A disturbing trend, really disturbing

[GartersRock]

I disagree with the aberrant snake comment.

They have less a chance of survival. And I personally think it would be better to keep that aberrant color alive in the CB circle then in the wild (where once again, they have less a chance of survival)
What are others thoughts on this?

[infernalis]

Brightly coloured snakes are more likely to become bird food.

An albino garter for instance has no camouflage

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Most aberrant snakes will never make it. But... that really depends on the type of aberrancy we are talking about here, as well as their location in relation to their color pattern. As well as pure, unguided luck and how smart the snake is as far as staying hidden and defending itself. Erythristic garters often do well and repopulate in areas where the soil is a reddish brown... and i beleive my hypo survived as long as she did because the rock pile she was making a mad dash for was a very light color, just like her. Sitting out in the grass however, she may as well have been an albino! I saw her from 20 feet away!

[ssssnakeluvr]

I believe aberrant snakes such as albinos don't have the natural camouflage colors that protect them from predators....so they have a greater chance of getting caught by predators. however, adult albinos and aberrants have been found....when I was in 5th grade (many moons ago!!!) I went to an overnight campout birthday party. we went swimming by a river in my hometown in Idaho. we found 2 adult wandering garter snakes, one was pure white...I was young and don't remember if the eyes were red or normal, I think they were normal....I think it was leucistic, pure white, no pattern. it was an adult. occasional aberrant can make it, but not very often.

[KITKAT]

As I try to sort through this, I guess you are wondering if what you did was a good thing or not?

Kitkat, what you did deserves a medal. You saved that snake from certain doom, as well as saved the babies from the same fate.

That is far removed from someone just going out and targeting a gravid female to be collected for any reason

That would be a sucessful rescue in anyones eyes........

Well done, kudos to you and if similar circumstances should ever arise, DO IT AGAIN!!

Well... I will probably and unfortunately have the opportunity again. My neighbor really hates snakes, and won't listen to me when I explain that if you have a goldfish pond with a waterfall full of cracks and crevices, you are DRAWING them.

And as for the rescue, I felt it was not a PURE rescue, since I did keep and still have four of the babies.

On the aberrant comment, I'll add that these are not albinos or anery, or anything like that. We just have a local gene pool that produces bright orange side stripes, and I have seen this in about 25% of the population, with another 25% having fainter orange or pink in their laterals... so perhaps not a true aberrant...

[ssssnakeluvr]

On the aberrant comment, I'll add that these are not albinos or anery, or anything like that. We just have a local gene pool that produces bright orange side stripes, and I have seen this in about 25% of the population, with another 25% having fainter orange or pink in their laterals... so perhaps not a true aberrant...

well, might not be aberrant, but not odd enough to stand out for predators....a lot of times in nature, the bright colors (like red) are a warning to others to leave them alone...could be something along that line....

[bkhuff1s]

I just wanted to say how hypocritical this conversation seems to be turning. It seems that what I'm hearing is it isn't ok to take snakes out of the wild but it is ok to take rare color colorations out. I'd just like to point out the fact that maybe just MAYBE having those snakes the pop out provides food for ANOTHER ANIMAL. Did anyone think that by taking all the rarely colored animals out of the wild that it'll produce the side effect of perhaps not feeding a preditor animal that would be looking for something that pops out at them. Furthermore, has anyone considered the fact that people eat snakes. Which isn't a common practice anymore. Perhaps when we take a few out of the wild it's like us catching them for food. Only the animal that blends in best survives. Survival of the fittest. Granted I don't think taking an endangered animal out of the wild is right either.

[infernalis]

Excellent observation Bryan.

On that note, however tempted I may have been, the hawks and owls out back are respected equally as the snakes are.

Ah too vague, I would never shoot a predator just because it eats snakes.

And it does seem to have wandered down a different path than "Casually" snagging a gravid female for the sole purpose of participating in a breeding forum.

Or folks like you know who, scooping up countless animals for profit.

[GartersRock]

Interesting oberservation.
I have no problem with people taking anything (unless it's protected) out of the wild for breeding or pets. If they take GREAT consideration to what they are doing!
And they are not taking countless amounts to resale.

You know who...

[Stefan-A]

If they take GREAT consideration to what they are doing!

Well, who does? Who can?