T. ordinoides on the Ranch

[adamanteus]

I love Flicker in the first photo. :)

[guidofatherof5]

I love Flicker in the first photo. :)

Thanks. He's a great looking male.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker6.jpg

[adamanteus]

He is indeed. I had a similar coloured female when I had my ordinoides group about 20 years ago. I've still never been able to lay my hands on any of this species since.

[guidofatherof5]

They are my second favorite Thamnophis. Awesome snakes.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

hmm I wonder what Steves favourite ssp is?...

[guidofatherof5]

hmm I wonder what Steves favourite ssp is?...

I'm not telling.:D

[Greg'sGarters]

I think that it is the Mexican Garter Snake. That has to be it! He loves those!:D

[Stefan-A]

hmm I wonder what Steves favourite ssp is?...
sp.

[Greg'sGarters]

Thanks. He's a great looking male.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker6.jpg


Is he in shed in that photo?

[guidofatherof5]

Nope, worm slime :D The worm put up a fight.

[Greg'sGarters]

I've had that happen lol

[ConcinusMan]

I'm going to try to get him/you an erythristic female this summer Steve. (I now know where to find more erythristics) Maybe you'll have better luck breeding him than I did. It's not that he didn't try hard enough. Just that the girls never let him.

[guidofatherof5]

I'm going to try to get him/you an erythristic female this summer Steve. (I now know where to find more erythristics) Maybe you'll have better luck breeding him than I did. It's not that he didn't try hard enough. Just that the girls never let him.

Sounds good.

[guidofatherof5]

Here's a couple photos of Flicker and SR-71. Both are attempting to eat all the worms in the house.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker9.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker8.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/sr71_1.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Here's a couple of the babies. I call this group my little monsters.

Such underrated snakes. Northwesterns are awesome.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/little_monkeys.jpg

[adamanteus]

Northwesterns are awesome.



Absolutely!

[guidofatherof5]

Here is the little lone survivor. She is growing like a weed. I have to watch her at feeding time because she challenges all the other larger snakes for food.
I love her attitude.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/lone_nw2.jpg

[ProXimuS]

Lone survivor? Is that your only ordinoides now?!

[guidofatherof5]

Lone survivor? Is that your only ordinoides now?!

I should have explained. I've had only one group of Northwesterns born on the Ranch. This is the only one that survived.

[ProXimuS]

*whew* Ok that scared me at first......Very nice pictures! I really like little lone survivors coloring:)

[ConcinusMan]

The other babies were already a few months old before they were shipped to Steve, but the "lone survivor" was born on the ranch. The only one he has that was born there.;)

A while back there was an isolated island of habitat here in town (an abandoned airport surrounded by urban development) supporting a small population of snakes, that was about to be destroyed by a bulldozer so I caught all I could (7 I believe) and sent them to the ranch. Apparently, one of them was gravid.

Got there just in time too. Days later, it was all gone. Now it's residential streets, parking lots, and commercial buildings.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I love northwesterns! Ordinoides are on my list in the future.

here's a couple of the babies. I call this group my little monsters.

Such underrated snakes. northwesterns are awesome.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/little_monkeys.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

I love northwesterns! Ordinoides are on my list in the future.

As well they should be for everyone. Very nice snakes. Great little attitudes and personalities.

[Lisa4john]

I really like little lone survivors coloring:)

Me too! Will you be trying to breed them again?

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Steve i told you to keep those black and white radixes away from the ordinoides!:D
here is the little lone survivor. She is growing like a weed. I have to watch her at feeding time because she challenges all the other larger snakes for food.
I love her attitude.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/lone_nw2.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Looks like Flicker is opaque again. He's also off food for the first time. The last time he shed he never stopped eating.
The second photo is a little male I'm worried about. He's been off food for the last few weeks. I was going to give him some chill time in the refridge but found he had a small scab on his vent/cloaca so I'm treating that first. Most of the scab was dried urates.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/flicker_shed.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/troubled_male_to.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Might help to get the little guy into a moist, cool environment soon. And by cool I mean 45-50 f.

