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Need breeding female garter snake ASAP

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Myndflyte

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Hello!

I kept snakes for years, and then a career got in the way. Late last fall a BEAUTIFUL male terrestrial plains garter literally crawled across my shoe on 50 degree evening while I was talking to a friend.

I could not help myself, I took him home and set up a cold tank so that he could hibernate. His name is Encipion, and he is hands-down the healthiest wildcaught snake I have ever seen, great body fat, and not a scratch on him.

I live in an urban neighborhood in Colorado, and am amazed at this animal.

Anyway, he is ready to come out of hibernation and I very much wish to begin breeding snakes again.

I desperately NEED a breeding age female who has been hibernated this past winter. Snakes are VERY rare here (this is the ONLY one I have seen in 5 years). I am out every day poking around local streams and lakes, but have yet to find a female.

If anyone has a female ready to breed, PLEASE contact me ASAP. I know it's a stretch to think I can get a successful breeding this late, but it is well worth a try to help this beautiful creature replicate. Babies will be well cared for and released at maturity into an appropriate environment, or passed on to loving, appropriately educated homes.

Encipion is a beautiful snake with a VIVID orange stripe, but I do NOT need anything special for him to mate with. I can only afford to pay the shipping, so any breeding age female, even one that someone might be planning on releasing will work. Any color, size, shape or appropriate species is fine, as I am just now relearning my breeding skills.

Please contact me ASAP at [email protected]

I have created software that teaches you how to play guitar quickly and easily. I will give a free copy of that software ($20 value) to anyone who can help me out.

Thank you so much for your time!!!

Bodie
 
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Anyone know what he was eating?

You can see in the picture how chubby he was before hibernation. Anyone know what he might have been eating?

There are no streams or lakes nearby (less than 2-3 miles), it was in early November when he found me, we do not have slugs, very few ants, not many earthworms, and a very low population of mice.]

He's eating fine on feeder goldfish, but refuses earthworms and raw store fish.

Any thoughts on this little mystery?

Bodie
 
By looking at your pic.I would say that you have a female.Males usually are not that thick.How long is the snake?Males usually don't get over the 2 foot range females are larger.You should check Scott felzer has tons of plains garters.He might have an extra male/female sitting around for you.
Tom
 
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Lovely snake!

I'd recommend not releasing any babies you produce unless you use a locally collected partner for your snake. Using a snake from a different locality could "genetically pollute" the wild population in your area.

-Alice
 
Thank you!

Hello!

Tom-


Thank you for your reply. The snake is MAYBE 18 inches long, if that. I know he's a male 'cuz when I caught him he spuzzed all over me. Two healthy hemipenes (may TOO healthy). Unless that's a behaviour I'm not familiar with, I think it's a male.

And I don't mean that to sound flippant. Do females exude anything besides musk when stressed? He musked, too. Bleckkk!!!

So, that's why I figured he's male. Vent to tip of tail taper seems to say the same thing, but they are snakes, tubes with a mouth. I've been wrong before...

BEAUTIFUL snake in your photo. Just beautiful. Great pose, too, just watchin' you....whatchu doin' there, Mr.? They're so funny cuz they look so sinister and are really such sweethearts.

I will check with Scott Felzer. Thank you!

Bodie
 
Local Genetics

Alice-

Thank you!

This beautiful creature impresses me more every day.

I've been feeding him goldfish. Voracious appetite. And I noticed that he seems to target individual fish. Garters I've kept in the past have just done side to side sweeping, mouth wide open.

This guys follows specific fish around. Not very good with the swallowing, but I'll bet that he catches on. A fish jumped out of his mouth tonight at dinnertime and he caught it midair on it's first flip.

I don't know what he was eating, but I do know how he caught it.

Thank you for the advice on release. I had not thought about that, and I do NOT want to pollute this local population. If the rest are like this one, they are exceptional.

Plus this is such a harsh environment for them to even exist, these are real troopers.

Hopefully I will be able to get a non-local female, AND a local female. That would be a joyous occasion, with one "litter" going to folks who would like them and on going back into the wild.

I have thought about releasing him, but we enjoy each other's company and he is literally in the middle of a city. I don't know where he was living, or how, so wouldn't know where to release (could probably figure it out, though ;-) ). Just feel like he's here for a reason.

Bodie
 
For snakes, I think that garters are incredibly personable. You're guy is a great looking snake and it would be awesome if you could get some babies from him, especially if you could hook him up with a similar female. You should check out the garter forum and post some more pics too :)
-Alice
 
As much as im not a colubrid fan, the garters have seemed to catch my eye lately. Especially the Anery Western Plains garters. They are so beautiful to me. But i must say that garter you have there is GORGEOUS!!! Im loving that bright, vivid stripe!

I hope you do find yourself a female (locally) for him to breed with. Congratulations on your find, and for a stunning specimen!
 
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