Working through a ticklist?

[chris-uk]

I only want to keep snakes as pets to observe and enjoy, if I end up with pairs breeding then that's fine, but I'm not setting out be a snake breeder by any definition. What that means is that I never intend to have more snakes than we can comfortably handle between us regularly, so a limit of maybe 10-12 snakes at any time. But I am finding myself with a bit of ticklist building up, of beautiful garters that I want see first-hand.
Did anyone else start with one garter, then find a growing ticklist?

My current list is:

T. marcianus - "tick" (for normal and albino).
T.e. cuitzeoensis - "tick", came across these a bit by accident, but wonderful snakes that I feel privilaged to own.

Now for the ones yet to come (in no particular order):

T.s. tetrataenia - I've got to have these on the list.
T.s. infernalis
T.s. pickeringii (blue phase) - possibly the only morph/varient from natural colours on my list
T.a. atratus - after Udo's photo competition entry this month.
T. radix (B/W) - apparently there's only one place you might be able to get these from...

I'm sure there's other snakes I'll add to the list over the next few years. I just thought it would be fun to start a thread and see how my list changes over time. Anyone want to suggest what I have missing? :D

[snakehill]

Not familiar with "ticklist"! Had to look it up! :p

[guidofatherof5]

It's the magic of garter snakes.
They give so much back to their caregivers.

[BUSHSNAKE]

put the list away and go with the flow, every Thamnophis species has something to offer...vividly colored or not...if you set out for specific things you might end up missing out on something.

[chris-uk]

If I don't have a list somewhere I forget that I've read something about a snake, or seen a picture, or someone's mentioned a particular garter. My memory is like a sieve.
What you need to remember is that in UK there aren't enough garters around to really go with the flow, if you want another garter you've really got to go out looking for them, so knowing what I'm looking for is important. Of course, I'd never rule out turning up at a reptile fair and spotting a garter that I wasn't looking for but, given my experience at Donnington in September where the only garters were in the back of Pinjohn's car, I don't really expect to come across many random garters unless I go to one of the European snake fairs.

[BUSHSNAKE]

its not much different over here, Chicago hosts one of the biggest reptile shows in the country...NO GARTERS and theres 2 local shows a month, again NO GARTERS. A friend who was at Hamburg(germany) show said there were about 10 gartersnake venders...i feel like IM on the wrong side of the pond :)

[infernalis]

put the list away and go with the flow, every Thamnophis species has something to offer...vividly colored or not...if you set out for specific things you might end up missing out on something.

Exactly... Some of my favourites were just "surprise" arrivals.

I quit with the "wish list" a while ago.

[chris-uk]

I'm sure we will pick up some surprises as well. But if I don't have a base list I won't be out looking to find the surprises. :-)

[infernalis]

I'm sure we will pick up some surprises as well. But if I don't have a base list I won't be out looking to find the surprises. :-)

Well put mate...

[Char361979]

I've been offered melanistic easterns and although we have no space... I'm getting itchy.

[guidofatherof5]

I've been offered melanistic easterns and although we have no space... I'm getting itchy.

As Rocky would say "Go for it"

[chris-uk]

I've been offered melanistic easterns and although we have no space... I'm getting itchy.
Good job we both post on this forum, saves us telling each other things about snakes when you can just read the list I posted and I can read about snakes you've found that we don't have room for. If they're the same size as the Mexican pair we may be able to fit them in when we split the Mexicans.

[Char361979]

I did mention these to you.They were born in June so Binky sized. We could get one, try for a girly and have her bunk with Bink. Or we could try for another pair of interesting snakes...........

[PINJOHN]

Char eastern's especially melanistic are at the top of my hit list if you don't go for them let me know.
i intend to add my wish/hit list to Chris's thread as soon as i get a little time, you will notice that eastern's loom large on it.

[Char361979]

Hi john. He has three at the moment. He wants £80 for each. He thinks they are all female. I'm seriously concidering it as the age they are and being female. one of these girls would sit quite nicely with the little group of ladies we have.