[guidofatherof5]

Might help to get the little guy into a moist, cool environment soon. And by cool I mean 45-50 f.

Done.

[ConcinusMan]

This will at least slow the weight loss. At best it will "reset" his appetite and get him eating again when you bring him out. What kind of temps was he getting at night? I just think northwesterns (and some others) do better with a significant drop at night at least into the upper 60's. They also don't do well at all with low humidity. I try to keep it at least 60 percent for northwesterns, and bit cooler than most garters. If it's too warm and/or dry they do tend to go off food or just "fail to thrive".

[guidofatherof5]

Night temp is upper 60's. Humidity is around 50%. I'm going to give him 30 days in the fridge.

[guidofatherof5]

Flicker shed a few days ago but didn't start eating again until tonight.
Flicker is an awesome looking Northwestern (T.ordinoides)

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/flicker10.jpg

[kimbosaur]

Wow, very pretty!

[guidofatherof5]

This is what was waiting for me when I entered the T.ordinoides paddock.
This is the norm for this group of monsters. I have to be ready to feed these guys or they chase the first snake that gets food.
They are hungry all the time.
I love my Northwesterns.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/nw_rush.jpg

[indigoman]

Nice looking group!

[guidofatherof5]

Spotted some mating activity this morning. I'll post a photo later.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Great news! more of these little beasties can only be a good thing:D

[Lisa4john]

I want one! :D They are beautiful. No, I won't get one, but I do want one. ;)

[guidofatherof5]

"Mama says, Northwestern are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get":D

[guidofatherof5]

Here you go.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/tojiggy.jpg

[Invisible Snake]

Aww yeah ordinoides babies in a few months, congrats Steve!

[Selkielass]

Awww northwest romance.
I had sort of hoped Flicker would be the one playing Romeo.

[guidofatherof5]

Awww northwest romance.
I had sort of hoped Flicker would be the one playing Romeo.

Me too.

[guidofatherof5]

Aww yeah ordinoides babies in a few months, congrats Steve!

I didn't see a lockup but my hopes are high.

On a side note I took the little male out of the fridge today. Hoping his 3 weeks in the cold will snap him out of his non-eating slump.

[ConcinusMan]

Very cool Steve!


Aww yeah ordinoides babies in a few months

*maybe*. They're known to mate with multiple males and they can control when the eggs get fertilized. They mate anywhere from late winter to autumn. Sometimes they hold onto the sperm from several males and can decide to ovulate/fertilize whenever they feel like it. Could even be a year or two later! So, you can't really expect with any degree of accuracy, when the babies will come. And if she's been with more than one male you can't really know who the sire is. A litter could even have more than one sire.

You should definitely let Flicker have a crack at her!

[guidofatherof5]

You should definitely let Flicker have a crack at her!

That's up to Flicker.:D

[ConcinusMan]

Oh, so they're all together and it's just one male doing the courting? That's odd. If a female is putting out signals, Flicker / all males are usually all over her!

[guidofatherof5]

Maybe he has been.:D

[guidofatherof5]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/Please_sir.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/Staring_contest.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

This little Northwestern needed only 5 minutes in a warm shed box. She was relieve to get this retained shed off. I noticed it this morning and I hoped she would have taken care of it on her own but that was not to be.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/shed_box_needed.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

My 5 youngest Northwestern are unbelievable eaters. I stuffed them with worms for breakfast yesterday and 4 hours later they were at the sides begging for food and looked like they could eat it. I gave then another dish and they stuffed themselves again.
I thought young radixes could put the food away but these little scrubs are setting me straight.
Northwesterns are an awesome garter snake.
If you have the opportunity to acquire them, I strongly suggest it. They may be a little on the small side but make up for it in attitude(good) and personality.

