Wild Caught Western Terrestrial

[kurtnagel]

Hi All,

New here. New to snakes!

A few days ago my six year old daughter and I caught a garter near my home in Lafayette, CO. After much research, I am pretty sure it is a Western Terrestrial. She (I am referring to her as a she until I know better) has pale yellow lateral stripes and one deep orange stripe down her ridge. She is roughly 18" (guessing, haven't measured her yet) and very pretty.

I have set up her home in a 10Gal with a large water bowl, aspen bedding (which she enthusiastically burrows), a hidey spot, under cage warming mat. For lighting I have a dual socket exo-terra canopy with exo-terra 2.0 and exo-terra 5.0 CFL bulbs. I started out with just the 2.0 + an incandescent day-glo, but found excessive heat build-up with the incandescent and really no discernable temperature gradient from one side to the other.

So I have the following questions:

1) I am not seeing any significant (air) temperature gradient from one side to the other. Is this even possible with a 10Gal or did I screw up and should have gotten the longer 20? The warming mat is on one end of the cage as recommended, with the 2.0 on that side and the 5.0 on the "cool" side.

2) She readily accepts handling and only slimed us when we first caught her. She has so far shown no interest in any of the food offered. I have tried worms and some small fish I caught in the nearby creek. I am thinking that she may have no interest in food for any or all of the following:

A) She is stressed from the new environment and handling and needs some time to adjust.
B) She recently ate and is not hungry.
C) I haven't hit on what she has been eating in the wild so will have to stimulater her to eat what I offer.

I have purchased some frozen pinkies, but am not sure when to try offering them.

Any comments on this? I have read not to be too concerned as they can go weeks without eating.

3) How much should I be handling her? I have read it should be limited to 2-15 mins a few times a week at first. My daughter wants to handle her all the time, but I know that can't be good.

Thanks and salutations!

Kurt

[kurtnagel]

Here are a couple of pictures:

[Stefan-A]

So I have the following questions:

1) I am not seeing any significant (air) temperature gradient from one side to the other. Is this even possible with a 10Gal or did I screw up and should have gotten the longer 20?

I think so. It's definitely easier to get a proper temperature gradient in a longer enclosure.

2) She readily accepts handling and only slimed us when we first caught her. She has so far shown no interest in any of the food offered. I have tried worms and some small fish I caught in the nearby creek. I am thinking that she may have no interest in food for any or all of the following:

A) She is stressed from the new environment and handling and needs some time to adjust.
B) She recently ate and is not hungry.
C) I haven't hit on what she has been eating in the wild so will have to stimulater her to eat what I offer.

Probably A and C. Reduce the handling to a minimum. If that fails, try another type of food.

I have purchased some frozen pinkies, but am not sure when to try offering them.

Any time you feel like trying. But I'd avoid handling until it starts eating.

3) How much should I be handling her? I have read it should be limited to 2-15 mins a few times a week at first. My daughter wants to handle her all the time, but I know that can't be good.

As little as possible. The ideal alternative for the snake, would be to not handle it at all. Personally, I don't handle any of my snakes more than a minute per week and some not at all.

Your garter looks like Plains garter (Thamnophis radix), the Western terrestrial garter doesn't live in Colorado.

To make sure, count the scales and see in which scale rows the stripe along the sides is. If it's a Plains garter, the stripe should be in the third and fourth scale rows. If it's in rows 2 and 3, it's something else. Here's a picture illustrating how to count the scales.

[Sid]

I agree with everything Stefan has already recommended, and welcome to the forum.

[anji1971]

Hello, and welcome!

[kurtnagel]

I think so. It's definitely easier to get a proper temperature gradient in a longer enclosure.

Probably A and C. Reduce the handling to a minimum. If that fails, try another type of food.

Any time you feel like trying. But I'd avoid handling until it starts eating.


As little as possible. The ideal alternative for the snake, would be to not handle it at all. Personally, I don't handle any of my snakes more than a minute per week and some not at all.

Your garter looks like Plains garter (Thamnophis radix), the Western terrestrial garter doesn't live in Colorado.

To make sure, count the scales and see in which scale rows the stripe along the sides is. If it's a Plains garter, the stripe should be in the third and fourth scale rows. If it's in rows 2 and 3, it's something else. Here's a picture illustrating how to count the scales.

Thanks everyone!

I checked the count and the stripe definitely sits in the 3rd and 4th row. I'm pretty sure that I read that the western has a pretty wide range from Canada all the way down through New Mexico and Colorado was on the list. Does the 3rd/4th row stripe provide the definitive answer? What are the distinguishing features of the Western vs the Plains?

Also, I have seen a lot of posts where the sex of the snake has been determined (guessed) by a photo. What are you looking for beyond an obvious gravid bulge?

Kurt

[infernalis]

"Also, I have seen a lot of posts where the sex of the snake has been determined (guessed) by a photo. What are you looking for beyond an obvious gravid bulge?"

The shape of the head/neck area, and tail section, taper are good visual indicators.

As adults, Females are far larger than the males.

[kurtnagel]

"Also, I have seen a lot of posts where the sex of the snake has been determined (guessed) by a photo. What are you looking for beyond an obvious gravid bulge?"

The shape of the head/neck area, and tail section, taper are good visual indicators.

As adults, Females are far larger than the males.

Okay,

I will examine her? a bit more closely. My limited take is that the taper is pretty gradual/uniform with no significant increase. What am I looking for around the head/neck? How does the taper differ male to female?

Kurt

[Stefan-A]

I'm pretty sure that I read that the western has a pretty wide range from Canada all the way down through New Mexico and Colorado was on the list. Does the 3rd/4th row stripe provide the definitive answer? What are the distinguishing features of the Western vs the Plains?

It's a definite sign. The only other species with the stripe in those rows, are the two ribbon snakes and they don't resemble either radix or elegans. Then there's the general appearance.

I go by this application:
snakefinder

According to it, T. elegans should be found in the westernmost parts of the neighbouring states, but not in Colorado.

[Elliot]

Welcome to the forum, and I agree with Stefan. It looks more like a plains than a western terrestrial, especially with that bold orange stripe they are famous for!