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Garter_Gertie
06-13-2008, 04:59 PM
As a kid (in the time of horse and buggies) I HATED snakes. I knew they were beneficial, not slimey, but I visualized all snakes having teeth like a rattlesnake and just KNEW they were gonna bite me and mangle me to death. Never played with one, never looked for or found one, never wanted to. Snakes were best kept at a FAR distance and were necessary evils.

I held this opinion for more than 40-45 years, until just about a year ago. I work at a MN state park that has a 6', 5 lb., 15-year old bull snake, named Ripley, they've had for ten years. I wasn't pushed into getting to know Ripley and started with the old one-finger-touch-and-run technique. Worked good. Then moved on from there. It did take me FOREVER to where I could watch Ripley eat...

Today Ripley and I are buds. Well, he's mine. He doesn't like me as much as the Naturalist that's been around him the past 10 years. But I can now hold Ripley, let him slither all over me, watch him eat, clean his poos w/o batting an eye... And I even calmly held his head away from the visitors one day when he decided to hiss off with one of those REALLY REALLY LOUD BULL SNAKE HISSES. T'was a full mouth hiss! Last summer I brought him home from the state fair with me as I was going to the park the next AM and sat here at the 'puter with Ripley twined around my neck (they're constrictors if you didn't know) and happy as a lark and my two Pugs and five cats totally oblivious to him.

Summer moved on last year. Sept/Oct a co-worker found an Eastern Garter right outside the visitor center and we picked it up to play with it - It pooing on HER. :D Garters are Nervous Nellies when first caught!

Well, I cabbaged on to that snake and wouldn't put her down. Those PRECIOUS, bright shiney eyes! That wee sweet garter smile! The inqusitive, slightly suspicious look they give! I fell so in love with that snake.

So, I did the, "Look what followed me home! Can we keep her? Huh? Please? Can we? Can we? Huh? PLEASE????" complete with pout, whine and alligator tears. It worked. BUT ONLY because garters are not in any danger here in MN and are not even on the Species of Interest List and we use her for educational purposes contrasting with Ripley as they're both native MN snakes and both found within the park.

(Ripley, he's a different story. He was brought to the park by people that had had him for five years ever since he was a wee baby egglette. They were moving and couldn't take him and so brought him to the park to let him go. But since he'd never hunted for and caught his own food, and never brumated it was decided he'd never survive in the wild and so in his best interest Ripley was kept. Otherwise we'd not have a bull snake since they are of special concern here in MN.)

Winnie The Poo (Get it? How they musk??? :D) - Winnie for short - has become MY baby! Don't ever try and tell me different snakes don't have different personalities and don't come to know people even if they do only have brains the size of my little finger nail. Anyway, I digress.

So, my love for Missy Winnie as grown and grown and she settles down in my hand, curled around my fingers and gets as calm as can be. So, I asked the Naturalist if I could take Winnie home on Sundays, keep her during the week (then I could hug and kiss her every day!), and bring her back the next weekend. He very nicely said, "Why don't you get your own garter snake?"

I'm gettin' there! I'm gettin' there!

The thought had NEVER entered my mind to get my own snake and I just ran with the idea. But I didn't want a garter since we already have Winnie. So I'm in the works of getting a wee baby Western Hognose a month after he's no longer an egglette. And I've got his 90 gal here and a stand and...

Everyone's always ragging on me about how a 90 gal is too big for even an adult Hoggy, and I disagree. But for a brand new wee, wee beebee - yeah.

So I was looking at all the different garter morphs out there and...

Here it comes!

... I'm going to use my 90 gal for a Garter Garden and get me three wee baby, just born-ed, garters! And do a terrarium!!!!!!!

I'M SO EXCITED!!! I'll get Kenabec ("snake" in Ojibway; pronounced "ca-nay-beck") a small tank more fitting a wee Hoggy. And I'll have my garters here PLUS a third MN species to take to work with me! I'm gonna take my precious CB garters to work, too, and do talks about what wonderful creatures they are and how folks should get CAPTIVE BRED.

Now I just have to decide on WHICH garters I want!

And this from the woman that two years ago wouldn't even think about hardly touching a snake and now she kisses them (I'm fearless)! Old dogs CAN be taught new tricks.

There! WHEW! I'm finished! Thanks! :D

adamanteus
06-13-2008, 05:09 PM
Hi Gertie, and welcome to the forum.:)
That was one mega first post... people hereare gonna love you!

Garter_Gertie
06-13-2008, 05:19 PM
In Shrek voice she says, "Really?"

(Donkey: "Really, really.")

That will be nice! One always likes being loved and liked - I do at any rate! :D

Thanks for the warm welcome, James. I'M SO EXCITED THIS XSISTS!!! This is like a bazillion, gazillion, jamillion times better than kingsnake.com!

gregmonsta
06-13-2008, 05:27 PM
Welcome :D

Garter_Gertie
06-13-2008, 05:30 PM
Thanky, gregmonsta! I'm very very happy to be here!

