The Very First of Her Kind.

[NFS07]

Nice snake. Nice find!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

thanks. any suggestions on a name? I am stuck and I name every snake I own!

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

well say shes hypo and she mated with a normal male wouldnt that mean that they are all het for hypo and none would show the gene right? unless she mated with a het hypo male right? then half would be hypo which could be the case here if you said 2/5 are starting to get lighter and are you going to breed together whatever you can of this litter? i hope that some or all have some form of the gene, then we would be closer to a super hypo

[GarterGuy]

Well for a name, how about Nigma....short for enigma...being that she's one of a kind and such.
I do have to say though, if you live here in PA, I would not advertise the fact that you're breeding native T.s.sirtalis, for it is illegal. Updated Fish and Boat Commision Herp laws state that you are only allowed to have one specimen of a native species in your possesion. I personally think the law is rediculous, even though it is meant to help preserve native species and keep "collectors" from hurting native populations. It hurts those who are trying to establish CB populations of native species, so wild collection is no longer needed. But it is the law that's on the books now. Also if you were to try and sell her or any of her babies, you'd not only be in violation of this law, but if the sale were across state lines, you'd also be in violation of the Lacey Act....which would make charges a federal offence. Sorry to be a downer, just making sure you'r aware of the laws here in the state.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

for these reasons, I am actually hoping she's a pallidus. It's hard for me to tell. But I don't think pallidus are found in this range. I am aware of this native species law, but she's not a normal sirtalis. This is how I was able to obtain a white-sided black rat snake in this state. I don't plan on living here much longer anyways.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

In response to reed_kamsler, I beleive she is hypo. So she will be bred to her own son to prove the trait true. this is the only breeding I can do until the females from her litter are of breeding age.

[GarterGuy]

Ok good to hear that you already know the laws.....oh and the white sided black rat (actually called an eastern rat now) is actually on an exempt list of animals that can be kept. No thamnophis "mutations" are on this list, just the eastern rat and eastern milksnake. (Actually had a hand in helping get the laws to where they are now through my herp society.....as much as they suck....they were going to be A LOT worse!) As far as it being pallidulus....yeh, it's WAY too far south for that. It is a real shame, I'd love to be able to work with various T.s.sirtalis morphs, but because of the laws, I'm working with pallidulus....and they're A LOT harder to get.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

im thinking maybe i should actually continue to breed maritimes, i might be selling my adult pair to don in the spring after babies come, but maybe i can keep some babies and breed them back to each other?? i read some where that maritimes change color as they get older is this true?

[Odie]

Totally a keeper and I want one too

[GarterGuy]

im thinking maybe i should actually continue to breed maritimes, i might be selling my adult pair to don in the spring after babies come, but maybe i can keep some babies and breed them back to each other?? i read some where that maritimes change color as they get older is this true?

I think this it true of a lot of garters. It seems that as they mature, they get a lot of their colour....unlike other snakes that start out colourful and then they fade as they get older. I know my pallidulus have really coloured up as they've been growing. I'm hoping on getting some real intense reds and grees to put with my mine (more intense then what you have ) and also hope to maybe be able to get some melanistics or other morphs. They seem to be "almost" as variable as sirtalis.....and they're legal for me....LOL.