Pics of my couchii

[tyflier]

So...as some read in my introduction, I have been keeping snakes for many years, but only recently did I get my very first garter, a Thamnophis couchii, Sierra Garter. She is incredible! She's a wild caught neonate female that a young friend of mine found in his yard and brought to me. She's a feisty little brat, to be certain. She LOVES to musk, bite, strike, and flatten herself out...but she's beautiful, too, so I gotta love her...

Anyhow, without further ado, here is my first(but definitely not my last) garter snake, Alina:

http://www.kingofcolubrids.com/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/thamnophis-couchii/profile1.jpg
http://www.kingofcolubrids.com/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/thamnophis-couchii/face2.jpg
http://www.kingofcolubrids.com/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/thamnophis-couchii/face1.jpg

This next picture shows you just how much she loves me...
http://www.kingofcolubrids.com/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/thamnophis-couchii/bite1.jpg
I actually got lucky enough to catch her mid-strike. This was a good handling session...she only filled one palm with musk, and only bit me 12 or so times. A HUGE improvement over the last few sessions where musk was sprayed all over the house and I was bitten about 30+ times. Good thing she can't break the skin yet...

Thanks for looking!!

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol fiesty little one isn't she lol very cute:D just keep handling her and she'll get used to it:D

[jitami]

Welcome Chris!

Alina is such a naughty girl :D I ran into an adult couchii this summer with the same temperment... in fact I never did get ahold of it as I jumped when it came at my face... I'm a wimp :)

Very nice website as well. Your daughter Zayne is a doll. Love her name! I have a son, Shane, that hubby wanted to name Zane, but I didn't care for the masculine version of the name nearly as much as I like the feminine version. Very pretty. We have a few dad/daughter herping teams here :) Please, get comfy & make yourself at home :)

[tyflier]

lol fiesty little one isn't she lol very cute:D just keep handling her and she'll get used to it:D
Yea...that's what I've heard....:D

Really it doesn't bother me. My favorite snakes are Florida Kings. If you can't take getting bit, you probably shouldn't kep Florida kings 'cause they always get you. And a fresh hatchling floridana causes more damage than this girl for sure.

It's actually quite entertaining when she gets all flattened out and starts striking like mad. She's a nut...:eek:

[tyflier]

Welcome Chris!

Alina is such a naughty girl :D I ran into an adult couchii this summer with the same temperment... in fact I never did get ahold of it as I jumped when it came at my face... I'm a wimp :)

Very nice website as well. Your daughter Zayne is a doll. Love her name! I have a son, Shane, that hubby wanted to name Zane, but I didn't care for the masculine version of the name nearly as much as I like the feminine version. Very pretty. We have a few dad/daughter herping teams here :) Please, get comfy & make yourself at home :)
I think I'm gonna like it here. Very casual and welcoming. You guys are pretty dang cool! And I already know at least one other member from many, many other places on the web...aSnakeLovinBabe and I go way back...don't we Shannon...;).

Thanks for the welcome and the compliments! My daughter is a pro herper already. She can't get enough of the rattlers...:D. She takes after her daddy...

[Stefan-A]

Beautiful indeed. :)

[Aundrea]

WOW Shes very pretty and very fiesty :eek::D Shes got an attitude from the start lol

[adamanteus]

Fine looking couchii, Chris.:) Feisty too!:D

[Garter_Gertie]

Oh, but she's pretty! First I've seen where the stripes go around instead down the length of the body.

I really like her! I wonder if one is able to find them someplace - as in "purchase" or if they're protected for something.

[crzy_kevo]

beautiful snake couchi is definately on my wish list

[Hornets23]

Lol..thats really cute..nice snake.....well perhaps nice wasn't a good word choice, but she is very pretty!

[tyflier]

Thanks everyone, for the comments! I've never really paid any attention to gartersnakes, even though I have seen many very pretty ones. I'm not really sure why, but I guess I just focused more on other colubrids. But this little girl just entertains the heck outta me. She's always cruising or fishing, or chillin' in the branches. She's really, really coole...

And than I found out that garters actually seem to prefer communal habitation. Heck, how you can you beat that? So I'm getting her a friend at the end of the month...