Garter_Gertie
06-13-2008, 05:33 PM
James, and you, too! Thanks very much for the warm welcome. I'm really happy to have found a place where people where understand just how much a person can go nutzo over a garter!

jeanette
06-13-2008, 05:38 PM
hello there and welcome, what a great introduction. it was really fun to read and we can all tell you have a real passion for snakes :)

SpyrotheGartersnake
06-13-2008, 05:42 PM
welcome to thamnophis.com

ScimitarX
06-13-2008, 05:43 PM
Welcome:D that was a cool story.

Garter_Gertie
06-13-2008, 05:50 PM
Jeannette, Hi! Thanks.

I do now. Have a passion. Ripley taught me a lot. I have to laugh at myself and shake my head. It tickles me I've developed this new interest and over come stupid misconceptions.

Spyro, thanks for the welcome!

Claire (Gosh I love that name. Ranks right up there with "Diane." Love'um both!), thanks! Glad you like my writing abilities! Such that they are. I can tell you I write just the way I talk. Yayewbetcha! :D

Sid
06-13-2008, 06:11 PM
Welcome to a great forum. We would love to see some photos of your collection:D.

Snake lover 3-25
06-13-2008, 06:15 PM
HI and WELCOME!!!!!!! i think that there are ALLOT of people here that share your new found love for garters!!!!! including me!!!!!:D:D:D:D

Garter_Gertie
06-13-2008, 06:32 PM
Sid, I've no collection - yet. And once I get my babies, I've no way to take a picture of them. I've no cell phone (don't get me started...) and I don't own a digital camera. I want to get one. Someday. When I have the $.

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, I agree. It's a GREAT forum! :D

Garter_Gertie
06-13-2008, 06:34 PM
Shanely! Hi! Another noob! Yeah. I'm totally in love with garters. The sweetest, most darling, precious babies around.

jitami
06-13-2008, 07:27 PM
Welcome! I'm an adult convert, too :) They do grow on you, don't they?

infernalis
06-13-2008, 08:12 PM
This is like a bazillion, gazillion, jamillion times better than kingsnake.com!


I whole heartedly agree!!!!

No "hidden" moderators, a far better GUI and lots of really great people.

I loved that first post:D

Anytime anyone transforms from where you were at to where you are is a very good thing.

I respect your eagerness to educate others!!

Many warm wishes, and welcome to the family.

Kind regards,
Wayne A. Harvey

anji1971
06-13-2008, 08:22 PM
Woo-hoo.............I just love it when someone gets "converted"!!:D
I loved your story, and you'll absolutely HAVE to find someone with a digital camera to take those pics when your new pals arrive!
Welcome to our forum, it truly is the greatest place to be!:)

Stefan-A
06-14-2008, 12:23 AM
Welcome aboard, Gertie. :)

Jenlang_79
06-14-2008, 01:27 AM
:)Welcome from a fellow Minnesotan!! Great intoduction!! I'm so happy to meet people who don't think I'm crazy for loving these creatures!! :D:D

Garter_Gertie
06-14-2008, 07:00 AM
Thank you Anji, Stefan (with an F) and Jen!

Jen, you need to find a Sun when you want to waste precious fuel and drive up to Wild River State Park, near Taylors Falls. Then you can meet Winnie, Ripley... AND ME! :D

Dave does a snake presetation every Sun (See? I HAD to get over my fear/ickyness because as the Visitor Center Host and his Assistant I gots to help with the presentation and help take care of Ripley.) and we even have video of a Hoggy playing dead that always cracks me up. Then at the end Dave feeds Ripley and I let the kids feed Winnie worms. (Which reminds me. I gotta get vitamins today as I read since Winnie's not getting minnows [yet] she needs calcium, etc. Didn't know that before yesterday.)

Lori P
06-14-2008, 10:03 AM
Welcome Gertie!! It's great to meet others that get so excited over their snakes!! Have fun here, and really, it's ok to open up and talk once in a while... lolol :-)

Zephyr
06-14-2008, 11:19 AM
First of all, welcome.
Second of all *cough* easterns *cough.* :P

dashnu
06-14-2008, 12:13 PM
Awesome first post and great intro! You will have a blast here. Rock on!

Snake lover 3-25
06-14-2008, 01:05 PM
i'd feed her pinkise rather than minnows.....:D:D

Garter_Gertie
06-14-2008, 08:42 PM
I want to thank each and every one of you for such a nice welcome. Thank you.

Lori, think I need assertiveness classes? :D

drache
06-22-2008, 05:36 AM
welcome to the forum, Gertie
I know I've already seen you around, but I've been a bit behind, so I haven't officially welcomed you
nice story and good to meet you

Garter_Gertie
06-22-2008, 05:58 AM
Well thank you, Rhea. A formal retro "Hidey-Ho!" wasn't necessary, but sweet of you to take the time. Nice to meet you, too!