whats this and where can i get one like this? :>

[kazariel]

hey there,

i found this picture and would like to know what kind of garter this really is. its titeled with elegans terrestris, but all other pics i've seen from this snake were different ...

http://www.toothandscale.com/photos/thamnophis_elegans.jpg

perhaps anybody can tell me what it is ;)

thanks and greetings

kaza

[BUSHSNAKE]

that is what they say it is...and real nice one, along the coast of their range in California they come in red phase

[ssssnakeluvr]

its a western terrestrial or coast garter thamnophis elegans terrestris....they can have varying amounts of red color.... I don't know anyone breeding them at this time

[infernalis]

Now I want one ;)

http://www.toothandscale.com/photos/thamnophis_elegans.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Used to find those very numerous right on the beach along CA highway 1 near Big Sur on a warm spring day. Very very musky I remember that much. Nothing but surf, very little beach and lots of rocks. Of course, just a few hundred yards or so inland across the highway was plenty of open grassland.

[charles parenteau]

this snake is very nice ....i saw all thoses pictures just awesome...

[ConcinusMan]

They're even more impressive in person. I wondered myself why nobody has any of these. They do have a somewhat limited range but so do other garters that are available to us.

[BUSHSNAKE]

there is a couple garter sp. that should be available and theyre not, Goldenheaded, Yellowthroat, etc.

[tspuckler]

Coast Garters are pretty much endemic to California. For this reason they are not widely available (like Santa Cruz, Diablo Range, Sierra Garters, etc.). They can be quite common in the right habitat and are highly variable. Here are a few I found while vacationing in California last month:

Example like the one originally posted:
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii204/tspuckler/California%20Uber%20Alles/2010-03-27285.jpg

"Low Red" Coast Garter:

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii204/tspuckler/California%20Uber%20Alles/Coast1.jpg

"Checkerboard" version - I found 5 of these in 20 minutes in a very public place:

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii204/tspuckler/California%20Uber%20Alles/2010-03-27341.jpg


I also found a pair of Santa Cruz Garters, here's the female:

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii204/tspuckler/California%20Uber%20Alles/cruz1.jpg

The male wasn't too thrilled about being caught:

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii204/tspuckler/California%20Uber%20Alles/cruz2.jpg

And last, but not least, although "beat up," this Diablo Range Garter was a nice find:

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii204/tspuckler/California%20Uber%20Alles/diablo.jpg

All snakes were photographed and released at their point of capture.

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, pretty much good examples of the T. elegans I have found in CA. And yes, when you find them, there are a lot of them.


Coast Garters are pretty much endemic to California. For this reason they are not widely available (like Santa Cruz, Diablo Range, Sierra Garters, etc.).

So? T.s. concinnus (true concinnus) are only found in SW WA and NW Oregon. CA red-sided garters are also limited to CA. Plenty of both snakes available.

[tspuckler]

So? T.s. concinnus (true concinnus) are only found in SW WA and NW Oregon. CA red-sided garters are also limited to CA. Plenty of both snakes available.

Since concinnus are native to other states, it's no surprise there's plenty in the hobby. The only CA red-sideds I've seen for sale have been over $100. I consider that a pretty high price for a snake. How many hobbyists in the U.S. who keep garters do you think have CA red-sideds (as oppposed to easterns, checkereds, etc.)?

The fact of the matter is most garters endemic to CA are not commonly found in the hobby (at least in the United States) - I listed three examples - there's more that can be added to the list.

Tim

[infernalis]

The fact of the matter is most garters endemic to CA are not commonly found in the hobby (at least in the United States) - I listed three examples - there's more that can be added to the list.

Tim

Call me uncommon Tim ;) If I had to keep only one, it would be my Infernalis' They may be nippy fruitcakes, but the most beautiful Thams I have.

http://www.ssnakess.info/secret/infernalis2.jpg

http://www.ssnakess.info/secret/infernalis1.jpg

[tspuckler]

Call me uncommon Tim ;) If I had to keep only one, it would be my Infernalis' They may be nippy fruitcakes, but the most beautiful Thams I have.

I keep and breed Santa Cruz Garters, so I reckon I'm uncommon too. The point I was making is that California makes it tricky to get endemic garters out of the state and into the hobby - hence the expensive prices for CA red-sideds (because captive bred examples are in limited supply) and the relative absence of other endemic types (like the Coast Garter that the orginal person was inquiring about) in the hobby in the United States.

I'm not saying they're uncommon because people don't like them, I'm saying they're uncommon because of CA's reptile regulations.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii204/tspuckler/cruzin.jpg

[infernalis]

Oh I want some Santa Cruz Garters .... The species that I have not got yet.

I know what you mean, But I don't mind the money part, Over the years I have sent Scott plenty of it.$$$$$

His Infernalis' are fast sell outs.