hi Lori and welcome to the forum.

[drache]

hi Lori
welcome to this forum
garters are wonderfully interesting snakes and you'll be addicted in no time
pugets are beautiful

[Elliot]

Welcome to the forum, be sure to ask questions whenever you have any doubts!:)

[enigma200316]

Welcome to the forum and can't wait to see the pics.......:)
and yes they are actually kinda a requirement.......:D

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

Tori, not to worry, I will soon be driving you all to distraction with photos. :-)

Sabine, I was just looking at the pics of your snake room and I am just INSPIRED!!!! You have an amazing set up for your snakes; beautiful, comfortable for the snakes, and very natural looking. Just amazing!!!!!

Reedkamsia-- Yes!! Bob!! Is he on here?? He's been very nice, very patient with my TONS of questions, I just get impatient for more info and think I bugged the poor guy to death...

:-) Lori
i dont know if hes on here but i got my male puget from him and hes really blue

[Thamnophis]

Hello Lori, welcome to this forum.

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, Lori :)

[ScimitarX]

Hi Lori and welcome!!:)

[Snaky]

Welcome to the forum.

If I recall correctly, some members do not have so good experiences with "Bob". I believe he sended out wildcaught animals, if that is, its best to let the faeces be checked. I hope it works out ok for you :)

[Lori P]

Thanks everyone for the big welcome!! Sorry for the double posts; I'm still figuring out this forum. And I'm blonde. So be patient. LOL

Bob has been feeding the "kids" f/t minnows. But I can't find pre-killed minnows; will they easily adapt to live in their water? I would think so... and did I see somewhere to only offer nightcrawlers, not red worms?

THANKS....

[Lori P]

SNAKY.... just saw your post... ok, stressing here....

I work for a vet clinic and always do fecals and have a very good exotic vet to check them over. But the point is, I do not want wild caught... it's a personal thing with me, I have no problem owning a snake born in captivity that does not know the freedom of being wild... but would not feel good about taking a wild born animal and confining it to life in a tank. Hope that doesn't offend anyone, to each his own.

Now I don't know what to do... anyone else... input??

[Gijs & Sabine]

Sabine, I was just looking at the pics of your snake room and I am just INSPIRED!!!! You have an amazing set up for your snakes; beautiful, comfortable for the snakes, and very natural looking. Just amazing!!!!!


Thanks for the kind words, Lori :) As you can understand we're very happy with our garterroom. I would love to explain how Gijs build it, but that's too much english for me ........ sorry :o
But this weekend are some members from the UK coming over, so maybe they can explain it :D

[Snaky]

This is a thread I found while spitting in old threads:
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/265-all-dead.html
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/urgent-care/383-puget-update-vet-visit-more.html
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/497-buyer-beware-bob.html

I'm not saying anything you should or should not do, because I don't have first hand info...

[Lori P]

OK--- I am SOOOOO disapointed. But you know.... I should have followed my gut. I am so new here, I certainly did not want to start out by making comments about someone already in the "trade". But I never did have a good feeling about this; the emails I was getting were sooooo vague, the questions I was asking were not getting answered, and the replies were so slow to come (5 and 6 days between emails). The fact that I asked over and over for a specific breed to do research on their care, and then ended up coming here to have to figure it out... and don't get me wrong, I am VERY glad to be here!!!!!

I just felt like there was something off. As much as I would like to get these snakes to be able to give them a wonderful home... to me that's like buying a puppy from a pet store to give it a chance at a good life. You end up supporting the puppy mill, and tho you might save that one pup you put another right into its place.

I can't support someone with such a long term poor reputation.

Ok, you guys, help me out... who else has some of these snakes for sale?? Someone who's word and ethics I can trust???

:-( Lori

[Snaky]

Ameivaboy still hasn't removed his add in the classified section, maybe you can pm him:)

This is his add:
http://www.thamnophis.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=17&cat=21

His adults are however also from Bob...

[Lori P]

Snaky, thank you, but he isn't shipping; local pick up only. That was the other thing... Bob said shipping would be Priority USPS... but Priority is not guaranteed overnight!!! I kept asking where he was located, because if he's in VA (where I am) it probably would be overnight... otherwise I wanted Fed Ex or UPS overnight so it would be guaranteed. No response to that.

No worries... I will keep searching... one of the girls I work with also wants to adopt a garter, so we are searching together.

[Snaky]

Good luck with the search :)

[drache]

Marian may still have some
do ads here expire?
she's around and responds to PMs
her user name is mikm
if she still has them they'll be in excellent condition

[Lori P]

Thank you, Rhea! I just sent her a message. Now I'm on a mission.... :-)

I sent Bob a message and told him very politely that his reputation in the garter snake world had reached me, that I was very disapointed but preferred to do business with someone more reputable and more interested in the welfare of their animals. Wasn't trying to be mean, but I think a little bad feedback now and then can't hurt.

Thanks everyone!!!!!!

Lori

[GarterGuy]

Hello and welcome to the forum Lori.:D I think you did the right thing with Bob. I was one who had a rather bad experiance with him. Lost three beautiful little snakes due to his miscare of them. I know it's very tempting to get them, but be patient and you'll happen upon them eventually. I actually just picked up a pair at a local reptile show last month. They're CB babies and they are beautiful. I do agree with you on the wild caught snake thing, for many of the same reasons, but can also understand why some do have wild caughts. Not a whole lot of people work with garters and finding good CB or CBB garters can be really hard. There are several here on the forum who are breeding their snakes and also big breeders like Scott Felzer who can supply you with healthy CBB snakes. I wish you luck with your search and again, welcome to the forum.:)

Roy

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard, Lori. :)

[Lori P]

Thanks for yuor input, Roy. I have an email back from Bob this morning but it's too early to open what is most likely a negative post... lol... I haven't even had my coffee yet. Need to gear up to getting yelled at!

"Patience".. hmm, yes, I've heard of this... (scratching head) Could you please define?? I hear my husband mention this word frequently, and he insists I don't have it... LOLOL It's a trait I'm working on. :-)

Speaking of which, I wonder when is the best time to tell poor long-suffering hubby about the new snake plans?? Probably as usual with all the animals.... after they are home and settled... lol "Honey, don't be silly, we've had that dog/goat/horse/turkey/pig/snake for AGES....."

Everyone have a GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

[Lulu Bennett]

[quote=Lori P;25659]Probably as usual with all the animals.... after they are home and settled... lol "Honey, don't be silly, we've had that dog/goat/horse/turkey/pig/snake for AGES....."quote]

PMSL i love it lol brill idea lol

[Lori P]

Lulu-- hey, we gotta do what we gotta do!! :-)

I feel silly for asking this but..... what does PMSL stand for?

[Lulu Bennett]

Lulu-- hey, we gotta do what we gotta do!! :-)

I feel silly for asking this but..... what does PMSL stand for?

sorry local slang

PMSL=Peeing MySelf Laughing

[Lori P]

Lulu, very cute!! I might have to steal that! :-)
Lori

[Lulu Bennett]

lol lori no worries, i 'stole' it off someone too lol

[enigma200316]

man there's a bunch of thieves on this forum..........:D:D