Interesting colors......

[Cflaguy]

This is my first posting here so I figured I'd just plunge right on in. Been a herper in Florida since late seventies, early eighties. I've caught alot of garters in my day. But.....

My job has me in virgin land, never been seen by human eyes. But really, a new road going through some very old, untouched land.

My understanding Blue-striped Garters don't come East of Withlacootchee. My job site is in Davenport, well East of the West Coast. The Garters in this area are unlike most I've seen. Especially one in particular. I saw her first in June. She was in the road and escaped me by inches sliding into the creek. Bad news, I found her last month DOR. She was large and more of a turquoise all over with flat black. Her head was turquoise, she was nice. I do have pics of her DOR but will not post unless the majority wills it.

My point of all this, that gene must still be out there. If anyone here thinks it's worth it, I wouldn't mind hunting the area and catching a few to start a breeding program. Not me, ( to busy with other projects) but if anybody here would like to start one.

BTW, I will send pics of DOR to an E-mail if you like.

If I can, post a few pics of the live specimans......

Thanks,
Craig

[ssssnakeluvr]

pretty snake! looking at the pics, that looks like a "Florida blue" eastern (t sirtalis sirtalis) garter, not a blue stripe (t sirtalis similis) garter. still a very pretty snake. bummer about the DOR. is definitely worth finding a couple for breeding!

[brain]

Nice look for a s. sirtialis. I like the checkered sort of markings.

[guidofatherof5]

Nice to have you on the forum, Craig.
Thanks for posting those photos.
Looking forward to your future posts.

[mustang]

YES IM GETTING GOOD AT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (i identified the flordia blue without looking at your location or the other posts!)

[ConcinusMan]

Welcome Craig, and thanks for sharing the pics! I concur, that first pic is definitely a "Florida Blue" eastern garter snake. T. sirtalis sirtalis.

That morph is somewhat popular and already been bred in captivity for many years. However, it wouldn't hurt to add a few pair to the effort. I would be willing to do that if you're willing to collect a few nice blue ones (the bluer the better) and ship them overnight to the Pacific Northwest. I would of course cover shipping costs and maybe a little extra.;)

An adult pair, at or over 18 inches long, and both about the same size would be great and could be bred right away or soon enough. Here's how to tell the males from the females: http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/breeding/5069-sexing-pics.html

The fifth post is a florida blue female!

[gregmonsta]

Greetings :D

[Cflaguy]

pretty snake! looking at the pics, that looks like a "Florida blue" eastern (t sirtalis sirtalis) garter, not a blue stripe (t sirtalis similis) garter. still a very pretty snake. bummer about the DOR. is definitely worth finding a couple for breeding!

Aw I see. Maybe because of the area I grew up in, more toward Orlando, I'd never seen a Blue Eastern. Just the kinda green and black peppered in yellow.

I'm sure there are folks who like Ribbons as well, I have pics of some specimans with the blue,hue and a rather large girl. Let me know if you want to see them.

The genetics of EC were something else. A nice Eastrn Hognose around 30 inches and nice coloring. Large Corals and Yellow Rats. Coachwhips over 76 inches and Racers all over four feet.

I relly think you guys need to see the DOR pics, truly never seen a Garter like this. Or somebody post a pic of the Eastern Florida Blue for me to compare.

[ssssnakeluvr]

you can email me the pics at ssssnakeluvr@comcast.net

also, a lot of snakes turn blue after dieing.... found western yellow bellied racers (nice green color) that were roadkilled and turned blue.
you can go to my gallery on here, should be some florida blue shots in there, or photobucket and look for ssssnakeluvr and check out the earlier shots in the album, got some florida blue pics in there

[ConcinusMan]

I did mention that to him in a PM. The bluing after death, that is. You know, it's funny, western fence lizards are just the opposite. Their colors, including the blue, all but disappear shortly after death.

Still, even those live pics show some nice bluing. Very handsome easterns there.

I wonder if he's seen my blue anerythristic T.s. concinnus? oh, well, he has. Just look my avatar. That's not a trick. She really is blue. Every place where you would expect to see red, you see blue instead. Pretty cool.

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4568/anerys021large.jpg

[Cflaguy]

you can email me the pics at ssssnakeluvr@comcast.net

also, a lot of snakes turn blue after dieing.... found western yellow bellied racers (nice green color) that were roadkilled and turned blue.
you can go to my gallery on here, should be some florida blue shots in there, or photobucket and look for ssssnakeluvr and check out the earlier shots in the album, got some florida blue pics in there


I've seen many snakes DOR with a bluish hue, kin to shedding blue sure. But I encountered this snake in June like I said when it escaped me. Could be just a pocket of genentics here, or I had never really hunted West of the Orlando area my entire life. Although, some of the Garters I encountered at Ernie Caldwell looked like plain ole Eastern Garters.

Thanks for the responses guys, glad I looked into this and I hope to find enough specimans for you who would like to start a program.

I'm guilty of never reading the rules so I'll ask here if it is O.K. to post the link to the site of the Ernie Caldwell Diaries, 25 or so pages of the year and a half I spent out there.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I would love to expand my florida blue breeding group. I used to have a sweet female and outrageous blue male (from the same litter!) and was hoping to reproduce the awesome blue, but unfortunately the male died for no apparent reason. The pic doesn't quite do him justice. :(

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//504/medium/Dons_Snakes_201_096.jpg

[Cflaguy]

That's similar, could be it. Let me go right now and E-mail ya the pics.

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, Craig :)

[Cflaguy]

Hey good people. Haven't forgotten you. The bonding company took over the job as the contractor wasn't paying the subs. Couldn't get ot the site. Good news. Kick-off meeting was Tuesday to resume and finish. I should be back out there soon.

[ConcinusMan]

Awesome!

[brain]

Yea great get back out there and do some collecting.

If you do collect a few of that garter 23 IV.jpg (3 of 4) pic I would be willing to start a breeding program. That to me is an interesting look.

I would need at leasts 4-5. Age and sex of CW are two big factors.

Just don't send anything at this time of the year, lets wait untill May-Sept. To cold now. ;)

[Cflaguy]

Good news/bad news......

No garters at Ernie Caldwell in sometime. On a different site also virgin cow land I came upon this looker. Only problem...my wife is keeping it. Fell in love with him. Just ate two fish yesterday.....

Aslo if interested, I can post some Ribbons as well. Some beauts in the Polk County area.

[RdubSnider]

Nice looking snake

[PINJOHN]

hi and welcome to the site from sunny Liverpool :)

[brain]

Good news/bad news......

No garters at Ernie Caldwell in sometime.

Whoa, look at that head posturing. A bit excited I’d say :o

[ConcinusMan]

Good news/bad news......

No garters at Ernie Caldwell in sometime. On a different site also virgin cow land I came upon this looker. Only problem...my wife is keeping it. Fell in love with him. Just ate two fish yesterday.....

Aslo if interested, I can post some Ribbons as well. Some beauts in the Polk County area.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/attachments/general-talk/1795d1304288653-interesting-colors-blue-garter-2.jpg


Hey no fair. :mad: I want a pair of those FL blue garters. Can't catch them here but hey I got these around here. Maybe trade?:o

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/706/female005large.jpg

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/4400/sn003large.jpg