Humidity Discussion

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

One thing that I don't get is that the Florida blue is by the books.... the same as any other eastern and so theoretically should not need any more or less humidity, yet they are constantly singled out in so many ways as being entirely different snakes visually, tempermentally, and now requirement-wise. I myself have noticed major major differences in all three of those categories between "florida blues" and all other easterns, and it really makes me wonder if they should be examined closer because I REALLY do not think that they are just a blue colored eastern garter. Georgia is pretty humid.... but I am sure that if you took some eastern garters from georgia and moved them to a location further north where it's more dry, they would be alright. I'm not saying do that because it would be bad in a number of ways... but you get my idea. I don't get how florida blues can be separated in so many ways by all of us, and yet they are still known as just another eastern garter. I don't see the logic there, lol!!!

[Stefan-A]

One thing that I don't get is that the Florida blue is by the books.... the same as any other eastern and so theoretically should not need any more or less humidity, yet they are constantly singled out in so many ways as being entirely different snakes visually, tempermentally, and now requirement-wise.

The confusion probably comes from an expectation that it's as clear-cut in nature, as it is in the books. It's not clear-cut and to say that they theoretically shouldn't need any different conditions because we've placed them in the same subspecies as other populations, is to yank the whole issue out of the proper evolutionary context and completely ignore all variations in biotic and abiotic components across T. s. sirtalis' range.

Having said that, it wouldn't surprise me if it did have its status changed, but neither would it if it didn't. Differences like the ones between Florida Blues and other Eastern garters aren't necessarily relevant when it comes to determining whether or not it deserves that status.