identify this garter !

[jitami]

Bless you for actually getting correct ID on this snake!!! Many people come here with them thinking they've bought a Thamnophis(true garter snake) and are surprised to learn that although care is similar, they're really not a good "beginner" snake. Again, kudos to you for asking!

[GarterNovice]

What is with Pet co selling snakes that they say are Garters but aren't? Had it happen to us twice. It's annoying.

[infernalis]

Annoying is an understatement, it's a crime!

[guidofatherof5]

They label them(in my opinion) so that people will buy them thinking they are just getting a Garter Snake. "How hard can it be to take care of a Garter snake"
Label it from Indonesia and people get scared away. Too exotic, too hard to take care of. They have to know what they are selling but choose not to be up-front with the customer.

[rapturereptiles]

looks like petsmart to me..

ROTFLAO at best buy lmao

lol its petco, in arizona i work there and we had gotten 2 of these things in , thanks for everything , they came in a gartersnake order supersweet and tame as can be . but one has a mild r.i. so i took him to the vet , but the other seems all good no external mites or anything ,and 20 bucks not a bad price but im not really into anything that isnt 20+ feet long , im more of a retic guy, ,

again thanks for all of the info
brandon

[GarterNovice]

I do not see how it is legal for them to sell them as Garters

[olive oil]

Patrick, did yours pass away or did they take it back?
Just curious.

[adamanteus]

I do not see how it is legal for them to sell them as Garters

That's just one of the problems with using 'common' names.. they don't mean a thing, and you certainly can't enforce 'naming rules'. Keelbacks (Xenochrophis) are commonly known as Indonesian Garter Snakes, there is an entire genus of dangerously venomous Elapids in South Africa (Elapsoidea), which are commonly known as Garter Snakes. Then there is the North American natricine genus (Thamnophis), commonly known as Garter Snakes.
Which is right, which is wrong?
Best to buy from reputable dealers and use scientific names, that way everyone knows what snake they're talking about.

[GarterNovice]

I'm definitely a beginner snake owner, so I decided to take him back I didn't want to but he just refused to eat and I didn't want to be responsible for his death. I figured that was the responsible thing to do.

[infernalis]

Call me crazy, but at some point, I wouldn't mind giving a keelback a try.