New garter - I just couldn't help myself

[guidofatherof5]

That's a good looking girl you've got there Chris.

No? The tail stays wide doesn't it? If this one is female, then every one they had in the shop was female, some of the others even more obviously. It's a good looking garter either way.

Most of my comment was just messing with you Chris but I'm leaning towards female. Just don't know.
It's one of those borderline calls.
You are right. No matter what it's a great looking snake.

[RedSidedSPR]

I

Need.

Room.

:|

ANYHOO he's awesome. That's how it was with my last one. Couldnt freaking help it

[chris-uk]

just a comment about his sharing quarters with your captive bred snakes its not something i would do with a wild caught even after quarantine

Not sure it is WC. But then again I don't know it's CB.

@steve - to be honest, I was picking them out one at a time and looking at the first few I was sure they were female, got to this one and was less certain, checked a couple more and thought they were less likely to be male. So this one was the one I thought looked most male. That doesn't mean it is. Maybe I should have let the guy in the shop probe it, but I read so much online about probed snakes being incorrectly ID'ed, and I don't like the risk of a probing injury.

[PINJOHN]

Not sure it is WC. But then again I don't know it's CB.

@steve - to be honest, I was picking them out one at a time and looking at the first few I was sure they were female, got to this one and was less certain, checked a couple more and thought they were less likely to be male. So this one was the one I thought looked most male. That doesn't mean it is. Maybe I should have let the guy in the shop probe it, but I read so much online about probed snakes being incorrectly ID'ed, and I don't like the risk of a probing injury.

Chris i am pretty certain it is wild caught they have been coming through for several years now and the wholesaler has been pushing them as northern garters, which is rarely contested by the owners of the pet shops ....there are eastern and western so why not northen seem to be the logic i have got some myself as i think its important to get some new blood before it's no longer possible.

[chris-uk]

Whatever it is. There's some more new blood sat in my hallway John, if you ever need stud services.

I just wish some of the shops would challenge the naming - if I owned a shop in wouldn't deal with a supplier who didn't work with scientific names, if you know the scientific name you know it's not a "Northern Garter Snake". At the end of the day I think the shops just want garters on the shelf to cater for freaks like us (who won't buy a boa or python) and as a smaller snake to sell to people who look a the pythons and say "oooh, that's a bit big". I haven't heard of any shops that really care to supply garters, perhaps Coast to Coast is the closest but even there it seems to be a second or third line of sales.
Sod it, continental breeders are the way to go. Or you need to know the garter people who have breeding pairs.

[EasternGirl]

Chris...beautiful snake...but I have to tell you...doesn't look like any easterns around here. Sorry mate. Easterns usually have more of a checkered pattern under the dorsal stripe...and the dorsal stripe is not so wide and bold. I know what that snake is...but I can't think right now...not a parietalis...I don't think it looks like that. Can I see another pic?

[EasternGirl]

I need to see a pic where I can see any pattern on the snake...

[EasternGirl]

I think the size is probably helping to confirm this isn't an eastern...my male was bigger than that by 18 mos...my female..I don't know her age..but I would imagine a female eastern of 18 mos would be at least 2 1/2 feet. My male was at least 2 feet by 18 mos. Of course I am always ready to stand corrected.

[EasternGirl]

Do these look like your snake? I may have to get ready to be corrected.... Eastern Garter Snake - Ohio History Central

http://www.picsearch.com/imageDetail...garter%20snake

[chris-uk]

I think the size is probably helping to confirm this isn't an eastern...my male was bigger than that by 18 mos...my female..I don't know her age..but I would imagine a female eastern of 18 mos would be at least 2 1/2 feet. My male was at least 2 feet by 18 mos. Of course I am always ready to stand corrected.

At 65-70cm long, this little on is between 2 and 2.5 feet.