hello from the new guy

[liveprey]

I can thank Cazador for dropping a hint of this forum on Kingsnake.

I'm more of a boa guy but I can't get past the personalities of garters and the variations.

I've chased critters in Michigan since I was a child. I grew up with all types of mammals, birds, amphibians, insects, but reptiles really interest me.

As of now I only have 4 boas, 1 python, 6 garters, 2 birds, 1 dog, 1 cat, 4 salamanders, ?? hissing roaches, 22 spiders, 2 kids and 1 nervous wife.

Seeing how this is a garter forum, the first one in my collection is a male T. sirtalis sirtalis that I caught around the Kalamazoo area. The second in my collection is a female T. sirtalis sirtalis that I caught around Sodus that was pregnant when caught in spring. She ended up dropping 38 young around August. I kept 4 of her the young. Here's a picture of one of them.
39
I'm interested in Eastern Black Necks and S.F.'s of course, just haven't dropped the change for some yet. That's about it for me for now. Sorry for the long intro.
Chris

[ssssnakeluvr]

Welcome to the forum!! Nice looking snake!!! I used to catch lots of Butler's garters when I was stationed at Selfridge ANG Base in Mt Clemens. Had lots of fun in Michigan. Scott Felzer grew up in the Detroit area, he's the biggest garter breeder here! He also has eastern blacknecks...we all want the SF's....but only the lucky ones overseas can get them....:(

[Thamnophis]

Hello Chris, welcome on this forum. It's very nice here.
Very pretty snake on the picture!

[Cazador]

Hi Chris,
I'm glad you saw the notice on Kingsnake and hope you'll take the poll about getting the best European garter snake book translated from German into English. I think it will help the people who read it and those using forums like this (links below). We've got a great forum here, with expertise from all around the world. I hope you like it. Great baby Eastern by the way. Cheers,
Rick


Background info on the books:
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/203-best-snake-books.html

Poll:
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/211-strumpfbandnattern.html

[abcat1993]

we all want the SF's....but only the lucky ones overseas can get them....:(
You mean they are the only ones who can get them legally. Anyways, is Scot Feltzer joining this site?

[GarterGuy]

Hey Chris,
Welcome to the forum! Beauty of an Eastern you've got there! Got a real soft spot for them. Even with all the great coloured garters that are out there, the Easterns just really blow me away with all the patterns and colours they have together.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I mentioned it to Scott a few weeks age, still waiting for him to join....

[Thamnophis]

I've seen his name on this forum, but I do not think he posted yet.

I cannot find the memberslist anymore...

[Thamnophis]

I cannot find the memberslist anymore...

Oops... found it :o
It's hidden under "quick links". :rolleyes:

[abcat1993]

is he on it?

[ssssnakeluvr]

He called me last night...chatted for a bit, said he was, haven't seen his name on here. Said he voted on the book by Chlebowy, he has the german version... will keep looking for him.

[ytee29]

hello everybody, Had our first shed today! very excited I thought the snake was acting alittle funny and I was worried but came home tonight and there it was a perfect uninterrupted lenght of shed. does anyone know if there are signs of a coming shed and what I should look for next time? I did have a boa once and when she was ready her eyes got blueish. thanks

[ssssnakeluvr]

garters get the blue eyes too....they will look dull and dark. generally about 2-3 days after the eyes clear up they shed. most of the time they won't eat either.

[Stefan-A]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/shed1.jpg
This is pretty much what you can expect. Blue eyes and dull colors. This one is on its third or fourth day since it started. After this it will gradually start clearing up and a few of days after that, it will start shedding. Symptoms before eyes getting cloudy may include apathy and refusal to eat.

[Cazador]

Ytee,
Congrats on getting your first shed. Be sure to look at the shed very closely to ensure that the scales that once covered the eyes (called the spectacles) are attached to the rest of the shed. They almost always come off without a problem, but it's critical that they did. It's something to always check when a snake sheds because it can cause blindness if they don't come off. Also make sure the shed includes the skin that covered the tail spike. Don't mean to sound alarmist, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in these cases.

Sometimes the shedding process can happen very quickly, or it can take a long time. I've had snakes, particularly young ones, that only had cloudy eyes for a little over a day. At about 4 or 6:PM on the second day, their eyes were very cloudy. Then by about 11:PM, the eyes were completely clear, and the snake shed late the next day.

Kitkat also shared an example where her young T.s. concinnus took almost 2 weeks (if I remember correctly) between cloudy eyes and shedding. These examples aren't nearly as common as the pattern that ssssnakeluvr & Stefan described, but I mention them to show that there can be a bit of variation.

[abcat1993]

How often do snakes shed anyways? I've had my snake for two months I think and it has grown a ton (1-3 inches) but never shed.

[Thamnophis]

The amount of sheddings of snakes are depending on age, growth, food, sex, etc.
My juvenile garters shed every 4 to 6 week.

[abcat1993]

Could something be wrong with my garter then? 2 months = ~8 weeks not 4-6

[Stefan-A]

Nothing unusual this time of year. I remember last winter, my '04 male didn't shed between October and February. It seems like both it and my female are following the same pattern this year as well. That's despite having eaten just fine until recently.

[Thamnophis]

When it grew 1 tot 3 inches you would expect it to shed.
Maybe the snake has eaten the old skin (this sometimes happens).
But don´t panic. If the snake is doing ok you must not worry too much.