"GIANORMOUS" concinnus and ordinoides

[ConcinusMan]

OK, this is going to sound like a fish tale. I've seen some fairly large ordinoides in my life (perhaps 2.5 feet?) but they are the exception. I've seen perhaps 10,000 total ordinoides in my life. A 2 foot female is very large. Anything over that has only been seen by me once or twice. This girl could easily be over 2.5 feet. we'll see.

I have acquired an adult gravid female. She's a beauty. Rusty-red dorsal stripe, cream or tan colored lateral stripes, dark brown patternless base color. She's very gravid, very tame, and has already eaten from my hand.

Here's the fish tale part: She's absurdly huge. I'll have to break out my camera and the snake measuring computer program, but I estimate she's 3 feet. And her girth? OMG. She is by far the largest ordinoides I have ever seen. If she was a snake eater, she would easily overpower and eat a 26 inch concinnus. I'm not kidding.:eek:

I thought that very red single stripe preggo female I have was big. This new girl makes her look like a night crawler looks to a large radix. OMG she's huge. I don't know her exact weight but she feels like about a pound.

Also got a very normal nice dark orange and very gravid concinnus about 3 feet long. A big girl. A very fine, scar-free, perfect girl. Also, about a pound.

I couldn't wait to tell you about those two. I estimate that both of these girls will give birth by the end of June. They are gravid and under enough stress for one day. They are comfortably resting in their hides. Monday, I'm having them weighed. Photos and exact measurements will come tomorrow. :D:D:D

I'm a "happy camper"

[lokai99]

Awesome! I love hearing about some big female doing her part to ensure her species' survival...was that correct ? oh well you know what I mean.

[ConcinusMan]

Of course I know what you mean. And yes, species' is how I would have typed or written it although it would sound the same as species. I cases like that, I just say "species" but the apostrophe indicates possesive noun. Doesn't it? I dunno. Anyway, I failed english miserably most of my acedemic career anyway. No matter. (here comes the evidence of my failure)

I got big snakes!

(I know better, but speak to the contrary)

I gots big snakes. I do haz big snakes? There. That's better. :rolleyes:

[ssssnakeluvr]

cool!! looking forward to pics!

[ConcinusMan]

Me too. Oh BTW Don. I didnt forget about you. I have a lovely male about a year old(?) he's about 12-15 inches and he looks right in line with your normal concinnus. I mean, he's "stylistically congruous" He'll fit right in. He's yours. Pics tomorrow!

[Jeff B]

Go buy a scale at Walmart in the kitchen section, they sell them cheap, for $30-$40, then weigh her in grams, would be curious what she actually weighs in grams?

[ConcinusMan]

I will probably eventually do that. right now, I'm buried in expenses and bills. Very hard to catch up the past few weeks. Not much work fixing PC's lately and my unemployment ($280 a week) runs out in about 2 weeks. I have 16 hours of work coming this next tuesday, then I start 40hrs a week the following monday. After that, it's 40-52 hours a week (about $500-$750/week net) for the next 7 months. I'm "out of gas" but coasting downhill toward the station, if you know what I mean.

My vet is only a few blocks from my house, and they have a good scale there. No appointment needed. I'll just bring them in and weigh them in grams. I will buy a scale later, definitely. For about the next 3 weeks, I can't afford just $10 for a scale.:o I have a very accurate scale appropriate for babies, but not for these monster snakes!

Snakes are covered though. Bricks of clean coco substrate, Plenty of pinkies and silversides in the freezer. A couple dozen or so live night crawlers in he fridge.:D They will be eating better than I will.:o

[ConcinusMan]

Big girls pics. I'm sure you can tell which one's which:


This girl is 3.19 feet, or 38.38 inches(97.48 cm) (used snake measuring program) Width of her head at it's widest point is 0.7 inches. That's a big girl. Weight will be recorded later.
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/2483/gedc1131.jpg

This girl is 2.5 feet, or 30 inches.(72.2 cm) width of head 0.45 inches.
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6702/gedc1146.jpg

WOW! These girls are going to be eating several fuzzies at feeding time.

[ConcinusMan]

The big girl (concinnus) already chowed enthusiastically on a small bullfrog. Man, I'm going to be cleaning her tank daily. What a messy girl. Lots of poop. BIG poop. She's like a seagull pooping in there!

[Tyrel26]

very beautiful snakes!! if i ever go to the US ill have to visit you lol

[ConcinusMan]

very beautiful snakes!! if i ever go to the US ill have to visit you lol


You're welcome to. It's completely on the other side of North America from you, but if you want to visit, you're welcome to. Come in April or May. Best time for garter herping.

[Tyrel26]

Those snakes are just beautiful. Some day Id like to take a long road trip and see all different sorts of garters and if a couple should sneak into my car i would be ok with that too lol

[ConcinusMan]

Big girls pics. I'm sure you can tell which one's which:


This girl is 3.19 feet, or 38.38 inches(97.48 cm) (used snake measuring program) Width of her head at it's widest point is 0.7 inches. That's a big girl. Weight will be recorded later. EDIT: [Weight 175 grams]
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/2483/gedc1131.jpg

This girl is 2.5 feet, or 30 inches.(72.2 cm) width of head 0.45 inches. EDIT: [weight 95 grams]
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6702/gedc1146.jpg



Does that seem right? I'm not so sure. I took them to my vet and set the scale to kilograms.(weighs to 3 points beyond decimal) conversion to grams is obviously not difficult. I keep hearing of girls weighing over 400 grams. Somethings not right. These are heavy, solid girls.

So far, the big ordinoides girl hasn't eaten. Going to try giving her a safe, private container with night crawlers. The big concinnus girl ate a small bullfrog about a week ago and again a few days ago. She miscalculated and tagged me on the hand. I don't know who was more surprised, me or her? I obviously can't keep up and continue a supply of bullfrogs but it's early yet. I'm sure she'll come around. If not, I can always buy frog legs I suppose.

I've had no luck finding frog eggs so far. I found bullfrog eggs in the past and raised them from eggs to half-dollar sized tadpoles in less than 8 weeks. I'm hoping I can find more eggs soon. It is still a bit early for bullfrog eggs here. They typically breed in June.