[guidofatherof5]

The Northwesterns all said NO! to the turkey heart.
They've been enjoying the fresh slugs and earth worms I've been getting daily for them.

[KephrenJorgensen]

One of my 8 month old ordies will eat three meals a day if I let it. I fed the three scrubs around a dozen small night crawlers and maybe 8 slugs, and they ate it all within a matter of 10 minutes. I've never had a baby that is so tame and used to human interaction, but that may be because this is the first baby I've had that was born in captivity. It seems I may have to seperate them however, as one is increasingly more defensive with it's food and usually gets the right to eat first. I'm not sure if I should put "Lunchtime" on his/her own and give the other two a chance to still interact, or put the runt on its own.

[guidofatherof5]

If we only knew what was causing some of these feeding issues. Separating a runt out might help but it might also increase that snake's stress level and create more of a problem. Then again, maybe it's the stress of being with the more aggressive snakes that is causing the problem.
We just don't know what is going on with them.
Kind of a "damned when you do, damned when you don't situation.

[KephrenJorgensen]

Come to think of it, I havn't seen the runt out and about since I changed their substrate to carefresh. Perhaps I will seperate it. If it helps, it will really help. If it doesn't, chances are the snake wouldn't get much better for eating and growing if I don't do anything. Of the 9 born, 6 were "troubled" snakes, and just wouldn't eat consistently. They all passed save 2 who escaped. The last three are the runt of the litter and the two biggest. They are approaching 12" now, with the little one nearing 8".

Aside from baby troubles, the red male I found in March is doing excellent in quarantine. Readily excepting worms and slugs like a fiend. I am curious as to whether or not I should house a mixed-gender group of adults in the new enclosure I am just finishing up. It has a floor space of 3 by 3 feet. By the time it is finished the male will have been in quarantine for a month. I will be able to switch my melanistic girl into the big new enclosure, and begin the full quarantine of my pair of pickeringii, which I will eventually be keeping in a 30 gallon tall (30 x 12 x 18).

[guidofatherof5]

Mixed sex groups of adults = baby garter snakes. They do what they do best.;)

[ConcinusMan]

The Northwesterns all said NO! to the turkey heart..

That's what I would expect from them

[guidofatherof5]

That's what I would expect from them


I had to try.:D

[ConcinusMan]

Next time try crickets. Couldn't do any worse with those.;)

[guidofatherof5]

Next time try crickets. Couldn't do any worse with those.;)

Oh come on. I just wanted to expand their Culinary Palette.:D

[ConcinusMan]

Oh if that's all then heck, you might as well try vegetarian pizza. :rolleyes: If there's any snake that's going to be highly resistant to change it's northwesterns. Yes there's a few that will take pinkies and perhaps fish but those seem few and far between. They've made it very clear to me over the years that they are worm and slug eaters all the way. This goes to everyone out there considering getting them. If you don't have a year 'round bottomless supply of fat juicy night crawlers and/or slugs, don't bother. ;)

I do have better luck with CB babies though. Start mixing in fish and/or pinky parts with their worms early in life and most of them will eat that just fine the rest of their lives but once they're set in their ways, forget it!

On a side note, I did get flicker to eat a piece of chicken once but he's kind of a weirdo when it comes to food anyway.:p

[guidofatherof5]

Vegetarian pizza, never thought to try that. Thanks for the tip.:D

[Stefan-A]

Oh if that's all then heck, you might as well try vegetarian pizza. :rolleyes:
Depends on what kind of vegetarian you are. If you're the kind that will eat dairy products, Margherita pizzas can be pretty damn good.

[ConcinusMan]

Try convincing a T.ordinoides. Most of them can't even be convinced to eat fish or pinkies. Picky little shits.

[guidofatherof5]

Try convincing a T.ordinoides. Most of them can't even be convinced to eat fish or pinkies. Picky little shits.

Agreed.

