I'm new to this site.

[Thamnophis]

Hi Sid, welcme on this rapidly growing forum.

[jasuncle1972]

hello all. I found this site doing a search.I live in western michigan near lake michigan

Just to add to my previous post,My cat found my snake. having never kept or read up on reptiles, I took deeds( snakes name) to work to find out what she was.I found out , but it took me 4wks. to figure what she ate or would eat, small fish.I tried a pinky,a live mouse w/supervision, crickets, still wouldn't eat. Last week I tried a pinky in her water with fish,she ate it I'm gonne try less fish and more pinkys.More calcium? Does anyone have/ keep a texas black necked garter? I've seen pics, they nice. By the way my name is joseph

[Cazador]

Hi Joseph,
Keep an eye out for black (melanistic) garters as you're out herping near the Great Lakes. They're highly prized and very useful in breeding programs. Ohio is sort of well known for their melanistic garters, but you might find them in Michigan as well. Congrats on the success with the pinkie.
Rick

[ssssnakeluvr]

Scott Felzer keeps and breeds eastern blackneck garters..... check out his site...

Scott Felzer's Garter Snakes, specializing in aberrant garters

[KITKAT]

Gotta be careful where and how you collect in Ohio! T. sirtalis and T. sirtalis butleri, require a license and have a limit of four WC herps total... and T. radix MAY NOT BE KEPT IN OHIO, as it is considered endangered here. Under this license, you may own as many CB natives as you wish, but again, T. radix is illegal to own.

http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/PDF/pub03.pdf

Check with your Fish and Wildlife office for regulations in other states!

Hi Joseph,
Keep an eye out for black (melanistic) garters as you're out herping near the Great Lakes. They're highly prized and very useful in breeding programs. Ohio is sort of well known for their melanistic garters, but you might find them in Michigan as well. Congrats on the success with the pinkie.
Rick

[Cazador]

Good advise, Kitkat. Glad you're here. Ohio's laws are interesting in that they require a propagation license, not just a fishing license. They also seem to be friendly about it, giving everyone up to 10 days AFTER they collect the herp to purchase their license. Sort of relies on the honor system, which I really like .

[Thamnophis]

I am always satisfied when i see that there are regulations for catching and keeping reptiles and amphibians.
Can anyone explain to me why Thamnophis butleri is better protected than the other Thamnophis species? I understand ofcourse that it is considered endangered, but what is the reason.
And are people, who have nothing with reptiles, capable of seeing the difference between the species?