I'm assuming it's a Garter snake, but what type? I found it in my yard when I was mowing the lawn. I got all excited (never caught a snake before) and picked it up and it pissed all over me/ made very bad smell. I live in Muskego, Wisconsin. USA. I don't plan on keeping it, but put it in a spare 10 gallon to look at it & what not. I made him a little cave though. Pretty calm little guy minus the pissing me all over me bit. Then again if a giant picked me up, maybe I'd piss all over them too out of fear. But anyways, what kind? And thanks in advance. If more pics are needed, I can take them. Ooo gimpy hand.
That wasn't piss. It musked you Defense mechanism. Dunno what kind it is but it looks like it's going to shed pretty soon.
I figured some kind of defense mechanism. I read up on the internet to double check what he was and they said something about musk. I was mostly amused by the musking. After I caught it I got on the phone with a friend and I kept telling her that it was so cute and had a little rattle on the end of it's tail. I kept telling her, "oops almost bit me". So, of course, she called me a moron. I thought he/she looked like it was going to shed soon as well. The eyes were kind of...pale? I promised to keep the snake until to morning to show a friend. (we're amused by small things ) Would I be doing it a favor to keep it until it sheds if I can keep it in proper temps? It would be pretty cool to see the snake shed.
That's called the blue phase. When it's eyes turn a milky blue. I don't think it would hurt it to keep it when it's in shed, but I wouldn't exactly call it a favour either If you can keep it's proper temps and humidity as well as something to help it shed (like a rock or branch) then you can certainly do that. Post more pics if you can
That is an Eastern garter snake, looks to be between 1 1/2 to 2 years old. I can't see the tail well enough to tell you if its a male or female. Ash is right, it is about to shed. If you intend to keep it for a bit give it a bowl of water deep enough for it to lay in and be covered by the water. Also if you could give it a box with damp spagnum moss in it, it will help it shed. Easterns are not picky eaters, even while about to shed it would probably eat for you. Give it a couple of nightcrawlers. Good luck.
Thanks a bunch dragondreams I'll give it all those things ASAP. (Just put in the water dish/soaking dish 3 seconds after reading) I'm not sure if I'll keep him/her. She's really started to grow on me. I'm down right AMAZED at how easily I can handle the snake. I'd almost say she/he loves being handled! It's super calm provided you don't do any crazy fast movments. I took some quick pics: I took a pic of it's tail end, can you tell if it's male or female from the picture? I threw in two large crickets for it since that's what I have. I'll try and find/buy some nightcrawlers tomorrow. So far she/he hasn't touched the crickets. I don't have any spagnum moss, would damp shredded paper towels work? Also, just curious, but how's this type of snakes temperment versus other snakes? Pretty mild mannered? Do they get more or less moody around shedding time?
damp paper towel works too. Just don't let any mold grow. You should try feeder fish. I don't think garters will eat insects. At least that's what someone on here said earlier.
As many garters that I have picked up, never been bitten. a Northern Water Snake however is just the opposite.
Easterns in particular are very laid back snakes most of the time and are very easy to tame. They do tend to want to be left alone when they are shedding, it is uncomfortable for them. If you could get two or three shots of the tail stretched out, say one from the topside, one from the side, and one from underneath, I might be able to sex it, no promises. I found a garter snake about that size 2 years ago and fell in love with him. He is still with me and doing great. I moved here from NC, and he was the first I had seen with his colors. Don't laugh, but I call him PrettyBoy. His picture, along with my other garters and lizards are http://chat-alley.com/chatalbum/displayima...t=1&pos=-34 there.
badger_N: LOL nice to know I'm not the only one who randomly picks up animals. My mum thinks I'm crazy. Then again she dislikes all animals. (she must be crazy, I know). dragondreams: If this attitude is him/her being uncomfortable while shedding, he's gonna have to give me kisses to improve :lol: And I won't laugh. I have a cat named BabyDoll. The name PrettyBoy suites him, he's gorgeous. I came accross photos of snakes similar when checking the internet to check the type. Your other snakes are goreous as well! I wasn't sure what you meant by stretched out but I tried to get pictures with his/her's tail as straight and uncurled as possible, although I was not very successful as he likes to go into whatever position he wants and not what I want. If you need better pics lemme know. :lol: I'm gonna put them as urls since they are a bit tall. If you can't tell, it's okay. Thanks for even trying. :lol: http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f198/btchfit/HPIM6797.jpg http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f198/btchfit/HPIM6794.jpg http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f198/btchfit/HPIM6788.jpg
Thanks and cool, good enough for me. I don't ever plan on breeding her and I may only keep her until she sheds, so it doesn't really effect anything. Just kind of nice to know. Just makes it easier to type or speak when talking about her and not him/her. I always feel weird just assigning a gender. Unless I don't, though, I always jump back and forth between calling it a she and he and people get confused. My leopard gecko is genderless as of yet and one minute it's a she, next a he. Anyway to tell if she's gravid?
I wouldn't want to bred her, I don't have the capabilites of incubating the eggs. Too much hassle. but I let her go after her shed. So back in the wild.
They give live birth, no eggs. Watching that can be really exciting. The down side...what do you do with 6 to 80 babies?
Here is a general online field guide to the snakes of north america. http://www.pitt.edu/~mcs2/herp/SoNA.html If you are like me and you're out any and every chance you get field herping then I STRONGLY recommend you pick up one of Roger Conant's most useful books. "Reptiles & Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America" Here's a link to the publishers website. http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/peterson/rep.cfm I have the 90's edition of the book, which is "Reptiles & Amphibians of South Eastern North America".
