We are collecting two Thamnophis eques cuitzeoensis tomorrow!

[Char361979]

One male one female, both just over a year old. Look a little something like this...

[Char361979]

Picture of one of our two posted on RFUK by the seller.
3120

[guidofatherof5]

Sweet.
Nice looking snake.

[PINJOHN]

WOW WHAT A SUPERB BUY
AND NO I AM NOT JEALOUS
I SAID I AM NOT JEALOUS.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_U2gsM2wsj8k/SvIWnjJeVtI/AAAAAAAAAU0/sXr6l37zl9A/s400/angry+cartoon+character.JPG

[snakehill]

Have never seen these before! What is their common name? :confused:

[Kantar]

cuitzeo garter snake

apparently they are a larger species of garter

[guidofatherof5]

Not sure who your seller is but I found these wonderful photos from Steven Bol.

Thamnophis eques cuitzeoensis (http://www.stevenbolgartersnakes.nl/viewer_bestanden/thamnophis_e_cuitzeoensis/index.html)

[snakehill]

Would love to see a belly pic! Their bellies are grey then turn pinkish white at the end? Weird! :confused:

[kibakiba]

Awww! I wont one! They looks so cute with their pink lil' tails! :D

[Char361979]

Have never seen these before! What is their common name? :confused:

Cuizeo Garters. First documented in Mexico in 2003, unheard of before then. These two are unrelated. oth are captive breed from WC parents. Hoping to make babies next year.

[Char361979]

Would love to see a belly pic! Their bellies are grey then turn pinkish white at the end? Weird! :confused:

They use them to lure fish. They coil themselves with their head just under their tails and wiggle them like a worm. Fish comes along and it's luchtime!!


Not sure who your seller is but I found these wonderful photos from Steven Bol.

Thamnophis eques cuitzeoensis (http://www.stevenbolgartersnakes.nl/viewer_bestanden/thamnophis_e_cuitzeoensis/index.html)

The guy we're buying them from got them from Steven Bol.

If babies come to pass I am open to offers from any UK garter fans :D

[chris-uk]

If babies come to pass I am open to offers from any UK garter fans :D

If they have babies, do you think John might want one of them?

Looking like a bit of a hectic day tomorrow getting sorted enough to bring these home. I'm looking forward to having some garters that are arguably rarer in captivity than San Frans. I still want San Frans.

[katach]

Those are amazing!

[Char361979]

We will try and get some more photos up tonight. we pick them up at 6pm.... 7 and a bit hours to go!!

[RedSidedSPR]

I likez it.:D

Like, a lot.

[Char361979]

It 4.55pm. We're off to fetch them see you guys later with photos!! Ohhhhh so excited I might just wee myself a tiny bit!!

[guidofatherof5]

Looking forward to seeing your new family members.

[johnc79@hotmail.com]

What an awesome forum. I will come on here more often now you have shown me the wAy. Hope your happy with the cuitzeos.

[chris-uk]

https://picasaweb.google.com/111553410692176841379/CJDPublicAlbum

So, Char says post the pictures, post the pictures...
I've dropped a few onto my public Picasa album. The female has been out and wrapped herself around my wrist, she did her best to improve my Cologne before settling around my wrist. The male is staying hidden understanding the kitchen roll substrate.
We've got a new viv coming, but until it arrives on Monday/Tuesday they are living in a large RUB (we've got heatmat, thermostat etc set up so they're fairly comfortable).

I'll get some better pics when they are feeling more cooperative.

There's a few of them in the forum album now. Here's a link to one of them:
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//734/medium/IMAG0079.jpg (http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/showphoto.php?photo=10039&title=cuitzeo-garter&cat=734)

[Char361979]

They are great. Our girl has checked out the water but the lad is still in hiding. both are skittish but he is very skittish. Working on names, we'll get back to you. Rest asured it will be Terry Pratchett based.

[RedSidedSPR]

SWEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!

Love 'em

[Char361979]

Ok, it's decided. Vlad and Lacrimosa after Vlad and Lacrimosa Magpyr in "Maskerade". Gone for vampire names. The black bodies and white face made me think of little goths. LOL.

[chris-uk]

Great thing about that photo is that you can see the white cheeks, the black body, and the pink underside of the tail.

Hopefully the guy we got them from will be back on the forum (has visited in the past, but not regularly), we're keeping in touch because his other pair is probably the only other pair in the UK. We've said we will swap some babies when our pairs breed, his male is the brother of our male but females are unrelated, so better to have the 3rd generation coming from one of the ours and cousin (ideally they'd be completely unrelated, but cousins are further apart than many pairings). I also think some of you would have a minor "crisis" if you visited his snake room - and I've now seen San Franciscos in the flesh. :-)

[guidofatherof5]

and I've now seen San Franciscos in the flesh. :-)

Lucky.