[ConcinusMan]

aahh.. but the joy experienced when you have a happy, well adapted one.. it's hard to beat. They can be quite the "puppy dog" sometimes. You could swear the species isn't wild at all. No more so than a floppy eared fluffy dog. It's like that.You know how you can get to know a dog so well that you can almost hear him talking to you? I mean, there's no need for actual words because you just understand each other? I've only had that with a few T. ordininoides over the years. The rest are great too but even the tamest concinnus reminds you often that he/she is wild and that your relationship is conditional.

[Invisible Snake]

Try convincing a T.ordinoides. Most of them can't even be convinced to eat fish or pinkies. Picky little shits.

Not a great selling point there, I may have to reconsider getting Northwesterns in the future.

[KephrenJorgensen]

On the contrary to that, I've never had a northwestern that wouldn't eat anything I offered it, unless it wasnt eating anything at all. Big females are only picky if you hold out on them. I find they really take well to hand/tong feeding.

[guidofatherof5]

Flicker has gotten a little picky in the food dept. Right now it's slugs and earth worms.
Not a big problem since this is prime slug season.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker_close.jpg

[Lowfur]

Beautiful coloring on that one!

[ConcinusMan]

Not a great selling point there, I may have to reconsider getting Northwesterns in the future.

Good. I try to make it very clear how they can be when it comes to food. Wouldn't want people to get stuck with a snake they couldn't feed. Now, they're not all like that, just most of them. Particularly if you get them very young or offer your CB a variety right from the start then they're not so picky. I find newborns to mostly be willing to try just about anything. It's the adults that have been feeding on just worms and slugs their whole life that are stubborn.

[katach]

All of mine eat anything that is offered. Pinkies, talapia, turkey hearts. Maybe I'm just lucky. Willow is ravenous with the pinkies and talapia.

[guidofatherof5]

This Northwestern -T.ordinoides was wound just a little too tight this morning.:D

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/coiled_nw.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

It's time for breakfast. They remind you by imitating a pastry. :D

[guidofatherof5]

The Case of the Missing Slug

♫"Dum - - - de - DUM - DUM. DUM - - - de - DUM - DUM DUH...."♫


This is the Ranch: Council Bluffs, Iowa. I work here, I'm a retired cop. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to read is true. The names haven't been changed to protect the innocent.:D





It was a cold, overcast day at the T.radix Ranch. I was working the day watch. I went out to the garden area and collected 6 nice, large brown slugs. Knowing my Northwesterns would be happy with this find I returned to the snake room.
Once down in the snake room I opened the Northwestern paddock and gave out a few slugs. I was now down to 3 slugs but could only find 2 in the container. It was then I saw Flicker sitting by the hide. I asked him if he had seen the missing slug. He just shook his head "no" Normally, Flicker is quite the talker so I felt he might be hiding something from me. Upon further investigation I could see slug slime around his mouth. I pressed the issue and asked him again if he knew anything about the missing slug. Once again he just shook his head "no". I told him I didn't believe him and asked him to open him mouth.
After a few moments he did. I was now easy to see where the missing slug had gone.
In the face of the evidence mounted against him he cracked and admitted to taking the slug without permission. His punishment will be dealt with when the "T.radix Ranch Disciplinary Board" meets on Monday. For now, Flicker was sent to his hide pending the final outcome from the board.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/missing_slug1.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/missing_slug2.jpg

All kidding aside, I gave Flicker 2 slugs to start with then scented a big night crawler with slug slime. Finishing up with another slug. Flicker hasn't been eating large meals as I can't find enough slugs or earthworms to fill him up. Scenting with the slugs I do have seems to be working well.

[guidofatherof5]

I found my big female T.ordinoides (Northwestern Garter Snake) in shed phase and looking very blue, probably feeling that way too.
You can see by the photo that the opaqueness isn't just in the eyes it also affects the rest of the shed.
I can't seem to remember the name of the chemical that is released to separate the sheds. Anyone?
She may also be gravid.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/sheding_nw.jpg

[Foxrun402]

That is amazing looking! She looks awesome opaque!