[jitami]

And than I found out that garters actually seem to prefer communal habitation. Heck, how you can you beat that? So I'm getting her a friend at the end of the month...

hehe... and so it begins... :D

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

And I already know at least one other member from many, many other places on the web...aSnakeLovinBabe and I go way back...don't we Shannon...;)..

haha... yes!!! definitely :p;)

I have already seen this lovely garter on two other forums... shes adorable!!

so glad to see that I FINALLY was able to rub my disease off on you... it took a while but you finally got a garter!!!! and now you shall never stop wanting more garters... muhahahaha...!

[prattypus]

See, and I still haven't been bit.

[Stefan-A]

hehe... and so it begins... :D
The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote. ;)

[Snaky]

Very nice couchii :)

I've heard from others that there is a trick to let them stop biting you. They wear these rubber medical gloves when they handle the snakes. The snake bites the glove and find it repulsive. After a while they didn't bite anymore. Maybe it can help you, I just heard it and have nver needed it myself.

[Garter_Gertie]

And than I found out that garters actually seem to prefer communal habitation. Heck, how you can you beat that? So I'm getting her a friend at the end of the month...


"Another one bites the dust. And another one gone, another one gone. Another one bites the dust."

[tyflier]

Very nice couchii :)

I've heard from others that there is a trick to let them stop biting you. They wear these rubber medical gloves when they handle the snakes. The snake bites the glove and find it repulsive. After a while they didn't bite anymore. Maybe it can help you, I just heard it and have nver needed it myself.
The biting doesn't bother me one bit. I have lots of kings that think I'm half mouse, so I'm fairly OK with being bitten. She will never bite as hard as a full grown, 5 1/2', hungry male Florida king with a bad attitude. Her bites really just aren't a concern...

I've dealt with a LOT of feisty snakes over the last 20 years, and I always found thin leather gloves to work the best for the really bitey ones...like bicycle gloves or paintball gloves...protects the flesh from big bites, and the snakes don't seem to like it...

[Garter_Gertie]

But be careful to let the snake pull away from the gloves and not yank back. Don't want to hurt snake/teeth and possibly have to deal with mouth rot.

It's been suggested to me by my Hoggy breeder to never use gloves due to the very great possibility of tooth loss. (shrugs shoulders)

I don't know. I can see both sides. I'll go w/o gloves until I think the danger to me is greater than the possible injury to my snakelettes. As I have the ability to sit for a long time waitng for snigglettes to withdraw from either me or gloves if I should use them.

So, it's not something I do - use gloves... yet, but wanted to toss out.

[tyflier]

But be careful to let the snake pull away from the gloves and not yank back. Don't want to hurt snake/teeth and possibly have to deal with mouth rot.

It's been suggested to me by my Hoggy breeder to never use gloves due to the very great possibility of tooth loss. (shrugs shoulders)

I don't know. I can see both sides. I'll go w/o gloves until I think the danger to me is greater than the possible injury to my snakelettes. As I have the ability to sit for a long time waitng for snigglettes to withdraw from either me or gloves if I should use them.

So, it's not something I do - use gloves... yet, but wanted to toss out.
I have had more snake teeth embedded in flesh than in gloves to be honest. For some reason, most of the don't seem to even bite the gloves. I've had them strike a couple times while wearing gloves, but rarely do they latch on. Without the gloves...they latch on and twist their heads about. That's when they lose teeth.

I try not to use gloves unless I am dealing with a big, bitey snake. For the most part babies, and small ones don't bother. It's only when one of the bigger kings starts eyeballing me and giving me a little lip. Than I use the gloves to force them out and into interacting...

[Garter_Gertie]

Ah! I'm not going into kings so I don't have to worry! THANKS!

[tyflier]

Ah! I'm not going into kings so I don't have to worry! THANKS!
But you HAVE a king! You have an Eastern Milk listed in your signature...Lampropeltis trangulum triangulum. So here's some information...just for fun...

