Lots of questions

[Stefan-A]

is it the "scientific name" or latin name?

Scientific name. It's usually not Latin, but Latinized Greek (i.e. Greek written according to the rules of Latin). Meaning, it's neither Greek nor Latin and it's not the Latin common name either.

Anyway:
Binomial nomenclature - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Stefan-A]

Don't hold back Stefan. Tell us how you really feel

I can't do that on this forum. I have to tone it down quite a bit.

[BUSHSNAKE]

wheres the fun in that?

[BUSHSNAKE]

thanks for the correction...i will follow

[ConcinusMan]

Oh hey guys, just made a little visit to the petco by my house, and low and behold, what do I find in the reptile section? That same species of ribbon snake, labeled as "garter snake". Pretty handsome and nice colors.

As I was making a purchase, I said "you guys know what's funny about those so-called garter snakes?" and before I could say anything, a very nice clerk said, "yeah, they're ribbon snakes"

They had two of them and they were quite large and healthy but $19.99 is a little rich for my blood for something like that.

[Stefan-A]

As I was making a purchase, I said "you guys know what's funny about those so-called garter snakes?" and before I could say anything, a very nice clerk said, "yeah, they're ribbon snakes"

They're not mutually exclusive. The two species of ribbon snakes are as much garter snakes, as the plains garter or the common garter.

ps. scientific names ftw

[New Mutant]

I read that Westerns have two little spots on their heads. Percy (my snake) has the spots, but the snake in the picture doesn't. That snake certainly doesn't look like him, but could part of it be that Percy is younger?

[New Mutant]

[QUOTE=ConcinnusMan;141514]Oh hey guys, just made a little visit to the petco by my house, and low and behold, what do I find in the reptile section? That same species of ribbon snake, labeled as "garter snake". Pretty handsome and nice colors.[QUOTE]

Yeah, I saw one in a different Petco last year and fell in love. It was the most beautiful reptile I had ever seen, but I thought that since I had never heard of a "garter snake" before, it must be an extremely rare and difficult-to-care-for snake. Obviously, I am a newbie.

[guidofatherof5]

QUOTE]Yeah, I saw one in a different Petco last year and fell in love. It was the most beautiful reptile I had ever seen, but I thought that since I had never heard of a "garter snake" before, it must be an extremely rare and difficult-to-care-for snake. Obviously, I am a newbie.[/QUOTE]

Everyone has to start somewhere. Don't worry about it.
You are already learning what wonderful snakes garter snakes are.
It will only get better.
If you haven't read the care sheet I strongly suggest it. Here's a link: Garter Snake Care Sheet - Caresheets

[kibakiba]

I read that Westerns have two little spots on their heads. Percy (my snake) has the spots, but the snake in the picture doesn't. That snake certainly doesn't look like him, but could part of it be that Percy is younger?

I read about that too. If he doesn't look like the one in the picture it could be that he's young, but they don't change too much appearance-wise when they grow up. When snakey was a baby his red stripe was much less colourful as it is now. It was almost a salmon-y kind of orange pink. Now its nicely red-orange but he looks like he did as a baby!
It could just be that he's not that type of ribbon snake, though. A vet that specializes in snakes may be able to tell you exactly what he is, but some are just as bad as pet shops. The vet called my macaw a "parakeet" and told me that I was stupid for thinking he was a macaw. Never went there again. What rude people.