What Are The Chances Of Striking Gold?

[Venti]

Today while herping out near a garter snake nest, I found this little hatchling. I can provide more pictures if needed.









Since you guys were talking about golden redsided garter snakes on my other IDing thread, I was wondering what is this little guy here? It's probably just a funny looking eastern, but what are the chances of striking gold?

[RedSidedSPR]

Normally I'd say eastern but...

[guidofatherof5]

Good looking little scrub.
Appears to be well fed and healthy.

[RedSidedSPR]

He could be a red sided.. I could tell easier if I could see the patten better.

Here's a picture of a redsided without red. See if it matches.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2737/...460940f664.jpg

[Venti]

Well, the coloring on the stripe is exactly the same, but right now since he is so small it is hard to see the patterns.
In a few sheds I will know for sure I guess, but maybe a scale count could help too?

How exactly would I go about getting good pictures for a scale count

EDIT: Though the more I look at it, the patterns seem similar. Except near the neck.

[RedSidedSPR]

Dunno about the scale count but it would help.

[ConcinusMan]

Dunno about the scale count but it would help.

Scale counts would only establish it as a T. sirtalis. Scale counts would be the same, regardless of subspecies.

[ConcinusMan]

Looks like a baby red sided to me. It's not uncommon for babies to not appear to have red, but then it develops later.

This could just be an eastern though.

[RedSidedSPR]

Oh really? Nevermind...

[ConcinusMan]

It's only color and range that makes for a subspecies. All sirtalis' are considered the same species and so scales will be the same. If you had, say, a pure white eastern, but you didn't know where it was from, it would be impossible to tell it apart from any other T. sirtalis subspecies.