My first Garters! What species are they?

[boyer45]

Do these parietal spots help with identification?

[guidofatherof5]

Do these parietal spots help with identification?

Yes, only to say it's a garter snake not a specific species of said. Ribbon snakes which are Thamnophis don't have them though.

[Rushthezeppelin]

Yes, only to say it's a garter snake not a specific species of said. Ribbon snakes which are Thamnophis don't have them though.

Funny you say that. I thought I found a ribbon the other day, but apparently it was a garter (had a parietal spot) and might have been some new morph I totally passed on ><

[Rushthezeppelin]

12003297_970908722972939_5323552990053212447_n.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Yes, only to say it's a garter snake not a specific species of said. Ribbon snakes which are Thamnophis don't have them though.

Funny you say that. I thought I found a ribbon the other day, but apparently it was a garter (had a parietal spot) and might have been some new morph I totally passed on ><

I should have clarified my other answer Rush, not all Ribbon snakes lack the parietal spots. Thamnophis sauritus (Eastern Ribbon Snake) and its subspecies(nitae,sackenii,septentrionalis)doesn't have them* To quote The Garter Snake Evolution and Ecology, page 250. *"The light parietal spots--if present at all--are small and rarely bright or fused together"
Sorry for any confusion.

[boyer45]

Thanks so much for all of your replies, I am so glad I found this forum! I can tell you guys have a lot of experience with and info about these snakes.Just a little good news, the bigger garter ate two pinkies today. I just scented them with night crawlers and down they went. I didn't realize how easy it would be.Thanks again

[Rushthezeppelin]

Its usually not that easy lmao. Wasn't near that easy with my checkered. I wasted 3 pinks completely on her. Finally took fish scented the 4th time.

[boyer45]

I seem to have good luck when it comes to getting my snakes to eat. It was the same with my baby Dekayi. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

[joeysgreen]

The parietal spots are found on the western ribbon snake (at least some of the time); which is the species also found in St. Louis. I'm unfamiliar with how radix look in your area but the sirtalis are very variable. The radix should have black bars on their labial scales while the others don't. The lateral stripe will also be on scale rows 3 and 4 (at midbody), while 2-3 on the sirtalis.

Glad it's eating well for you.

[Tommytradix]

Definitely radix