My first garter

[Dan72]

Found this on Snakes Alive Snakes Alive. Even though they're discussing the red sided garters, I would think that the ratios would be about the same regardless of the species? What do you think?


REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY

Recruitment for the red-sided garter snake is
extremely slow. They do not breed for at least 3 years and likely breed every
other year after that. First broods are seldom more than 1-5 young.
Approximately 80% of the young do not survive their first winter and 50% of each
year class dies annually thereafter. Adult females (over 80cm.) are vital to the
well-being of all populations. These females produce as many as 40 young each at
least every other year. A snake population cannot increase without a major
component of adult females.

[Steveo]

There's some complicated ecological calculus that I learned once upon a time, but filling in all of the variables is nearly impossible without destroying the study area in the process. Recruitment rate is one variable. Prey availability is another. Predation rate and survivorship are also needed.

What it really comes down to is knowing your study area. The place I most commonly find snakes - whether I'm looking for them or not - is a big state park just outside city limits with a 880 surface-acre reservoir, a handful of incoming creeks with large riparian areas bordered by short-grass prairie. The park has abundant amphibian food sources and tons of human traffic, which keeps some of the predators away.

I think the reproductive rate for the red-sided is a bit lower than my local populations of wandering because of the difference in climate. That doesn't mean survivorship can't be the same, though; wanderings tend to have fewer but larger offspring. I think more snakes make it through the winter here because they can find some abandoned prairie dog holes. They should also be breeding every year, but I can't confirm that they are. State laws help keep the numbers up because while you're allowed to take 4 wanderings per year (maximum 12 owned at any one time), you can't sell them (gifts/trades are OK, though, as long as you don't catch more than 4 per year).

It's well past midnight and I don't know if I'm making sense anymore. I'll revisit this Monday when I return from a camping trip.

[Steveo]

I forgot the obvious note that I've seen lots of them at the park. I find more wandering garters there than all of the other species combined. I have not found any other garter species there so I think the wanderings have that place locked down pretty tightly, so to speak.

Anywho, this girl (dubbed 'Nellie' after journalist/explorer Nellie Bly) did not eat again last night. I gave her enclosure a good scrubbing while she did laps around her food in another tub. I'm not yet concerned and I know that females may go off feed before giving birth, but she doesn't look that close to delivery when compared to the other pictures of gravid snakes I've seen here. Her weight is steady at 160g. I'll give her a week and see if she's interested in some nightcrawlers.

[guidofatherof5]

Sounds like a good plan.

[ConcinusMan]

My WA wandering eats like a champ and isn't picky about what she eats, but I've noticed that they don't tame down fast like the sirtalis'. They remain quite nervous and distrusting. That's just my experience.

[Steveo]

My WA wandering eats like a champ and isn't picky about what she eats, but I've noticed that they don't tame down fast like the sirtalis'. They remain quite nervous and distrusting. That's just my experience.

Nelly was a bottomless pit when I first brought her home. I had an extra adult mouse the day I brought her home and she had it down in 5 minutes. She also didn't hesitate on rat pinks or nightcrawlers for the first few weeks. I didn't have a scale when I got her but she was probably ~100g. Maybe now that she's well-fed she's slowing down. She also hasn't shed since the week I got her so I'm assuming she was severely underweight, being able to add 60% of her bodyweight in a month without shedding. Maybe she's going into shed now. It takes longer in older snakes, right? My other snakes are all young.

My only worry is that going off feed may mean she's going to deliver soon, but she doesn't look that big and I've not made preparations yet. I suppose I should move her back to a glass tank with lid just in case she surprises me.

[Steveo]

164g. Got her to eat a rat pinky today but she turned down the nightcrawlers I offered afterward. I noticed a large difference in girth before and after her vent.

[EasternGirl]

I'd say there is a good chance she is gravid. My view on keeping WC snakes is I always just try to consider what is best for the snake, and the population in the wild, as mentioned, of course. If I think the snake would be better off in the wild...and can survive in the wild with no problems...I will leave the snake in the wild. If I think that the snake doesn't have a chance of surviving because of some circumstance...the snake is injured, or the place I find the snake is dangerous to his/her survival...I take the snake in. A perfect example is the WC easterns inhabiting my yard. There used to be quite an abundance of them living under and outside my house. Now...I can't seem to find any these days. My two eastern adults were rescued from my yard and basement. I used to release any that I found...but they were being attacked by shrews and getting run over by the lawn mower...the people that cut my grass do not take care in watching out for them. So now, although it concerns me that taking any I find in will continue to deplete the once abundant population...I have to take them in or they will surely meet an untimely death.

[Steveo]

She just started giving birth. She'd been restless all night so I pulled out her tub to check on her and there was a little blood spot and a tiny shed skin sticking to her. I found one little'un not in her tub but under it. It must have squeezed through an air hole in the side. I've moved her to a fresh tub with another tub on top, sealing her and any babies in for the night.

[thamneil]

Congratulations! Vagrans are quickly becoming one of my favourite subspecies. Hope she has a big healthy litter and everything goes smoothly! The excitment and anticipation is unbearable hey? Welcome to the club!