(s/o who has wild caught) Identify that snake!

[Selkielass]

This is my best guess also- and the main reason I haven't picked up the ordinoides I've seen at reptile shows locally is that they looked identical to my Butlers, and I didn't want to risk accidental cross breeding.

i love the color variety you post tho- those red stripes are gorgeous!


Do you keep any of your ordinoides in naturalistic terrariums? My butlers have been thriving in the above enclosure for over a year now with nary a sign of scale rot. They are active, shed without problems, eat like gluttons- all despite humidity I know would give my checkered scale rot in no time at all.

Im setting up a little habitat for the red bellied snake I've mentioned previously- I think he'll love the moist environment, and the winter dryness in my house seems hard on him w paper substrate. This is again, a damp earth loving species. I'm afraid I'll never see him tho, his camouflage is so good!

[ConcinusMan]

This is my best guess also- and the main reason I haven't picked up the ordinoides I've seen at reptile shows locally is that they looked identical to my Butlers, and I didn't want to risk accidental cross breeding.

I know that it's impossible for ordies to crossbreed with most other garter species because of physical differences in their anatomy. With Butlers, I'm not sure because both physically and genetically, butlers are T. ordinodes' closest kin.

Do you keep any of your ordinoides in naturalistic terrariums?

Nearly all my snakes are in such a setup. The only exceptions are quarantined and brumating snakes, and of course, during the birthing season I keep litters in simple tubs with cardboard hides. I also keep enclosures simple when snakes are about to give birth or for pairs that are courting. The tub you saw them in was just for bringing them outside for photos. Other than that, all my snakes live in communal tanks of 2 or more individuals, usually in something roughly like this:

[Selkielass]

I suspect Butlers, Ordonoides, and short headed garters would be capable of cross breeding if given the opportunity- but since butlers are threatened in parts of their range, and short heads are completely protected, I believe such mixing would be a Very BadThing.

Butlers are thriving in my area- I don't want to mess that up w accidental introduction of new genes.