Vagans/Wandering Garters

[jitami]

Ok, I find myself repeatedly drawn to the T.e.vagrans... the silver/grey and black ones in particular. I've repeatedly heard that they are the most likely to be cannibalistic and should be housed separately. Any thoughts? Anyone keep them communally housed? Any issues? Any other Vagrans specific traits I should know about?

I'm kind of miffed with California state regulations, because as I understand them, even with a sales receipt from out of state, I'd be allowed to house two, and only two, who could never be bred. Seems like a waste for such beautiful creatures, but they do have a relatively small naturally occurring range in California and that is the determining factor.

Still wrapping my brain around it, but silver vagrans always allllllways get my attention.... hmmmm....

Thoughts? Advice?

[jitami]

Of course there's a typo in the thread title that can't be fixed... grrrr... maybe I'll work on a breeding project of garters who eat no meat or dairy... sigh...

[Garter_Gertie]

ROFLOLPMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tami, had you not said anything I'd have never noticed - as I didn't. But "...maybe I'll work on a breeding project of gaters who eat no meat or dairy..." is PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love the humor!!!

[jitami]

Thanks Gertie... I hate when I do things like that... I'm one of those type A people and while I try not to let it bother me, it drives me NUTS! But, if we can't laugh at ourselves....

[Lori P]

ROFL Tami... what a hoot!!!

[Zephyr]

Well, I'm housing my vagrans in a maternity ward as she may be gravid, there's also a much smaller vagrans in the enclosure with her and I've yet to see signs of hunger, etc.
I'm about 100% sure even the most cannibalistic of garters prefer other food items, such as frogs, fish, worms, etc, as opposed to another member of their species. Think about how much energy it takes for a person to hold on to a garter, then think about the energy one garter must exert to eat another of its own kind! Just keep them well fed; you should have no problems.

[jitami]

Makes sense Kyle. Thanks.

[Stefan-A]

I've repeatedly heard that they are the most likely to be cannibalistic and should be housed separately. Any thoughts? Anyone keep them communally housed? Any issues? Any other Vagrans specific traits I should know about?

I normally keep mine together, but I separated them when one got a slight problem with its mouth and I'm not sure I'm going to keep them together anymore. The only problems I've had so far, are a couple of food fights where one snake has grabbed the other by the neck.

Specific traits.. Strong and really massive bodies, tend to curl up and keep still when others would run away.

[jitami]

Thanks Stefan. The food fights would worry me. You don't think feeding them seperately would allow you to still house them together or is it just not worth the worry? So far I like the specific traits

[Stefan-A]

Well, the bigger one of the two is much bigger and it really is a bottomless pit. So I'd have to worry about the smaller one, even if I fed them separately. So I'm concerned about accidental AND intentional cannibalism. I'd feel safer housing it with the much bigger parietalis, than with its little sister.