Any Day Now....

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I wanted to introduce Whopper. Out of the many many garters I catch every year, I usually don't keep any, but something about Whopper did convince me to keep her. Right off the bat she didn't have that squirrely attitude that most wild garters do... she is calm, collected, and at feeding time will stop at nothing for the extra pinkies and worms and is one of those overbearing "lovers" that just won't quit climbing up your arm. She is a beautiful stripeless wih a solid rusty red color. In between her neck scales is flaming orange that turns blue as you go down her body. Whopper is due to have babies any day now, her being a big girl, I am hoping for 20is larger babies as opposed to 50 tiny ones. LOL.... it could go either way! last year, from where Whopper comes from, I found a GORGEOUS solid maroon reddish purplish female that... I don't know why I didn't keep her! I let her go... but I am hoping that the red tendencies from Whopper's locality will rub off and a few of her babies will color up nice, and maybe I will get my very own maroon/purply one!

Please excuse her messy face, she has just raided the worm container and downed 10 nightcrawlers. She is due any day now, having shed last week, and the weight has shifted towards the vent. She is one of those girls that is eating up until the last minute. Love her, even as normal as she is!

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/90c9f704.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/0d137327.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/d5103a77.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/354fd932.jpg

[RedSidedSPR]

Awesome! Shes really cool looking. Can't wait for the babies!

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I like whoppers! lol

[snakehill]

I know I should know this by now! What type of garter is she?:o By the way she is beautiful!!!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Whopper is a stripeless phase eastern garter snake. Looking forward to her babies.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I know I should know this by now! What type of garter is she?:o By the way she is beautiful!!!

She is an awesome looking stripeless eastern.

[snakehill]

Wow! I don't ever remember finding a stripeless eastern! But then again my memory is not the greatest lol!:o

[brain]

Great markings

[d_virginiana]

Can't wait for pics of the babies! She's a good looking snake

[ssssnakeluvr]

Awesome!

[Didymus20X6]

Wow! I don't ever remember finding a stripeless eastern! But then again my memory is not the greatest lol!:o
I caught this one a few years ago:
http://i31.tinypic.com/205cjzd.jpg

She looks small in the pic, because of the perspective of the bottle, but she was a little over 2 feet long (about the size Little Dude is now, which is 31 inches).

[snakehill]

I know I've never seen one now. Are they normally found in New England too?:confused:

[Chondro788]

:) Whoper is awesome!!! I really like the stripeless look, very cool!

[BUSHSNAKE]

shes a looker shannon

[Hornets23]

She is VERY pretty!

[Mommy2many]

Whopper is a very pretty Eastern!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Whopper finally gave birth to 25 healthy babies today. I also removed 3 dead, and one that I THOUGHT was dead. The little guy didn't get his skin off and I found him laying, dehydrated and almost gone, limp and skin all sucked in... but still wanting to right his head when turned over (the rest of him was too weak to move) So I put him in a little dish with just a bottom coating of water and I rubbed the water all on him. after 15 minutes he didn't move and I thought he had died. I noticed he wasn't breathing... as a last ditch effort I took my fingernail and forced his mouth open, which almost seemed stuck shut from him being so dehydrated. When I put him back in the water he suddenly started taking huge breaths and then after a moment flicked his tongue and tasted the water. He then began drinking OPEN MOUTHED, gulping water. I think he might pull through now, the skin was constricting his breathing and he had given up... and to think I almost counted him as dead and was about to feed the body to my centipedes!!! Always turn your babies over if you think they are dead. If they attempt to right their head even a little, there is a chance!

The rest of the babies are perfect. They are chubby, and all are stripeless. I can already tell like half of them are going to develop the maroon coloration of their mother. They have that blushy look to their cheeks and their bellies have some reddish tint. I am hoping that one or two will turn out like a SUPER reddish purply one I found in the same area 2 years ago (I have no idea why I did not keep her) A couple have caught my eye to watch, I will hold them all until their first shed to make sure they are in working order... my favorite one has striking blood red eyes!

[RedSidedSPR]

That's AWESOME!

Glad that one made it as much as he did, hope he continues to do well.

Now, you know what we all want.....

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Pics have to wait! I have to get ready for work. The little guy stopped breathing on me once but I got him started again. He took another drink. I got the skin off and he just lifted his head on his own!!!! And started crawling. That's a good sign seeing as before his owed half was immobile and he did not respond to touch! He even climbed out of the container once. Hes still weak but it's a start. I think I might take him to work with me just in case...

[jitami]

Congrats, Shannon! Good luck with the little weak one. Will be looking forward to pics :)

[Mrs N1ntndo]

I am soooo Happy . I am so happy that the little one made it through. I had 2 from my litter that I saved and I had to even strat to remove there sacks and move them around. They are still going strong to this day. So I agree., Just cause you think a baby may be dead just give a lil extra effort and you never know. Im so happy for you shannon.

[Chondro788]

Great story, and sounds like an awesome clutch!! Put me on the list for a baby or two!!!;)

[Jeff B]

Congrats on the litter Shannon, that Whopper is gorgeous.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

The little one is here with me at work. I can't believe how good he looks now... He looks like all the other babies do... This morning I had to literally peel him out of the newspaper pellets. He was smushed down in them and he was flattened, skin flaps were hanging, his eye pupils were pinpoints, he did not respond to any touch and he wash no longer breathing.I literally thought I had a dead snake. I actually have a picture of him. I will post before and after. You guys will be amazed!

[RedSidedSPR]

Wow.. that's great.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

That is awesome Shannon Im so happy for you and the little one.

[Mommy2many]

Congratulations on the little squiggles! Can't wait to see pictures of them. They sound beautiful.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

WELL, I actually made a thread all about the baby I saved today. but here is some terrible phone pictures of the healthy babies! These photos don't do any justice, but at least you get the idea!

some babies

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/1674ef22.jpg

this one is pretty neat, it's almost entirely patternless... it has like, no spots or anything!!!

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/8999477c.jpg

and here's a little comparison of some variation:
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/31119dca.jpg

[katach]

Those are wonderful, congrats!

[d_virginiana]

Congrats! That patternless one is really good looking.

[guidofatherof5]

Sweet looking little scrubs.;)

[RedSidedSPR]

Sweet!!!!! Love that black one!