[PINJOHN]

count me out Char, black may be beautiful but i wouldn't pay £80 if they were gold plated :)

now if he wished to swap for some checkered's, say two to one or something like that, then that would get my attention :D

[Char361979]

Sorry John. In the ad he specifically said he was willing to swap but not for checkereds or albinos.

[chris-uk]

Updated the list...


T.s. infernalis
T.s. pickeringii (blue phase)
T.atratus zaxanthus - Diablo Range replacing Santa Cruz on the list
T. radix
T. radix (B/W)

The significant change being what's dropped off the list.

BTW John, did Char mention that the seller of the melanistic easterns owes you a coffee? Maybe he'll let you have one instead of a coffee? :D

[PINJOHN]

[QUOTE=chris-uk;

BTW John, did Char mention that the seller of the melanistic easterns owes you a coffee? Maybe he'll let you have one instead of a coffee? :D[/QUOTE]
that would be peter, i thought he had sold his mel's somebody must have let him down,
he had a couple of female checkered's so i gave him a male that i had spare, so its no wonder he wont want to swap for checkered's. lol oh the sweet irony:D:D:D
he hopes to do better next year with the mels the more he breeds the cheaper they will be HOPEFULLY:rolleyes:

[EasternGirl]

Well of course I am bias, but I must say T.s.sirtalis...

[PINJOHN]

my list [the practical one at least] is largely sirtalis sirtalis, the official reason predictably is the huge variation color/pattern that they come in, but i think there is also a large nostalgia element come into play as when garters first became available in my area of the UK all those years ago, it was the eastern and the red sided, parietalis that were filling the pet shops the red sided is also one garter i would like permanently in my collection i would also never like to be without a radix because of my experience with kenzo, who's personality from what Steve says is typical of these snakes .i should really have started this post when i had more time on my hands i will try to get back to it when i have more time, it has the makings of a great thread finding out the members wish snakes and the reasons why

[chris-uk]

I appreciate your sentiment regarding radix John. Steve's radix evangelism is doing a good job, because a radix is one of the more likely next additions when we have more space. It's not just Steve though, everyone who posts about radix says they have great personality.

[EasternGirl]

My bias toward T.sirtalis sirtalis stems from the fact that I am in Delaware and that is what we have here...all my snakes were rescued from the wild so I really don't have any experience with any other type of garter. I must admit, in the future, I would love to have a radix...as I do talk to Steve a lot and they just seem like wonderful snakes personality wise. But my experience with T. s. sirtalis has been very positive...even though my snakes were found in the wild, they have never once bit me, they never musk...my girls do tend to be a bit skiddish though. But I just rescued a male from my cold basement last night and he has a great personality...very friendly, not skiddish at all...loves to just sit in my hand.

[guidofatherof5]

I appreciate your sentiment regarding radix John. Steve's radix evangelism is doing a good job, because a radix is one of the more likely next additions when we have more space. It's not just Steve though, everyone who posts about radix says they have great personality.

Thank you Chris, you are absolutely right. We radixes are very pleasant to be around and enjoy keeping our humans.
We are patient with our humans and know it will take a little time get you settled into our ways.
Oh look at the time. I have to go wake Steve up so he can bring us our breakfast. It's been nice chatting with you and I will put in a good word for you at the next radix meeting.
How rude of me, I never introduced myself. My name is Lucky. Been keeping Steve for the last 5 years. He's a good human.

[d_virginiana]

I'm biased towards Easterns myself. Both of mine are lovely, and I honestly can't see myself getting another species of garter in the near future.. Not that I wouldn't want to :rolleyes: I'm planning on getting into breeding in the next year or so though, and want to keep it very small-scale, so for now that means playing with Sirtalis morphs and maybe getting a pair of het-pied ball pythons to work with.

Plus, like Marnie said, it's always fun to see your snakes' lookalikes running around in your yard. I would consider getting a snake just because it's native to where I live, even if it was drab looking, like the water snakes I'm so obsessed with!

[chris-uk]

You Americans are lucky to have the wild local snakes as your favourites. Although on the flipside, because we need to seek out each garter over here it means we can pick out species that we find interesting in some way (well, within the limitations of what is available to us in the uk).

[EasternGirl]

We used to have so many around here...my yard used to be full of snakes...Of course, we get the occasional black snake as well as garters. But the past year we haven't had very many around...not sure why. I did find another large female in the summer like my Cee Cee in my backyard, but the poor thing was bitten by a shrew and died before I could take her in. Now I have this male that I just found last night in my basement that I am trying to nurse back to health...but it is touch and go right now...he still seems very cold and can't seem to slither properly...just hoping for the best with the little guy!

[guidofatherof5]

Here's one of my old lists.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/ticklist1.jpg

[EasternGirl]

Lol...

[d_virginiana]

We used to have so many around here...my yard used to be full of snakes...Of course, we get the occasional black snake as well as garters. But the past year we haven't had very many around...not sure why. I did find another large female in the summer like my Cee Cee in my backyard, but the poor thing was bitten by a shrew and died before I could take her in. Now I have this male that I just found last night in my basement that I am trying to nurse back to health...but it is touch and go right now...he still seems very cold and can't seem to slither properly...just hoping for the best with the little guy!

Ten years ago our local population was mainly garters, racers, and kingsnakes. Now it's mostly black ratsnakes and water snakes. No clue what caused the shift, but I wish it'd shift back toward more garters.. >:(


Here's one of my old lists.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/ticklist1.jpg

I'm in love with this picture. Now I just need one for sirtalis... lol

[EasternGirl]

Yes...I saw a few garters around last summer out here and a couple this fall...I am hoping that spring proves to have more around my yard this year. Of course, I have never ventured beyond my immediate surroundings to look for snakes and we have some lovely parks and areas with water that I would like to explore this spring now that I know more about garters. However, in terms of looking for another snake to own, I am thinking that I would like to own a snake that is bred captive...to see the difference in personality and so forth...and so I am thinking that maybe I will look into acquiring one in the spring when shipping will not be a problem due to the cold. I am just starting to learn more about the different types of garters...there is an eastern flame...a red eastern that is red and very pretty, yes? I was thinking about looking for one of those or a radix...

I thought that I was going to have another snake to add to my little family...but little Sammy, the male that I found in my basement two nights ago, passed this morning.

[d_virginiana]

I live in the foothills next to three small creeks, one quite large creek, and a lake. You'd think it'd be a great place to find garters, but the only one I've seen in years was curled up under my 17 year old geriatric cat (Unharmed btw. He actually lays in the same place for so long that it just thought he was a furry heat-rock). We have a HUGE population of water snakes though, so I'm thinking that they may be dominating the food sources at the moment. Eh, I like them too. They're kind of like fat, pissy garters.

I probably wouldn't consider keeping a wc garter unless it had a really neat pattern or coloration or was injured. I prefer to catch and release with wild snakes since I can usually find them several times in a summer and check in on how they're doing :) There's really no personality difference, but if you buy cb you don't have to worry about the snake being ill or having parasites when you get it.


Why YES, there IS a very pretty sirtalis morph called a Flame :D
3296

[EasternGirl]

How pretty! Love the coloring... Yes, my WC garters both came to live with me because they were rescued...in fact, that is how I became a snake owner. I had never owned a snake until I found Selena stuck in a spider web as a little scrub last November in my basement. It was too cold to put her outside, and no one around here knew anything about garter snakes. I found this forum...and now I love garters! I found Cee Cee in my flower bed last spring...I knew if I left her outside, she would get run over by the lawnmower and she was gravid. So...I took her in. Funny what you said about your cat...my cat actually found Cee Cee. I saw him jumping backward in the flowerbed and there was Cee Cee...striking at him! Lol...

