Gail's garter - the snake kind silly.

[ConcinusMan]

[kueluck]

Well then I shall. My little Sadie may not be the brightest colored, or uniquely marked, biggest or smallest, but she is one of the sweetest I've come across. She just finished her shed 2 days ago, which leads to my question, or should I say observation.
CIMG0399.jpg
It seems that when one of my girls gets ready to shed, the other start the process within a month. Almost like when women who live together "cycle" together. And I'm not talkin' about bicycles either. Has anyone noticed this also?? OK guys, jump on THIS one.

[ConcinusMan]

It seems that when one of my girls gets ready to shed, the other start the process within a month. Almost like when women who live together "cycle" together.

Yes they do seem to all shed very close together and/or go into shed near the same time. But they do that even if they aren't housed together and I thought maybe it's because everyone gets fed on the same schedule. If any don't eat, too bad they can wait until next time. Almost all my big females had their pre-birthing shed at nearly the same time but they also gave birth around the same time in July. Now they are all in shed again. The only one that isn't in shed also didn't give birth until about 2 weeks ago.

When the wild ones first emerge they all go into shed and all shed within a week of each other. Hormonal? Plausible but I don't think so. More like all of them have roughly the same conditions influencing their shed cycles and I think it happens in captivity too. Same feeding, temps, growth rate etc = similar shed cycle.

[chris-uk]

Well then I shall. My little Sadie may not be the brightest colored, or uniquely marked, biggest or smallest, but she is one of the sweetest I've come across. She just finished her shed 2 days ago, which leads to my question, or should I say observation.
CIMG0399.jpg
It seems that when one of my girls gets ready to shed, the other start the process within a month. Almost like when women who live together "cycle" together. And I'm not talkin' about bicycles either. Has anyone noticed this also?? OK guys, jump on THIS one.

Sounds like you have something to contribute to the thread that d_virginiana started:
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene...-shedding.html

[snipstedy]

Is that a solid black Garter? I was herping today and came accross a black snake but wasn't sure what it was so I took a pick from a safe distance (which wasn't really worth it )..anyway very nice snake.

[kueluck]

Solid black, no. She has a white/cream colored chin. Mona is my (T.S. sirtalis) Melanistic and super friendly. Anyone can handle her with no problems.

Is that a solid black Garter? I was herping today and came accross a black snake but wasn't sure what it was so I took a pick from a safe distance (which wasn't really worth it )..anyway very nice snake.

[kueluck]

And today Mona gave me a 32 inch one piece shed. These girls are amazing and I wouldn't give any of them up.
CIMG0410.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Big beautiful girl.

[gibble888]

Wow! She is a dandy!

[kueluck]

She makes Sadie look so small, and they are only a few weeks different in age. So either Mona is gonna be a big girl, or Sadie is a little one.