Bright orange stripe

[JohnJohn]

Hi,

I have a question for the experts, about color variation in eastern garters. I live in southwest Ohio. I see eastern garters frequently on my property and I've certainly been impressed with how much they can vary in color and appearance. Most of the ones I see on my property are brown and gray and often with some small stripes of blue which can range from steel grey to bright turqoise blue. Sometimes I will see some with red stripes but these seem less common on my property.

Yesterday, I found a young garter that had the most stunning orange stripe. The underside of this snake is a beautiful yellow green color and running down the sides is the orange stripe. Up close it is the brightest orange like the color of a bright neon orange highlighter pen. Not red, but brilliant orange. I've never seen anything like it. Is this unusual? Anyone have pictures with such bright orange stripes?

Sorry, no pics. I actually caught the snake and put it in a tank. I wanted to do some studying to see if this was unusual before I decide to either keep it or release it.

[guidofatherof5]

Welcome to the forum. I'm sure I speak for the other but we want to see a photo.
Don't tease us like that.:D Sounds beautiful.

[gregmonsta]

Greetings :D I second the request for pics!! I'm sure Don and a couple of others have some nice orange easterns in their collections.

[JohnJohn]

OK, I just did some searching and see some pics of orange easterns. I think mine may be exceptional. I was wondering if the brighness of the color was related to the fact that it is a very young one.

I'll take some pictures and post them later.

By the way, I'm not experienced with garters. I have a lot of corn snakes and pythons, but never kept garters. I think this one might be the one that wins me over.

[JohnJohn]

OK, I searched on line and found some pictures of easterns with orange. Mine looks similar, but a bit different. I guess I really should try to get some pics.

This guy is really fast, so I'm not sure how best to get a good close up picture. I'm OK with a camera but not great. Any suggestions for picture taking methods?

[Zephyr]

I think I know EXACTLY what you found. A butler's garter snake!
That's exactly how I would define the colors from my area.
Was the head really small?

[Zephyr]

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x202/SalineSnakeGuy85/Picture645.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2646/3682704106_f205f90cf8.jpg
The striping was just like on those, except brighter orange, right?

[Zephyr]

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/4913/sdc10151.jpg
Here's one that I found that I think is what you're describing, only swap the bright yellow with orange instead.

[charles parenteau]

here is orange eastern.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/parenteau/fevrier090044.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/parenteau/mai-20090150.jpg

[drache]

the suspense is killing me . . .
whichever is is, I'm glad it's winning you over
welcome to the forum, John

[charles parenteau]

beautiful i love the brown back ground.

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/4913/sdc10151.jpg
Here's one that I found that I think is what you're describing, only swap the bright yellow with orange instead.

[Didymus20X6]

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x202/SalineSnakeGuy85/Picture645.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2646/3682704106_f205f90cf8.jpg
The striping was just like on those, except brighter orange, right?

I caught a Common that looked almost exactly like that a few months ago. Although I'm beginning to suspect that these are Easterns around here, given the color variations I've seen. But all the reading I've done seems to indicate that only Commons are to be found in this area. Maybe you guys can give me a more decisive opinion on that.

[Zephyr]

I caught a Common that looked almost exactly like that a few months ago. Although I'm beginning to suspect that these are Easterns around here, given the color variations I've seen. But all the reading I've done seems to indicate that only Commons are to be found in this area. Maybe you guys can give me a more decisive opinion on that.Easterns can be very deceitful. At one point I thought I'd caught a butler's in a different area and it turned out to be an eastern. The distinguishing features between easterns and butler's is the face and its look. Easterns have larger, broader heads with lips that curve into a sly sort of "smile." Butler's have a cuter, more subtle look to their faces. And of course, there are the stripes. Butler's have more prominent ones.

[JohnJohn]

LOL

Sorry to give you such suspense! And sorry no pictures yet. No time, and I stink with a camera!

I went home and had a close look at this snake and I looked at the pics you all shared. My snake is definitely an ordinary Eastern Garter with nice orange stripes, just like the ones you showed in your pictures.

I gave him some earthworms from my compost pile. Not sure if he ate them. I'm thinking to give him a FT pinkie mouse tonight.

Should I keep him? I can't decide. I'm considering it, but not sure I want to give up the space. I guess you can always squeeze in a few more snakes!

I'll try to get some pictures.

[charles parenteau]

Man go buy a camera or something lol can't wait to see orange!!! Try earthworms before pinky and compost is the best for worms.And is that the lateral or the vertebral strippe orange???

[KITKAT]

I am from central Ohio. Here, the usual color of garter includes an orange stripe on some specimens, but our garters differ from those in the pictures on this thread because their background color is not black, but rather, a chocolate brown.

Because the black parts of the snake are turned brown, the orange stripes are also turned pale - a kind of mauve, peach, or melon color, depending on the specimen. The first female below shows the chocolate color on her back, and the peach stripes on her sides. The second female below definately tends towards the mauve colors...

Since the muting of the black also mutes the orange, I have wondered whether we have a "dilute" gene in this area. The "dilute" gene turns a black mouse grey, or an orange cat buffy, as two examples of the workings of this gene... (I realize these are mammal genes, and may not apply to
reptiles...)

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//508/medium/tiger_lily_002rs.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//508/medium/ruby3.jpg

[charles parenteau]

Very nice ,yes! I think there is more orange where you found it!