[guidofatherof5]

Flicker (T.ordinoides - Northwestern garter snake) must be doing some growing as he's heading into another shed.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker_shed1.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/nice_t_o.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Just unpacked 5 baby Northwestern scrubs. Thanks Zephyr.
Better photos to come once they get settled in.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/new_Northwesterns.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/new_Northwesterns1.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Flicker was up on the fake plant today. Such a beautiful contrast the red on green.
The second photo shows Flicker and SR-71.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker11.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker_and_SR71.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Just unpacked 5 baby Northwestern scrubs. Thanks Zephyr.
Better photos to come once they get settled in.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/new_Northwesterns.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/new_Northwesterns1.jpg


Make that 5 new EATING Northwestern scrubs on the Ranch. They are enjoying some night crawler chunks as I type.

[Foxrun402]

Awesome! Cant wait to watch them grow up! :D

[KephrenJorgensen]

I do believe I am expecting some squiggles this summer from my newest ordie female. Let's have a race to see who can grow the biggest scrubs some year ;)

[guidofatherof5]

I do believe I am expecting some squiggles this summer from my newest ordie female. Let's have a race to see who can grow the biggest scrubs some year ;)

I'm afraid I won't do very well in that contest. I grow mine like oak trees, slow and solid.:D

[ConcinusMan]

Make that 5 new EATING Northwestern scrubs on the Ranch. They are enjoying some night crawler chunks as I type.

Don't hesitate to get them on pinkies/fish early or they might not ever eat them

[ConcinusMan]

I do believe I am expecting some squiggles this summer from my newest ordie female. Let's have a race to see who can grow the biggest scrubs some year ;)

You're going to use ordies for that contest? you're gonna lose dude! lol

[guidofatherof5]

Here is one of the new Northwesterns. Her name is Rusty. She is a beautiful snake and should only get more beautiful as she grows.
Thanks again Kyle.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/rusty3.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/rusty31.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/rusty1.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/rusty2.jpg

[BUSHSNAKE]

What an awesome belly on that snake!!

[ConcinusMan]

I guess I have just been neglecting to post belly shots but when orange/red is in the stripes, the same color is on the belly in a mottled pattern and I bet that snake was born the same color as the babies.

[KephrenJorgensen]

I guess I should have specified the scrub contest to be ordies only :P And it is true. After their third or fourth shed, ordies kinda peeter out until their next growth spurt. Mine have shed maybe 6 times in total since birth, going on 1 year old August 1st (no clue for my other one that isn't melanistic.)

In recent news. A friend of mine's stepmom asked me to rid her garden of all snakes. It wasn't that she didnt like snakes, it was that her dog didn't. She'd rather have the snakes eating slugs from her garden, but she didn't want her to dog to get to them, so she asked me to relocate them. I found 7 adult ordies all underneath a collapsed staircase beside the garden. One of them was a big gravid melanistic female. I decided to hold on the her to see what chance I can give to her babies. I am so excited to see these scrubs, and even more to see my yearlings grow large. At one point Richard mentioned that it was probable my babes would grow to look just like their mother. This other girl looks just like my babes. The spots above the lateral lines are clearly visible, aswell as a mottling pattern between the lateral and dorsal stripes. But she is still that matte black-grey that my other girl is. the new ones dorsal stripe is a bold smoky grey, and her face looks just like tghe other ones. I now have a feeing that my babes are going to grow up to look like this mum, not theirs :P

[KephrenJorgensen]

PS, that red scrub is on FIRE. She's on her way to being Flicker's best friend ;)

[guidofatherof5]

I love a variety that is possible with T.ordinoides - Northwestern Garter. "Ordies are like a box of chocolate, you never know what you're going to get"

[Foxrun402]

Woooooo Rusty! I love her coloring!

[KephrenJorgensen]

would it be possible for a melanistic phenotype to produce offspring that do not exhibit any melanism? That would top it off. I'd have too much to choose from :P

[guidofatherof5]

I have no idea.

