Humidity Discussion

[Zephyr]

I may have found the killer of my easterns... Low humidity.
I've noticed in the past that some species faired better than others in the outdoor pen. Those from dry climates, checkereds, wanderings, and radii, tended not to fair so well as my butler's, easterns, and red-sideds. I'm thinking that humidity may have more to do with garter care than I previously thought. Our climate is very wet here; In the house it's always above 60%. I'm thinking that species from cooler, wetter climates thrive here due to the humidity, for whatever yet to be discovered reason. Butler's garter snakes are found in this "belt of humidity." During the summer, I sent 5 baby butler's to Don. Within 3 month's time, *all were eating fine on worms mind you* all of them had perished. Don had sent me a few checkereds and a red-sided. One of the checkereds was older and the red-sided has to be around 2 years old. The checkereds have since perished while the red sider continues to thrive.
After all of this, I'm thinking that juvenile garter snakes are the most adaptable to climate change, while adults and babies aren't so much.

Comments?

[infernalis]

I don't know for sure Kyle - Lurch (from you) is doing great. Not sure why Don's died.

Humidity does play a significant role, saw that first hand.

[olive oil]

Mine is doing great! Bob is always out and about.
He eats great for me

[Zephyr]

I don't know for sure Kyle - Lurch (from you) is doing great. Not sure why Don's died.

Humidity does play a significant role, saw that first hand.

Well, Utah is a very dry climate, New York is more like Michigan.

I wonder if humidity affected the adaptation of garters...

[infernalis]

It certainly must have played a role.

I learned the hard way, Florida Blues like damp substrate. After all Florida is like the most humid state in the union.

[brain]

I don't know for sure Kyle - Lurch (from you) is doing great. Not sure why Don's died.

Humidity does play a significant role, saw that first hand.

Well this is another one for the “What I have learned about garter snakes”

How much of a role would one except?

[mtolypetsupply]

I notice my Fl. Blues are much more active with higher humidity. I'm fighting that battle now with the dry winter air. I moistened the substrate today, and they're both out and about, and I've been keeping a moist hide, and they are usually in there when the humidity drops in the enclosure. Also, some time ago, I posted about them being off feed when the humidity dropped, and got hungry again when I misted them. I'm seeing a correlation. Can't say for sure it's *causation* but I see the correlation.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

One thing that I don't get is that the Florida blue is by the books.... the same as any other eastern and so theoretically should not need any more or less humidity, yet they are constantly singled out in so many ways as being entirely different snakes visually, tempermentally, and now requirement-wise. I myself have noticed major major differences in all three of those categories between "florida blues" and all other easterns, and it really makes me wonder if they should be examined closer because I REALLY do not think that they are just a blue colored eastern garter. Georgia is pretty humid.... but I am sure that if you took some eastern garters from georgia and moved them to a location further north where it's more dry, they would be alright. I'm not saying do that because it would be bad in a number of ways... but you get my idea. I don't get how florida blues can be separated in so many ways by all of us, and yet they are still known as just another eastern garter. I don't see the logic there, lol!!!

[adamanteus]

I agree entirely! I've pointed out many times that Florida Blues have a heavier body-form, but seem almost slightly 'baggy'... almost viper like, when compared to the more muscular normal Eastern. It wouldn't surprise me if we see them classified as a new sub-species at some point in the future.

[Stefan-A]

One thing that I don't get is that the Florida blue is by the books.... the same as any other eastern and so theoretically should not need any more or less humidity, yet they are constantly singled out in so many ways as being entirely different snakes visually, tempermentally, and now requirement-wise.

The confusion probably comes from an expectation that it's as clear-cut in nature, as it is in the books. It's not clear-cut and to say that they theoretically shouldn't need any different conditions because we've placed them in the same subspecies as other populations, is to yank the whole issue out of the proper evolutionary context and completely ignore all variations in biotic and abiotic components across T. s. sirtalis' range.

Having said that, it wouldn't surprise me if it did have its status changed, but neither would it if it didn't. Differences like the ones between Florida Blues and other Eastern garters aren't necessarily relevant when it comes to determining whether or not it deserves that status.