Albino red radix?

[ConcinusMan]

*sigh* I know what you mean. We had a few teaser days in Feb when it was sunny and got up to 60 F. I caught one quick glimpse of an ordinoides and that was it. It's back to low 50's and lot's of rain. I got quite a few people waiting on me to come up with some nice ordinoides, and I'm quite tired of waiting to catch a pair of concinnus for myself. Dang winter!

[ssssnakeluvr]

*sigh* I know what you mean. We had a few teaser days in Feb when it was sunny and got up to 60 F. I caught one quick glimpse of an ordinoides and that was it. It's back to low 50's and lot's of rain. I got quite a few people waiting on me to come up with some nice ordinoides, and I'm quite tired of waiting to catch a pair of concinnus for myself. Dang winter!

boy I hear ya there!! wanting spring to hit real soon!!!!!!

[ConcinusMan]

daffodils and trees are starting to bloom so the signs are there, but the snakes are not!

[guidofatherof5]

As I type there is some mating activity going on with my Nebraska red phase albino radix. The red phase male that is on loan is getting very interested in her.
Fingers crossed.

[Snakeknot]

I have a neighbor with some property. ( They raise miniature horses. ) Her teen daughter tells me that every spring, they have tons of garter snakes everywhere. I'm thinking she might have a den on the property and I can't wait until spring to check this out. But we still have snow here. Ugly, dirty, crunchy snow. Usually after a big snow here, we get a sudden bout of warm weather and the snow disappears as quickly as it came. Not this year! Spring can't come soon enough! I want warm temps, flowers, green plants and time to garden! This winter is seeming to take forever!

Devon

[ConcinusMan]

It does sound like a den area. I haven't quite pinpointed where the concinnus dens are at Salmon Creek in Clark Co. WA just yet but there are partially flooded areas (temporary pools) near the creek every spring, loaded with frogs and tadpoles. First couple of weeks of 70+ degree weather, there are concinnus everywhere, breeding. I mean, they're thick. This particular population is mostly made up of very large snakes.(2-4 feet long)

We are supposed to be mostly sunny and about 62-64 degrees this weekend. Come Hell or high water, I'm going to be there. Crossing fingers that there will be some out basking in the sun around noon time.

[Snakeknot]

Does anyone know what the behavior of wild garters in eastern Pa.? My understanding is that they have communal dens and the males leave early, eat and shed but hang around waiting for the females to wake up. WHAT MONTH DO THEY DO THIS HERE? I would sure like to target a local den if I could find one if only to assault the poor garters with my camera maybe for collection IF I'M LEGALLY ALLOWED! ( But only then. )

Now I gotta get a plan to track down a den. I guess putting an ad in the paper is kinda silly. I would like to get a reputation among the locals that if you find a snake in your house, call me to remove it for you. That chore kinda sounds like fun, FOR ME!

Devon

[ConcinusMan]

OK, now I'm really disappointed. SAT was sunny and we got up to 66 F degrees. I had to work. Put in 12 hours. I thought, no problem. Forecast called for the same on Sunday so I can go look for snakes then.

I slept in 'till 11am. Clouds started rolling in and by noon it looked like rain and it was only 56 degrees. It just kept getting colder and now we have rain. So much for my herping weekend. I think someone is trying to teach me patience and I am resisting furiously.

@snakeknot:

There is no particular month. Much of it depends on ground temperature. You can suddenly have several days in the 70's and see no snakes at first. You can also have a mild late winter and see snakes when it's only 60 degrees. Still having overnight freezes?

Are there any spring bulbs in the ground that are now flowering? Tulips perhaps? That's your cue that the brumating snakes may also be feeling the warm up.

I know that where I am, if spring tulips are blooming (they did so about a week ago) then you can find garters near den sites on a sunny afternoon when its at least 60 degrees.

[guidofatherof5]

*UPDATE*

It's official. Rita has accepted me. Ever since she came to the Ranch she has refused to trust me. She would allow my daughter Gabby to handle her but refused to be calm around me. That has all changed.
For the last week Rita has been greeting me every time I open the enclosure. This morning she came out and climbed up on my arm and then around my neck. Then it was back down my arm. She then rested under my hand. I gave her a good back scratch and rub. There's no more jumping away everytime I move. She has been a hard case but well worth the time invested.
To have my once wild albino red phase radix trusting me make this a great start to the season.

[infernalis]

Your magic with those Radix Steve.

It's about time she figured that out.