My Newest Snake...

[frostyftw]

Here is a story...

I was with my mom at school. We had a conference. When it was over, we missed the Metro bus. Then we were walking home. I saw a snake that got run over. It was on the sidewalk, so I'm positive that it was hit by a bike.... I felt bad for it. It was dead, so I couldn't help it or anything.

The story continues.....

We were almost home.... Guess what I saw... You already know, of course! Anyway, there was a garter snake. It was huge!

I know I said I wouldn't get anymore snakes.... But I didn't go out looking for it... It came right to me!

After I caught it... it was surprisingly calm...

So, I took it home.... And tried to feed it some nightcrawlers....

It ate right away!

By the way, it has an injury on its tail.

Now... for some pictures.....

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/zz184/williamfweller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAGE_155.jpg
The picture above shows a look from way above the tank, notice the side of the tank at the top.... the black bar thing that surrounds the top of the tank..

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/zz184/williamfweller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAGE_154.jpg

Above is a close up.

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/zz184/williamfweller/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAGE_153.jpg

Above is another close up..

Sorry for getting my shoes in one of the pictures.

I don't know how well it can be seen... But that snake it huge!

At least for the kind around in my area...

Does it look gravid?

[guidofatherof5]

I don't see any scale spread so I'm guessing it's not gravid.
I don't see this injury you are talking about.
Where is it?

[frostyftw]

The injury is hard to see.

So is the size of the snake.

I will try to get a better picture later...

I'm pretty sure it is gravid.

With my better picture, you might be able to see if it's gravid, better.

[Kantar]

the lower half does look kind of thicker than the rest, but it is pretty late in the season, but sometimes babies are born this late. If it is gravid then maybe a small litter.

Its kind of hard to distinguish the size of the snake. If your feet are on the same level as the bottom of the tank then I am guessing around 30 inches long.

Sometimes the best snakes you can ask for are the wild ones that chooses you. Just like my red-sided Spot, 3 years later he is still wanting to be held

[frostyftw]

The tank is on a table.

[katach]

She is pretty. Can you put a ruler or something else in there to help show her size. It is pretty late for a gravid NW, they are finding their dens by now, but I guess anything is possible, it's just not likely. Glad she are right off for you.

[frostyftw]

I can try to get a picture, but like I've said, my pictures don't help much..

What exactly would the picture be of?

A snake next to the ruler?

Or what...... I don't understand.

[Kantar]

straight overhead shot with the snake laying flat with something of measurable size, like a piece of paper, can go by the 8.5 or the 11 side, just something we can measure off of

[kibakiba]

She looks really fat for a NW female.

[kibakiba]

Also, it's not late for a NW to be gravid. They can ovulate whenever they're ready.

[frostyftw]

Kantar, Do you mean next to.... Or on top of?

Kibakiba, I found her coming out of the grass next to the sidewalk. On one side of the sidewalk was a road.... On the other side was a small area of grass along the sidewalk, about 3 feet past the grass was tons of thorn bushes. I can't see how the snake got that big just by eating. There must not be that big of a food supply in that area.... A busy street and thorn bushes....... Being as big and fat as she is, she must be gravid, and very close to having her babies.

[Kantar]

like this for example, in this case the quarter is .875 inches, that was used to determine that the little one was 4.0625 inches and the garter 8.9375 inches

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/310515_10150415791899359_525334358_10213938_200059 9181_n.jpg