gravid? wild caught.

[in.service22]

1000449_4691359296098_1462342382_n.jpg
hello, i'm new to owning snakes and recently found this beautiful garter snake who looked to be hurt when i took him/her in. he/she hasn't eaten yet and had him/her for 2 weeks now but has used the restroom once and has gotten better with the injuries. looks like he/she may be getting ready to shed soon as well. but i'm just wondering by how skinny the neck is and how large the mid section is if possibly this snake may be pregnant/gravid. please let me know thanks ^_^

[jwolfe152]

i dont have an answer for ya but they will probably need a better picture probably something from the top down with the snake stretched or if you can handle it something of its bell scales hanging straight down the lower 1/3 of the body is where you will see the bump maybe movement too

[guidofatherof5]

Hello.
Can you be more specific about "looked to be hurt"?
Can you tell us what State you are in? It might help to identify the species you have.

[in.service22]

i'm in florida and he/she had a swollen upper jaw and looked like a slash on the side of the face i've had the sane for two weeks now and the swelling went down and looks much better. also the snake had three what looks to be bite marks under it's chin. the snake is currently shedding as we speak so after the shed i will get a better picture of it right before i feed it... ^_^ i'm just not sure how to tell if it's a female or male..

[Eddie]

Looks like a Florida blue that ate something long.
Ed

[in.service22]

well he/she hasnt eaten in two weeks or longer. i've only had him/her for 2 weeks it just shed today so i'll take a picture before he/she eats to get a better idea of the shape...

[in.service22]

well he/she hasnt eaten in two weeks or longer. i've only had him/her for 2 weeks it just shed today so i'll take a picture before he/she eats to get a better idea of the shape...he was hurt when we got him/her because his right eye is still a little concave like a horizontal line going across it hard to get in picture but i'll try. and the right side of his face his upper jaw was swollen looked like he had a cut on the side of it's face. which is where he/she gets his/her name "slash". the swelling went down but the eye is still messed up.

[jwolfe152]

that kind of sounds like what a weed eater string would do...or maybe someone tried using a shovel or knife on its head and got a glancing blow/cut

[chris-uk]

Could also have been a bird attack that caused the injury.
As the snake in the photo hadn't eaten for 2 weeks the bulge isn't going to be food, which makes her being gravid a reasonable explanation of the shape. We could be more confident when we see the new pics, ideally one from the side with her stretched out and one from directly above.

[jwolfe152]

could it be an impaction and old food stuck. maybe thats why it has not ate in 2 weeks?