Second Herpin' Trip of 2007

Still not alot moving, but these warm days should start bringing them out.

From Newport news and Williamsburg, VA...

Oh, and a snake, too. This one has a fresh injury to the tip of the tail. Turtle? King Snake? Only this snake knows for sure...

Very pretty and calm

I love love love garters, they are the beautiful snakes that started the fascination for me. I love the photo, he looks very chill.

Actually, he was anything but calm, LOL. He was freakin' out and the only way I could get a decent picture was to rest his front half on a log while I held him with my left hand and snapped a pic with my right hand. I actually heard him before I saw him. I finally caught him near the base of the tree and he promptly bit me (without consequence). The end of his tail had a nasty little gash, and it was bleeding. No telling what had hold of him. I caught him near the edge of a swamp and he was really hauling a$$. Maybe a wading bird or a turtle. Who knows. But it should do just fine. Nothing critical injured.

It's an Eastern Ribbon Snake. Very common around here. Usually the first snakes out around here in the spring, along with Garters.

Originally Posted by SkyChimp

Actually, he was anything but calm, LOL. He was freakin' out and the only way I could get a decent picture was to rest his front half on a log while I held him with my left hand and snapped a pic with my right hand. I actually heard him before I saw him. I finally caught him near the base of the tree and he promptly bit me (without consequence). The end of his tail had a nasty little gash, and it was bleeding. No telling what had hold of him. I caught him near the edge of a swamp and he was really hauling a$$. Maybe a wading bird or a turtle. Who knows. But it should do just fine. Nothing critical injured.

It's an Eastern Ribbon Snake. Very common around here. Usually the first snakes out around here in the spring, along with Garters.

wow. maybe i've been identifying them wrong all this time, because he looks very similar to a lot of supposed garter's i've caught. Do they live up on the north west coast do you know?

Garters and Ribbons are both in the genus Thamnophis. So they are very closely related. Some species in that genus look similar, so are easily confused.

When you say north west coast, do you mean Pacific Northest (northern California, Oregon, Washington)?

According to my main book, Snakes of the United States and Canada, Northwestern Garter Snakes, Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes, and Common Garter Snakes are native to that area (maybe some more i missed). The pictures in the book show so many color variations of the Common Garter, some of which look very close to the snake I photographed today. So, you probably have been catching Garters that simply look similar to my Ribbon.

Ribbons are very common around here. I caught it in a text book area (in high woods next to a swamp). It's a small, very slender snake. That one would probably be an adult. The main visual difference between a Ribbon and a Garter are the clean labial scales around the mouth. Garters' mouth scales usually have dark marks.

Great finds. We spotted a ribbon snake of about the same size on the grounds of Maymont in Richmond today. They're definitely out and about.

The ribbon looks just like my little "Tweak", if you have ever watched Southpark (not a habit for me) you know why I named him that. He is a jumpy little thing, curious though. even with months of handling he still doesn't care for it a whole lot, but he wants to crawl through your hand if you put it in the tank, plus he is the only one out of all my snakes that seems to take an interest in what I am doing around the house. He'll follow me around the room and if he can't see me because of the hide or decorations in it, he moves. Those are some really cool pics and it has inspired me to take my 8 year old daughter and go get some daddy/daughter time in the local woods. Still wished I could get my 13 year old daughter to even touch a snake or bug other than a quick poke.

I thought I saw before on your first outing that you took your kid with you, is that something you do alot??

Poor little Ribbon Snake! He'd just escaped some predator, and then you get him! No wonder he was in a biting mood. Great finds.

Nanci