[guidofatherof5]

Funny what you said about your cat...my cat actually found Cee Cee. I saw him jumping backward in the flowerbed and there was Cee Cee...striking at him! Lol...

Good Cee Cee. :D

[snakehill]

Want a B/W Radix!!!!! ;)

[EasternGirl]

Do you seriously have one?

[EasternGirl]

Oh...and what is the exact name of the eastern flame?

[PINJOHN]

Oh...and what is the exact name of the eastern flame?

flame actually is the name that this particular eastern is called, they were brought about by Phil blais [doctor] who as a young man had noticed a tendency of some of the eastern's in his area near Quebec to show red instead of yellow, Phil started a program taking up many years of his life to enhance the red by selective breeding.
snakes descended from his flames are now to be found in collections of garter enthusiasts not only across the American continent but have also thankfully ended up in Europe, the one negative in this story is DR Phils withdrawal from the garter scene not sure of the reason there was some hint of unjust heavy handed treatment of him by the authorities but nobody seems to know for sure, what is a fact is that the man who in my opinion is the giant of the garter world is now no longer available or active on the garter front thats about the extent of my knowledge on the subject, other members may be able to add to this.
edit. i was never convinced the the flame was a morph in the sense that some others are like an albino for instance, my interpretation of a morph [probably wrongly] was when a snake [animal] had an aberration in its appearance through some rogue gene

[snakehill]

Do you seriously have one? No but maybe someday! I hope Steve put me on the waiting list! :p

[chris-uk]

No but maybe someday! I hope Steve put me on the waiting list! :p

That's one long and exclusive waiting list. You'd be better off doing what I'm doing and training up some ninja mongeese. :D

[EasternGirl]

Lol...Snakehill and Chris. Thanks, John for telling me about the Eastern Flame...very interesting.

[chris-uk]

That's one long and exclusive waiting list.

Just reflecting on the paradox I posted. How can a list be long and exclusive? Regardless, they may not rate as my favourite, but there's lots of people wanting these B&W radixes, so ask the same question in 2-3 years and you may get different answers.

[EasternGirl]

Can someone post a pic of one?

[snakehill]

Steve started a thread on them in the general talk forum. Sorry I don't know how to post links! :o

[EasternGirl]

Ok..thanks..I probably already looked at it and didn't put 2 and 2 together yet...

[guidofatherof5]

Steve started a thread on them in the general talk forum. Sorry I don't know how to post links! :o

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/8336-b-w-radixes.html

[infernalis]

Thanks for puting up the link Steve.

[guidofatherof5]

I found another on of my ticklists.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/ticklist11.jpg

[EasternGirl]

Oh Steve!!! Lol...

[pauleve]

LOl nice one :)

[chris-uk]

I think everyone should have a T. radix on their list.

[infernalis]

I think everyone should have a T. radix on their list.

Or in their collection of Thams... :)

[chris-uk]

Good point Wayne. That would be a step up from just having it on a list. :)

[infernalis]

When I first decided to really start keeping garter snakes aside from what I see in my yard, Radix was first on the list.

In fact the first two snakes I ever ordered from a breeder were Radix, a pair of normal looking hets, I didn't care about the het part either, I just wanted CB radix.

The pattern and brightly coloured dorsal stripe are quite attractive to me.

[kibakiba]

It's on my list for sure. I think the only garter snake I'd be willing to add for the time being would be a radix... Maybe when I get a good job.

[PINJOHN]

my update tick list as i have already said would always start with the eastern but of the eastern's first would be a melanistic followed by a flame and i still day dream about a collection of normal eastern's with various shades and patterns like i had years ago, when they came in in large numbers. like most of us one of the attraction's for me about garters is the superb color and patterning, which leaves me at a loss to explain why the melanistic is at the top of my list [i have just been salivating over a picture of a melanistic wandering in Wayne's garter snakes thread] i was also about to say that i no longer need to have radix on my list because of my recent piece of luck, but on second thoughts it would be nice to have the other color phases, red and blue spring to mind, and as someone once said [cant remember who] you can never have too many radix, back to the sirtalis and next would be the pudget, and thanks to Richards posts i now know that i am not limited to the blue phase only, i also have it in mind to try again with ribbons [any type ]after my failing so badly with them in the past, and just to cut it short, it is definitely my intention to get some natrix as i have enjoyed keeping all three types in the past, this is not the full extent of my garter ambitions, but it's just so difficult to prioritize as you will find out if you have still to post your most wanted.

