Why are garters underrated?

[snakehill]

I think I love them so much because they are the only snake that I ever find in the wild. It's still a thrill every time!!!!!

[RedSidedSPR]

They're the only snakes i DON"T find. Along with about a million other species i've never seen

[d_virginiana]

They're the only snakes i DON"T find. Along with about a million other species i've never seen

Same. Here.
And I know it's not just me, because when I go elsewhere I find them fairly often without even trying!

But I agree with Snakehill; seeing snakes that look just like mine in the wild is part of the thrill. (I guess I could always get a ball python and move to Florida and get that same experience though... )

[Mrs N1ntndo]

I dont wanna sound like a bad person but I think that I should tell you all this. I used to be one of those people that thought that a garter snake was just a snake to keep for a while and then just let go before the season ends. I know now that that was the wrong thing to think. I was wrong on how that were "just a snake" . I dont think that any more. Ive learned so much from this site that to me garters are now sooo awesome and a lot more interesting then what I used to think. I love Pheobe and actully before me finding this site there was something about Pheobe that I didnt understand. I found myself just staring at her for hours and losing track of time and sometimes not hearing things that my husband would say cause I was just watching her. SHe can be just laying there breathing and thats all I am watching or shes doing circles in her tank I am watching her. Shes awesome and she is the one that showed me that garters are so much more exciting then what I thought in the past. Thank you Pheobe for changing my mind on things and setting me straight.

[jitami]

They really are fascinating. Glad Pheobe was able to show you that

[Mrs N1ntndo]

Me too and I wish I wouldve been more into it a long time ago. but you gotta start somewher and sometime.

[Josh_r]

I think a majority of native herps are underrated and ignored by a majority of hobbyists. It takes very special people to devote their interest to our natives. Many people think our natives are just very common and can find them easily. Well not so true with many of them. Many people ignore them because they are not exotic and expensive or whatever. Most of what gets exploited in this hobby are exotic species brought in by importers. Sites are flooded with these ads so that is what people get exposed to on a regular basis. Rare things are always desired as well. Garter snakes are not exotic or rare. They are native and common. But you know what, there is an ever growing community that is realizing how fascinating the herps are right in their own backyards, garter snakes included. They are no longer seen as just a plain ol snake in the grass anymore, but every bit as colorful and rewarding as any exotic. Enjoy this small community of dedicated hobbyists as long as you can and hope that it never turns into some of the other communities where everyone is opinionated and abrasive. You guys have such a warm and welcoming community here. I'd like to see it stay that way even if it means garters don't become as trendy as corns or ball pythons

Josh

[brain]

Enjoy this small community of dedicated hobbyists as long as you can ...

My biggest fear is the loss of habitat for the garter like the SF garter which I played with as a young boy living in SF. Therefore, the group here, I believe, shares to inform.

[Josh_r]

My biggest fear is the loss of habitat for the garter like the SF garter which I played with as a young boy living in SF. Therefore, the group here, I believe, shares to inform.

I feel you may have misunderstood me.

[Sergey]

In my country, the main reason for the unpopularity of garter snakes is that they eat "food not readily available." We even nobody keeps grass snakes. In pet stores are very popular corn and milk snakes, Boidae ...