Very UNUSUAL garter...

One thing is certain that is one handsome snake. What a great find. I'd keep it (if legal) even if it weren't something I was interested in breeding right away. We never know what the future holds and that's a great addition to a collection!
Please do keep us posted!
Nick

I wouldn't release it... Keep it as a pet for now and look more into it.. And contact some of the bigger garter breeders that do morphs. They might know ways around the laws or little loopholes. I will come get it from ya if you want

Originally Posted by Allison

It's a Terrestrial. The Checkered garters are mostly found in central and southern Az and I am far north.

If you go to the garter snake forum I think most will tell you that it is a wandering garter (Thamnophis elegans vagrans) rather than a terrestrial. I think (but not sure) most of them refer to Thamnophis elegans terrestris (which technically does not exist anymore) as the terrestrial.

There have been some changes to recognized subspecies in Thamnophis elegans somewhat recently - so that adds to the confusion and disagreement on what is or isn't a "terrestrial garter" (it seems some of them are reluctant to change)

It seems that Thamnophis elegans went from

many subspecies (6 that i could find)

(1. Thamnophis elegans elegans 2. Thamnophis elegans arizonae 3. Thamnophis elegans hueyi 4. Thamnophis elegans terrestris 5. Thamnophis elegans vagrans 6. Thamnophis elegans vascotanneri)

to officially 2 subspecies

(1. T. e. elegans 2. T. e. vagrans)

Originally Posted by VickyChaiTea

Guuuuuh you're sure you can't ship him/her? Hey, that reminds me... have you/can you sex it yet?

No sex yet, I'm worried I might injure or stress it out at this point.

Originally Posted by gelshark

If you go to the garter snake forum I think most will tell you that it is a wandering garter (Thamnophis elegans vagrans) rather than a terrestrial. I think (but not sure) most of them refer to Thamnophis elegans terrestris (which technically does not exist anymore) as the terrestrial.

There have been some changes to recognized subspecies in Thamnophis elegans somewhat recently - so that adds to the confusion and disagreement on what is or isn't a "terrestrial garter" (it seems some of them are reluctant to change)

Very interesting! I was using the Arizona Reptile page as a reference. It shows pictures of my little guy under the name "Terrestrial".
Looking at him up close and then comparing him to Wandering garters.. they just don't look similar enough. But who knows? He very well could be

Oh, and great news! He took a fuzzy mouse for me without a single problem!! WOOT!

Originally Posted by Allison

I was using the Arizona Reptile page as a reference.

Imagine my surprise when they (at the garter snake forum) told me that here in Colorado we do not have terrestrial garters. I was using the Colorado Herpetological Society's website as reference which says we do - lol

Originally Posted by gelshark

Imagine my surprise when they (at the garter snake forum) told me that here in Colorado we do not have terrestrial garters. I was using the Colorado Herpetological Society's website as reference which says we do - lol

Haha! I guess we are behind the times and slow with the info then.

Alright everyone, he/she finally shed! The results are awesome. The dorsal stripe is WHITE. The snake also does not show any "normal" colors such as yellow, green, brown, etc. I wonder if the mutation is linked to anery somehow? But that doesn't explain the lack of yellow...

anyway, enough rambling. Here are the pics. I apologize for the blurriness and poor quality, it's hard to catch good shots in a dark house.


(Note the color)








Look at it's side!







Any new thoughts with the new shed?

Forgot this one- mid shed

That is a CRAZY looking garter, are you breed him/her?