Puget Sound Garter Snake

[FunkyRes]

Just got back from a mini vacation to Kitsap County, WA. While there, I four T sirtalis pickeringii - Two DOR (not photographed) and two very much alive:

Specimen 1 - I'm thinking this was an old snake, it was very lethargic and looked emaciated despite there being plenty of available prey:

Puget Sound Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii) (http://www.naherp.com/viewrecord.php?r_id=28971)

http://www.naherp.com/vouchers/28971-31042.jpg

http://www.naherp.com/vouchers/28971-31029.jpg

Specimen 2 - in much better health:

Puget Sound Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii) (http://www.naherp.com/viewrecord.php?r_id=28974)

http://www.naherp.com/vouchers/28974-31036.jpg

This is likely part of their diet - Rana aurora

http://www.naherp.com/vouchers/28975-31037.jpg

http://www.naherp.com/vouchers/28973-31033.jpg
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The Puget Sound Garters may have some Red-spotted influence.
The "classic" Puget Sound Garter is a dark snake with a thin dorsal stripe and lateral stripes that often appear blueish - with a row of barely visible double cream or blue dots just above the lateral stripe on each side. In these specimens, those rows of lateral dots were red.

[bkhuff1s]

I have a pair, the first one looked really different on it's tail. Almost looks like it turns to all blue. Perhaps that because it's about to shed maybe... Some Pugets are completely red, someone on the forum had one from two complete blue parents.

[DavidD]

Very nice garter snakes

[reptileparadise]

Thanks for sharing!
Its always interesting for us Europeans to see what kind of diet the animals might have in the wild!

[GartersRock]

Aww... That first one looks almost minutes away from death. :(:(