The Genus Lampropeltis is the Kingsnake genus. Everything that falls under the family Lampropeltis is a kingsnake. The species, triangulum, is the species Milksnake. The subspecies, triangulum, is the Eastern Milk. But as I said above...everything that is classified in the Genus of Lampropeltis is a kingsnake...so your Eastern Milk is the common name for an L.t. triangulum...which is technically a king. You could as easily and just as accurately call your Eastern Milk an Eastern King. It would be scientifically accurate.

With that said...common names are incredibly innaccurate. "Eastern King" is also the common name for Lampropeltis getula getula, which could scientifically be called a Common King, and IS called a Common King in some localities.

A good example is the Scarlet King. Everyone knows and accepts that a scarlet king is a kingsnake...but it is actually classified in the triangulum species...making it a milksnake...

Clear as mud?? :D

That's why field herpers tend to use the latin bi-nomial referance. It reduces confusion based on Locality and Common names being different from place to place...

[Garter_Gertie]

Well, Ty, you got me.

However, I've not the milk *yet.*

But, yes. Clear as mud! Thanks. Still... I doubt I'll go with a glove at the beginning, knowing the mother I'm getting the kid from and hopefully getting the kid at a young age.

I will always be hesitant to use gloves, for the sake o'the snigglettes. I'd rather just bite the bullet and grit my teeth than run the risk o'hurting the kids' teeth. I can reason, the kids can't.

But I thank you for the edjumacation as I didn't know milks were/are kings! THANKS!!!

[Loren]

Very nice Sierra Garter. I have one too. Had it for about 5 years now.

[tyflier]

Very nice Sierra Garter. I have one too. Had it for about 5 years now.
And you have an awesome photo of a Sidewinder in a very defensive posture for an avatar!! Nice Pic! Is that a Mojave Sidewinder?

Anyhow...some advice, if you could...have you had any success converting your couchii to pinkies? If so, I would greatly appreciate any advice you could offer on doing that, as everyone I know with one has had no luck in converting...

[Loren]

First question- yes. Thanks.

Just went herping through your area this summer too. Still trying to find a desert striped whipsnake.

Winder is from north of Ca. city though.

On your second question, I just put a post on your other couchii thread regarding rodents.

:)

[tyflier]

First question- yes. Thanks.

Just went herping through your area this summer too. Still trying to find a desert striped whipsnake.

Winder is from north of Ca. city though.

On your second question, I just put a post on your other couchii thread regarding rodents.

:)
Awesome! Thanks.

Desert striped whips are hard to find in my area. You'll find more Mojave Patchnose and Red Coachwhips than anything else. However...there are a good amount of California striped racers and striped whipsnakes in Tulare County, right at the top of 9-mile Canyon Road. Great place to find a lot of more "obscure" California species, including L.z. multicincta and Nevada Shovelnose. One of the few areas to find Inyo County Rosy Boas, too...

Next time you're coming through...shoot me a line. I'll show you some of my favorite desert-dwelling roads to cruise...

[Loren]

Cool !

I have heard of that road, but never been there. I have a ca. striped racer(lateralis) a coachwhip, and a mojave patchnose. And a ca. mountain king ( a sierra that was given to me about 5 years ago-I've never collected one). No nevada shovelnose, but I do have a mojave shovelnose.

[tyflier]

Cool !

I have heard of that road, but never been there. I have a ca. striped racer(lateralis) a coachwhip, and a mojave patchnose. And a ca. mountain king ( a sierra that was given to me about 5 years ago-I've never collected one). No nevada shovelnose, but I do have a mojave shovelnose.
It's awesome up in there. You can cruise the roads right along the border of Kennedy Meadows. I like to grab my flyrod and a couple hooks and walk along the creeks and streams fishing for golden trout and flipping for racers, garters, NorPacs...whatever might be hanging out. REALLY nice area to herp.

[Garter_Gertie]

Are you guys telling me there are BOA CONSTRICTORS in California???????????????????????????????????????? ?????

[adamanteus]

Rosy Boas, Gertie.... Lichanura.

[Stefan-A]

No rubbers?

[Garter_Gertie]

Well, isn't a boa a boa, James? Aren't they all big fat long scarey snakes?

[adamanteus]

No rubbers?

I guess, but they were talking about Rosy Boas.:)

[adamanteus]

Well, isn't a boa a boa, James? Aren't they all big fat long scarey snakes?

