Melanistic garter slow growth

[Albert Clark]

Another comparison pic of him here. He's on the bottom and his brother on the top.

[guidofatherof5]

Beautiful.

[Eddie]

Those snakes are awesome Albert!!

[Albert Clark]

Beautiful.

Thanks Steve! You should see them now.

Those snakes are awesome Albert!!

Tyvm Ed, both males, the reduced pattern larger one I only recently found out was male.

[Albert Clark]

Ant, this was the runt when he was first born. Notice the very small width and length. This guy was two or three days old in this pic. I really think he was three days old here bc he had spit out some clear fluid and immediately became more active and alert the day before. Wouldn't eat for a few days after that as well.

[d_virginiana]

Has the same configuration my blackneck runt did when he was little. Very tiny and bobble-head looking. For awhile my runt would pass bits of food that were obviously undigested (and I'm 100% sure it was poop and not regurge) but that eventually went away, and his neurological issues have become a lot less prominent.
I don't know how well it holds true across the board, but it seems like ones that are truly runts that have/had health issues as opposed to just slow growers are pretty obvious from a very young age.

[Albert Clark]

Ant, any updates on the melanistic garter ?

[AntTheDestroyer]

I am still waiting to hear back from the seller. His silence is a little suspicious in my opinion.

[snakeman]

Some snakes are just slow growers. Has nothing to do with the seller

[AntTheDestroyer]

If he sold me a runt then it absolutely has to do with the seller. He finally got back to me and said he did not have any idea and agreed that it was not a normal level of growth. He did specifically say it was not the runt and I take him at his word.