First pet snake.... Few Questions....

[Jake Dubz]

Hello everyone-
Just joined the forums to get some more info on this awesome breed of snake. Always wanted a snake... Just without all the bs of having to worry about them escaping and murdering the family in their sleep.... I never knew how well these snakes could be kept as pets, and obviously you guys really know your stuff about these bad boys as you all seem to have a phat cage of like 4 differen't species happily hangin out.

I Just have a few questions about my snake as a first time owner- I'm 80% sure i've got a red sided garter, by the coloration.... and the subbtle red down his sides. He's 22" and was reallly skinny when I caught him. With that said.
1. How long do red sided garters get, more specifically whats the size difference of a male to female??? I had caught 2, but only kept the smaller 22" one i thought was the boy (other one had a nasty temper and my buddy said it was a female bc of size and girth to my skinny 22"er ... we didn't mix too hot anyway)
2. Male or female- how old would you roughly say he is at 22"??? Someone told me he's prolly from last spring (a little under a year old) What do you guys think?
3. How old do red sided garters live to be??

I'd REALLY appriciate some knowledge of these questions guys, idk anywhere else with people as knowledgable about this species of snake as the guys in the forum. REally happy I found this site- It's like a buncha people that appriciate this snake as much as I do

Thanx in advance-
Jake

[adamanteus]

Hi Jake, and welcome to the forum.
It certainly sounds as though you've got yourself a Red Sided Garter (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). You won't be able to guess the sex of the animal by size alone, at least until it is adult. Females are generally larger and more heavily built than males.

You should find much of the information you need to get you started in our Articles Section (centre tab on the home page). Also our Care Sheets might be of interest to you.
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets...ake_Care_Sheet
Enjoy it here!

[enigma200316]

Welcome Jake and if you can post some pics please!!!!

[drache]

hi Jake
welcome to this forum

[Sid]

Welcome to the forum, Jake. You will find a lot of helpful folks here. If your Garter is indeed a male and 22 inches long, it's not a last springs birth. Male sirtalis average between 18 and 24 inches as adults. If you can post close up photos of it near the vent area, both a side shoot and a pic of it's underside we can let you knoe the gender.

[Lulu Bennett]

Hi jake and welcme to the site.
i think you have been given the info you need already but we would still like to see pics. .
if there is anything else you need to know then don't hesitate to ask. we will always help where we can and there is always someone that knows any answers you are after.
hope you enjoy the site
Lulu xxx

[CrazyHedgehog]

As they say, a picture paints a thousand words...
get a pic up here and the answers will follow!

[Elliot]

Welcome aboard.

[Josh]

welcome!...

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard, Jake.