[RedSidedSPR]

Lucky dog

[katach]

I'm jealous!

[d_virginiana]

Lucky! I love those cuitzeo garters, they're so unique looking.

[PINJOHN]

congratulations you two, what a great acquisition,with us a few months and already the envy of the garter world, heaven knows what you would have to do to top this.
this is one of those coincidence times for me, i mentioned in the grassnake thread recently having had some Russian melanistic grassnakes and when i saw your new snakes my first impression was i was looking at black grassnakes, you would think that should they have a resemblance to any thing it would be another garter, but no, that was my immediate impression. i will be waiting avidly for more photo's and you can bet i wont be the only one

[chris-uk]

.... heaven knows what you would have to do to top this...
I'm not sure what we would have to do, but I was in a snake room last night that tops our cuitzeoensis pair hands down. My memory doesn't do his snakes justice, but I've already mentioned I saw San Frans in the scale, a few others - several natrix, Santa Cruz, red-sided, viperines...

John - If you're passing Coventry you're welcome to stop in to have a look at the cuitzeoensis pair, and check in on the checkereds you gave us, and meet Binky.

[johnc79@hotmail.com]

Hi all. Im glad your happy with the Cuitzeos :-) And thanks for the compliments on the snake room you are both welcome anytime. I did put a post like this on last night but its not on here for some reason.

Your right about this forum thought some really good keepers on here that know there stuff so I will add this to my favorites.

Pinjohn, hi there, what are these Russian melanistic grassnakes? I keep a few europe sub species and have never seen these before :)

[PINJOHN]

that snake room you describe sounds like garter/snake keeper paradise, thanks for the invite i will do my best to take you up on it, you will get plenty of notice so as to have my coffee ready[at last].
we can use the opportunity to decide just how we can separate a certain country bumpkin from a whole load of his snakes, i shall mention no names just in case he rumbles us :D

[chris-uk]

We only need 10 minutes notice to put the kettle on.

[guidofatherof5]

That's a good idea.
I think I'll have a nice cup of Earl Grey on this wet and cold Saturday in Iowa.

[chris-uk]

I think we're on to something John. What if the aforementioned country bumpkin could be lulled into a sense of security by cups of tea? Good tea, the sort you just can't get in the US. You could manage that part of the mission?

[guidofatherof5]

Country Bumpkin. I resemble that remark.:D

[chris-uk]

Really Steve? There must be more than one that John is planning to visit. I'm sure he wouldn't plot to distract you with a cuppa while a tea of ninjas "persuades some B&W radixes to take a European vacation".

[RedSidedSPR]

I don't know what to think about "country bumkin" i'm probably one.:D

[katach]

That's a good idea.
I think I'll have a nice cup of Earl Grey on this wet and cold Saturday in Iowa.



Sounds good Steve. Have a cup for me too. :)

[PINJOHN]

you in the states drinking earl grey, Steve, while i'm in the UK drinking coffee there's some thing a little twilight zone about this situation :eek:

[zooplan]

Lucky! I love those cuitzeo garters, they're so unique looking.
They are called to show unique behavior too ;) :................................................. ......................................nasty behavior :p
I´ve required a group of hybrids of these with Thamnophis melanogaster canescens to save thier lives, and look for a school vivarium where they could spend happy lives. They are agressive feeders trying to swallow anything smelling like fish:D

[Char361979]

Lacrimosa Seems ok. She's a bit musky, but she's active and seems ok with being handled. Vlad is a touch grumpy. He's a hider.

The plan is to get a pair of san frans and a pair of red sideds. Fancy a radix, just so I can say we have one. Chris' dad is hopefully going to build some stackable vivs for us and when we move next year we are looking for a house with good sized bedrooms, so that one can be converted into Chris' office/the snake room.

I'd better stock up on earl grey and await the American stampeed. I can see I'm going to have to start baking now!!! Lemon meringue pie, banana bread, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies and chocolate and hazlenut cupcakes it is then.

Just glanced over at the newbies and they are both out and about.

[kibakiba]

Mmmmm peanut butter cookiessss

[PINJOHN]

Steve was a cop ! he will be happy with donuts :D oh i nearly forgot and some earl grey

[guidofatherof5]

Real cops don't eat donuts.;)

[kibakiba]

We find plenty of cops here in Dunkin' Donuts, but they're also the ones that tend to be lazy and don't do anything. My friend heard one of them say they were busy pulling someone over, while sitting in the Dunkin' donuts. It's kind of sad, but at least they aren't all like that here.

