While I do agree one should by CB, I'm not going to pay $30 + shipping PER SNAKE to get myself a pair of concinnus this year, when I can find hundreds of them right here near my home. Also, It's a small world when it comes to breeders. To dang many snakes being bred are related. Other members have expressed interest in widening the gene pool for concinnus so I think I'll probably send a few their way. Also, this particular area has concinnus with colors, patterns, and genes that you just don't see in CB snakes. As far as pathogens in the offspring goes, the snakes were never exposed to anything other than their parents. Any pathogens present, if any, came from the environment where they were collected. That's the reason I would never release a snake to a different location or population.

I would have to drive a awfully long way to pick up a CB garter snake. I did get one shipped to me. Amy. Iowa albino T. Radix. There's a good argument against doing that too. What if she carried a nasty pathogen to which she is immune, but then escaped and infected local snakes? What if she crossbred with native snakes?

Everyone has made some very good points. Points which I have always considered. I don't just do this thoughtlessly. I do care.