Help with ID

[reptilemama]

I answer questions on another website (practical pet care, cool site), and someone asked for an ID on this snake. They emailed me this picture, and said they are from San Antonio Texas. Oh, and they just took pictures and didn't capture it. I guessed Western Plains Garter. What do you guys think? Whatever it is, it's neat!

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	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[Dr.Oviparous]

wow, thats a cool lookin snake, however, I have not a whole lot of colubrid exp, I don't know what it is. but I do like it! -Juggalo
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[Boaguy]

Yes it does look very much like a western plains garter..
but in the head and neck region it looks more like a hybrid between
a western plains garter and a green rat snake .. very intresting ,,hmmm
it also looks like it just swollowed a toad [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]
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	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

[wino]

Hmmm...Almost looks "faked", the colors are so, well, colorful. haha.

The closest match I can find would also be the Western Plains Garter, judging by the head and dorsal stripe. But the side pattern seems wrong...

See this example of a Western Plains Garter -->



See how the snake in this pic doesnt look so "photoshop-y"...

Good luck
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[JuliusSqueezer]

Like most anything else...patterns vary. I would say W. Plains garter too. I would also guess she is likely gravid. Since they eat mostly bugs...I doubt that bulge is bug belly.

BG...garters and ratsnakes don't cross.
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	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

	Gravid Gravid term used in biology to describe the condition of a female oviparous when carrying young internally.

Lovely.. I'd agree with Jul's here. Also tell em to go back and catch this one and send it to me hehe. This snake has got beautiful coloring !
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[reptilemama]

I also posted this on "that other site" in the garter forum, and got an email from a guy who breeds eastern blackneck garters. He sent me a pic of some of last years babies, and they are exactly the same! Beautiful little snakes!
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	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

Reptilemama...Send me the guys link or email please.... LORI_SnakesRule@redtailboa.net
YES I like to keep garters and ribbons also...
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[JuliusSqueezer]

Ahhh cool! Although I was born in Texas, I have lived most of my life in Georgia and most of my herping has been limited to the South Eastern States. I did a quick search on Texas ssp of gartersnakes before I posted before and failed to notice that there are 2 ssp of blackneck garters. "Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis" is the black neck I looked at before and it has a yellow dorsal stripe so I dismissed looking any further. The eastern black neck "Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus" is a closer match and also the only of the 3 mentioned species that range into the San Antonio area. Western Plains garters aren't even close. They are found in the extreme northern part of Texas in that little square part west of Oklahoma whatever that's called.
Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus

Also...that particular species feeds heavily on frogs so while bug belly is unlikely...frog belly is possible...so it may or may not be gravid afterall.