[ConcinusMan]

would it be possible for a melanistic phenotype to produce offspring that do not exhibit any melanism? That would top it off. I'd have too much to choose from :P

Can't really give you a concise answer because there isn't one.

Ignore the phenotype. The answer depends on genotype. If it's a single locus, and recessive then of course. If it's dominant (not recessive) then no. If it's incompletely dominant or polygenic then it's still not probable even though plausible, but color is difficult to predict or even determine the genotype in northwesterns due to polymorphism and the interaction/interplay of different types of color genes.

However, if you're talking about the Vancouver Island/B.C. melanistics like yours then you're just going to get very dark to completely black snakes. I really don't think you can hope to get anything other than melanistic/very dark snakes from yours. At this point I really don't think anyone knows for sure what will happen when they are bred to regular colored snakes from another location like Steves or mine but if you want an answer I would say no. You're not likely to get something like this from yours especially since they don't already exist in the population where you got them from.

[guidofatherof5]

Flicker has been a picky eater lately. He seems to only want rosy-tipped worms (Aporrectodea rosea) He did take a medium sized night crawler that was from the same soil the rosy-tipped earthworms came from. Him and I are becoming good friends. He meets me at the screen 3 times a day for food. He's a very nervous eater and will give up a worm to a challenger. He also will spit the worm out of I try to hold him too soon after he's taken the worm
Richard, any idea how old this guy is? His face says old to me.

[ConcinusMan]

No idea. He was WC summer of 2010 in SW Portland and has grown only slightly since. The whole time he's been in captivity he either can't get enough to eat for 4-6 months (during which time he usually sheds once or twice) or he fasts and eats little to nothing for the other half of the year.

[ConcinusMan]

http://youtu.be/8fpWPadXlsc

[guidofatherof5]

Not flaw, character. Great looking snake.

[guidofatherof5]

There's no accounting for taste. Today, I had a Northwestern turn down an earthworm but readily took a night crawler.
Flicker and I continue to bond. I was proud of him as he fought to keep one of his earthworms. Usually he releases the worm and then refuses to eat. This time was different as he kept the worm and came over to me for more.

[guidofatherof5]

Flicker now has a nickname "Old Man" Working with him I get the feeling he's just that. He's opaque, again and today he did a first. He ate while being in opaque phase.
I love all my T.ordinoides - Northwestern Garter Snake but old man has wrapped around my heart.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/old_man1.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/old_man.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

His eating and shedding patterns are consistent with that of an older snake. He's been in captivity 4 (?) years I believe and he was likely already 4 or 5 when caught. You can't really go by size. I have had nothwestern males bigger than him that shed way more often, Now, when the concinnus' get up there in age (usually at around 3.5 feet and 10yrs old) they all but stop growing and shed every 5-6 months. Just twice a year but they can live another decade or at least the better part of one, and do almost no growing during that time. I had a feeling flicker was no spring chicken too because even if he pigs out for 6 months he doesn't grow much or shed very often.

[guidofatherof5]

Flicker (Oldman) is one great snake. He can be a little touchy and for the most part is a scared eater(won't challenge for food) but I love him.
This morning I woke up early (6AM) and walked into the snake room(all lights still off, on timers) I looked into the T.ordinoides paddock and saw the Oldman at the screen waiting for me. I feed him the largest earthworm - Rosy-tipped worm (Aporrectodea rosea) I've every seen. He gladly downed it as an early breakfast.
I'm glad the Oldman and I could be friends. Gave him his first back scratch after his meal. He watched me but never moved. He's a good garter.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/oldman3.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/oldman4.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

There's that ring around the eye again. If you look at your earlier photos or my photos of him , it isn't there or is barely there. And I also never see it in my concinnus', or in the wild in either species. Something about the environment or diet must be making them get this. An intriguing mystery. He's looking good and healthy though. Got a little bulk to him. Looks solid.