[chris-uk]

So many snakes, so little room to keep them in. I'm avoiding prioritising my list because in the UK it really is a case of "smoke them while you can". Or should that be get them when you can? We just need to keep a look out and hope that the snakes on the list come up for sale when there's room at the inn.

[EasternGirl]

This morning I asked my mother if she really needs a bedroom...because I could really use a snake room....

[PINJOHN]

This morning I asked my mother if she really needs a bedroom...because I could really use a snake room....


isn't there a nice little old folks home just down the road :eek: :D

[chris-uk]

isn't there a nice little old folks home just down the road :eek: :D

You'd better hope there isn't one near you John, or your snakes will be shipping you off to the home and taking over the house. You know you'd let them if you loved them. :D

[EasternGirl]

Lmao....to both of those posts!

[chris-uk]

So the principle of working through a list is not working entirely as planned. Today we picked up a couple of snakes that weren't on the list because they're great looking snakes and were available. So, we've ticked off 2 Western Blacknecks when they weren't even on the radar, most likely because they don't often come up for sale or discussion in the UK.
Based on the list though, and our current lack of much more space, the next acquisition will be be an infernalis. They are top of the list now. :)

[EasternGirl]

An eastern flame was next on my list...but now I am thinking of revising that to Radix...I'm thinking of getting a Radix female for a roomie for Cee Cee instead of getting the flame that I was planning on getting. I was thinking in terms of the looks of the snake but now I am thinking more in terms of temperament and personality. I mean...if you were to ask me which snake I find the most pleasing to look at I would have to say the infernalis...but, no offense Wayne, I don't think I want to own any because of their temperament.

[chris-uk]

If a radix came up for sale somewhere nearby it would jump the queue, we've been brainwashed. Radix. Radix. Radix. Radix.

[EasternGirl]

"You are getting sleepy and you want a radix..."...lol...

[EasternGirl]

Perhaps Steve has rigged my Skype so that it somehow plays his voice low in the background of my room all the time....radix...you want a radix...ha ha ha...

[chris-uk]

Perhaps Steve has rigged my Skype so that it somehow plays his voice low in the background of my room all the time....radix...you want a radix...ha ha ha...
Record your Skype conversions with Steve, then play them backwards, slowed by 50%. ;)

[EasternGirl]

Rofl...

[tress29]

I'm thinking of getting a Radix female for a roomie for Cee Cee instead of getting the flame that I was planning on getting.

Jason offered me a pair of radix, and I only took the male... I don't know what he has planned for the little girl...

[EasternGirl]

Thanks...but I'm going to get one from Steve if I get one. I already talked to him about it.

[tress29]

Thanks...but I'm going to get one from Steve if I get one.
Ah, they come pre-spoiled!

[EasternGirl]

Yes...;)...and with a lot of love.

[katach]

Kat's List:

male puget- in mid January (Thanks Michael!)
bigger house with a reptile room
natrix
radix
infernalis

[EasternGirl]

Marnie's List:

Shelving unit for tanks
Female Radix roomie for Cee Cee
Reptile Room (although this may be a pipe dream...lol)
Eastern flame

[snakehill]

What color Radix are you considering?

[EasternGirl]

I don't know... I just know I want a radix and I talked to Steve about possibly getting one from him.

[snakehill]

Steve's Radix are all gorgeous and very nice snakes!!! ;)

[EasternGirl]

Exactly why I want one from him ;).

[guidofatherof5]

Come into the light, all are welcome. All are welcome. :D

[EasternGirl]

Lol...Steve.