Selk's Snakes

[Selkielass]

What a difference a summer makes!
From this;
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/dcp_1322.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Jays_snake.jpg
To this;
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/sept_1.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/sept_2.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/sept_5.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Looks like someones been eating and growing.
You're doing a great job.

[Mommy2many]

Excellent job! Love the growth, looks like our babies!

[mb90078]

I was just noticing today how long my female that was born this spring has gotten. At least 2.5X in length, and quite a bit in width too.

[gregmonsta]

:) nice growth for sure ;)

[Stefan-A]

I was just noticing today how long my female that was born this spring has gotten. At least 2.5X in length, and quite a bit in width too.
Yeah, they can put on quite a bit of size in the first six months:
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/3011-stefans-garters-5.html#post44004

[ConcinusMan]

That doesn't even look like the same snake. In the first pic the checkered squares aren't touching each other.

[Selkielass]

It's definitely the same snake- until recently she was the only one we had!
Her colors have certainly come along- the dark spots on her upper body are darker, Her chin and neck are a more intense yellow, and her mid-tail end has intensified. Dried grass tan and brown have also deepened in intensity of color- more lustrous too. I'm not sure about the amount of skin showing between her scales- she was either *really* thin when I found her or I'm going to have to start watching her diet.


Good diet probably is a big part of it, but I was theorizing that mature snakes can probably afford to be a bit brighter colored than juveniles.

How static or changeable are scale and color patterns on growing snakes?

[ConcinusMan]

That is quite a difference. I do think the changing really varies depending on species and genetics. I know that my T.s. concinnus don't change much at all as they grow and mature. What you see at birth is pretty much what you get as an adult. However, the T.ordinoides babies are changing pretty rapidly. They were just sort of gray with a cream colored stripe when they were born in early august but they are already getting more distinct dark spots (patterning) and most of them are getting ever increasing amounts of red in their stripes, like their mother and even the base color is getting more brown instead of slate gray.