[guidofatherof5]

Since earthworms are abundant he's eating well. That may change this Winter as I run out of them. He, on occasion will take a night crawler but that's rare these days.

No sure what to say about this eye thing you are talking about. Never noticed and certainly never saw it as an issue.

[ConcinusMan]

Didn't say it was an issue. Just saying I don't see it in the wild or in captive raised concinnus' unless they are very old. And yet all your concinnus' have it, and flicker now has it when he didn't before. I'm talking about the gap between the eye and scales, where a ring of skin is showing as if their eyeball shrunk from it's original size.

[guidofatherof5]

Not sure what it could be.

[guidofatherof5]

Here's a video and couple photos of Flicker T.ordiniodes - Northwestern Garter Snake. He's a special snake.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker21.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/flicker31.jpg



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEAJEVFyXtc

[EasternGirl]

Those northwesterns sure are some beauties! I really like Flicker. I may have to get a northwestern...no, no, no...no more snakes, Marnie!

[guidofatherof5]

Those northwesterns sure are some beauties! I really like Flicker. I may have to get a northwestern...no, no, no...no more snakes, Marnie!


Here, let me talk you out of getting one.....................
I got nothing.

[ConcinusMan]

In light of everything going on with my dad (life threatening health issues) I don't think I'm going to make it up to puget sound this summer. Was going to go to a spot with lots of erythristic ordies. Well a friend just dropped by and wanted to know what kind of snake around here is blood red all over because he found a spot here in Clark county where he said they're everywhere. I showed him a pic of flicker and he said "yup, that's what I saw except some aren't all red. some just have red stripes or bright orange stripes" NICE!

He said in the next few days he's going to go up there and get me some. I said, "screw that, take me with you." Going to go check that soon. I'm excited.

[guidofatherof5]

Yesterday, was a walk through day for me in the snake room. I made sure everyone had fresh water and then was busy with other things. This morning I went into the snake room, my first stop was the Northwestern - T. ordinoides paddock. I have never seen such a pathetic scene. Almost every Northwestern and one T. radix - Plains garter was at the screen acting like they have never been fed. Flicker was the worst, he has also decided to eat any worms offered. I offered 2 large night crawlers and he took them. He also tried to steal a worm from a buddy. I'm really hoping he'll do some breeding this Fall or Spring.

[guidofatherof5]

Flicker, aka Oldman was in rare form today. He downed 4 medium crawlers and took a 5th one from a cage mate. Taking from others is a new thing for him since he's been on the Ranch.
My Northwestern - T. ordinoides are awesome snakes.

[guidofatherof5]

Here's Oldman resting after such a big meal.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/medium/oldman_resting.jpg

[Foxrun402]

OMG! I love that photo! That guy looks wicked I love those colors and his face! beautiful snake Steve!

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks. He is one special Thamnophis ordinoides.

[gibble888]

Yes...very very nice!!

[rickymar81]

Very Cool Steve!!!

[EasternGirl]

He is so beautiful! I've never seen one quite like him.

[chris-uk]

OMG! I love that photo!

Agreed. It's a great photo. I suspect it would look fantastic cropped down so it's just the snake and the greenery.

[guidofatherof5]

So let it be written, so let it be done.
Looks at the scale spread on his belly. He ate like a little pig that day.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//780/oldman5.jpg

[Mommy2many]

such the piggy!

[chris-uk]

So let it be written, so let it be done.

Steve I think that guy would look good in one of my vivs. You're going to pack him up and sending him to the UK, along with a B&W radix.


:)

[guidofatherof5]

You're pushing your luck, buddy.:D

[chris-uk]

Dang. It worked last time. :(

[guidofatherof5]

I'm so proud of Oldman. He made "The Reptile Report".

[jwolfe152]

Gorgeous Garter | The Reptile Report (http://thereptilereport.com/gorgeous-garter-2/) link much lol

[Mommy2many]

We have a celebrity in our midst!