[johnc79@hotmail.com]

Testing

[RedSidedSPR]

He shouldn't be a cop then.:rolleyes:

[kibakiba]

I agree, if you're too lazy to do your job, work somewhere else.

[RedSidedSPR]

You did mean that he was sitting in the store, and lying over the phone or something right? That's worse then being lazy.

[kibakiba]

I think it was one of the radio things, I wasn't there so I am going by what my friend had said

[RedSidedSPR]

Right i meant radio.

IF he was lying to another "cop" than that's bad.

[kibakiba]

Indeed.

[chris-uk]

Hi all. Im glad your happy with the Cuitzeos :-) And thanks for the compliments on the snake room you are both welcome anytime. I did put a post like this on last night but its not on here for some reason.

Your right about this forum thought some really good keepers on here that know there stuff so I will add this to my favorites.

Pinjohn, hi there, what are these Russian melanistic grassnakes? I keep a few europe sub species and have never seen these before :)

Heya John. It looks like your posts are finally appearing. I know you told Char that they were getting stuck in a moderation loop (I noticed a few other posts from other new members that weren't appearing, maybe down to the recent forum upgrade) . Hopefully your posts will appear immediately now.

[Light of Dae]

I can see I'm going to have to start baking now!!! Lemon meringue pie, banana bread, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies and chocolate and hazlenut cupcakes it is then.

mmmm making me hungry n wishing I had my passport... Anyone ever thought or tried 'smuggling' snakes in their luggage? (with proper ventilation of course) I'd get my passport n give it a try it plauseable n safe... perhaps a burlap bag inside a plastic tote with holes inside a stiff cloth suitcase?? ....Wonder if it would be any cheaper then just shipping them... I'd love a baby from those two. Beautiful Beautiful snakes, cute tails :)

PS Its just a thought the whole smuggling thing, wouldn't do it unless I knew it would be safe...

[kibakiba]

Well, since everything goes through a scan, I doubt you could.

[chris-uk]

If you're looking for these beautiful snakes in the US then Scott Felzer produced a couple of litters this year and was selling them at $175 each (I'm sure I saw an old post where he dropped the price for a pair from that starting point).
During my research about them I didn't find many breeders, I think Scott was the only one on your side of the Atlantic.

[guidofatherof5]

PS Its just a thought the whole smuggling thing, wouldn't do it unless I knew it would be safe...

It isn't safe for all the parties involved.
The snakes get taken away and you are charged with a crime.

Sorry, just the old cop coming out in me.

[kibakiba]

I think that's a good thing Steve ;)

[Light of Dae]

lol was just a thought... :)
stupid Canada for not having more garter snakes n breeders!!! grr lol

[johnc79@hotmail.com]

Heya John. It looks like your posts are finally appearing. I know you told Char that they were getting stuck in a moderation loop (I noticed a few other posts from other new members that weren't appearing, maybe down to the recent forum upgrade) . Hopefully your posts will appear immediately now.

Hi Chris,
Yeah it looks like I'm in the gang at last! I did not relise i joined in 2008! Its such a good site though. Puts RFUK to shame! I don't need to ask questions on here because the info is already on here :D How are you and your garters doing?

[chris-uk]

Both are doing fine. They're settling into their new home and both have eaten some trout. I think the female has eaten some pinky too, but as they're not trusting me enough to tong feed yet and I'm watching them eat from a distance it's hard to tell which one is eating what from the dish.
Both are still a bit musky, the male seems more happy to be touched, but I've not had either out of the viv fully other than when we first got them home - the girl musked, a lot, that evening. There's no sign of any biting thankfully, as I think these guys would easily draw blood.
They also got a bit frisky the other day. I know that they are relatively young, but if they're going to breed they're going to do it... Considering whether we need to separate them to have more control over the breeding... We need more room in the house, or I need to give over space in my office to the snakes.

If you spot anything interesting from your pair I started a post about T. Cuitzeoensis behaviour in the husbandry section, feel free to add your observations in there. The more information the better. And prepare for all these friendly garter people to be jealous of your Cuitzeos. :-)

[johnc79@hotmail.com]

Yeah I think it would be a good idea to seperate. I do with all my young snakes. There only last years so if she got pregnant at that size it could potentially kill her or shorten her life. Mine are 09s and should breed next year.
I will have a look at the posts :)