ID. help

[guidofatherof5]

I believe that my ribbon is a T. proximus. orarius(Gulf Coast Ribbon) I would like to get some opinions of that identification. I base my strongest evidence on this photo by Greg.
This is my ribbon, color and all. Could be a twin.
This is my first experience with Ribbons and would like some opinions.

[RedSidedSPR]

Don't see how it could be anything else...

[ConcinusMan]

I agree with the I.D. of Gulf Coast Ribbon. I'm no expert but that greenish hue is trademark for gulf coast ribbon. So is the "clean" dark dorsal and well-defined lateral stripes. I know they don't all have the green wash, but to see that in anything but a gulf coast ribbon is rare. You'll sometimes see a blue wash in other ribbons but that aqua-green wash and bright red or gold eyes is "classic" (Texas) gulf coast ribbon. The wash color could be more intense and bluer, or nearly absent or yellowish instead, but yours is a good average representative of the species/ssp. Thamnophis proximus orarius.

I don't have a lot of experience (none actually) keeping ribbons, but I've seen a lot of different ones come and go from pet stores here on the west coast and many of the people I've seen that have them know their species and know the difference between one ribbon and another, and I think they would agree on the I.D.

We rarely see gulf coast ribbons here in the west. Most are either eastern (Thamnophis sauritus sauritus) or western ribbon snakes. (Thamnophis proximus proximus)

The gulf coast ribbons, when available, are a rare treat on the west coast. I'll admit that T.p. orarius can be difficult to tell apart from T.p. proximus but there are a few subtle hints that tell me that yours is most likely orarius. T.p. proximus can sometimes have that green/blue tint but it's usually limited to the face or upper light colored parts, and their lateral stripes are usually not so crisp-edged, not so well defined, and there's usually some lighter flecks on the dorsal background color.

[Mommy2many]

I have no knowledge of ribbons except I loved the one I had. Yours is a very beautiful snake.

[Starling96]

idk what mine s but he is like super blue on the head and the tail is like a greensih grey stripe