I've checked this site out over the years and I'm glad to find a forum here now.
I hope it gets more traffic than the KS garter forum. So far this place seems much friendlier and much busier.

The first snake I ever caught was a melanistic wandering garter (t.e.vagrans) in my front yard in Utah when I was about 5 years old. I've been hooked on garters and all herps since then.

I currently breed and keep melanistic wandering garters, valley garters, and oregon red spotted garters. I'd eventually like to get some california red sided garters, coast garters, mountain garters, and northwestern garters. I like the garters from the Western US. the best.