No, they're only small.:)
Google Lichanura, Gertie.

[Garter_Gertie]

I thought "rubbers" to you guys = pencil erasers.

[Stefan-A]

Rosy Boas, Gertie.... Lichanura.
Charina. ;)

[adamanteus]

Stefan, don't go all modern taxonomy on me.. you know I'm 'old school'!:rolleyes:

[Stefan-A]

Stefan, don't go all modern taxonomy on me.. you know I'm 'old school'!:rolleyes:
You're welcome. :D

[adamanteus]

But of course you're right.... it's Charina now.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Gertie.. Rubber and rosy boas are both small and adorable!! a lot like garters! in fact... I would call them the garters of the boa world :D with their tiny little heads and chubby tummies!

[Garter_Gertie]

No say like that, Shannon! Don't compare to garters! I've enough snakes! LOL!!!

Yeah, I googled like James said, and the rosy looked small and kind'a cute. Not like a boa boa. Huh. Who'd thunk?

[jitami]

I have a real soft spot for rubber boas. They were the first and only snake to really catch my interest as a child. Even wild caught they were just so mellow and easy going... and yep, cute & little :)

[Loren]

If I am not mistaken, the place that he is talking about herping is on the edge of desert and mountain habitat, so both rubber boas and rosy boas can be found in that vicinity. I might need correction on that statement though. :)

[Loren]

I have a real soft spot for rubber boas. They were the first and only snake to really catch my interest as a child. Even wild caught they were just so mellow and easy going... and yep, cute & little :)

yep, Rubber boas must be the most gentle snakes I have ever cared for.

Actually, both my rubber and rosy boas are super gentle animals.

[jitami]

That's cool Loren, I've never had much contact with rosy boas, but I remember sneaking off to this meadow every chance I got while I was at science camp to catch rubber boas. I could have spent all day searching the meadow :) I don't think they were found where I grew up, though. I don't even remember many garters, but the boys could have mis id'd them as racers... seems like everything was a racer. lol

[tyflier]

If I am not mistaken, the place that he is talking about herping is on the edge of desert and mountain habitat, so both rubber boas and rosy boas can be found in that vicinity. I might need correction on that statement though. :)
That's pretty much true. I live at 4,000'. Rubber boas are all over the place above 6,000'(which is a stone's throw from my door) and Rosy boas are found below 4,000'(another stone's throw).

Here's a couple cool pics of rubber boas:
http://www.kingofcolubrids.com/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/field-photos/zayneboa.jpg
My daughter catching an adult male. She ID'd this guy and caught him all by herself...I was so proud...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/tyflier/Herping%20Trips/Road%20Cruise%206%2003%2008/KayleeRubber2.jpg
This is a juvenile female wrapped around my index finger about 40 seconds after being scooped out of the road.

I love rubber boas...

[jitami]

aaawww... the female wrappd around your finger is too sweet...

[Loren]

aaawww... the female wrappd around your finger is too sweet...
yep, they like to do that...

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


http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/young_rubber_boa1.JPG

[GartersRock]

I LOVE rubber and rosy boas. :D Gotta get me some of those powder blue and cocoa brown Rosy's someday. :D

[Loren]

Here's my Sierra garter (t. couchii) That I have had for about 5 years. Caught it as a baby.
This pic is old, She has grown since this was taken.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Sierra_Garter.JPG

[GartersRock]

Those are so unique! Where are they found?

[tyflier]

Those are so unique! Where are they found?
Most commonly on the Eastern Slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in eastern California. They are found in other areas, but they are most often encountered in the Eastern Sierras.

[Loren]

Sierra Garters are found primarily in the Sierra mountain Range of California. Almost always near water, in my experience. I have seen them underwater hunting baby trout in streams. They would anchor their back half under a rock in the shallow's and strike at the trout as they swim by.

[Garter_Gertie]

I Love Learning All This Stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't Stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tyflier]

Sierra Garters are found primarily in the Sierra mountain Range of California. Almost always near water, in my experience. I have seen them underwater hunting baby trout in streams. They would anchor their back half under a rock in the shallow's and strike at the trout as they swim by.
They actually have neutral bouancy, so they can literally crawl along streambeds foraging for newts and such. Really neat little snakes. For a long time they were referred to as Western Aquatic Garters...still are in some places.

