California red-sided

[lokai99]

I was on Scott Felzer's website looking at his amazing snakes. Does anyone have a neon blue california red sided from him? I wanted to see some more pics of this crazy colored snake...I mean wow that combo of colors how cool.

[ConcinusMan]

You know, it's funny. Most of the CA red-sides I ever saw in the wild (early to mid 1980's) were "neon blue" and somehow everyone gets the impression that they are some fantastic new morph. I assure you, they are not.

All that aside, I don't have any of those currently. Just thought I would mention, they are found in the wild. Doesn't make them any less awesome though! At first, I thought they were SF garters since it wasn't far from the bay area where I found them. They are beautiful. Just as beautiful as SF garters IMHO.

[lokai99]

Oh I don't think any less of an animal if their natural form is that pretty. I was under the idea that it was a specific morph. How about catching two more...one for me and one for you.

[ConcinusMan]

Sorry, that was then, this is now. I was a teen and living in CA. Now I'm almost 40 and living in the Portland, Oregon area.

Naturally, I fell in love with local T. s. concinnus when I arrived here (for the second time) in 1988. Before that, I lived here from 1977 to 1980. Found nothing but ordinoides then. Mom didn't want me near the creeks!

The few times when I disobeyed, I ended up in the emergency room with lacerations to my feet (from broken glass wading through creeks) or from illness due to microorganisms in the water. But mom! check out this bullfrog I caught! (holding up an enormous 3lb bullfrog)

I swear I'd run in front of a moving car for that ultimate garter snake.:rolleyes:

Momma tried, but to this day, I'd still do it. You wouldn't believe the muck and yuck I go through to get a beautiful concinnus these days. People think I'm nuts because I enjoy every minute of it.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I have one of Scott's original females along with another female and a male. They are beautiful animals! No one is calling them a fantastic new morph... Not sure how you got that impression. That's just what we call this color phase. There are infernalis that do not have much blue and so there is a reason to differentiate!

[ConcinusMan]

Oh yeah, I know Shannon. What I was saying is that a lot of people seem to get that impression. I don't think many "newbies" realize that it is just a color phase; one that exists in the wild, so in that sense, they are "normal"

So how is their disposition? The only experience I've had with them is right after I snatched them up in the wild. Needless to say, none of them were happy about this, and they were quite the little fighters. I never kept any of them.

[infernalis]

Here is the pictures you requested...

http://www.thamnophis.us/cherry/infernalis.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.us/cherry/infernalis2.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.us/cherry/fernalis.jpg

[bkhuff1s]

wow... that's all i can say

[infernalis]

Thanks Brian, found a couple more pics..

http://www.reptard.info/critters/thanksdad.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.us/felzer/crs1.jpg

[lokai99]

What a BEAUTIFUL animal!

[ConcinusMan]

What a BEAUTIFUL animal!

No doubt about that.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Here are mine!

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Garters/2953111.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Garters/2953114.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Garters/7474008.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Garters/P1090227.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

AWESOMEMORE, please:D

[ConcinusMan]

That's what I'm talkin' about.^^^ (looks rather annoyed) The viper impression, some rather audible hissing, and downright blood-drawing bites is what I experienced from those snakes in the wild but that really only applies to my rather rude (to them) interruption of their activities. I mean, they have no problem letting you know when they are irritated. Once I handle them for a few minutes, they calm down. Most of the wild one's I have handled were the blue phase, like that one.

What I'm saying applies to wild infernalis. I have no idea if captive one's are the same way. I don't know about other people, but I admire a "spunky" snake that puts up a show and a fight when caught.

"We're workin' with him, but..." :D

[lokai99]

I love when snakes do that viper head flattening impression. GOSH those are pretty snakes.

[ConcinusMan]

That's what I'm talkin' about.^^^ (looks rather annoyed) The viper impression, some rather audible hissing....


The snake is pretty impressive too, right Steve? :p

[lokai99]

Hey i'm sitting down so I won't have far to fall when I faint.....so can someone tell me what a snake like that goes for? There are so many choices....I thought I had it narrowed down.

[ConcinusMan]

I hope you're not confusing red sided garters(like the ones at the dens in canada) for CA red sided garters. Sure, they are both Thamnophis sirtalis subspecies, but not the same. They are no more the same as an eastern garter is to a Oregon red spotted.

I've even seen some breeders call flame easterns, "red sided". Why? Just because they have red on their sides? pttt!!!

Even more disturbing is the confusion when it comes to new breeders. They are crossing T. s. fitchii, T. s. infernalis, T. s. concinnus,T. s. pickeringii, and any number of other garters with red on their sides. You sometimes never know what you'll get.

[infernalis]

I admire a "spunky" snake that puts up a show and a fight when caught.:D

Mine are CBB from Scott, and they will tag my hand every time.

Love it! attitude is their middle name.

[Spankenstyne]

Great shots posted folks. I hope to add some infernalis to the group one day as well, just love 'em.

[ConcinusMan]

I just had Big Bertha ( 3.2 foot female T.s. concinnus) outside for a run in the sun and she naturally made a run for it. Twice, when I circled around to cut her off she did the viper impression. I hollered "go get my camera". Naturally, after I got the camera, she didn't do it again. Still got some great shots though.

She looks almost regal to me.

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5153/gedc1222x.jpg

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/7849/gedc1226.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9303/gedc1227.jpg

[Tyrel26]

beautiful snake! she should give some nice lil ones

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

What I'm saying applies to wild infernalis. I have no idea if captive one's are the same way.




Yea... all of my infernalis are downright ornery! My male is O.K... in that when I pick him up he does not flip out and become extremely defensive. But for the most part my infernalis are flippy. I walk up to their cage and all three of them suddenly feel the urge to BOLT anywhere and everywhere. When I feed them they fling bedding and debris and water and their tails and poo.... oh they are just too fun. By far, they are the most ornery garters I have ever owned! Hence, they are not my favorite garter, by a longshot. If they were not so beautiful, I would not keep them simply for the fact that they are NUTS!!!

[ConcinusMan]

...But for the most part my infernalis are flippy. I walk up to their cage and all three of them suddenly feel the urge to BOLT anywhere and everywhere. When I feed them they fling bedding and debris and water and their tails and poo.... oh they are just too fun... they are NUTS!!!


Sounds like just about every male concinnus I've ever had. Well, besides the one I sent to you shannon.

Be prepared for some serious flailing Don. Every time time I walk in the room, your male produces an audible "THUMP" when his nose hits the glass. Sometimes followed by feces and tail flipping. Musking and nipping when I try to pick him up or move him. high strung little booger. He just shed today. He's gorgeous!

[Odie]

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5153/gedc1222x.jpg

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/7849/gedc1226.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9303/gedc1227.jpg

Big Bertha dose look regal :cool:

[ConcinusMan]

Yup. She has a air of confidence about her. Like she's entitled to respect. She gets it. She's sweet though. She never even musked me. She never tried to bite. She just wiggled and let out an audible hiss, then calmed right down. I still can't believe she got that big, and yet, has all of her tail, and no major scars. She's already showing curiosity toward me, instead of fear.

I guess part of my point is, if I had messed with a gorgeous infernalis her size, I would expect to lose some blood, or at least, see the inside of her wide open mouth coming toward me, more often than not.

Very beautiful, those CA reds but downright nasty attitudes too.

[drache]

I've had both, and let me tell you that in my experience the concinnus aren't ever anywhere near as nuts as the infernalis, and I've had a couple of flippy concinnus

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I have a LOT of concinnus right now. Not a single one is slippy! They are always first out of the hides to eat :D

[Spankenstyne]

That is one beautiful big concinnus