Why are garters underrated?

[Bart]

I mean, they are beautiful, curious, fast, eat everything... When I look at garters, I find them CUTE like kittens (and sometimes they remind me cobras, when they look at YOU!) - and this is uncommon for reptiles. Their only disadvantage is that they don't like to be handled. But everything else, like feeding makes them so much funnier to keep than corns or milks. I mean, my Amon is very cool snake, but he only wants to have some roof above him (hideout) and mice in his stomach. In the other hand, my Kleo and Izy are curious, have different characters, good memory, they are fun to watch when they hunt, they are unpredictable, yet they almost look like tamed animals... And they are easy to breed (well, garters, not ribbons). So I ask you guys - why corns and milks instead of garters? I mean, I heard they are considered as trash snakes in US...

[RedSidedSPR]

I think because no one knows about the pros of them as pets. To them, they are garter snakes. Just those little snakes you see everywhere. Very common. Just, boring old "garden snakes". they don't know them as those awesome little, friendly, active, variably colorful, beautiful little snakes that eat anything.

But, anyone who does know, that's most of their snake collection

[jitami]

I've often wondered this, too. I think there's a couple of things at play. I think part of it has to do with them not being great first snakes for kids. It seems most people get their first reptile as a child and, unless they've happened to catch a wild garter snake, parents often buy the more mellow snakes like corns, bp's, etc. I suppose I would do the same if I were getting a pet for my child. I think of garters as mainly display animals, which I adore them for, but a kid is going to want to get their pet out and play with it, take it outside, show their friends, etc. Some garters handle this well, but there are certainly other snakes that are better suited for that kind of life. Then there's the 'big breeders' who mostly keep their snakes in tubs, so while the garters may be active and interesting, these keepers don't really notice that, but they do notice the extra poop & mess, coupled with little to no value in the garters. Then there will always be people who think bigger is better...

Interesting subject, though. I'm looking forward to other responses.

[Bart]

I thought that corns are just as much common in US as garters.

[RedSidedSPR]

Corns and ball pythons are in every pet store, and the most common. Garters aren't.

[jitami]

I thought that corns are just as much common in US as garters.

Yes, they're probably more common in pet stores. They're cheap and known to be good snakes for kids. Add in a couple of cool colors to attract the kiddos and you've got a product that sells easily...

[Bart]

Jitami - it might be true... My adventure with snakes started quite strange. I mean I was watching YT videos with snakes eating live mice and I was furious. I mean, how could those ppl feed their snakes with adorable mice? But my furiosity changed to curiousity and I found myself fascinated. Of course still couldn't feed my snake with mice, but found Stefan's channel and really got into it, seeing how they ate fish and frozen mice. I couldn't help myself and after a YEAR of watching such videos I decided to buy Kleo (ribbon). Lol, she was so different of snakes I saw on YT - she was picky and nothing like them! In the meantime my fascination of snakes won over my mice feeding issue (mostly because of this guy ViperKeeper and his videos on YT), so I bought Amon. He eats happily frozen mice and is adorable, but I found myself that it isn't enough. So I bought Izy and now I'm satisfied with my collection of so much different snakes.

[Bart]

Corns and ball pythons are in every pet store, and the most common. Garters aren't.

I meant in the wild.

[RedSidedSPR]

Well, than, no. They're not. Garters are just everywhere. Corns.... I've never seen one.

[Bart]

Maybe because they preffer to stay hidden.