Tom's Catch-and-Relase Program

[Didymus20X6]

As I said elsewhere, I managed to catch a couple of the garters around one of my neighbor's house. So far, I've managed to catch 4 of them.

Here's some pics:

This one was pretty big. Didn't like me too much either.







This one here was kinda small - probably about a foot and a half long. He was in there with the big one in the previous pics.







Here's the big one after I released him into the wild. The small one is there, too, but he wasn't too visible. Notice that he's not terribly happy at all. Unlike the others, he didn't scurry away, but stood there waiting for me to get close enough for a bite.







This one was pretty long - at least 3 feet - but really skinny. I caught this one of my neighbor's bush as I was speaking to her, and telling her about the others I had caught. There was another one on the same bush, but it got away.







Even after I let him go, he was just so curious, he had to come back and take another look at me before I left.






Anyway, my plan is to catch enough of the snakes in our neighborhood to calm down my neighbors, so they won't get the landlady to have someone kill them, and then release them into the wild a good 10 miles or so down the road, where, hopefully, they won't encounter too many humans.

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice looking snakes.

[jitami]

Pretty cool. Seems like a noble endeavor. Good luck!

[Sid]

Very nice looking garters and good luck with the relocation project. Keep us updated on how it goes.

[Zephyr]

Awesome!
It looks like those are a mix of possible hybrid red-sideds with easterns. :O

[prattypus]

are they flames?

[ssssnakeluvr]

nice looking snakes!!! they are easterns, not hybrids, I have an eastern with orange like that...the one is bordering on being a flame.

[Didymus20X6]

I will certainly keep you guys updated, and hopefully post some more pics. (Hopefully, less blurry next time).

[Didymus20X6]

Caught two more today.



Sorry. Didn't get any good release pics. Both of them took off before I could even get the camera out.

Also, here's a question: I don't want to keep these guys in those trash cans too long. I want to minimize the stress of capture as much as possible. But I'm burning way too much gas taking them to the woods one at a time. It's about 85F outside. If I keep them in the shade, out of direct sun, how long do you think the snakes should be okay?

[Sid]

As long as you keep the containerrs in the shade and put in a water dish they will be fine. I would also add something for them to burrow into so they can hide, that will reduce the stress.