cut/sore

[wolfess]

I don't really have a response but am not sure how to start my own thread.
I was out in my yard earlier mowing and saw a garter snake right in front of my mower and picked it up as I didn't want it to get caught under the mower. As I was carrying her to the backyard (they go under the deck whenever my dog harasses them so I was going to put her back there so she would be safe) I noticed she had a cut not too far from her tail so i took her in the house and ran some lukewarm water over her and then put her in a bowl with about an inch of water in it and put her out on the deck. She climbed out of the bowl and slithered under the deck. I am hoping that since she was so active she will be all right, but if I see her again (and she's still alive) is there anything more I can do to make sure the cut heals?

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, Wollfess :)
That is about all you can do unless you want keep them/it, a small wound will heal normaly :)
If you keep it Polysporen will do wonders :)

[infernalis]

I have seen snakes in the wild that had healed from horrific looking wounds.

There is an older Eastern (Sirtalis Sirtalis) that moves through my back yard we named her "Scar" She is fully wild, and I have only picked "Scar" up a few times to check on her.

Oddly, no sightings of "Scar" this season, but for the 3 years prior right around mid July, "Scar" would show up under a sheet of plywood behind the barn.

Snakes are really quite rugged when they are healthy.

[wolfess]

Hi Snake Whisperer,
Your comment about Scar made me want to tell you about my resident garter -- she's been around every summer for the last 5 years and after the first year I named her Beelzebel (someone told me most garters are female so i couldn't name her Beelzebub:)). This is the first summer tht I haven't seen her -- I'm not quite ready to believe she's dead, kinda like as long as I don't see any evidence that forces me to face that I'll just go on believing that she's still around:). I've picked up a number of snakes in my yard over the last 5 years and it's possible I've picked her up at some pt but I haven't in a number of years b/c she's just too fast:D in spite of her size!
The good news is that I haven't seen the one I saw yesterday so I'm hoping that means she's ok, hopefully I'll see her again some time this week (but not 2moro as I have to mow the backyard).
Wolfess

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard. :)

[infernalis]

Ok I am confused, Wolfess has a post count of 1, yet there are 2 in this thread just several posts apart?????


The real "first" post does not show up if I click all posts by Wolfess

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol o welll...............:D

[infernalis]

I thought software was "smarter" than that:eek:

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol guess not:D

[wolfess]

Ok, here's the deal:. Yesterday when I signed up I mistyped my name (notice that the first 'wolfess' is spelled woLLfess) both posts are from me.
And I just got home from being out ALL DAY or I would've explained this sooner :p!

So I have a couple more questions ... how long do garters live in the wild (when Frodo is out there it gets pretty wild in my yard ;))? And, how big do they really get? I haven't seen Beelzebel all stretched out but I do have a skin that she shed last summer and the skin is over 3 feet and fairly wide but the last time I saw her she slithered away too fast for me to get out my yardstick and measure her:).

Gotta go, phone's ringing.

[Snake lover 3-25]

no idea..... but they can live 10 yrs or longer in captivity...... sizes....... dont know if there are average sizes... but i have a 20" female..... little on the small side, and a 32" female who is a little on the large side.... males are usually around 20" you can use the snake measurer, it's the first link on google

[wolfess]

Snake lover 3-25,
they can live 10 yrs or longer in captivity -- I hope that means Beelzebel will be arnd awhile longer -- she's not in captivity but I think she's been in my yard long enuf to know how to stay safe and aside from Frodo and the mower there isn't any real danger.
Wolfess

[infernalis]

However lifespan is greatly reduced in the wild.

Captive animals do not have to cope with huger, predators, flash flooding, autos, man, drought or disease.

Wild garters breed in such mass numbers to ensure that the species will survive with high mortality rates.

The more urban the surroundings, the more likely Man will be the biggest influence on lifespan be it intentionally or unintentionally.

To "replace" one garter snake in the wild population takes 2 years, sadly a good number never see maturity to reproduce.

Here in New York State, it is illegal to capture, kill or otherwise molest a rattlesnake, That species take 10 years to replace. (based on data from an animal planet special, feel free to correct if misinformed)

So the captive animals in properly maintained collections are very lucky snakes!!!

[Stefan-A]

Wild garters breed in such mass numbers to ensure that the species will survive
It's the other way around. :) The species survives because they breed in mass numbers.