gone

[stonyloam]

Feelin kinda melancholy today:(, I released the last of my adult garters this afternoon. He seamed to be really unhappy, becoming more shy and nervous, so I fed him well and released him (down the “snake hole”). Kinda hated to do it, but I think he is better off. Still have some babies, but they have been experiencing some problems, and several have died for no apparent reason. The ones that I have left are starting to look really good though. Will probably move them into the empty viv. On a little cheerier note, some of the babies are really starting to look like Maritimes. I’ll try to get a couple of good pix.

[adamanteus]

Don't be down about it, Terry....you know they'll all come back to your sunroom in the spring!:D

[enigma200316]

yes that is true, and its better to keep them happy, if you could see the change then you did the right thing................:)

[Thamnophis]

It´s a good thing you released it. Be proud on yourself that you decided to do so when you realised the snake was not happy.And it is quite normal that some of the newborns die without a visable reason.Focus on the specimen that are doing well!

[Odie]

And it is quite normal that some of the newborns die without a visable reason.Focus on the specimen that are doing well! Yes, We lost 4 of 5 :eek:

[ssssnakeluvr]

yea, tell me about it...my albino eastern, the one in the photo contest last month, died on me recently...:( He was eating fine and I went in to check on everyone and found him dead.....

[drache]

Terry
it's kind of hard to let them go, no matter where to
and then there's the whole autumnal thing
maybe that's just me
if you get lonely for snakes, let me know

[stonyloam]

Here is a photo of one of my Maritime(ish) looking babies. Some look like this and some look more like easterns, guess I got a mix here. The color differences are interesting.:D

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/baby12.jpg

[enigma200316]

its a cute little bugger..............:)

[GarterGuy]

Yeh, Terry, babies are really tough. You have to realize though that very few of them would have survived out in the wild. The pressures of just finding food, water, and shelter; combined with predation take out a lot of them. I think that's really why garters seem to have so many babies, because few of them actually survive to carry on to the next generation. It's just that we figure since they're not in the wild that they'll all survive and I honestly wonder if some of them just aren't made to make it.

[mikm]

'Funny' you should mention that Roy ... 'aren't made to make it'. I have been given that some thought recently and I too suspect that to be true. As far back as I can recall each litter has those that hit the ground running so to speak and others (the weakest) do not 'hang' with the 'baby pack'. I think if they were not kept in groups the solitary by choice babies would quickly become food for something else. To me, something in these 'off' babies is lacking in varying degrees. I am referring to babies that do eat not non-feeders here. They just do not have the same energy ... not really lethargic per say but not sharp either ... My observations anyway :)

Best Wishes,