Checkered Garter Snake

[Mix]

Excellent! That's what I was hoping to hear Can't wait for it to arrive...

[gregmonsta]

right on. so you think i'd be safe to use a regular old incandescent bulb for basking

that would do the job.

[riley_napalm]

Excellent! That's what I was hoping to hear Can't wait for it to arrive...

let me know if you like it!

[yellowfang]

Hi,

Just a quick question - can different breeds of Garters be kept in the same viv?

Cheers.

[Stefan-A]

Same reply as in the other thread.

[mustang]

can mixed garter species create fertile hybrids? is because there in the smae family? in ap bio almost all hybrids are claimed to be sterile, they arent tho right?

[Stefan-A]

can mixed garter species create fertile hybrids? is because there in the smae family? in ap bio almost all hybrids are claimed to be sterile, they arent tho right?

It's very likely that they can.

Same genus, by the way. The family would be Colubridae. Close relatives are more likely to be able to produce fertile hybrids, or hybrids in general, but it depends on whether the DNA is "compatible". Once you combine the DNA from both parents, it can result in eg. an inability to produce a necessary protein, which is likely to result in failure to develop into a viable offspring at all.

Far from all hybrids are sterile. The reason why they claim that, may be because they don't think further than the hybrids that occur among domesticated animals or animals in zoos. As far as fertility goes, it can vary from sterile to vastly increased.

[ConcinusMan]

Due to the fact that most other snake hybrids are fertile (king X milk or Corn X king) I would say it's very likely that crossing thamnophis species or T. sirtalis subspecies would result in fertile offspring. In fact, it has been repeatedly reported that the king, corn, milk, etc. crosses have increased fertility. Supposedly, they have much larger clutches of fertile eggs than either of the parents typically have.

[Mix]

let me know if you like it!

I do love it! Does everything I wanted.

[ConcinusMan]

Well I think I finally figured out what the "pastel" (as shannon calls them) checkered garter is. It has been proven to be a genetic color morph. I found some really old photos she posted.

For comparison here's a normal:



And now, the much brighter pastel: