O.k., Here's all my garters.

[Loren]

This is my garter collection. (you can click on the names to go to a neat webpage on each species)

T. s. fitchi - Valley Gartersnake (http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.s.fitchi.html)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Valley_Garter.JPG

T. a. zaxanthus - Diablo Range Gartersnake (http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.a.zaxanthus.html)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Mount_Diable_Garter.JPG

T. e. terrestris - Coast Gartersnake (http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.e.terrestris.html)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Coast_Garter.JPG

T. e. elegans - (http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.e.elegans.html)Mountain Gartersnake (http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.e.elegans.html)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Mountain_Garter.jpg

T. couchii - Sierra Gartersnake (http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.couchii.html)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/my_Sierra_garter_in_tree.JPG

T. m. marcianus - Marcy's Checkered Gartersnake (http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.m.marcianus.html)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/checkered_garter.jpg

[RZL36]

Very nice garters. That sierra looks like a mamba.

[enigma200316]

very nice looking Garters..........:)

[anji1971]

What a great collection!!! THanks for sharing!:)

[Stefan-A]

Very nice collection. :)

[Lori P]

Awesome pics!! Very pretty snakes!! :-)

[RZL36]

Are they all wild caught?

[Loren]

Are they all wild caught?

The Valley, Sierra, and Mountain were legally wild caught by myself. The Coast and Diablo were given to me by others who legally caught them. The checkered is captive bred.
I would have liked to have gotten captive bred, but the law here doesnt allow native garters to be sold here, so the only way to get captive bred is if someone has an incidental litter, and gifts them to you. Thats not always easy to come by.
The diablo had recently given birth(late last year?) when I got her early this year, and wasn't eating. She weighed 27 grams, and was emaciated. I got her back into eating with treefrogs, then to small mice, which she takes great now. She has to be in her hidebox though, or she wont eat. Now she is about 75-80 grams. The key to getting her better seemed to be a good dark hidebox,undertank heater,and leaving her alone, plus I have yet to meet a garter that could turn down a treefrog.
I've had all the rest of them since they were babies-to -yearlings. I always prefer to catch babies- they take better to captivity, plus many babies dont survive in the wild long enough to reproduce anyhow, so the impact on wild populations is less.
The only one not eating small mice(peach fuzzies or smaller, unscented), is the checkered. He isnt big enough yet.
The Sierra was the most difficult to switch to mice. Had to wash large pinkies, then very thoroughly scent them with treefrog. Even then, he didnt really want them( he'd hold them for a few seconds and drop them), so I had to play on his greed to get him to eat. He is such a greedy pig, that if I tried to take the pinky away(gently), he would then decide he wanted it. Had to keep tugging until it was almost swallowed. Kind of like kids with toys- they dont want a certain toy untill someone elso does. Now he takes them great- no scenting.Had him since 2002.
Mountain and coast garters took pinkies no problem. As any of you with elegans know, they'll eat anything. The valley will only take frozen/thawed, and he's a timid eater. I've noticed I dont need to feed nearly as often on a rodent diet, and growth is good.
The only one I actually know the sex of is the diablo, since I know she gave birth once. Havent had a reason to sex the others.
Wow, I didnt intend to type this much.:D

[RZL36]

You did type a lot, but I enjoyed every bit of it. My easterns will never refuse a meal. My marcianus and radix are too small to eat pinks yet.

[Gijs & Sabine]

Very nice collection you have there :)

[Sid]

Those are great photos and a very nice collection.

[drache]

really nice collection of garters, Loren
thanks for the pics

[Snaky]

You have a very nice collection :)
I love the couchii in particular...

[Bay_area]

Kewl Loren!:D

[Odie]

Way cool :cool: nice collection.

[adamanteus]

Some great looking snakes there, Loren. Love that fitchi!:)

[zooplan]

Nice pictures of a nice collection,
but the photo of the ´couchiiI like most.
Thanks for sharing.
As more specimens I can see even by photo as clearer the differences of species come thru.

[Rook]

pretty snakes! I love that first one, very pretty :)

[Loren]

Well, I got 2 new garters!

I'll post the pics and see if ya'all know what kind they are just for fun. Sorry the pics dont really allow for scaale counting too well, so you might just have to go off of looks.

Reed, if you read this- I think I already told you- so you dont get to guess:)


Garter #1
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/img_0975_a.jpg

Garter #1 again.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/img_0977_a.jpg


Garter #2
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/img_0978_a.jpg

Garter #2 again.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/img_0983_a.jpg

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

very pretty, i like the black garter, i wonder what it is? :rolleyes:

[Loren]

Oh yeah, I told Jerry too- so Jerry may not guess either. :)

[Snake lover 3-25]

okay i give up tell me tell me!!!!!!:D:D:DLOL:D

[Loren]

We'll have to wait just a little longer Shanley. I'm curious what some of the others will say.
:D:D:D

[dashnu]

The second one looks alot like mine just darker... All though I do not even know what kind mine is officially. :D

http://byfiles.storage.live.com/y1pj1s4pia8Zl6KNyYTfVIL6_X34ZC2MzB91OFwN8E5iSVuU6s dRSi6TToSCaOmYZf9QIQZmgxGrFA

How old do you think your second snake is he/she seems about the same size as mine also. Might give me something to gauge off...

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

i would say 6 months to a year (still has that baby-ish look also) , really depends on how much they've been eating, thats an eastern for sure btw

The second one looks alot like mine just darker... All though I do not even know what kind mine is officially. :D

http://byfiles.storage.live.com/y1pj1s4pia8Zl6KNyYTfVIL6_X34ZC2MzB91OFwN8E5iSVuU6s dRSi6TToSCaOmYZf9QIQZmgxGrFA

How old do you think your second snake is he/she seems about the same size as mine also. Might give me something to gauge off...

[Stefan-A]

Garter #2 looks very interesting. :) Ordinoides? :confused:

[drache]

I'm no ID expert, so i'd just be wildly guessing (I'd be wildly guessing that the first one is an atratus and the secondsome kind of T. elegans)
they're both beautiful, but I especially like the second one
very nice finds

[anji1971]

The first one looks like a Butler's to me, but they aren't found around your area are they?
Unfortunately I'm not familiar with very many "Non-Ontario" species!:o

[ssssnakeluvr]

top one looks like an atratus.....bottom ordinoides. thats my guess. :D

[Stefan-A]

Actually, I'm going to call them both ordinoides. :)

[reptileparadise]

Really cool snakes and pictures!

[jeanette]

your snakes are very beautiful i really liked the sierra, that one is very unusual im quite taken with it. :)

[Loren]

Actually, I'm going to call them both ordinoides. :)

Stefan is right!

It took me a while with a magnifying glass to I.D. them, as these are my first ordinoides, not to mention that they are squirmy little buggers with small scales.
They are both feeding on frog scented thawed pinkies already.