new wild caught eastern...

[kerensa]

Well today (this morning) I was heading out. Near the end of my road right there in the middle of my street was a snake. stopped the car and waited, there is lay. Got out figuring I'd herd it off the road, there it lay. Walked over to it, and there it lay. bend down and picked it up. no venting, no struggle, no attempt to escape. weird.

very weird. so I looked it over very carefully and decided it was a female. very steady even taper to the tail. A young one. maybe two feet long. and calm. she wrapped around my wrist and fingers and sat there. didn't even try to get away. weird.

looked her over more carefully. lovely white stripe down her back, a deep olive green, butter yellow stripes on the sides, golden tan belly. The little red spots some garters have, well they are a deep chestnut brown. very pretty girl. decided to turn around and take her home. put her into an empty enclosure and decided to get her some fish, pinkies, and nightcrawlers. she seems thin, lots of loose skin. No signs of mites.
No signs of anything wrong except a puncture wound. on the area between the side and the belly that spot where the colors meet... and its just up from her vent. a couple of scales are gone and its not a horrible deep puncture, about 1/4 of an inch deep. treated her with an antibiotic ointment and left for the day.

Got home just a while ago, she again did not object to being held, only jumped a bit when I went to check her wound. wrapped about my hand and wrist and just traveled around my hand. had to unwrap her to put her back. weird.

I am wondering if she is maybe an escapee or a released snake? I've NEVER had a garter just sit there when I walk over and pick it up. then do the garter equivalent of snuggling, and not even really objecting to having a wound inspected. Seems WEIRD.

wish I could post a pic of her. (I keep finding reasons to figure out my camera-without actually being able to figure it out)

K.

[guidofatherof5]

I would keep this snake away from the others and be sure to wash your hands after handling her.
It doesn't sound right that the snake didn't make an attempt to get away and I'm concerned she is sick or injured.
Keep her quarantined while she is evaluated.
Looking forward to seeing some photos.
Best of luck.
Thanks for being concerned for her.

[kerensa]

she is active, she quite frankly is acting like she was someones pet. she eats worms, takes them from the hand. she looks like she is in great condition other than that one puncture. there is a boy at that end of the street that likes snakes and catches them to keep for the summer. I'm wondering if she is an escapee of his or a recently released.

she is quarantined, and of course I am washing my hands and using an alcohol wipe. I will not take the chance with my babies.

Other half also thinks she is someones escaped pet. have to stop and ask on my way by tonight.

K.

[setfree]

I don't know what to think. It might just be that she likes to be around people.

She's in good hands though.

[kerensa]

Well, I had the neighbor boy show me where the kid who catches the snakes lives. surprise surprise, caught the girl almost in front of his house. He released her Friday because he was told it was time to clear out the garage and is only allowed one snake inside over the winter. She has been his favorite since he caught her as a scrub in the fall of 2010. This year he decided to keep a scrub. Explains the friendly. doesn't explain the wound, and he doesn't know what happened to her. he played with her a bit and told me she'll take worms and tilapia from your fingers. yeah I had discovered that when I went to put the nightcrawlers in and she came up and took them from me. I'm not sure she was so happy to be released, she sure didn't go far. Probably only went down to the road because its been very cold at night.

hope to get some pics soon.

K.

[guidofatherof5]

Glad she is back in the care of someone.

[kerensa]

l had to have the neighbor take a pic and e-mail it to me. Why can't I manage to get a camera to talk to my computer????

here is the newly caught girl. this is her "cuddle" mode.

newly caught girl.jpg
K.

edit to add:

boy her colors look drab in a pic. she is very bright in person.

[setfree]

Glad there isn't anything wrong with her!

[kerensa]

well she does have a small wound, but other than that she is active, freindly and generally a nice little snake. She seems small to me for her reported age however, and thinner than I would expect.

K.

[Invisible Snake]

Are you planing on keeping her?