Interesting colors......

[Cflaguy]

This is my first posting here so I figured I'd just plunge right on in. Been a herper in Florida since late seventies, early eighties. I've caught alot of garters in my day. But.....

My job has me in virgin land, never been seen by human eyes. But really, a new road going through some very old, untouched land.

My understanding Blue-striped Garters don't come East of Withlacootchee. My job site is in Davenport, well East of the West Coast. The Garters in this area are unlike most I've seen. Especially one in particular. I saw her first in June. She was in the road and escaped me by inches sliding into the creek. Bad news, I found her last month DOR. She was large and more of a turquoise all over with flat black. Her head was turquoise, she was nice. I do have pics of her DOR but will not post unless the majority wills it.

My point of all this, that gene must still be out there. If anyone here thinks it's worth it, I wouldn't mind hunting the area and catching a few to start a breeding program. Not me, ( to busy with other projects) but if anybody here would like to start one.

BTW, I will send pics of DOR to an E-mail if you like.

If I can, post a few pics of the live specimans......

Thanks,
Craig

[ssssnakeluvr]

pretty snake! looking at the pics, that looks like a "Florida blue" eastern (t sirtalis sirtalis) garter, not a blue stripe (t sirtalis similis) garter. still a very pretty snake. bummer about the DOR. is definitely worth finding a couple for breeding!

[brain]

Nice look for a s. sirtialis. I like the checkered sort of markings.

[guidofatherof5]

Nice to have you on the forum, Craig.
Thanks for posting those photos.
Looking forward to your future posts.

[mustang]

YES IM GETTING GOOD AT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (i identified the flordia blue without looking at your location or the other posts!)

[ConcinusMan]

Welcome Craig, and thanks for sharing the pics! I concur, that first pic is definitely a "Florida Blue" eastern garter snake. T. sirtalis sirtalis.

That morph is somewhat popular and already been bred in captivity for many years. However, it wouldn't hurt to add a few pair to the effort. I would be willing to do that if you're willing to collect a few nice blue ones (the bluer the better) and ship them overnight to the Pacific Northwest. I would of course cover shipping costs and maybe a little extra.

An adult pair, at or over 18 inches long, and both about the same size would be great and could be bred right away or soon enough. Here's how to tell the males from the females: http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/bree...xing-pics.html

The fifth post is a florida blue female!

[gregmonsta]

Greetings

[Cflaguy]

pretty snake! looking at the pics, that looks like a "Florida blue" eastern (t sirtalis sirtalis) garter, not a blue stripe (t sirtalis similis) garter. still a very pretty snake. bummer about the DOR. is definitely worth finding a couple for breeding!

Aw I see. Maybe because of the area I grew up in, more toward Orlando, I'd never seen a Blue Eastern. Just the kinda green and black peppered in yellow.

I'm sure there are folks who like Ribbons as well, I have pics of some specimans with the blue,hue and a rather large girl. Let me know if you want to see them.

The genetics of EC were something else. A nice Eastrn Hognose around 30 inches and nice coloring. Large Corals and Yellow Rats. Coachwhips over 76 inches and Racers all over four feet.

I relly think you guys need to see the DOR pics, truly never seen a Garter like this. Or somebody post a pic of the Eastern Florida Blue for me to compare.

[ssssnakeluvr]

you can email me the pics at ssssnakeluvr@comcast.net

also, a lot of snakes turn blue after dieing.... found western yellow bellied racers (nice green color) that were roadkilled and turned blue.
you can go to my gallery on here, should be some florida blue shots in there, or photobucket and look for ssssnakeluvr and check out the earlier shots in the album, got some florida blue pics in there

[ConcinusMan]

I did mention that to him in a PM. The bluing after death, that is. You know, it's funny, western fence lizards are just the opposite. Their colors, including the blue, all but disappear shortly after death.

Still, even those live pics show some nice bluing. Very handsome easterns there.

I wonder if he's seen my blue anerythristic T.s. concinnus? oh, well, he has. Just look my avatar. That's not a trick. She really is blue. Every place where you would expect to see red, you see blue instead. Pretty cool.