Pale male

[count dewclaw]

Caught this pair of Easterns. As you can see the male is pale compared to the female. Would this be considered hypomelanistic? I'm just learning about the different color variations...

[Stefan-A]

In my opinion, you would have to know what the norm was in the population he's originally from. There are so many colour variations in the wild, that it's hard to tell which has "reduced black pigmentation" and which hasn't. It's all relative.

[count dewclaw]

Well, I've never seen one this color before, but I hear what you are saying. I like his color anyway. I still have alot to learn about garter snakes.

[Stefan-A]

Actually, I don't think it's that far from aSnakeLovinBabe's eastern.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/welc...reptastic.html

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene...-her-kind.html

[count dewclaw]

I don't think he is quite that pale, but definitely lighter than any others I've seen. I'll try to get some better pictures.

[Sid]

Great photo, LeAnn. I really like that male.

[enigma200316]

nice snakes, that female looks huge,any possibility of being gravid? or a nice robust snake..........

[drache]

I like them both, but yeah, the male's very pretty

[count dewclaw]

nice snakes, that female looks huge,any possibility of being gravid? or a nice robust snake..........

Can they be gravid through brumation? I just caught her a couple days ago. I think she is just robust...the males were all over her . She is a big girl, I'm guessing about 30" long.

[stonyloam]

That female looks almost exactly like the big eastern that I found last May, she also looked quite stout when I fond her. I kept her through the summer and she gave birth to 42 live babies on August 20, 2007. http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene...g-eastern.html
The other one looks very much like the one hanging around my sunroom now. Mine is a little darker green, but markings are very similar. That by the way is a great photo and would be a nice addition to the "Easterns I have met " thread collection of photos.