Gail's garter - the snake kind silly.

[guidofatherof5]

Looking good.

[kueluck]

Thanks Steve. They are so easy to take care of and I am blessed with 3 very healthy and friendly girls.

[ConcinusMan]

That's very interesting that none of yours have this. Makes me wonder if there is something missing in their diet then.

I don't think so. I also don't think them having that "eye ring" or not having it, is of any consequence to, or indication of their overall health or dietary/nutritional intake. In order to draw that conclusion we would have to keep 2 groups of snakes in exactly the same conditions except each group would have different diets. All I know is that I never see that ring/gap around their eye in the wild, and rarely if ever in my captive snakes, while almost all the snakes kept by some people, seem to have it. Beyond that, one can only speculate as to why or if it's significant or not. Maybe it has to do with growth rate?? I know that Steve's concinnus' grew at an astounding rate for 2 years and reached huge sizes quite a bit faster than mine or wild ones normally would but can't say if that makes the ring or not. It's a mystery to me. I really wouldn't worry too much about it if they have it not. It's just interesting that some people's snakes tend to all have it while in my observations it's not something that the snakes normally would have in the wild or in my captives over 25-30 years of keeping them.

[snakeman13]

could be as simple as something in the local water.

[chris-uk]

I'd go with rate of growth. If the eye grows slower than the body as a whole you could start seeing this sort of ring. I've not noticed it on any of mine, but I've not been looking, and I have some that are growing like weeds and others that are slower eaters and growing slower - I'll have a look and if I see "eye rings" it will be interesting to see if there is any correlation.

[kueluck]

Chris, interesting point, curious to see what you come up with. Snakeman13, I would rule out local water since mine don't get "local" water, but thanks for in input.

[kueluck]

This morning when I looked into their home I went for the poop container thinking it was just a big ol' snake turd.
CIMG1119.jpg


Then the head came out, Mona......still a turd though.
CIMG1123.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

I'd go with rate of growth. If the eye grows slower than the body as a whole you could start seeing this sort of ring. I've not noticed it on any of mine, but I've not been looking, and I have some that are growing like weeds and others that are slower eaters and growing slower - I'll have a look and if I see "eye rings" it will be interesting to see if there is any correlation.

I have noticed that it seems more prevalent with keepers who feed them a lot of rodents and/or grow them big really fast instead of a more natural, slower rate.

[kueluck]

When they were babies I feed them a little every day, then after 1 year this is there feeding schedule - pinkies, worms, fish, worms, pinkies worms, etc etc. They get three pieces of whatever I'm feeding about every 4-5 days or until everyone has pooped out their last meal. The portions are enough to create a slight bulge in the belly.

[kueluck]

This has nothing to do with snakes but I thought it was utterly amazing. No comments please, just enjoy.
Choirs sing Star Spangled Banner over 18 floors of hotel - YouTube