YAY!!! i found my first snake

[Snake lover 3-25]

YAY!!!!!:D i found him peeking out from under a rock in my garden!!!!:eek: i caught him and grabbed some worms... he ate those and then i defrosted some fish... he is'nt interested in the salmon but he loves the tilapia!!!!! that means i can keep him!!!!! yay!!!!:D:D it's really funny too... i had actually just given up looking for snakes and i was about to hose down my dog so i could take her for a walk... and as soon as i pick up the hose there he was!!!:p i'm sooooooo happy!!!!!!!:D but now i have a few questions...

1. is it a male???? (pics will come VERY soon)
2. can my large female breed?? (she came out of bermutation on march 1)
3. what kind is he???? (pics will fallow)

[Zephyr]

Well, she may be out of the mood by now, but from what I've seen of males just out of brumation, there's only one thing on their mind. lol

[adamanteus]

Well done, Shanley.... let's see those photos!

[Snake lover 3-25]

Sorry it took so long... i had to give him the rest of his food because he was SOOOO thin:( then i gave him a nice long soke to clean his skin and rehydrate him... i think he was a little dehydrated...:( but now he's much beter!!!!:D here he is!!!

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Florida_trip_600.jpg

Male or Female??????
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Florida_trip_602.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Florida_trip_601.jpg

[Stefan-A]

Congratulations, Shanley, that's a real fine garter. :)

[enigma200316]

very nice find and very dark colored or is it just the pic? its sirtalis sirtalis
and i would have to say female but hey what do i know, anyone else care to guess...............:D

[Snake lover 3-25]

yes it is very dark... even underneath

[enigma200316]

yes it is very dark... even underneath


very nice find, could have some good genes or just maybe the super variety of color they come in.....lol:D

[Snake lover 3-25]

IDK but he sure is handsome especially with the orange under his head... anyone know wat sex or subspecies???? and he's so calm too... i hope i can keep him...:(:(:)

[Snake lover 3-25]

also can i put him in with my female to breed right away??? he had no mites or other problems and he eats and drinks well...:):)

[Stefan-A]

Eastern garter, T. sirtalis sirtalis. Not so sure about the sex, I think I see a bulge.

[enigma200316]

well they say u should quarintine them but thats your call.......:)

[Snake lover 3-25]

i hope it's a male... well i think i'll put him with her and see what happens....:):):)

[Charlet_2007]

your asking for trouble doing that if he has parasites hell pass them to her.. I'd wait and not rush things.. but hey your snakes right? :(

[adamanteus]

I must agree with Justin and Natalie.... best to quarantine the newcomer for a while.

[Snake lover 3-25]

:(:( okay... i just really want babies this year....:(:(:( but i still don't know... male or female??? i think it's a male because he went right after her for the few mins they were together... and he's sooooo pretty.....:(

[Snake lover 3-25]

how long do i quarantine him for and it is a male right????!!!!:):):):D

[Zephyr]

For some reason, I'm not convinced it's a male. From experience, males don't eat right out of brumation.

[Snake lover 3-25]

i'll try and get more pics...:):):):D:D

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I am sorry but I am leaning more towards a female. It's very big and hefty, it's already eating, and the tail isnt as quite as fat (from what I can see) as a usual male sirtalis. Very pretty snake though, looks like dark chocolate!

[enigma200316]

I said female a few post ago as well, I dont know something just says female, but like I said before what do I know.....hahahaha

[Snake lover 3-25]

hmmm....idk... it did seem to have ALOT of intrest in my female... too much to be a female if you ask me... and it lined up right with her... then it's entire body started pulsing...???? IDK what that means... but it looked alot like mating...:(:(:(:( i want babies....:(:(

[drache]

the behaviour certainly sounds like mating
he's a gorgeous snake btw
the orange under his throat with that dark body - very nice find

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

if it liked up with your female and started "pulsing" it is almost definately a male.




or a highly confuse female.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

Hahahahaha

if it liked up with your female and started "pulsing" it is almost definately a male.




or a highly confuse female.

[Charlet_2007]

need more pics.. still wouldn't have put it with the female till it was safe.. but hay damage may already be done.. :( even in the likely chance it was male i still wouldn't rush things.. the best things in life are meant to be waited for.. I would have waited and quarantined it.. :( My garter i found in the wild because my cat was trying to kill it took it up to 6-7 months before the parasites took it's life.. so there is a reason we tell you this and not just look the other way..

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

i agree i had got WC garter and it took 2 1/2 months for the parasites to show, but luckily i got rid of them

need more pics.. still wouldn't have put it with the female till it was safe.. but hay damage may already be done.. :( even in the likely chance it was male i still wouldn't rush things.. the best things in life are meant to be waited for.. I would have waited and quarantined it.. :( My garter i found in the wild because my cat was trying to kill it took it up to 6-7 months before the parasites took it's life.. so there is a reason we tell you this and not just look the other way..

[Stefan-A]

if it liked up with your female and started "pulsing" it is almost definately a male.




or a highly confuse female.
:D

"I may not know much about reproductive success, but I know what I like." ;)

[anji1971]

That's a really nice snake you've found, Shanley!:) But I also agree you should have quarantined it first. Parasites are sneaky little devils, and can show up weeks after you've found a new snake. Hopefully everything will work out for you!

[Snake lover 3-25]

Yeah... as soon as i came back down and read those posts i took him out... but i've never quarentined them before and i dont know when they're safe or how long to keep them away from the others.....:)
Also could he have given her parasites from just a few minuites of interaction??????

[Snake lover 3-25]

Oh yeah... and do you think that by the time he is finished with his "seperation" he (it) will still mate with the female?
And also can't parasites get through one cage and into the other?????? :confused:

[Charlet_2007]

yeah if it was me id let he/she/it go.. im not to big of a fan of getting WC snakes after mine died of parasites.. :(:(:( do garters have live birth or eggs? if they have eggs are you prepared get an incubator and hatch them yourself? Do you have homes lined p for the young? there alot to think about before you just jump right in and breed snakes.. Ive had snakes for 9+ years now and I'm not even ready to take on breeding snakes as it is..

[Zephyr]

Garters are live birthers...

[Charlet_2007]

thanks i looked it up also lol but thanks for the info..

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

you should seperate the new one for 1-2 months i would do 2 to be safe, and no if it is a he, most likely wont still have the breeding urge

[Snake lover 3-25]

okay... darn...:(:(:( but yes i have had garter babies before... i caught the mother and she had 18 young a month later... i kept them for a while and fed them but i ended up leting all but one go in my yard because they were too much to handle unexpectedly... i had to call my friends to help me feed and clean up after them... and i figured that if i had not caught her that is where they would've ended up.... :D

[Snake lover 3-25]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

[Snake lover 3-25]

so i found him on 4/20 can i put him in w/ the others on 6/1??? i think it's 6 weeks..... he hasn't met my baby but he was fine w/ the female and he's only 5in larger...... also is a 20 gal cage big enough for 3???? if not do you think that this could work??????
Fresh Air Terrarium Top Enclosure | Cages | Reptile Cages, Terrariums & Accessories | Reptile - ThatPetPlace.com (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/439/product.web)

[Snake lover 3-25]

btw i'll post pics of him and his new improved self later!!! when it gets nice out!!!! my house is too dark for pics!!!:D

[jeanette]

cute snake :)

[Snake lover 3-25]

his new and improved self!!!!!
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/IMG_5079.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/IMG_5062.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/IMG_5059.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/IMG_5055.JPG
in the process LOL Goldylocks!!!:D
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/IMG_5042.JPG

[dashnu]

I have been searching my yard / woods every day for about a week and only found one. It is a bit cold up here in Maine wondering if they are laying low still.

Nice find!

[Snake lover 3-25]

yup i go out for a couple of hrs a day usually and i've only found 2 snakes and a turtle!!!!:D

[Sid]

Kind of late responding here, but very nice Eastern Shanley.