Left the chameleon world for some garter snakes

[VeiledChams]

Sadly, its been a year and a half since I had to leave the hobby because of school, but I have now found something I enjoy keeping just as much: garter snakes
These are my three garters

California Red Sided female


California Red Sided female (right) male (right)


Pastel Checkered Pair

 

[kinyonga]

Are they insecticides? Live bearers?

 

[jannb]

Beautiful snakes!

 

[VeiledChams]

Are they insecticides? Live bearers?

They are not insecticides, nor are they insectivores.
They are currently feeding on pinky parts, (the red sided is feeding on day old pinkies).
They are live bearers, litters usually in the low teens, but it depends on species. The pastel checkered babies I have came from a litter of 22.

Beautiful snakes!

Thanks Jann!

 

[kinyonga]

Haha...dratted spell check changed it. I always thought they would be insectivores. (had to type it three times before it stopped changing it to insecticides!)

They are beautiful even if they aren't insectivores!

 

[VeiledChams]

Haha...dratted spell check changed it. I always thought they would be insectivores. (had to type it three times before it stopped changing it to insecticides!)

They are beautiful even if they aren't insectivores!

Thank you!

I thought that was what you meant lol they eat fish, frogs, nightcrawlers, and pinky mice.
I am sure that they might take some sort of insect in the wild every now and then, though Im sure it'd be very sparingly.

 

[kinyonga]

I like snakes except that they eat mice and such and I just can't feed them critters. Get only insectivores I've found is a rough green and they aren't easy to keep.

 

[junglefries]

Couple articles in the new Reptiles magazine about garter snakes and trying to make a comeback or startup, depending on point of view. Check it out.

 

[VeiledChams]

Couple articles in the new Reptiles magazine about garter snakes and trying to make a comeback or startup, depending on point of view. Check it out.

Will do.. I'm getting into them big time with a buddy.. we are going to start breeding the Neon Blue California Red Sided (Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis), Pastel Checkered (Thamnophis marcianus) to get super pastels, Eastern Black necks (Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus).. These are really cool snakes that deserve a spotlight.. They might not be the biggest nor the most expensive, but they are some of the prettiest and most rewarding you can keep.

 

[Trace]

Garters are a great, underrated snake. Beautiful pairs you have.

 

[VeiledChams]

Garters are a great, underrated snake. Beautiful pairs you have.

Thanks Trace!

 

[bugboy]

These are beautiful, congratulations. Do they musk you at all? That's pretty much the only reason I'm not a huge fan of garters haha.

 

[VeiledChams]

These are beautiful, congratulations. Do they musk you at all? That's pretty much the only reason I'm not a huge fan of garters haha.

They are babies so they do musk all over, but you can get them accustomed to some handling.. The infernalis are not so friendly, but the pastel checkereds are easy going. You just gotta remember that these guys have a "mild" venom. They still have the Duvernoy's gland which produces proteins like the ones found in venemous snakes, but garters cannot inject it with fangs and its also very weak. Some people dont even react to it.

 

[junglefries]

The musk is the best part. You bathe in it. Then go over to your least favorite friend's house or mother in laws and just hang out.

 

[VeiledChams]

The musk is the best part. You bathe in it. Then go over to your least favorite friend's house or mother in laws and just hang out.

Hahahaha.. Thats pretty much what I did but with musk from an Eastern mud snake I found while herping.. She shotgunned that musk all over me

 

[junglefries]

That's awesome. Hit up a movie theatre or somewhere crowded. Just be like 'what?' 'Do you'll smell that? Where's that coming from?'

 

[VeiledChams]

That's awesome. Hit up a movie theatre or somewhere crowded. Just be like 'what?' 'Do you'll smell that? Where's that coming from?'

You sir are evil.. That is genius!! Hahaha gonna get my friends to do it