Hello

[fish_4_all]

Well, not much to talk about myself but you will find out I ask a lot of questions. I hope to have fun here and learn a lot. Starting with a wild caught Western Garter is going to be challenging but I like a challenge.

My children decided I was going to keep a garter for them as they caught a couple hundred this summer. I finaly caved in and told them I owuld keep a baby if they caught one. Of course they caught one so here I am.

My experience with keeping snakes is limited to an Albino Burmease python I had for 7 years so a small garter will be a nice change.

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard.

[gregmonsta]

Greetings ;)

[kibakiba]

Welcome!

[guidofatherof5]

Nice having you on the forum. You have really smart kids:D
A good place to start is with the care sheet, here's a link:
Garter Snake Care Sheet - Caresheets (http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Garter_Snake_Care_Sheet)
Your questions are always welcome. We would also like to see some pictures when you have time.

[fish_4_all]

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l210/fish_4_all/JittyJippers2.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Nice looking little scrub. My guess is Northwestern Garter Snake(Thamnophis ordinoides):
Northwestern Garter Snake - Caresheets (http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Northwestern_Garter_Snake)

[zooplan]

Welcome!
North Western Garter Snakes can have a llot of different patterns, but there is one unique drawing, that will reveal each of them:
It´s a black line or beaded dots from the nose to the lateral spripes right thru the middle of the eyes.

[drsatan]

very nice little goober .

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, fish_4_all :)

[Mommy2many]

Welcome from Connecticut.

[mustang]

welcome! how old r your kids i might relate to em haha im 17 my parents made me catch mine too

[fish_4_all]

boy 10, boy 9, and girl 6, will all turn one year older Come November. I don't mind them bringing home garters. When I was a kid I lived in the desert on the East side and brought home a baby rattler to mom one day. I think I was 6 or 7 at them time.

All three of them have no fear when it comes to garters, I just need to make sure they know not to try and catch anything that moves where something dangerous lives if we go anywhere. My middle son tried to catch a rubber boa 3 times but it was gone in a flash back underground. My little girl is the most fearless of them all so I expect her to be the one to catch a boa first. She will be happy until it wraps her arm and she screams all the way home for me to remove it. But then again I think my boys would do the same thing.

[radtad]

Welcome from Colorado!!

[mustang]

boy 10, boy 9, and girl 6, will all turn one year older Come November. I don't mind them bringing home garters. When I was a kid I lived in the desert on the East side and brought home a baby rattler to mom one day. I think I was 6 or 7 at them time.

All three of them have no fear when it comes to garters, I just need to make sure they know not to try and catch anything that moves where something dangerous lives if we go anywhere. My middle son tried to catch a rubber boa 3 times but it was gone in a flash back underground. My little girl is the most fearless of them all so I expect her to be the one to catch a boa first. She will be happy until it wraps her arm and she screams all the way home for me to remove it. But then again I think my boys would do the same thing.
haha atleast you didnt wait for high school to allow them to have a pet....until high school i made ab honor and parents wanted all As then i could have a pet....finnally i convinced them to let me catch a blind snake (i caught a flathead instead) then he died and my uncle caught my garter for me.

[Mommy2many]

And Checker was well worth the wait!

[mustang]

And Checker was well worth the wait!
ya...i went to my uncles farm during spring break to look for a coach whip and you know what i got...RAIN AND COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but a month or two later my uncle found checker then i met yall a little after that!:D

[Mommy2many]

Meant to be!

[mustang]

Meant to be!
maybe

[HazAnga]

Welcome to our family. My little cousins are just like your kids, we were up at the cottage during our thanksgiving weekend and they caught this five lined skink under a rock. and when they were there during the summer they would catch something new every day.

[RedSidedSPR]

Hey, man! Definitely a northwestern garter. Im new at keeping garters too.:D

[ConcinusMan]

Northwestern. Been keeping them since 1977, off and on. You're sure as heck not underfeeding the little fella, that's for sure. It looks well.:D