Why do you think garters are so underrated and overlooked in the hobby?

[guidofatherof5]

I agree, iam known as the " Garter guy" at the local reptile expo. I don't care that they don't understand my choice in herps. I like it that they are not in the commercial aspect and status seeking part of the trade.

They are blind to the best snakes out there.

[guidofatherof5]

I'm glad garters aren't very popular in the hobby honestly. Their habits are ideal for people to go out and collect large numbers of them. I mean, I know they can do that with any species to some extent, but where garters are so common and tend to live and hibernate in dense numbers I feel like you'd see a big drop in wild populations if they suddenly became super popular as pets.

I hope they never do. So many of them would diet of starvation(crickets) or thiaminase(goldfish and minnows) poisoning.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

It's also not only garters that are woefully under rated.European,North African,Middle eastern and Eurasian Colubrids deserve to be more popular.I wish popularity would be based on the interesting behaviors and unique charms of the species.Sadly it seems it's based on morph possibilities and amount of profit to be made from breeding.(In short I wish that the morph scene and royal python would bugger off)

[Stefan-A]

This would be an interesting question to ask on the bigger reptile forums.

[Selkielass]

I occasionally see a picture of a ball python I think has a pretty pattern, but more often than not the latest super ultra shiny multi morph just looks like a washed out splotchy mess to me. And fat. Their healthy adult proportions just don't suit my idea of a snake.

[d_virginiana]

I've always wanted to get into breeding ball pythons, and maybe raise one of the heavy bodied constrictors like a blood python or something. But that's mainly just because I'd want the experience of it (and because one or two breeding pairs of the right morph of ball python would get me close to breaking even financially with the reptiles...).
But nothing beats a garter if you want a pet snake and not just a display snake. I know no snakes are ever really 'tame' but garters come a heck of a lot closer than most.

[Stefan-A]

This would be an interesting question to ask on the bigger reptile forums.

Regarding my own post here, I think I've said that just about every time we've discussed this issue.

We can sit here and self-righteously speculate until the end of time, but why not just ask other reptile keepers what they think about garters and the idea of keeping them?

[guidofatherof5]

I will post that very question on ssnakess.com

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Interesting responses so far at RFUK Opinions on Garter snakes - Reptile Forums

[guidofatherof5]

Here's the link to the question on ssnakess.com

Opinion of Garter Snakes - sSNAKESs : Reptile Forum