New Member- Just Got a Garter

[Zephyr]

Hi and welcome! You have an eastern garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis for sure.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

it does kinda look like a parietalis but i guess it could be an eastern..

[Zephyr]

it does kinda look like a parietalis but i guess it could be an eastern..

I've seen this coloration in wild eastern males a few times. The light brown on scale row 1 and the green between the scales above it gives the ID away.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

idk does look an awfully like stefan's female parietalis... and my old male that i sent to tina..

I've seen this coloration in wild eastern males a few times. The light brown on scale row 1 and the green between the scales above it gives the ID away.

[Stefan-A]

I don't see any of the green you mentioned. In fact, the only thing I can name right now, that would set it apart from my female (perhaps it's more like the male I had) parietalis, is the fact that the bars above the lateral stripes are the same yellow as the rest of the snake. But those bars appear to be the same shape and have the same regularity as on several parietalis I've seen and the sirtalis sirtalis I've seen so far that have had even a remotely similar pattern, have all had pretty much solid black on top of its head.
Despite it's name, a red-sided doesn't necessarily have red on it.

[racheletc]

Thanks for the info everyone

I got the snake when I bought a bunch of new tarantulas from a friend - it was 'thrown in', but I think it's really cool so am planning on keeping it. If it's Eastern, I have no idea idea how it got here, and I have no way of knowing if it was cb or wc and simply traded around. I am about as far west as you can be in the continental US.

It was in a much smaller KK when I got it, so I hope he likes the new digs. I'll get a heat rock for it tomorrow (we're having a heat wave right now, so it's 90F outside).

If they're anything like T's, you probably can't have just one, so I'm looking forward to having more.

Rachel

[Zephyr]

I don't see any of the green you mentioned. In fact, the only thing I can name right now, that would set it apart from my female (perhaps it's more like the male I had) parietalis, is the fact that the bars above the lateral stripes are the same yellow as the rest of the snake. But those bars appear to be the same shape and have the same regularity as on several parietalis I've seen and the sirtalis sirtalis I've seen so far that have had even a remotely similar pattern, have all had pretty much solid black on top of its head.
Despite it's name, a red-sided doesn't necessarily have red on it.

The striping and the coloration on row 1 give it away. The green I'm talking about is in between the checkering on the higher scale rows. (Appears sort of white-ish.) From my experience, parietalis don't have the kind of tan-brown coloration on row one. The specimen also resembles the following eastern specimens; *One's mine and one's Don's.*

[Zephyr]

Thanks for the info everyone

I got the snake when I bought a bunch of new tarantulas from a friend - it was 'thrown in', but I think it's really cool so am planning on keeping it. If it's Eastern, I have no idea idea how it got here, and I have no way of knowing if it was cb or wc and simply traded around. I am about as far west as you can be in the continental US.

It was in a much smaller KK when I got it, so I hope he likes the new digs. I'll get a heat rock for it tomorrow (we're having a heat wave right now, so it's 90F outside).

If they're anything like T's, you probably can't have just one, so I'm looking forward to having more.

Rachel

1. Don't use heat rocks. Use a basking light. Also, with 90 degree heat ambient room lighting will be fine.
2. I believe I know you. You sound like one of the tarantula people from the roach forum. XD

[Stefan-A]

Those two both lack the sharply defined bars and they have the typical sirtalis sirtalis spots along the lower margin of the lateral stripe.

[adamanteus]

I have no idea idea how it got here, and I have no way of knowing if it was cb or wc and simply traded around.

My guess is that it has been captive for a while and has worked it's way from the east. Whatever, it's a nice snake. With the temps you're experiencing just now, I wouldn't bother with an additional heat source.

You're right, these things are addictive.... This is your first Garter, not your only Garter!