why aren't they more poplular

[zirliz]

I'm looking into breeding garters unfortunately the market for garters is very poor here which sucks as I'm hoping this autumn if I have the money to get some San fransico garters but is there a point if no demand :( ?

Any one have any idea why the market here is so bad ? I mean the UK has ample breeders whereas I just know one person here who has bred them sadly he's a hoarder and won't sell any :(

[Stefan-A]

Small, unimpressive, not the easiest to keep, not the easiest to handle, you won't get any respect from most other hobbyists if you have one, practically harmless, nearly nonvenomous, they don't constrict their food etc. There are probably dozens of reasons why people don't want them.

Assuming that the problem in your country is the same as over here.

[adamanteus]

It's true, the market is tiny for all but the very cheap ones. Shame, but true.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

well, in the US, the garter market is becoming more and more popular, mainly because people are starting to realize that garter snakes are 1) not boring 2)very diverse in color and pattern and 3) personable, like the long time favorite indigo snake without the $1000 price tag. Any time I have garters available at shows, they usually almost all sell. And keep in mind, I won't just sell to anybody!

[lampy]

Yeah I rarely see any garters in the pet shops ive been in, just corns,rats and kings etc usually. I love my corn to bits but Drusilla my garter(or possibly ribbon) is much more lively and actively watches me from her tank

[Karl]

If I had known more about garters I would have bought one sooner. I wasted my time on corns (which ALL got traded away) as I found them boring, but I love little Lemony, much more active than anything else in my collection, and a damn site easier to handle than ALL of them (baring my Royal/Ball python stig, he's a darling)

[gregmonsta]

I was just lucky that my first snakes ended up being ribbons :) I had no choice in the matter - they were the cheapest snakes the lab technician could order for my project :) ... that was almost 15 years ago .... :D happily stuck on thamnophis :D ... well ... with a pair of ratsnakes joining on the request of my girly :rolleyes:

[adamanteus]

:D happily stuck on thamnophis :D

Yeah, me too. I've done all the other stuff, but in all honesty nothing else comes close to Thamnophis.:)