[jitami]

Loren, more awwww's for the rubber boas :) The two couchii we saw this summer were both under water in a fairly swift river. The smaller of the two my husband actually spotted while crossing over a footbridge. You could just see this little squiggle swimming in the shallows. I stayed on the bridge as spotter while he ran down there and played spotter til I got down there... by then it had swam out deeper and I had already changed into dry clothes and didn't want to get wet. It was really neat watching it fish, tho! The larger of the two is the one who repeatedly bumped into my leg under water... it bumped me, I chased it, it swam faster than me, I gave up when it went out into the swift water, out of nowhere it bumped me again, I chased, it swam to a rock, I had my hand almost all the way around it's middle when it struck at my face(I was floating in water, while it was anchored in a crack in a rock), I jumped, it swam... yeah... quite silly... lol

[Loren]

I once stripped down to my undershorts and swam out after a sierra garter into a lake (No one was around but my wife).
That was the most aggressive sierra I have ever dealt with. Ended up having a face-off with it on a rock out in the middle of the lake. I wasnt looking to collect it, so I just checked it out a bit and left it go.

[Loren]

Well, I'll take ya'all on a quick field herping trip for couchii

First we go to a mountain lake (reservior actually) in California.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Bear_River_Reservior.JPG

Then, walking along, we see a snake swim out into the water. Its a Sierra Gartersnake.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/sierra_garter_bear_res_.JPG

It stops on a floating log.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/sierra_garter_bear_reser.jpg

Then, after chasing it up and down the bank, we lay on the bank and grab it out of the water as it tries to swim under some rocks. We take a picture of me holding it, but I forget to smile.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/couchii_pic.JPG

Then we debate- keep it, or let it go, keep it, or let it go.
And then let it go after one last pic.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/sierra_garter_on_road-_bear_river_res_.jpg

Hope you had fun.

[Lori P]

That was great Loren!!! I feel like I was there!! But if I was there, it would go more like, "Cool!! That was so cool! Can we look for more? Can you catch me one? Can we go for ice cream? I'm hungry. I have to pee..." :D

[jitami]

Very nice Loren! I don't think they're one of the more attractive garters, but what they lack in looks they seem to make up for in attitude :D

[Snake lover 3-25]

very neat:D i like his eyes:D

[Garter_Gertie]

(BA-BOOM, BA-BOOM, BA-BOOM, BA-BOOM, BA-BOOM)

Thas my heart, Honey. You're easy on the eyes. My body make-over is coming a long pretty nicely... However, they did something not quite right... Dang if they didn't take more fat off one thigh than the other and now I limp!

You won't mind, will you, Sugar?

[jitami]

Gertie, you crack me up!!! I say go back and make the doctor fix it!
Loren deserves nothing but the best! :D;):D

[Garter_Gertie]

So true, Tami.

However, Loren IS getting the best - and one should not judge a book by it's cellulite, now should one?

Really, nuttin' to fix. Just longer until I can make Loren happy - need an xtra surgery on that larger thigh...

Though, who knows! Loren may want the smaller thigh bulked up! :)

[jitami]

You never know :)

Ok, Loren, you blushing yet? Ready for Gertie in all her glory? :)

[Garter_Gertie]

He's been blushing FOR MONTHS as I tease him.

Great guy. Takes the teasing well. He's a sweetie, that he is!

[Loren]

Wow, I am speechless. :) ;) :o :eek: :D




Thanks for the boost Gertie :)

[Loren]

That was great Loren!!! I feel like I was there!! But if I was there, it would go more like, "Cool!! That was so cool! Can we look for more? Can you catch me one? Can we go for ice cream? I'm hungry. I have to pee..." :D
Oh, I forgot to add that to "our" trip. We had ice cream afterwards, and then pee'd.
:)

[drache]

it's okay, Loren - in fact it's cool
thanks for the great trip
I don't at all mind that you didn't bring pics of the ice cream joint and the John (or bush?)